FROM "GOOD WORDS."
By John Pettie, R.A.
Published by Mr. Alexander Strahan.
As the work progressed we sent proofs to Foster for approval or correction, and according to his custom he wrote all his remarks on the margin of the India paper. These proofs were all preserved, and they show how completely he was satisfied with the care we had bestowed on the reproduction of his beautiful drawings.
It is a great pleasure to us to be able to state that these touched proofs are now the property of the Trustees of the British Museum, where doubtless they can be seen with John Ruskin's letter and some of Foster's own on application at the Print Room of that institute in Bloomsbury.
Birket Foster spent his latter years at Weybridge, where he died. Surrounded by many old and sorrowing friends, he was laid to his rest at Witley, his beautiful Surrey home.
Having already engraved several drawings for Good Words, we were, early in the year 1862, asked by Mr. Alexander Strahan to undertake the engraving and entire control of the illustrations for this journal, which was being edited by Dr. Norman Macleod, a Scottish minister of great repute and a Chaplain to the Queen. The offices were subsequently removed from Edinburgh to London, and shortly after the house added to its publications the Sunday Magazine, a journal devoted to "Sunday reading." This was edited by another celebrated Scottish divine, Dr. Thomas Guthrie, author of "The City: Its Sins and Sorrows," and other works of a kindred description. A great many of the illustrations for this periodical we also engraved.
This connection naturally enabled us to introduce works by the then most promising artists in black and white, and by many other men who have since taken a high position in art.