I have the pleasantest remembrance of the character drawing of General Sir William Francis Butler, G.C.B., which I made for Vanity Fair in 1907. The General was one of the Empire's very big men, and it will be remembered that prior to the Boer War he was very sharply criticised for certain pessimistic prophecies in connection with the war which annoyed everybody; but events justified every word he uttered. He married Miss Thompson of "The Roll Call" fame, and he was very much struck with a proof print from a drawing of her that I had done for The Graphic at the time she painted "The Roll Call." It chanced that he sat to me on my birthday, which was in November. I usually left my studio at sunset in time to get a walk, but that afternoon I lingered until dusk. Presently there came a ring at my bell, which I answered, and seeing some one at a distance from the gate the visitor asked me if Mr. Leslie Ward was in. I exclaimed, "Why, General! Don't you know me? You've been sitting to me all the morning." He said, "Here is a little parcel which I should like you to accept, it being your birthday," and hurried off. I took it into my studio and found it contained a pair of extremely handsome silver candlesticks of the Georgian period. My subject had a stern countenance but a kind heart.
Not long after, I began to realise that my long association with Vanity Fair was about to come to an end. When Mr. Gibson Bowles resigned his connection with the journal, in order to take an active part in the political field which had always attracted his keenest interest, I could not have contemplated a more delightful successor than Mr. A. G. Witherby as my chief, for I again received every encouragement to succeed in my work. Not only is he a very clever caricaturist and draughtsman, but he is equally clever as a writer; in addition to which he is a good sort and keen sportsman, and when he decided to part with the paper it was a great blow to me. I shall ever remember the kind hospitality I received from him and his wife during his proprietorship of the paper.
PRINCESS ENA OF BATTENBERG. Drawn at Kensington Palace, May 1906, just previously to her marriage with the King of Spain.
In early days my father cautioned me against giving more than half of my time to work for reproduction, and experience has taught me the wisdom of the warning. I think after all he was right, and I regret that for nearly forty years I devoted too much time to the work on Vanity Fair. As a society journal it was certainly for a long period a publication of unique interest, and I venture to prophesy that, when the history of the Victorian Era comes to be written in true perspective, the most faithful mirror and record of representative men and the spirit of their times will be sought and found in Vanity Fair.
CHAPTER XVII
A HOLIDAY MISFORTUNE—ROYAL PORTRAITS—FAREWELL
Belgium.—Accident at Golf.—Portraits of King George V., the Duke of Connaught, Mr. Roosevelt, Mr. Lloyd George, Mr. Garvin.—Portrait painting of to-day.—Final reflections.—Farewell.