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Transcriber's note: A few typographical errors have been corrected. They appear in the text like this, and the explanation will appear when the mouse pointer is moved over the marked passage. Original page numbers are displayed in the margin as: Pg xxx.
MY CARICATURE OF MR. GLADSTONE.
THE CONFESSIONS OF A CARICATURIST
BY
HARRY FURNISS
ILLUSTRATED
VOLUME I
NEW YORK AND LONDON:
HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS.
1902.
BRADBURY, AGNEW, & CO. LD., PRINTERS,
LONDON AND TONBRIDGE.
[All rights reserved.]
December, 1901.
PREFACE.
If, in these volumes, I have made some joke at a friend's expense, let that friend take it in the spirit intended, and—I apologise beforehand.
In America apology in journalism is unknown. The exception is the well-known story of the man whose death was published in the obituary column. He rushed into the office of the paper and cried out to the editor:
"Look here, sur, what do you mean by this? You have published two columns and a half of my obituary, and here I am as large as life!"
The editor looked up and coolly said, "Sur, I am vury sorry, I reckon there is a mistake some place, but it kean't be helped. You are killed by the Jersey Eagle, you are to the world buried. We nevur correct anything, and we nevur apologise in Amurrican papers."
"That won't do for me, sur. My wife's in tears; my friends are laughing at me; my business will be ruined,—you must apologise."
"No, si—ree, an Amurrican editor nevur apologises."
"Well, sur, I'll take the law on you right away. I'm off to my attorney."
"Wait one minute, sur—just one minute. You are a re-nowned and popular citizen: the Jersey Eagle has killed you—for that I am vury, vury sorry, and to show you my respect I will to-morrow find room for you—in the births column."
Now do not let any editor imagine these pages are my professional obituary,—my autobiography. If by mistake he does, then let him place me immediately in their births column. I am in my forties, and there is quite time for me to prepare and publish two more volumes of my "Confessions" from my first to my second birth, and many other things, before I am fifty.
London, 1901.
[The Author begs to acknowledge his indebtedness to the Proprietors and the Editor of Punch, the Proprietors of the Magazine of Art, the Graphic, the Illustrated London News, English Illustrated Magazine, Cornhill Magazine, Harper's Magazine, Westminster Gazette, St. James' Gazette, the British Weekly and the Sporting Times for their kindness in allowing him to reproduce extracts and pictures in these volumes.]
CONTENTS.
Page CHAPTER I.
CONFESSIONS OF MY CHILDHOOD—AND AFTER. Introductory—Birth and Parentage—The Cause of my remaining a Caricaturist—The Schoolboys' Punch—Infant Prodigies—As a Student—I Start in Life—Zozimus—The Sullivan Brothers—Pigott—The Forger—The Irish "Pathriot"—Wood Engraving—Tom Taylor—The Wild West—Judy—Behind the Scenes—Titiens—My First and Last Appearance in a Play—My Journey to London—My Companion—A Coincidence pp. 1—29
CHAPTER II.
BOHEMIAN CONFESSIONS. I arrive in London—A Rogue and Vagabond—Two Ladies—Letters of Introduction—Bohemia—A Distinguished Member—My Double—A Rara Avis—The Duke of Broadacres—The Savages—A Souvenir—Portraits of the Past—J. L. Toole—Art and Artists—Sir Spencer Wells—John Pettie—Milton's Garden pp. 30—53
CHAPTER III.
MY CONFESSIONS AS A SPECIAL ARTIST. The Light Brigade—Miss Thompson (Lady Butler)—Slumming—The Boat Race—Realism—A Phantasmagoria—Orlando and the Caitiff—Fancy Dress Balls—Lewis Wingfield—Cinderella—A Model—All Night Sitting—An Impromptu Easel—"Where there's a Will there's a Way"—The American Sunday Papers—I am Deaf—The Grill—The World's Fair—Exaggeration—Personally Conducted—The Charnel House—10, Downing Street—I attend a Cabinet Council—An Illustration by Mr. Labouchere—The Great Lincolnshire Trial—Praying without Prejudice pp. 54—87
CHAPTER IV.
