Coach and Horses.
FROM "GOOD WORDS."
By A. Boyd Houghton, R.W.S.
Published by Mr. Alexander Strahan.
Alexander Strahan was the originator of the sixpenny illustrated magazine. His Good Words, considering the period of its advent, was equal to anything that has yet been done at that price, and, if measured by the distinguished artists and brilliant writers of whose work it was composed, it is a question whether any of the more recent magazines would equal it in actual merit.
Strahan is a man of great taste, both in literature and in art. We were indebted to him for introductions to a number of highly-gifted young Scotch artists. Amongst them were Orchardson, J. Pettie, MacWhirter, and Tom Graham, all of whom soon became famous and won honours of distinction. Pettie made several fine drawings for Good Words, and he and MacWhirter illustrated a beautiful little edition of Wordsworth's "Poems for Children," for which, by the way, Millais made a charming vignette. Strahan also introduced us to Robert Buchanan, who kindly helped us in some of our "Fine Art Books," concerning which we will speak later.
While engaged upon these publications it often happened that the drawings came into our hands so late that insufficient time was left for engraving. It might be that drawings came to us on a Saturday evening, and we were compelled to deliver the engraved blocks to the printers on the Monday morning. This could only be done by taking each wood-block into two, three, or four pieces, and by two, three, or four engravers working all the night through upon them; for while any strain might be put upon the engraver, no excuse was permissible for keeping the printing machine waiting for a single hour. But under the circumstances, and by the best available means, we did our utmost with the drawings that were placed in our care for engraving purposes, though we are free to admit not at all times with that success we ever had so much at heart.
