This anecdote was told us by Landells himself, in illustration of a principle he was discussing, that unless a lad has a real, genuine love for the art he is studying, no teaching in the world will ever make him a skilful worker. His father not being able to arrange terms with Bewick, Landells did not remain long with him, but served his apprenticeship with Isaac Nicholson (an old pupil of Bewick's, who had opened an office on the opposite side of the way to his old master, in St. Nicholas' Churchyard, Newcastle-on-Tyne), with whom Charles Gray was also a pupil. And it was through those two young men coming to our Father to "learn to draw" that our brother Alexander became a pupil of Nicholson's, with whom he served a seven years' apprenticeship, and proved himself a very skilful draughtsman and engraver. Hence our somewhat close connection with the school of Thomas Bewick.
Landells was a man of slightly excitable temperament, and, as a rule, very demonstrative. One morning he called upon his old pupil, Edmund Evans, who was then commencing colour printing works in Racquet Court, saying "he was off to the Derby, and, as the morning looked rather doubtful, would he lend him an umbrella?" This Evans most willingly did, giving the best he had, almost a new one. Landells faithfully returned it the next morning, but the ferrule had disappeared, and the stick was battered down close to the silk. Landells had evidently been through some exciting scenes, and in expressing his high appreciation of the events Evans' umbrella had come sadly to grief.
When Landells got a little vexed or worried by anyone, which in his very much varied life he not unfrequently did, his invariable remark was, "Well, stop till I see him again and I'll give him a piece of my mind."
John Dalziel.
BORN, JANUARY 1, 1822; DIED, MAY 21, 1869.
From a Photograph.
During the time that "ructions" were on with his co-partners in Punch, he met Douglas Jerrold in Fleet Street and complained bitterly, winding up with, "There, I've just been to see them and have given them a bit of my mind," "Ah," said Jerrold, "I'm afraid they would not gain much by that, Landells."
His eldest son, Robert Landells, also an artist of considerable ability in black and white work, acted for many years as Art War Correspondent to the Illustrated London News, and, in that capacity, went through a great part of the Franco-Prussian Campaign.