THE CONFESSIONS OF AN ILLUSTRATOR—A SERIOUS CHAPTER. Drawing—"Hieroglyphics"—Clerical Portraiture—A Commission from General Booth—In Search of Truth—Sir Walter Besant—James Payn—Why Theodore Hook was Melancholy—"Off with his Head"—Reformers' Tree—Happy Thoughts—Christmas Story—Lewis Carroll—The Rev. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson—Sir John Tenniel—The Challenge—Seven Years' Labour—A Puzzle MS.—Dodgson on Dress—Carroll on Drawing—Sylvie and Bruno—A Composite Picture—My Real Models—I am very Eccentric—My "Romps"—A Letter from du Maurier—Caldecott—Tableaux—Fine Feathers—Models—Fred Barnard—The Haystack—A Wicket Keeper—A Fair Sitter—Neighbours—The Post Office Jumble—Puzzling the Postmen—Writing Backwards—A Coincidence pp. 88—
CONFESSIONS OF MY CHILDHOOD—AND AFTER. Introductory—Birth and Parentage—The Cause of my remaining a Caricaturist—The Schoolboys' Punch—Infant Prodigies—As a Student—I Start in Life—Zozimus—The Sullivan Brothers—Pigott—The Forger—The Irish "Pathriot"—Wood Engraving—Tom Taylor—The Wild West—Judy—Behind the Scenes—Titiens—My First and Last Appearance in a Play—My Journey to London—My Companion—A Coincidence pp. 1—29
CHAPTER II.
BOHEMIAN CONFESSIONS. I arrive in London—A Rogue and Vagabond—Two Ladies—Letters of Introduction—Bohemia—A Distinguished Member—My Double—A Rara Avis—The Duke of Broadacres—The Savages—A Souvenir—Portraits of the Past—J. L. Toole—Art and Artists—Sir Spencer Wells—John Pettie—Milton's Garden pp. 30—53
CHAPTER III.
MY CONFESSIONS AS A SPECIAL ARTIST. The Light Brigade—Miss Thompson (Lady Butler)—Slumming—The Boat Race—Realism—A Phantasmagoria—Orlando and the Caitiff—Fancy Dress Balls—Lewis Wingfield—Cinderella—A Model—All Night Sitting—An Impromptu Easel—"Where there's a Will there's a Way"—The American Sunday Papers—I am Deaf—The Grill—The World's Fair—Exaggeration—Personally Conducted—The Charnel House—10, Downing Street—I attend a Cabinet Council—An Illustration by Mr. Labouchere—The Great Lincolnshire Trial—Praying without Prejudice pp. 54—87
CHAPTER IV.
THE CONFESSIONS OF AN ILLUSTRATOR—A SERIOUS CHAPTER. Drawing—"Hieroglyphics"—Clerical Portraiture—A Commission from General Booth—In Search of Truth—Sir Walter Besant—James Payn—Why Theodore Hook was Melancholy—"Off with his Head"—Reformers' Tree—Happy Thoughts—Christmas Story—Lewis Carroll—The Rev. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson—Sir John Tenniel—The Challenge—Seven Years' Labour—A Puzzle MS.—Dodgson on Dress—Carroll on Drawing—Sylvie and Bruno—A Composite Picture—My Real Models—I am very Eccentric—My "Romps"—A Letter from du Maurier—Caldecott—Tableaux—Fine Feathers—Models—Fred Barnard—The Haystack—A Wicket Keeper—A Fair Sitter—Neighbours—The Post Office Jumble—Puzzling the Postmen—Writing Backwards—A Coincidence pp. 88—
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CHAPTER V.
A CHAT BETWEEN MY PEN AND PENCIL. What is Caricature?—Interviewing—Catching Caricatures—Pellegrini—The "Ha! Ha!"—Black and White v. Paint—How to make a Caricature—M.P.'s—My System—Mr. Labouchere's Attitude—Do the Subjects Object?—Colour in Caricature—Caught!—A Pocket Caricature—The Danger of the Shirt-cuff—The Danger of a Marble Table—Quick Change—Advice to those about to Caricature pp. 131—153
CHAPTER VI.
