"Now is the time, I said to myself, to prove my strength of purpose. I was successful in resisting all temptation, and left the house after spending a delightful evening without having tasted a single drop of any other liquid than water.
"The next morning when I went into my study," continued Cruikshank, "I patted my head and said, 'George, old boy, you have done well! You have succeeded, George. You have gained a gigantic triumph, and now you must go on, unflinchingly, and conquer!'—and I did. From that day no alcohol of any description ever crossed my lips, and never shall! Never! I'd rather die first!"—here the gallant old fellow posed himself in a dramatic attitude, and throwing out his left arm, and striking his right hand sharply upon his breast, cried in his ringing voice, "Fire!"
During the latter half of his active life he gave much of his time to the cause of temperance, and no doubt his influence had very great effect. At one of his lectures on the subject at Exeter Hall he held up a brand new "pot" hat of shiniest kind and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, this hat as you see it represents George Cruikshank, the temperance advocate, as he now is." Then throwing the hat to the ground, the brim being undermost, he jumped on the crown, crushing it flat, then holding it up to the audience, shouted, "And this represents George Cruikshank, the drunkard, as he was!"
The old man stuck to his resolution for the remainder of his life, and even on his death-bed, when his medical attendant, the late Sir W. B. Richardson, himself a staunch total abstainer, prescribed that small quantities of brandy should be taken—of course medicinally—he persistently refused to drink it, and so died at an advanced age, firm in the determination which he had formed many years before that not a drop of alcohol of any description should ever pass his lips again.
The first drawings by F. R. Pickersgill that came into our hands to engrave were for "Poems and Pictures," an early "fine art" book, published by J. Burns, of Orchard Street, which contained designs by many of the leading artists of the time, including several by W. Dice, R.A., Cope, R.A., Creswick, R.A., and others. Our connection with Pickersgill—one of the kindest and best of men—soon ripened into a close friendship, and it was to him that we gave the first commission at our own cost for a set of drawings to illustrate "The Life of Christ," desiring to follow the example of Rethel's "Dance of Death," which had just been published in Germany at a very small price.
Our first Part contained six large pictures, printed with a flat tint, the price being one shilling. The second Part, "The Miracles of our Lord," contained the same number of pictures, and at the same price. Our attempt to produce high class art at what was then thought to be a nominal price was not responded to. Other interests were too strong for us; and although we tried the aid of some first-class publishers the scheme would not take. We well remember calling on a well-known publisher of Scripture work, who, admitting the excellence as well as the cheapness of the publication, summed up his refusal to purchase copies with the remark, "I really cannot afford to set your cask of wine alongside my barrel of beer."
The Adoration of the Maji. By F. R. Pickersgill, R.A.
REDUCED COPY FROM ONE OF HIS PICTURES FOR "THE LIFE OF CHRIST."