New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-08
OLD MEMORIES OF AN ARTIST.
sALA AND CRUIKSHANK.

To the Fdtfor OF Ths Tribune.
In London, running parallel with the Strand.
nearly opposito Somerset House. Ia @ short narrow
lane called HollywellA. This street is chiefly ln-
babired by Jews who deal in secondhand clothing.
and obscene literature. At end of this street
over thirty years ago was situated the Office OF
half-penny illustrated weekly paper called Chat.
William North once offered q contribution TO this
publication. and calling two or three days after
ward 10 learn the fate of his manuscript was re-
oeiyed by swarthy bulet-headed boy In man
ner that struck him as lacking In proper respect.
North. az was his wont. few into tower
ing passion. and after rating the boy
roupdly. told him that he would inform his en-
ployer and have him discharged
The boy was George Augustus Sala, editor and pro-
pretor of the paper. salA was. believe. man OF
twenty-five OF twenty-thrce years OF age but Oh an
unusually puerile appearance he recalled thls
incident to Inc ten years later whom met him again
In London and seemed to enjoy the joke hugely.
The idea of the editor and proprietor being mis-
taken for the ofice-boy and threatened with dis
charge was certainly very comicaL
In London Sala told me Of his first Introduction
to Dickens. and, think, his first introduction to
fame. He was desperately hard MP. but he had an
article on hand which he resolved to send TO Onoo
a Wsek He sent 1t by boy with note
begging to know whether, In case the article
proved acceptable, 1t would be asking
zoo much TO request them to break
through their established rule Of monthly pay
ments and remit him the money at once. The boy
came back with a check and very kind note from
Dickens requesting further contributions. After
that sala became regular contributor to Dickenss
Journal Onos a Week or Al The Year Round, forget
which.
met him afterward with Blanchard Jerrold
and one thousand other lights OF London at .
grand breakfast given by George Francis Train in
st. James's Hall to celebrate the opening OF tho
first horse railroad in London Whata banques
that was The huge hall. filed with all the bright
est and most eminent men in London, gaping In
open-rnouthed astouishment ut George Francis
Train dancing breakdowus and singing negro songs
on the platform. / was seated opposite George
Cruikshank, the artist, fne hale old gentleman
OF over seventy. being called upon TO respond TO
some toast, he arose to his feet and plucking two
miniature flags the Stars and Stripes and the Union
Jack. from . cake In front Of him. he held them
aloft and saidi
"Men of my calling are moro used to express their
ideas by material symbols than by Words therefore
I take thess two banners, representing the two
great branches of the Anglo-Saxon race, and bring
them thus together, hoping that they will ever
wave side BY side in Fellowship all over the world"
forget the rest Of bis speech, bat II was very
short Afterward We got into conversation, and
be invited me his house to his great painting.
"The Triumph of Baechus" which he had just I'm
isbed. The next day went 70 bis house and had
delightful hours chat with the veteran cariczturist
He showed mo bis painting. which was really col
lection of small pictures painted on one canvas rep
resentinq the evils resulting from the use OF wine
Ill. Ha M
the work, which ho considered his MdOHum Opus
George Cruikshank had been all through his life
I'D t. about 1S4s q Very intemp operate man. when he
suddenly became a total abstainer. and began TO
use his powerful pencil in the of temperance
The first hand grenade he iung at the tyrant Kun
WAS pamphlet OF twelve pages about the SIZE OF
Harpers Weekly which he called THE Bottle" 10
represents the career OF q happy and prosperous
mechanic who beg inning with one glass OF gin. de-
sends step BY step through the various stages OF
misery and crime till he ends by staying his wife
with tho instrument OF all his misery. the bottle.
THIS was very forcbly treated and took the town
by Storm selling enormously and OF course turning
n large sum Of money into Cruikshank's pocket.
II gave Douglas Jerrold opportunity for
one of his sarcasms Walking with friend
n. met Cruikshank. Hallop he cried, here
comes Crulkshank, hasn't been ont of public
house since Tho Bottle was published" But this
was not true. Cruikshank. l believe, never re-
lapsed. and was certainly most sincere and earnest
In the cause OF temperance when visited him.
"Iwant to do something" he said, for the BEN
eft OF my fellow creatures before die. and II can
put one spoke in tho wheel of this chariot of hell
winch is carting Its millions every five minutes
down to the dead sea OF damnaton. shall die q
little more contented. Five minutesi Did say
FIVE minutesf Every two minutes. every one min
ute, like the Paddington buses. this informal
vehicle makes trip. and itsaways full, too, always
full. From Rum to Ruin. by way OF Care Cross
Crime Crescent and Penury Square. | fear / have
to a great extent FILTERED away whatever gifts,
physical and mental. God has seen 1T to give me.
and now want 10 sec II cannot take up few Of
the overdue bills which owe the Almighty and
his creatures"
Here he paused and making dash az tho picture
began to point out OF the parts which seemed
TO him n.ost effective a. moral lessons.
There is no greater thefand ruifian in the world
than Gin he went on. People In broadcloth and
white stocks call him Port Vino and Champagne.
bnt he's Gin for all that. nothing but Gin. Why,
the rascay thieving lger. hel steal the mothers
shift and the babys rattle. There's nothing too lir-
tie and nothing too big for him he'll fake castle
md twenty thousand broad acres with one hand,
and chlds penny whistle with the other Now,
don't you think, my dear SIR, Ii Is worth while try
Ing to give this great cowardly brigaud good
whack on the head don't expect TO kill him, Of
course am not insane enough to even hope for
that but do want to have one good fair bang at
him; and il / can only break little finger of him
shall crow cock.adoodlc-doo like Sir Gallus his
dung hll.D
He showed me q large collection Of his etchngs
! believe he had preserved a copy Of every thing
he had done, and also believe that this col
lection was afterward purchased for $4,000 for
some public art gallery.
In the course OF conversation limited that l adj
mired his serious and dramatic works even moro
than his hurs rous ones. for. truth TO tel am not
enthusiast about the latter while the former con-
slider marvellous.