PARLIAMENTARY CONFESSIONS. Gladstone and Disraeli—A Contrast—An unauthenticated Incident—Lord Beaconsfield's last Visit to the House of Commons—My Serious Sketch—Historical—Mr. Gladstone—His Portraits—What he thought of the Artists—Sir J. E. Millais—Frank Holl—The Despatch Boxes—Impressions—Disraeli—Dan O'Connell—Procedure—American Wit—Toys—Wine—Pressure—Sandwich Soirée—The G.O.M. dines with "Toby, M.P."—Walking—Quivering—My Desk—An Interview—Political Caricaturists—Signature in Sycamore—Scenes in the Commons—Joseph Gillis Biggar—My Double—Scenes—Divisions—Puck—Sir R. Temple—Charles Stewart Parnell—A Study—Quick Changes—His Fall—Room 15—The last Time I saw him—Lord Randolph Churchill—His Youth—His Height—His Fickleness—His Hair—His Health—His Fall—Lord Iddesleigh—Sir Stafford and Mr. Gladstone—Bradlaugh—His Youth—His Parents—His Tactics—His Fight—His Extinction—John Bright—Jacob Bright—Sir Isaac Holden—Lord Derby—A Political Prophecy—A Lucky Guess—My Confession in the Times—The Joke that Failed—The Seer—Fair Play—I deny being a Conservative—I am Encouraged—Chaff—Reprimanded—Misprinted—Misunderstood pp. 154—214
CHAPTER VII.
"PUNCH." Two Punch Editors—Punch's Hump—My First Punch Dinner—Charles Keene—"Robert"—W. H. Bradbury—du Maurier—"Kiki"—A Trip to the Place of his Birth—He Hates Me—A Practical Joke—du Maurier's Strange Model—No Sportsman—Tea—Appollinaris—My First Contribution—My Record—Parliament—Press Gallery Official—I Feel Small—The "Black Beetle"—Professor Rogers—Sergeant-at-Arms' Room—Styles of Work—Privileges—Dr. Percy—I Sit in the Table—The Villain of Art—The New Cabinet—Criticism—Punch's Historical Cartoons—Darwen MacNeill—Scenes in the Lobby—A Technical Assault—John Burns's "Invention"—John Burns's Promise—John Burns's Insult—The Lay of Swift MacNeill—The Truth—Sir Frank Lockwood—"Grand Cross"—Lockwood's Little Sketch—Lockwood's Little Joke in the House—Lockwood's Little Joke at Dinner—Lewis Carroll and Punch—Gladstone's Head—Sir William's Portrait—Ciphers—Reversion—Punch at Play—Three Punch Men in a Boat—Squaring up—Two Pins Club—Its One Joke—Its One Horse—Its Mystery—Artistic Duties—Lord Russell—Furious Riding—Before the Beak—Burnand and I in the Saddle—Caricaturing Pictures for Punch—Art under Glass—Arthur Cecil—My Other Eye—The Ridicule that Kills—Red Tape—Punch in Prison—I make a Mess of it—Waterproof—"I used your Soap two years ago"—Charles Keene—Charles Barber—Punch's Advice—Punch's Wives pp. 215—302
CHAPTER V.
A CHAT BETWEEN MY PEN AND PENCIL. What is Caricature?—Interviewing—Catching Caricatures—Pellegrini—The "Ha! Ha!"—Black and White v. Paint—How to make a Caricature—M.P.'s—My System—Mr. Labouchere's Attitude—Do the Subjects Object?—Colour in Caricature—Caught!—A Pocket Caricature—The Danger of the Shirt-cuff—The Danger of a Marble Table—Quick Change—Advice to those about to Caricature pp. 131—153
CHAPTER VI.
