the library(图书馆)-第23部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
In 1784 he did another series of 〃Select Fables。〃 Neither of these books；
however； can be compared with the 〃General History of Quadrupeds；〃
1790； and the 〃British Land and Water Birds；〃 1797 and 1804。 The
illustrations to the 〃Quadrupeds〃 are in many instances excellent； and
large additions were made to them in subsequent issues。 But in this
collection Bewick laboured to a great extent under the disadvantage of
representing animals with which he was familiar only through the medium
of stuffed specimens or incorrect drawings。 In the 〃British Birds；〃 on the
contrary； his facilities for study from the life were greater； and his success
was consequently more complete。 Indeed； it may be safely affirmed that
of all the engravers of the present century； none have excelled Bewick for
beauty of black and white； for skilful rendering of plumage and foliage；
and for fidelity of detail and accessory。 The 〃Woodcock〃 （here given）；
the 〃Partridge；〃 the 〃Owl；〃 the 〃Yellow… Hammer；〃 the 〃Yellow…Bunting；〃
the 〃Willow…Wren；〃 are popular examples of these qualities。 But there
are a hundred others nearly as good。
Among sundry conventional decorations after the old German fashion
in the first edition of the 〃Quadrupeds；〃 there are a fair number of those
famous tail…pieces which； to a good many people； constitute Bewick's
chief claim to immortality。 That it is not easy to imitate them is plain
from the failure of Branston's attempts； and from the inferior character of
those by John Thompson in Yarrell's 〃Fishes。〃 The genius of Bewick was；
in fact； entirely individual and particular。 He had the humour of a
77
… Page 78…
THE LIBRARY78
Hogarth in little； as well as some of his special characteristics；notably his
faculty of telling a story by suggestive detail。 An instance may be taken
at random from vol。 I。 of the 〃Birds。〃 A man； whose wig and hat have
fallen off； lies asleep with open mouth under some bushes。 He is
manifestly drunk； and the date 〃4 June；〃 on a neighbouring stone； gives us
the reason and occasion of his catastrophe。 He has been too loyally
celebrating the birthday of his majesty King George III。 Another of
Bewick's gifts is his wonderful skill in foreshadowing a tragedy。 Take as
an example； this truly appalling incident from the 〃Quadrupeds。〃 The
tottering child； whose nurse is seen in the background； has strayed into the
meadow； and is pulling at the tail of a vicious…looking colt； with back…
turned eye and lifted heel。 Down the garden…steps the mother hurries
headlong； but she can hardly be in time。 And of all thissufficient； one
would say； for a fairly…sized canvasthe artist has managed to give a vivid
impression in a block of three inches by two！ Then； again； like Hogarth
once more； he rejoices in multiplications of dilemma。 What； for instance；
can be more comically pathetic than the head…piece to the 〃Contents〃 in
vol。 I。 of the 〃Birds〃？ The old horse has been seized with an invincible
fit of stubbornness。 The day is both windy and rainy。 The rider has
broken his stick and lost his hat； but he is too much encumbered with his
cackling and excited stock to dare to dismount。 Nothing can help him
but a Deus ex machina；of whom there is no sign。
Besides his humour； Bewick has a delightfully rustic side； of which
Hogarth gives but little indication。 From the starved ewe in the snow
nibbling forlornly at a worn…out broom； to the cow which has broken
through the rail to reach the running water； there are numberless designs
which reveal that faithful lover of the field and hillside； who； as he said；
〃would rather be herding sheep on Mickle bank top〃 than remain in
London to be made premier of England。 He loved the country and the
country…life； and he drew them as one who loved them。 It is this rural
quality which helps to give such a lasting freshness to his quaint and
picturesque fancies； and it is this which will continue to preserve their
popularity； even if they should cease to be valued for their wealth of
whimsical invention。
78
… Page 79…
THE LIBRARY79
In referring to these masterpieces of Bewick's； it must not be forgotten
that he had the aid of some clever assistants。 His younger brother John
was not without talent； as is clear from his work for Somervile's 〃Chace；〃
1796； and that highly edifying book； the 〃Blossoms of Morality。〃 Many
of the tail…pieces to the 〃Water Birds〃 were designed by Robert Johnson；
who also did most of the illustrations to Bewick's 〃Fables〃 of 1818； which
were engraved by Temple and Harvey； two other pupils。 Another pupil
was Charlton Nesbit； an excellent engraver； who was employed upon the
〃Birds；〃 and did good work in Ackermann's 〃Religious Emblems〃 of 1808；
and the second series of Northcote's 〃Fables。〃 But by far the largest
portion of the tail…pieces in the second volume of the 〃Birds〃 was
engraved by Luke Clennell； a very skilful but unfortunate artist； who
ultimately became insane。 To him we owe the woodcuts； after Stothard's
charming sketches； to the Rogers volume of 1810； an edition preceding
those already mentioned as illustrated with steel… plates； and containing
some of the artist's happiest pictures of children and amorini。 Many of
these little groups would make admirable designs for gems； if indeed they
are not already derived from them； since one at least is an obvious copy of
a well…known sardonyx（〃The Marriage of Cupid and Psyche。〃） This
volume； generally known by the name of the 〃Firebrand〃 edition； is highly
prized by collectors； and； as intelligent renderings of pen and ink； there is
little better than these engravings of Clennell's。 ｛12｝ Finally； among others
of Bewick's pupils； must be mentioned William Harvey； who survived to
1866。 It has been already stated that he engraved part of the illustrations
to Bewick's 〃Fables；〃 but his best known block is the large one of
Haydon's 〃Death of Dentatus。〃 Soon after this he relinquished wood…
engraving in favour of design； and for a long period was one of the most
fertile and popular of book…illustrators。 His style； however； is
unpleasantly mannered； and it is sufficient to make mention of his
masterpiece； the 〃Arabian Nights〃 of Lane； the illustrations to which；
produced under the supervision of the translator； are said to be so accurate
as to give the appropriate turbans for every hour of the day。 They show
considerable freedom of invention and a large fund of Orientalism。
Harvey came to London in 1817； Clennell had preceded him by some
79
… Page 80…
THE LIBRARY80
years； and Nesbit lived there for a considerable time。 What distinguishes
these pupils of Bewick especially is； that they were artists as well as
engravers； capable of producing the designs they engraved。 The 〃London
School〃 of engravers； on the contrary； were mostly engravers； who
depended upon others for their designs。 The foremost of these was
Robert Branston； a skilful renderer of human figures and indoor scenes。
He worked in rivalry with Bewick and Nesbit； but he excelled neither；
while he fell far behind the former。 John Thompson； one of the very best
of modern English engravers on wood； was Branston's pupil。 His range
was of the widest； and he succeeded as well in engraving fishes and birds
for Yarrell and Walton's 〃Angler；〃 as in illustrations to Moliere and
〃Hudibras。〃 He was； besides； a clever draughtsman； though he worked
chiefly from the designs of Thurston and others。 One of the most
successful of his illustrated books is the 〃Vicar of Wakefield；〃 after
Mulready； whose simplicity and homely feeling were well suited to
Goldsmith's style。 Another excellent engraver of this date is Samuel
Williams。 There is an edition of Thomson's 〃Seasons；〃 with cuts both
drawn and engraved by him； which is well worthy of attention； and （like
Thompson and Branston） he was very skilful in reproducing the designs of
Cruikshank。 Some of his best work in this way is to be found in Clarke's
〃Three Courses and a Dessert；〃 published by Vizetelly in 1830。
From this time forth； however； one hears le
