portraits were Mr. Wilde and Sir Augustus Harris; the latter Beardsley considered his debtor by virtue of his having taken half a crown at Covent Garden Theatre without providing him with a seat.

Aubrey Beardsley was born on August 21, 1872, and died on March 16, 1898. During his short life he carried the art of Black and White further than any man since Albert Dürer. On his death prophetic assurances were not wanting that the "Beardsley cult" or "craze," as it was generally called, was doomed to extinction with the death of its high priest, but so far from this anticipation being realised, his work now enjoys a greater appreciation and more intelligent sympathy than was granted to it, save by an esoteric few, during his lifetime.

Although it is impossible, with any degree of accuracy, to state to what extent Beardsley's popularity has increased during the last few years, evidence is not wanting to show that his following is both enthusiastic and loyal. This applies not only to Great Britain, but equally to America, whilst in Germany, France, Belgium, Russia and Holland, it is safe to affirm that his reputation is steadily growing, especially in Germany. Indeed, it is obvious to the most superficial observer that there is hardly a Black and White artist working to-day who has not in some subtle way been influenced by the master.

More than three-fourths of Beardsley's work passed through my hands, and to my knowledge he never used Chinese White. I am the fortunate possessor of the originals of over eighty of his principal drawings. I get applications from would-be purchasers of these from different parts of the world almost daily, but as yet I have withstood all temptations to part with these treasures, which I regard as the chief monument of the greatest, most brilliant, the wittiest, and the most lovable man it has ever been my privilege to know.

JOHN LANE.

THE BODLEY HEAD,

VIGO STREET, W.

July 1903.

CONTENTS

DEDICATION TO "UNDER THE HILL"
UNDER THE HILL
THE THREE MUSICIANS
THE BALLAD OF A BARBER
TRANSLATION OF CATULLUS: CARMEN CI
TABLE TALK OF AUBREY BEARDSLEY
TWO LETTERS OF AUBREY BEARDSLEY

ILLUSTRATIONS

AUBREY BEARDSLEY AT MENTONE, IN THE ROOM IN
WHICH HE DIED Frontispiece
THE ABBÉ
THE TOILET OF HELEN
THE FRUIT BEARERS
THE ASCENSION OF SAINT ROSE OF LIMA
FOR THE THIRD TABLEAU OF "DAS RHEINGOLD"
THE THREE MUSICIANS
THE THREE MUSICIANS
TAILPIECE TO "THE THREE MUSICIANS"
THE COIFFING
CUL-DE-LAMPE TO "THE BARBER"
ATE ATQUE VALE
TITLE-PAGE TO VOL. I. OF "THE YELLOW BOOK"
FRONTISPIECE TO "PLAYS" BY JOHN DAVIDSON
ARBUSCULA
PORTRAIT SKETCHES
L'ABBÉ MOURET

UNDER THE HILL

A ROMANTIC NOVEL

TO

THE MOST EMINENT AND REVEREND PRINCE

GIULIO POLDO PEZZOLI

CARDINAL OF THE HOLY ROMAN CHURCH
TITULAR BISHOP OF S. MARIA IN TRASTAVERE
ARCHBISHOP OF OSTIA AND VELLETRI
NUNCIO TO THE HOLY SEE
IN
NICARAGUA AND PATAGONIA
A FATHER TO THE POOR
A REFORMER OF ECCLESIASTICAL DISCIPLINE
A PATTERN OF LEARNING
WISDOM AND HOLINESS OF LIFE
THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED WITH DUE REVERENCE
BY HIS HUMBLE SERVITOR
A SCRIVENER AND LIMNER OF WORLDLY THINGS
WHO MADE THIS BOOK

AUBREY BEARDSLEY

Most Eminent Prince,

I know not by what mischance the writing of epistles dedicatory has fallen into disuse, whether through the vanity of authors or the humility of patrons. But the practice seems to me so very beautiful and