PARLIAMENTARY CONFESSIONS. Gladstone and Disraeli—A Contrast—An unauthenticated Incident—Lord Beaconsfield's last Visit to the House of Commons—My Serious Sketch—Historical—Mr. Gladstone—His Portraits—What he thought of the Artists—Sir J. E. Millais—Frank Holl—The Despatch Boxes—Impressions—Disraeli—Dan O'Connell—Procedure—American Wit—Toys—Wine—Pressure—Sandwich Soirée—The G.O.M. dines with "Toby, M.P."—Walking—Quivering—My Desk—An Interview—Political Caricaturists—Signature in Sycamore—Scenes in the Commons—Joseph Gillis Biggar—My Double—Scenes—Divisions—Puck—Sir R. Temple—Charles Stewart Parnell—A Study—Quick Changes—His Fall—Room 15—The last Time I saw him—Lord Randolph Churchill—His Youth—His Height—His Fickleness—His Hair—His Health—His Fall—Lord Iddesleigh—Sir Stafford and Mr. Gladstone—Bradlaugh—His Youth—His Parents—His Tactics—His Fight—His Extinction—John Bright—Jacob Bright—Sir Isaac Holden—Lord Derby—A Political Prophecy—A Lucky Guess—My Confession in the Times—The Joke that Failed—The Seer—Fair Play—I deny being a Conservative—I am Encouraged—Chaff—Reprimanded—Misprinted—Misunderstood pp. 154—214
CHAPTER VII.
"PUNCH." Two Punch Editors—Punch's Hump—My First Punch Dinner—Charles Keene—"Robert"—W. H. Bradbury—du Maurier—"Kiki"—A Trip to the Place of his Birth—He Hates Me—A Practical Joke—du Maurier's Strange Model—No Sportsman—Tea—Appollinaris—My First Contribution—My Record—Parliament—Press Gallery Official—I Feel Small—The "Black Beetle"—Professor Rogers—Sergeant-at-Arms' Room—Styles of Work—Privileges—Dr. Percy—I Sit in the Table—The Villain of Art—The New Cabinet—Criticism—Punch's Historical Cartoons—Darwen MacNeill—Scenes in the Lobby—A Technical Assault—John Burns's "Invention"—John Burns's Promise—John Burns's Insult—The Lay of Swift MacNeill—The Truth—Sir Frank Lockwood—"Grand Cross"—Lockwood's Little Sketch—Lockwood's Little Joke in the House—Lockwood's Little Joke at Dinner—Lewis Carroll and Punch—Gladstone's Head—Sir William's Portrait—Ciphers—Reversion—Punch at Play—Three Punch Men in a Boat—Squaring up—Two Pins Club—Its One Joke—Its One Horse—Its Mystery—Artistic Duties—Lord Russell—Furious Riding—Before the Beak—Burnand and I in the Saddle—Caricaturing Pictures for Punch—Art under Glass—Arthur Cecil—My Other Eye—The Ridicule that Kills—Red Tape—Punch in Prison—I make a Mess of it—Waterproof—"I used your Soap two years ago"—Charles Keene—Charles Barber—Punch's Advice—Punch's Wives pp. 215—302
HARRY FURNISS'S (EGYPTIAN STYLE). From "Punch."
