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tell us who are they？ How many among these men are POETS （makers）；
possessing the faculty to create； the greatest among the gifts with
which Providence has endowed the mind of man？ Say how many there
are； count up what they have done； and see what in the course of
some nine…and…twenty years has been done by this indefatigable man。
What amazing energetic fecundity do we find in him！ As a boy he
began to fight for bread； has been hungry （twice a day we trust）
ever since； and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week
by week。 And his wit； sterling gold as it is； will find no such
purchasers as the fashionable painter's thin pinchbeck； who can live
comfortably for six weeks； when paid for and painting a portrait；
and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied all the while。 There was
an artist in Paris； an artist hairdresser； who used to be fatigued
and take restoratives after inventing a new coiffure。 By no such
gentle operation of head…dressing has Cruikshank lived： time was （we
are told so in print） when for a picture with thirty heads in it he
was paid three guineasa poor week's pittance truly； and a dire
week's labor。 We make no doubt that the same labor would at present
bring him twenty times the sum； but whether it be ill paid or well；
what labor has Mr。 Cruikshank's been！ Week by week； for thirty
years； to produce something new； some smiling offspring of painful
labor； quite independent and distinct from its ten thousand jovial
brethren； in what hours of sorrow and ill…health to be told by the
world； 〃Make us laugh or you starveGive us fresh fun； we have
eaten up the old and are hungry。 And all this has he been obliged
to doto wring laughter day by day； sometimes； perhaps； out of
want； often certainly from ill…health or depressionto keep the
fire of his brain perpetually alight： for the greedy public will
give it no leisure to cool。 This he has done and done well。 He has
told a thousand truths in as many strange and fascinating ways； he
has given a thousand new and pleasant thoughts to millions of
people； he has never used his wit dishonestly； he has never； in all
the exuberance of his frolicsome humor； caused a single painful or
guilty blush： how little do we think of the extraordinary power of
this man； and how ungrateful we are to him！
Here； as we are come round to the charge of ingratitude； the
starting…post from which we set out； perhaps we had better conclude。
The reader will perhaps wonder at the high…flown tone in which we
speak of the services and merits of an individual； whom he considers
a humble scraper on steel； that is wonderfully popular already。 But
none of us remember all the benefits we owe him； they have come one
by one； one driving out the memory of the other： it is only when we
come to examine them all together； as the writer has done； who has a
pile of books on the table before hima heap of personal kindnesses
from George Cruikshank （not presents； if you please； for we bought；
borrowed； or stole every one of them）that we feel what we owe him。
Look at one of Mr。 Cruikshank's works； and we pronounce him an
excellent humorist。 Look at all： his reputation is increased by a
kind of geometrical progression； as a whole diamond is a hundred
times more valuable than the hundred splinters into which it might
be broken would be。 A fine rough English diamond is this about
which we have been writing。
End