Forty years of 'Spy'

by Sir Leslie Ward

The press cuttings sent me while abroad concerning the accident amused me, as I was reported in some papers to have broken both my legs, while among the kind letters I received was one from Hermann Vezin, the actor, who was lying on a bed of sickness from which he never recovered. I reproduce here another, and amusing, communication which came from an anonymous friend after the accident I have just described. It invites me, as will be seen, to "smile" in spite of all.

My studio on the ground floor at Buckingham Gate made an excellent hospital, but I was still prevented from doing any work for some time. When The World approached me after my decision to terminate my connection with Vanity Fair, the inducement was that in addition to the same remuneration which I had received from that paper, I was permitted to retain the rights of my original drawings. In consequence, I was able to send a collection to the Turin Exhibition at the request of Sir Isidore Spielmann, for which I received a Grand Prix.

My second drawing of the present King was published by his permission in The World in 1910; it was but a short time before the death of King Edward, for a paragraph in reference to it appeared in The Morning Post opposite the announcement of the late King's death. I knew on the best authority that the Prince was a very fine shot, so I represented him in shooting-kit grasping his gun. H.R.H. took the greatest trouble to sit in order that every detail of the picture should be perfectly correct; indeed, on the occasion of the first sitting he not only changed into a complete suit of shooting-clothes, but he permitted me to choose the suit I thought best for the drawing. He told me he always shot with a hammered gun, and preferred it to any other, and that he made a point of wearing a red tie when shooting. On reminding him of boyhood days and the circumstances of my cruise on the Hercules, he remembered the incident perfectly. Not long after, I received the honour of sittings from the Duke of Connaught. I had been presented to H.R.H. at St. James's Palace by Sir Henry De Bathe at my first levee, and not having a Court suit of my own, I hired one for the occasion. When I returned to my cab after the levee I was horrified to discover that through careless tailoring my black velvet breeches had split across my thigh, the accident evidently having occurred at the moment I made my obeisance. I was naturally very much concerned at this ill-timed catastrophe, and could only hope that it had escaped observation.

When the Duke of Connaught was sitting to me I told him the story. He laughed, and related an incident that occurred on another occasion. An old and seemingly rather eccentric military officer was advancing to make his bow, when the Lord Chamberlain noticing something rather strange in his apparel attempted to draw his attention to the fact, and to prevent his advance. Other royal attendants made similar efforts, only to be waved aside by the old gentleman, who obstinately refused to be stopped. It was then that the Duke noticed that his sword, every button, in fact, and all the gold upon his uniform was covered with yellow tissue paper which he had obviously forgotten to remove.

I sketched the Duke in undress uniform, and while the portrait was in progress the Duchess and the Princess Patricia came to look at it, and the Princess, who is herself a clever artist, seemed to take an especial interest in my method of work. On my next visit H.R.H. told me that the Duchess had been so much pleased with the portrait that she would like to possess the original. It was then arranged that the drawing should be sent out to Canada, but at my request it was first lent to the proprietors of The Graphic, who reproduced it in colour for the special Duke of Connaught number, which was published shortly after the Duke had accepted office as Governor-General of Canada.

The Graphic also reproduced in colour a drawing that I did of Sir Colin Keppel, in Admiral's uniform; he, it will be remembered, took the King and Queen to India.

When the honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred on Mr. Roosevelt, Oxford made quite a fête day of the occasion. At the ceremony of installation I went down to observe the ex-President in all the glory of his robes and red gown.

Another interesting portrait I painted about this time, also within the fine setting of official dignity and circumstance, was that of Archbishop Bourne in his Cardinal's robes. I sent it to the 1911 exhibition at the Royal Academy, where it was alloted a very prominent position.

It was at the request of The World that I made the drawing described as "His Majesty's Servants." It was a group picture of the most prominent actors of the day, including Tree and Bourchier, Weedon Grossmith, Willard, and H. B. Irving, etc. Among a number of very interesting subjects which appeared in The World was Captain Scott, and I think I was about the last artist to whom he sat before he started on his fatal expedition.