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE My Caricature of Mr. Gladstone Frontispiece. Initial "In." Writing my Confessions. A Visitor's Snapshot 1 My Mother 3 My Father 5 Harry Furniss, aged 10 6 A Caricature, made when a Boy (never published). Dublin Exhibition. Portrait of Sir A. Guinness (now Lord Iveagh) in centre 11 An Early Illustration on Wood by Harry Furniss. Partly Engraved by him. 16 Sketches in Galway 19 "Judy," the Galway Dwarf 23 Phelps, the first Actor I saw 24 Mrs. Hardcastle. Mr. Harry Furniss. From an Early Sketch
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href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@29425@[email protected]#Page_25" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">25 Caricature of Myself, drawn when I first arrived in London 30 Age 20 35 A successful "Make-Up" 36 Two Travellers 38 The Duke of "Broadacres" 40 Savage Club House Dinner. From a Sketch by Herbert Johnson 41 The Earl of Dunraven as a Savage 42 "Another Gap in Our Ranks" 43 "Jope" 43 H. J. Byron 44 A Presentation 45 Savage Club. My Design for the Menu, 25th Anniversary Dinner 47 "Savages" 50 Letter from Sir Spencer Wells 51 Distress in the Black Country 54 At the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race 55 As Special at the Balaclava Celebration 57 Distress in the North 59 Realism! 61 "The Caitiff" and Orlando 62 An Invitation 63 At a Fancy Dress Ball 65 Lewis Wingfield as a Street Nigger Home from the Derby 67 "The Liberal Candidate" 68 Sketches at the Liverpool Election: A Ward Meeting 69 My Easel. Drawing Mr. Gladstone at a Public Meeting 71 The American Sunday Papers 72 Major Handy 74 The World's Fair, Chicago. A "Special's" Visit 75 "On dashed the Horses in their wild Career" 77 Initial "A" 79 The Charnel-House. Chicago World's Fair 80 Initial "London" 83 The Bishop of Lincoln's Trial
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pginternal" href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@29425@[email protected]#Page_85" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">85 Initial "If" 88 Majuba Hill 89 Canon Liddon. A Sketch from Life 92 Letter from Sir Walter Besant 94 The Late Sir Walter Besant 95 The "Jetty" 95 Illustration for "The Talk of the Town" 96 "That's just what I have done!" 98 Specimen of James Payn's Writing 99 The Typical Lovers in Illustrated Novels 100 Initial "T" 101 Instructions in a Letter from Lewis Carroll 103 Specimen of Lewis Carroll's Drawing and Writing 106 Original Sketch by Lewis Carroll of his Charming Hero and Heroine 107 Lewis Carroll's Note to me or a Pathetic Picture 108 Sylvie and Bruno. My Original Drawing for Lewis Carroll 110 I Go Mad! 111 From Lewis Carroll 112 "I do want a Wicket-keeper!" 113 Portion of Letter from Lawrence, age 9 114 Reduction from a Design for my "Romps" 115 Portion of a Letter from George du Maurier 117 A Transformation 119 "Yours always, Barnard" 119 Barnard and the Models 120 "I sit for 'Ands, Sir" 121 The Grand Old Hand and the Young 'Un 122 My Fighting Double 124 Specimen of Mr. Linley Sambourne's Envelopes to me 125 Cheque for 5½d. passed through two Banks and paid. I signed it backwards, and it was cancelled by Clerk backwards 127 Sir Henry Irving writes his Name backwards 128 Sir Henry Irving's Attempt 128 Mr. J. L.
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Toole's first Attempt 128 Mr. J. L. Toole's second Attempt 128 Autograph: Harry Furniss 129 Initial "If" 131 The Studio of a Caricaturist 132 Caricature of me by my Daughter, age 15 134 A serious Portrait—from Life 135 Initial "H" 136 "Penguin" 139 Mr. Brown, Ordinary Attire. Court Dress 139 Two Portraits 140 A Caricature 140 Not a Caricature 140 The Editor of Punch sits for his Portrait 144 A Model unawares and the Result 145 Sketch on a Shirt-Cuff 146 "Mundella" 147 Mr. Labouchere 149 The M.P. Real and Ideal 150 The Photo. As he really is 151 "Dizzy" (Beaconsfield) and Gladstone 154 The Inner Lobby of the House of Commons 156 Explanation to Illustration on page 156 157 Lord Beaconsfield. A Sketch from Life 158 The last Visit of Lord Beaconsfield to the House 161 Mr. Gladstone. A Sketch from Life 163 Mr. Gladstone "under his Flow of Eloquence" 165 Mr. Gladstone. Conventional Portrait 167 Caricature of the Holl Portrait 169 Note of Mr. Gladstone made in the Press Gallery with the wrong end of a Quill Pen 171 Invitation to a "Sandwich Soirée" 173 Mr. Gladstone sits on the Floor 174 The Fragment of Punch Mr. Gladstone did not see 175 The Gladstone Matchbox
