The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-02-15
The Old story.

1t came no sooner than we expected
Shakespeare, Milton, Charles Reade, Long
fellow, Florence sPercy end a thousand others
have been arraigned for plagiarism. Most OF
Them, however have been SO fortunate as TO
meet this charge while they were living. This
is great advantage, for dead man not only
tells no tales but he refutes 10 lies. Charles
now comes George Cruishank, TIE artist, and
accuses him, the most original author that
ever put pen to paper, whatever rank as lit
erary man may be assigned him, of savshly
filling up outlines dictated to him by that Gar.
fist. Ii was ofcourse only question CT time
Somebody wS sure t, discover, first or last
that they wrote David Copperfeld,' ''The
Christmas Carol" and all the rest But il
was not anticipated that it would be the man
whose name is so indissolubly connected with
that of the author whose works he Illustrated
It would have been much more honoroble in
Mr.. Cruikshank to make known Dickens al
legged obligation to him while that great man
lived. Instead of that he waited till death
had sealed his lips before breaking the sieuce
of years. But here is the whole story:
Some literary gentlemen were lately discus-
sing the veteran artist, George Cruikshank, at
EdlnburS, when an American gentleman pres.
ent declared it to be his belief that the rennta.
ton of Mr. Dickens early works was in q
great degree attributable 10 the admirable il.
Illustrations OF this artist accompanying them
whereupon he was assured that Mr.. Cruik.
shank mad illustrated one or two only of Mr.
DICKENS works. This led to a discussion
winch resulted in wager by the American
that Mr.. Z. had Illustrated no less than six Of
Mi. DIS works. 1t was taken up by publish.
er present, and note was at once addressed
to the artist, at London, explaining the cir
cumstanceS. A few days afterward the follow.
ing answer was received, disclosing some sin
gular facts in regard to Mr.. Dickens. The We
racity aud honor of. the writer caunot admit
OF a Doubt
1853 HAMPSTEAD ROAD, N. W. (London.)
November II, 1870.
DEAR SIR:-You have lost your wager fol
l did not illustrate the works of the late Mr.
Charles Dickens to the extent that most peo
pie suppose; but am not surprised at the
TACT OF their being misled; for the other artists
employed upon bis works initiated my style
as closely as possible, and hence the public
suDposed-as Dickens wrote under the name
OF "BoZ>-and designed and etched under
the name of"Phiz," but who was a very clever
artist of the name of Hablot K. Browne. /
was, however, the first artist to illustrate any
OF MI. Dickens writings, and the earliest of
these was the first volume of l'Sketches hy
Boz" January 1856, and the next was the
second volume under this title, the greater
part of which were written from INV hints and
suggestions. Some time after this Mr.. Bentley
started his Miscellany, appointing Mr.. Dickens
as editor, and myself as illustrator; and the
first plate in that work is design of mine,
which Mr.. Dicken wrote upto. Then follow.
ed (1S39) solver Twist" which was Eentirely
my own idea and suggestion, and all the char
acters are mine. And this will account to1
the fact OF solver Twist" being very different
from any of his other writings. When Mr..
McCrone, the publisher, died (he having pub
lished the sketches of Boz'') a volume was
brought out for the benefit of his widow. Mr.
Dickens wrote some part of this which l illus
traled; and these are all the designs and
etchings that did to illustrate the works OF
that author. am preparing to publish an
explanation OF the reason why did not illus.
trate the whole of Mr.. Dickensl writings, and
this explanation will not at all rebound to his
credit. With respects to the American ed.
tcns of Mr.. Dickens works, there may be de
signs therein, but the hand of. dear sir, yours
truly, GEORGE CRUIKsHASK.