[15] The two cancelled etchings by Buss have been copied on steel, but, being printed on India paper, are not likely to be mistaken for the original plates. Impressions of the Buss etchings are exceedingly scarce, only about seven hundred copies of the number containing them having been circulated.

[16] Reproduced in facsimile in the Victoria edition of "Pickwick," 1887.

[17] Reproduced in facsimile in the Victoria edition of "Pickwick," 1887.

HABLÔT K. BROWNE ("Phiz")

I

An Illustrator required for "Pickwick"—Leech and Thackeray offer their Services—Thackeray's First Meeting with Dickens—"Mr. Pickwick's Lucky Escape"—Leech's Specimen Drawing—Hablôt K. Browne ("Phiz") Elected to Succeed Buss—His Etching of "John Gilpin's Ride" Awarded a Silver Medal—His Designs for "Sunday Under Three Heads" and "The Library of Fiction"—Mr. J. G. Fennell's Reminiscences of the Artist—Thackeray's Congratulations to "Phiz"—A Modest Banquet—"Phiz" as an Etcher—Assisted by Robert Young—Their First Plate for "Pickwick"—An All-Night Sitting—Particulars Concerning a "First Edition" of "Pickwick"—The Success of the Work Assured—The Sobriquet of "Phiz"—The Artist's Signatures—Method of Preparing the "Pickwick" Illustrations—Variations in Duplicated Plates—George Augustus Sala's Opinion of the "Pickwick" Plates—The Etchings Criticised—"Phiz's" Original Drawings for "Pickwick"—His Tentative Designs—Differences between the Drawings and the Etchings—Dickens's Hints to the Artist—"Phiz's" Sketch of Mr. Pickwick—A Series of New Designs—Vignettes for the Library Edition—Woodcuts for the Household Edition—Frontispiece for "The Strange Gentleman"—Illustrations for "Sketches Of Young Gentlemen" and "Sketches of Young Couples"—Sale of the Original Drawings—"Nicholas Nickleby"—Dickens and "Phiz" in Yorkshire—The Prototype of Squeers—A Significant Memorandum—Mr. Lloyd's Recollections of William Shaw, a Yorkshire Pedagogue—The "Nickleby" Etchings Criticised—Particulars Concerning the Plates—The Original Drawings—A Missing Design—Dickens's Instructions to "Phiz"—Variations in the Illustrations—Pictorial Wrapper—Vignettes for the Library Edition.

Plate XXVIII

HABLÔT K. BROWNE ("PHIZ")
From an Unpublished Photograph