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176 Mr. Gladstone's Collars 178 Parnell 179 To Room 15 182 Outside Room 15 183 Outside my Room 185 "The G.O.M." and "Randy" 185 Mr. Louis Jennings 186 Lord Randolph and Louis Jennings 188 Lord Randolph Churchill 189 Behind the Speaker's Chair 190 Initial "S" 191 Initial "H" 193 Bradlaugh Triumphant. From "Punch" 194 Charles Bradlaugh 195 The Meet at St. Stephen's 197 Sir George Campbell 199 Heraldic Design illustrating Mr. Plunkett's (now Lord Rathmore) Joke 201 Mr. Farmer Atkinson 202 I must Introduce you to Lucy. Here he is 203 Joseph Gillis Biggar 204 Initial "I" 206 The House of Commons from Toby's Private Box 208 The Government Bench—before Home Rule 211 Reduction of one of my Parliamentary Pages in Punch 214 Initial "T" 215 Age 26, when I first worked for Punch 216 My first Meeting with the Editor of Punch 217 My first Invitation from Punch 218 A Letter from Charles Keene, objecting to an Editor interviewing him 219 "Robert" 220 George du Maurier 221 Suggestion by du Maurier for Punch Cartoon 224 Du Maurier's Souvenir de Fontainebleau. From "Punch"
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tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">225 Punch Staff returning from Paris 227 Japanese Style 229 "Birch—His Mark" 231 Chinese Style. From a Drawing on Wood 232 Familiar Faces 234 An Official in the Press Gallery 235 "He spies me" 236 "What are you?" 236 "Blowed if the Country wants you" 238 "I feel smaller!" 241 The Black Beetle 242 The Sergeant-at-Arms' Room 243 Capt. Gosset, late Sergeant-at-Arms 244 My "Childish" Style in Punch 245 A simple Document 246 I Sketch the House 247 Dr. Percy. "The House Up" 250 Mr. Punch's Puzzle-Headed People. Mr. Goschen 251 Mr. Punch's Puzzle-Headed People. "All Harcourts" 252 The New Cabinet 255 Reduction of Page in Punch, showing that my Caricatures were—in this case—published too large 258 Reduction from the Original Drawing, showing that I gave Instructions for the Caricature to be "reduced as usual" 259 What really happened 261 Dr. Tanner 262 Assault on me in the House. What the Press described 263 John Burns 265 Note from Sir Frank Lockwood, after reading the Bogus Account of the "Assault" 266 Letter supposed to come from Lord Cross. (Lockwood's Joke) 267 Sir F. Lockwood 269 Lewis Carroll's Suggestion, and my sketch of it in Punch 270 Nature's Puzzle Portrait 271 Initial "W"
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href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@29425@[email protected]#Page_272" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">272 "Three Oarsmen under a Tree" 273 Lord Russell's Acceptance to dine with me 275 "It's your Turn next" 277 Letter from Sir Frank Lockwood 277 Mr. Linley Sambourne 278 Portrait of me as a Member of the Two Pins Club, by Linley Sambourne 279 The late Lord Russell, the President of the Two Pins Club 280 "Furious Riding." Sketch by F. C. Gould 282 My Portrait, by F. C. Burnand 285 Mr. Punch "doing" the Picture Shows 286 The Picture Shows. Design from Punch 288 "The World-Renowned and Talented Barnardo Family" 289 The Great Baccarat Case. My Sketch in Pencil made in Court, and Congratulatory Note from the Editor of Punch 291 Letter from Professor Herkomer 293 A Prisoner 294 "Good Advertisement." Original Idea as sent to me 297 Ditto. My Drawing of it in Punch 297 "English Waterproof Ink" 299 I sit for John Brown 300 A Crib by an American Advertiser 301 Finis 302
CONFESSIONS OF A CARICATURIST.