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deal for his wit and fancy。 Can we； for instance； praise too highly
the man who invented that wonderful oyster？
Examine him well； his beard； his pearl； his little round stomach；
and his sweet smile。 Only oysters know how to smile in this way；
cool； gentle； waggish； and yet inexpressibly innocent and winning。
Dando himself must have allowed such an artless native to go free；
and consigned him to the glassy； cool； translucent wave again。
In writing upon such subjects as these with which we have been
furnished； it can hardly be expected that we should follow any fixed
plan and orderwe must therefore take such advantage as we may； and
seize upon our subject when and wherever we can lay hold of him。
For Jews； sailors； Irishmen； Hessian boots； little boys； beadles；
policemen； tall life…guardsmen； charity children； pumps； dustmen；
very short pantaloons； dandies in spectacles； and ladies with
aquiline noses； remarkably taper waists； and wonderfully long
ringlets； Mr。 Cruikshank has a special predilection。 The tribe of
Israelites he has studied with amazing gusto； witness the Jew in Mr。
Ainsworth's 〃Jack Sheppard；〃 and the immortal Fagin of 〃Oliver
Twist。〃 Whereabouts lies the comic vis in these persons and things？
Why should a beadle be comic； and his opposite a charity boy？ Why
should a tall life…guardsman have something in him essentially
absurd？ Why are short breeches more ridiculous than long？ What is
there particularly jocose about a pump； and wherefore does a long
nose always provoke the beholder to laughter？ These points may be
metaphysically elucidated by those who list。 It is probable that
Mr。 Cruikshank could not give an accurate definition of that which
is ridiculous in these objects； but his instinct has told him that
fun lurks in them； and cold must be the heart that can pass by the
pantaloons of his charity boys； the Hessian boots of his dandies；
and the fan…tail hats of his dustmen； without respectful wonder。
He has made a complete little gallery of dustmen。 There is； in the
first place； the professional dustman； who； having in the
enthusiastic exercise of his delightful trade； laid hands upon
property not strictly his own； is pursued； we presume； by the right
owner； from whom he flies as fast as his crooked shanks will carry
him。
What a curious picture it isthe horrid rickety houses in some
dingy suburb of London； the grinning cobbler； the smothered butcher；
the very trees which are covered with dustit is fine to look at
the different expressions of the two interesting fugitives。 The
fiery charioteer who belabors the poor donkey has still a glance for
his brother on foot； on whom punishment is about to descend。 And
not a little curious is it to think of the creative power of the man
who has arranged this little tale of low life。 How logically it is
conducted； how cleverly each one of the accessories is made to
contribute to the effect of the whole。 What a deal of thought and
humor has the artist expended on this little block of wood； a large
picture might have been painted out of the very same materials；
which Mr。 Cruikshank； out of his wondrous fund of merriment and
observation； can afford to throw away upon a drawing not two inches
long。 From the practical dustmen we pass to those purely poetical。
There are three of them who rise on clouds of their own raising； the
very genii of the sack and shovel。
Is there no one to write a sonnet to these？and yet a whole poem
was written about Peter Bell the wagoner； a character by no means so
poetic。
And lastly； we have the dustman in love： the honest fellow having
seen a young beauty stepping out of a gin…shop on a Sunday morning；
is pressing eagerly his suit。
Gin has furnished many subjects to Mr。 Cruikshank； who labors in his
own sound and hearty way to teach his countrymen the dangers of that
drink。 In the 〃Sketch…Book〃 is a plate upon the subject； remarkable
for fancy and beauty of design； it is called the 〃Gin Juggernaut；〃
and represents a hideous moving palace； with a reeking still at the
roof and vast gin…barrels for wheels； under which unhappy millions
are crushed to death。 An immense black cloud of desolation covers
over the country through which the gin monster has passed； dimly
looming through the darkness whereof you see an agreeable prospect
of gibbets with men dangling； burnt houses； &c。 The vast cloud
comes sweeping on in the wake of this horrible body…crusher； and you
see； by way of contrast； a distant； smiling； sunshiny tract of old
English country； where gin as yet is not known。 The allegory is as
good； as earnest； and as fanciful as one of John Bunyan's； and we
have often fancied there was a similarity between the men。
The render will examine the work called 〃My Sketch…Book〃 with not a
little amusement； and may gather from it； as we fancy； a good deal
of information regarding the character of the individual man； George
Cruikshank： what points strike his eye as a painter； what move his
anger or admiration as a moralist； what classes he seems most
especially disposed to observe； and what to ridicule。 There are
quacks of all kinds； to whom he has a mortal hatred； quack dandies；
who assume under his pencil； perhaps in his eye； the most grotesque
appearance possibletheir hats grow larger； their legs infinitely
more crooked and lean； the tassels of their canes swell out to a
most preposterous size； the tails of their coats dwindle away； and
finish where coat…tails generally begin。 Let us lay a wager that
Cruikshank； a man of the people if ever there was one； heartily
hates and despises these supercilious； swaggering young gentlemen；
and his contempt is not a whit the less laudable because there may
be tant soit peu of prejudice in it。 It is right and wholesome to
scorn dandies； as Nelson said it was to hate Frenchmen； in which
sentiment （as we have before said） George Cruikshank undoubtedly
shares。 In the 〃Sunday in London；〃* Monsieur the Chef is instructing
a kitchen…maid how to compound some rascally French kickshaw or the
othera pretty scoundrel truly！ with what an air he wears that
nightcap of his； and shrugs his lank shoulders； and chatters； and
ogles； and grins： they are all the same； these mounseers； there are
other two fellowsmorbleu！ one is putting his dirty fingers into
the saucepan； there are frogs cooking in it； no doubt； and just over
some other dish of abomination； another dirty rascal is taking
snuff！ Never mind； the sauce won't be hurt by a few ingredients
more or less。 Three such fellows as these are not worth one
Englishman； that's clear。 There is one in the very midst of them；
the great burly fellow with the beef： he could beat all three in
five minutes。 We cannot be certain that such was the process going
on in Mr。 Cruikshank's mind when he made the design； but some
feelings of the sort were no doubt entertained by him。
* The following linesever freshby the author