Tom Hood, like his father, was somewhat of an artist, possessing considerable skill in caricature, and giving a comic "twist" to his sketches. Many of his drawings are scattered through the pages of Fun. He invariably expressed himself well pleased with the manner in which they were reproduced. The following is only one of many letters we received from him:
"I am delighted beyond measure with the blocks. I have returned some of the proofs, which I have touched for alteration; which, with scarcely an exception, however, arises from my mistake and not from the engravers'.
"Ever yours faithfully,
"Tom Hood."
During the many years of our intimate association with Tom Hood, we received hundreds of letters and notes from his pen, but the following is the first and only instance in which he signed his name "Thos. Hood." After this, when he had resigned his post at the War Office and sat down steadily to literary work, he always studiously signed his name "Tom," with the express object that his name might not be confounded with that of his father, or that he should be accused of "making capital" out of his father's name and reputation.
"21 Montpelier Square,
"Brompton, S.W.
"Dear Sir,—I believe Mr. Routledge has (or is going to do so) given you the illustrations of my book to engrave.
"I need not ask you to do me justice, for I know you will do that; but as I am not a professional artist, but an amateur, I fancy I may give you more trouble to understand me at times.
"There are one or two blocks that I wish particularly to call your attention to as requiring facsimile engraving, they being likenesses. Two drawn in pencil I wish you not to touch, as I intend, when I come to see you (which I hope to do soon), to put in initial letters, as I think the fun in them forced. I have drawn a rude sketch of them on the other side. I can introduce them thus: a 'W' on the board, and an 'O' on the flag. At present I am sorry to say I am too ill to come over, but I hope to be on my legs again by the end of the week.