Morning journal and courier., 1883-08-23
George Du Maurfer.

Mir. du Maurier is 8 pleasant-looking man, of middle height, with humorous face and genial manners. He wears light moustache and imperial, which give him rather 8 for eign aspect, and though he is compelled to use glasses, his defective vision is not other wise apparent. At times, however. his affiic- tion seriously interferes with his work, and he has recourse to dark shades and other de vices for avoiding the glare. A few years ago he found it almost impossible to draw at all-at least on the customary small and delicate scsle-when friend suggested that photography might be usefully employed to relieve the strain upon his sight. The re- suit is that MT. du Maurier's original pen and ink drawings are now always considera' bly, larger than the impressions which appear in Punch. The drawings are photographed on to the engraver's block, the dimensions being reduced in the process to the requisite size. M. du Maurier is 8 rapid worker, and from long practice has acquired the knack of doing the fine and delicate details which abound in his pictures with wonderful rapid ity. He always draws from models, but his sstypes'' are the result of his own observa- ton. He has habit of taking B mental note of any characteristic physiognomy he comes across; still he is scrupulously careful never to be personal. If he happens tC have a particular individual in his mind while treating subject, he adopts the expedient oi making rough sketch of the original on tho margin of his paper, in order to avoid any resemblance to likeness finding it's way into the drawing.
 MT. du Manrier lives in picturesque, old fashioned house at Hampstead Heath, where one is greeted, on entering the hall, by the huge St. Bernard which is so familiar to the readers of Punch. "Chang," as he is called is privileged member of the household and appears, from his staid and dignifed de meanor, to be quite conscious of the celebri ty he has attained MT. du Maurier's studio is large, pleasant room, commanding g charming view, and Is more suggestive oi ease and comfort than hard work. A shrouded lay figure and small easel, on which stands an unfinished drawing, are the only visible signs of it's owners occupation though the walls are hung round with origi- nal sketches, which have done duty in Punch, and seem, therefore, strangely famll' far. Most of MT. du Maurier's work IS done in the morning, and by 1 o'clock he has gen. orally performed his self allotted task. He is married man and has several children. Though addicted to solitary rambles over the neighboring heath, or about the busy London streets, he goes good deal in socie ty. He is, in fact, an eminently sociable man and is universally popular.
 His special mission for the last twenty years has been to make us smile at the foi bles of polite society, to depict aristocratic snobbIsm. to expose social cant and humbug, and to hold up the mirror to nature as rep, resented by the higher grades of civiliza- ton. The ludicrous side of each heeting fashion is seized upon with the keenness of inspiration, and turned into good-humored ridicuIe. Making allowance for Mir. du Mau" rier's amiable idiosyncracy of investing con- monplace mortals with the physical grace of the gods, it must be conceded that his draw ings are faithful representations of English society as it exists, and in the guise all of us oro with C0 eoruOul0ualv accurate is he in the smallest details, that even the changes of fashion, the art of the milliner and the tailor are faithfully chronicled from week to week, and it is both curious and in structive to trace in the back numbers oi Punch by means of Mir. du Maurier's con tributions, the various innovations. whether improvements or otherwise, which have gradually taken place in the national cos tune.
 Mir. du Maurier's wit is mildly satirica rather than humorous he does not profess to be funny, but prefers to barb his shafts with thinly-veiled satire. Yet he has ire quently shown that he can make good joke with the best of his compeers; just as he has on occasions proved that he is as famil far with the popular idea of English life as with the aspect he has made peculiarly his own. The fact is, however, that MT. du Maurier's pencil is essentially graceful anc artistic, and the lower orders of this country QO uOG, III Lu61E GE6So UT LAoh OCL4ChhOIs oL ford him the opportunities for depicting beauty for which his soul craves. The French 'bonne, with her neat cap and eproz and her flowing bands; the ouvrier, in his blause and sabots-the lower grades of any other nation, in short-afford the artistic el ement which he requires to work upon. Their poIiteness, their gestures, their natural gracefnlness of department are suited to his Tein But our own 'Arry. with his cheap tailors suit and his vulgar boorishness; Ma ria, the housemaid, aping the dress and man ners of her mistress, do not easily lend themselves to his refined and fastidious pen ciI. He. therefore, generally confines him. self to more congenial types, while wisely eschewing scenes with which he is not per sonally familiar. He is not a sporting man, and he therefore never introduces us to the hunting field or the race-course. Accuracy and fidelity to natures are his guiding pr1n- ciples, and every scene he presents to us and every pose he introduces is the result ot careful observation.