Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-09-07
CruikshanI the Cancaturlst.

At the time of the death of Gilray, George
Cruikshank was young man of about five
| and-twenty years of age. Sir Francis Bur-
'ditt was prominent figure in many of Gil
rays latest caricatures in the year 1907 One
OF the earliest of George Cruikshank's repre-
sents the arrest of the baronet under the war.
rant of the speaker in 1910. The series is
thus taken up without the omission of even a
single link
The earliest carcatures of George Cruik-
shank bear strong marks of the influence ex-
erclsed by the genius of Gilray. In some it
is even difficult to distinguish the work of the
two masters, and here and there head or fig
ure may be found in the works of the later,
OF which almost the exact prototype will be
discovered in those OF the earlier artist But
IN that which stamps most value on the works
OF Gilray, Crukshank followed with less
vigorous step. A glance at the etchings en-
titled Preparing John Bull for the General
Congress, 1915" "National Frenzy, or John
Bull and his Doctors" Estate OF Politics at
the close of the year 1886" and ''rhe Royal
Shambies, 1916; and compa rison with the
well known series Of Gilray, comprising the
events connected with the French revolution,
Will show at once what we mean.
In his own department CruikShank is as
Tar superior to Gilray as he falls short of him
IN the walk OF art in which no man before or
since has ever approached the great master of
political caricature. In another, recurring
more refined, more subtle, more intellectual
qualities of mind, George Cruikshank stands
eminent, not only above Gilray, but above
all other artists. He is the most perfect mas
ter OF individual expression that ever handled
pencil or an etching needle. This talent is
equally shown in his earliest as in his latest
works. Of the former, one of the finest ex-
amples is the first cut OF the ''Queen's Matri-
monlal Ladder, entitled, Qualification. The
attitude was probably suggested by Gilray's
plate of the same illustrious parsonage, AS "A
Voluptuary Suffering from the Horrors of In
digestion" But here the superiority of Cruik.
shank over Giray, in this particular quality, is
at once apparent. Gilray's is finished cop
perplate engraving, Cruikshank's Il slight
woodcut, but there is not line that does not
tell Its story. Down to the very tips of his
fingers the unhappy debauchee is ''fuddled."
The exact stage of drunkenness is marked
and noted down in the corners of the mouth
and eyes, and the impotent elevation of the
eyebrow.
George Cruikshank was severe anato-
mist of the vice long before any idea of his
celebrated Bottle could have crossed his
mind. In the next cut, Declarations the IN
dlgnant expression thrown by one or two
lines into the countenance IF thn nId Kin, 10
equally fine. equally true and. rounIly mar
vellous. The whnle snrirs nf tI,i5 r,t,o h,.a-
chuye. INCLUDING the s7ho,,ettes nm .'rh, ,T'y,
IA littlc cardbnSrd IaIda, which o.,.n,,,,,.ri1d
the original nnhIirati,n and ,yhicn w.. ha-
comc cytren,rIv s,,.r,.,l '.,,,,,ir,..,, -,
moro than anv ,tl,.r ,,,rI, ,f ,I, rui,,p
vigor and ,nyrntiro,,,s. 81 ,,', ,s,i;,-- &c
Ge.rue ,r,iL .I,,,l. ~
works. and if we were asked who. through
that nernd has bnen mn. no.t f,ithful chron.
irlnr nf the wavs rnstoms and habts of the
midJIn and In,y,r classes nf Erylaud we
should answer witLont bpsitotinn7 George
Cruilshnnl,
In his n;rtrres of so,ietv thera 10 M dentb
,,,,,in,' La h.s ~, sonm,ilf Eron, ,Ln nnr.
-, ',,,iI =, tl,a ,,,n,,,,,. had thara ia
no rbaso ~ ,rin,o AMI misery which has NOT
.'1uia ill., ,;rt ,,,,r.I Rnt hi. Svmna-
a.. ra,,i,n ',o~,.,,rtad or his sansa nf
ri,rht and ,rro,,a d;nr,aJ Nv tbe atmosnherc
;,''.,,;.'h h., - Ia !. starn thnm,,h
i,;,I' r,nr,Iist In HE bnrds vica Is vrn-
tsa v,;.T ,rI',,,, No tar,ns ara To ho knnt
W. aoe mith I'at tr' toa;n what r',nxnr.
sI,tii d"s ho ,1;snr;n,nato ,hn shades If
nh''n,. ,,o n,.s n,,d In,rroos ~ r;,nn the
eAteh' anu li'l,' VI .,ioi"l =;
hone vi hlS Moih9 10 t"i' ~ 'FPie"' &c :"