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the Green Island。 Would any one doubt what was the country of the
merry fellows depicted in his group of Paddies？
〃Place me amid O'Rourkes； O'Tooles；
The ragged royal race of Tara；
Or place me where Dick Martin rules
The pathless wilds of Connemara。〃
We know not if Mr。 Cruikshank has ever had any such good luck as to
see the Irish in Ireland itself； but he certainly has obtained a
knowledge of their looks； as if the country had been all his life
familiar to him。 Could Mr。 O'Connell himself desire anything more
national than the scene of a drunken row； or could Father Mathew
have a better text to preach upon？ There is not a broken nose in
the room that is not thoroughly Irish。
We have then a couple of compositions treated in a graver manner； as
characteristic too as the other。 We call attention to the comical
look of poor Teague； who has been pursued and beaten by the witch's
stick； in order to point out also the singular neatness of the
workmanship； and the pretty； fanciful little glimpse of landscape
that the artist has introduced in the background。 Mr。 Cruikshank
has a fine eye for such homely landscapes； and renders them with
great delicacy and taste。 Old villages； farm…yards； groups of
stacks； queer chimneys； churches； gable…ended cottages； Elizabethan
mansion…houses； and other old English scenes； he depicts with
evident enthusiasm。
Famous books in their day were Cruikshank's 〃John Gilpin〃 and
〃Epping Hunt；〃 for though our artist does not draw horses very
scientifically；to use a phrase of the atelier；he FEELS them very
keenly； and his queer animals； after one is used to them； answer
quite as well as better。 Neither is he very happy in trees； and
such rustical produce； or； rather； we should say； he is very
original； his trees being decidedly of his own make and composition；
not imitated from any master。
But what then？ Can a man be supposed to imitate everything？ We
know what the noblest study of mankind is； and to this Mr。
Cruikshank has confined himself。 That postilion with the people in
the broken…down chaise roaring after him is as deaf as the post by
which he passes。 Suppose all the accessories were away； could not
one swear that the man was stone…deaf； beyond the reach of trumpet？
What is the peculiar character in a deaf man's physiognomy？can any
person define it satisfactorily in words？not in pages； and Mr。
Cruikshank has expressed it on a piece of paper not so big as the
tenth part of your thumb…nail。 The horses of John Gilpin are much
more of the equestrian order； and as here the artist has only his
favorite suburban buildings to draw； not a word is to be said
against his design。 The inn and old buildings are charmingly
designed； and nothing can be more prettily or playfully touched。
〃At Edmonton his loving wife
From the balcony spied
Her tender husband； wond'ring much
To see how he did ride。
〃'Stop； stop； John Gilpin！ Here's the house！'
They all at once did cry；
'The dinner waits； and we are tired'
Said Gilpin'So am I！'
〃Six gentlemen upon the road
Thus seeing Gilpin fly；
With post…boy scamp'ring in the rear；
They raised the hue and cry：
〃'Stop thief！ stop thief！a highwayman！'
Not one of them was mute；
And all and each that passed that way
Did join in the pursuit。
〃And now the turnpike gates again
Flew open in short space；
The toll…men thinking； as before；
That Gilpin rode a race。〃
The rush； and shouting； and clatter are excellently depicted by the
artist； and we； who have been scoffing at his manner of designing
animals； must here make a special exception in favor of the hens and
chickens； each has a different action； and is curiously natural。
Happy are children of all ages who have such a ballad and such
pictures as this in store for them！ It is a comfort to think that
woodcuts never wear out； and that the book still may be had for a
shilling； for those who can command that sum of money。
In the 〃Epping Hunt；〃 which we owe to the facetious pen of Mr。 Hood；
our artist has not been so successful。 There is here too much
horsemanship and not enough incident for him； but the portrait of
Roundings the huntsman is an excellent sketch； and a couple of the
designs contain great humor。 The first represents the Cockney hero；
who； 〃like a bird； was singing out while sitting on a tree。〃
And in the second the natural order is reversed。 The stag having
taken heart； is hunting the huntsman； and the Cheapside Nimrod is
most ignominiously running away。
The Easter Hunt； we are told； is no more； and as the Quarterly
Review recommends the British public to purchase Mr。 Catlin's
pictures； as they form the only record of an interesting race now
rapidly passing away； in like manner we should exhort all our
friends to purchase Mr。 Cruikshank's designs of ANOTHER interesting
race； that is run already and for the last time。
Besides these； we must mention； in the line of our duty； the notable
tragedies of 〃Tom Thumb〃 and 〃Bombastes Furioso；〃 both of which have
appeared with many illustrations by Mr。 Cruikshank。 The 〃brave
army〃 of Bombastes exhibits a terrific display of brutal force；
which must shock the sensibilities of an English radical。 And we
can well understand the caution of the general； who bids this
soldatesque effrenee to begone； and not to kick up a row。
Such a troop of lawless ruffians let loose upon a populous city
would play sad havoc in it； and we fancy the massacres of Birmingham
renewed； or at least of Badajoz； which； though not quite so
dreadful； if we may believe his Grace the Duke of Wellington； as the
former scenes of slaughter； were nevertheless severe enough： but we
must not venture upon any ill…timed pleasantries in presence of the
disturbed King Arthur and the awful ghost of Gaffer Thumb。
We are thus carried at once into the supernatural； and here we find
Cruikshank reigning supreme。 He has invented in his time a little
comic pandemonium； peopled with the most droll； good…natured fiends
possible。 We have before us Chamisso's 〃Peter Schlemihl；〃 with
Cruikshank's designs translated into German； and gaining nothing by
the change。 The 〃Kinder und Hans…Maerchen〃 of Grimm are likewise
ornamented with a frontispiece copied from that one which appeared
to the amusing version of the English work。 The books on Phrenology
and Time have been imitated by the same nation； and even in France；
whither reputation travels slower than to any country except China；
we have seen copies of the works of George Cruikshank。
He in return has complimented the French by illustrating a couple of
Lives of Napoleon； and the 〃Life in Paris〃 before mentioned。 He has
also made designs for Victor Hugo's 〃Hans of Iceland。〃 Strange；
wild etchings were those； o