"Dalziel's Bible Gallery" is composed of sixty-two pictures, most of which are of a very high order; many quite up to the standard we aimed at when planning our project for an "Illustrated Bible." Special mention may be made of those by Lord, then Sir Frederick, Leighton, Bart., P.R.A., whose drawing of "Cain and Abel" will always rank as one of the grandest examples of Biblical art of modern times; nor less highly must be estimated his "Death of the First Born." The "Samson" subjects also are very fine, particularly that of "Carrying the Gates"; and another notable subject is "Moses Viewing the Promised Land"; but all his contributions, nine in number, will stand amongst the finest of his works in black and white.

An art critic, in an appreciative notice of works exhibited at the Old Water Colour Galleries, where some of Lord Leighton's drawings were on view, wrote the following words in reference to one of the illustrations done for the "Bible" series:

The following letters will interest the reader, as showing how earnestly Lord Leighton entered into this project of illustrating the Bible:

Again:

Why Lord Leighton did not execute so many drawings for our "Bible" as he had originally intended, the following note will explain:

G. F. Watts, R.A., also expressed himself in high approval of the project, and promised his ready help, but ultimately he contributed only three drawings. His letter will be of interest:

Some slight objection having been taken to one of Mr. Watts' drawings, and a reconsideration suggested, he wrote the following letter:

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Unstinted praise ought also to be given to the ten contributions of Sir E. J. Poynter, P.R.A. For conception of subject, beauty of design, and wonderful manipulation, they must all be regarded as fine examples of Scriptural art. We must specially mention the drawings from "The Life of Joseph": "Joseph Distributing the Corn," "Pharaoh Honours Joseph," and "Joseph Presents his Father to Pharaoh." From the latter design he painted for us a most exquisite water colour drawing. Then, again, "Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh," "Miriam," and "Daniel's Prayer," are all remarkable for purity of treatment.

While arranging subjects for illustration for the "Bible" we received the following note:

Sir E. J. Poynter, P.R.A., was born in Paris, 1836; and was educated at Westminster, Ipswich, and Brighton College. He returned to Paris to receive his art training, and entered the studio of Gleyre, going afterwards to Antwerp, where he was fellow-student with Alma-Tadema and George Du Maurier. In Rome he made the acquaintance of Leighton, and for a short time worked in his studio there. He was elected into the Royal Academy, 1869, and to full honours in that institution, 1876, attaining the highest honour, that of President, November, 1896. This is but a short record of a very brilliant career.

We were first attracted to his work, at a minor Exhibition in Newman Street, by a small, but very charming water colour drawing of "Egyptian Water Carriers"—two, half-length, beautiful girls—which we bought, on its merits, not having any previous knowledge of the artist. Several years after, this picture was engraved and included in our "Bible Gallery."

The following letter, remarking upon a proof from one of his drawings for the "Bible" submitted for correction, is one of several we received from Sir Edward J. Poynter during the progress of the work:

We are tempted here to print a letter received from him in reply to one from us in congratulation upon his election as President of the Royal Academy of Arts:

The Holman Hunt drawing of "Eliezer and Rebekah at the Well" is a work of such simplicity of design and delicate treatment as might be expected from this distinguished artist, whose life has been mainly devoted to Biblical art. Of the three grand designs made for us by the veteran artist G. F. Watts, R.A., we have selected that of "Esau Meeting Jacob," as being a fine example of the artist, who has always worked with the highest and noblest aims. Of Ford Madox Brown's three contributions we have chosen "Elijah and the Widow's Son," as being not only an original conception of the subject, but perhaps one of the most beautiful specimens of manipulative skill he ever produced. He called it an etching, and so it was to all intents, it being perfectly pure line work. Although more beautiful, it is in no way finer than "Joseph's Coat," or "The Death of Eglon."

F. Sandy's one drawing, "Jacob hears the Voice of the Lord," is a very strong piece of work. There are many other important pictures by F. R. Pickersgill, R.A., E. Armitage, R.A., A. B. Houghton, R.W.S., H. H. Armstead, R.A., A. Murch, William Small, E. F. Brewtnall, R.W.S., F. S. Walker, R.H.A., and Sir E. Burne-Jones. There are also twelve designs by Thomas Dalziel, which are regarded by many competent judges to be amongst the best work in the collection. "Hosannah," by S. Solomon, is also a very beautiful work. What joy and fervour of music are expressed in the drawing! We well remember the small picture he painted of the subject; it hung on the line at the R.A., and was looked upon as the work of a coming man.

Burne-Jones' "overwhelming" amount of work, as explained in the following letter, must be accepted as the reason why he contributed only one drawing to the "Bible," in which he took such keen interest at its commencement.

Yet with all this vast array of talent our "Bible," commercially speaking, was a dead failure. It was carefully printed on India paper, and issued partly in portfolio and partly in book form, but the British public did not respond, some two hundred copies being all that were sold. The balance of the number printed were disposed of at prices which we will not here record. Thus ended a work, begun with the highest aims, over which we spent many years of careful, patient labour, and several thousands of pounds.

Fortunately, many of the best of the original drawings have found their way to the National Collection at the Kensington Museum, where they will remain as records of some of the very finest examples of the black and white work of this period, and to the lasting fame of the artists.

It may be interesting to state that, at the time we were placing commissions for designs to illustrate the "Bible" and other important works in the hands of such artists as Sir F. Leighton, P.R.A., Sir John Millais, P.R.A., Sir E. J. Poynter, P.R.A., H. H. Armstead, R.A., A. Armitage, R.A., Sir E. Burne-Jones, A.R.A., Marcus Stone, R.A., John Pettie, R.A., W. Q. Orchardson, R.A., H. Stacey Marks, R.A., Professor H. Von Herkomer, R.A., G. F. Watts, R.A., Fred Walker, A.R.A., Fred Pickersgill, R.A., J. W. North, A.R.A., and J. MacWhirter, R.A., all of whom have since attained the highest position in their art, without a single exception not one of them had at the time of our first correspondence entered into the ranks of the Royal Academy.

Almost the same may be said of many young artists who were not contributors to the "Bible Gallery," in whose hands we placed commissions long before they had risen to fame and fortune.

Frederick Sandys, on having a proof submitted to him for correction, wrote the following letter:

Our original intention being to publish an "Illustrated Bible," we were desirous that it should be carefully watched through the press, and, if necessary, some few explanatory notes appended. With this object we offered the editorship to Sir George Grove. The following letter is of interest, explaining his reasons for declining the responsibility:

This refusal of Sir George Grove's co-operation, combined with other insurmountable difficulties which came in the way, caused us very reluctantly to abandon our original project.

Being invited to contribute to the Fine Art section of the Victorian Era Exhibition held at Earl's Court in the summer of 1897, we sent a frame containing selections from Tenniel's illustrations to "Through the Looking Glass," some specimens after F. Walker, and a large frame containing about twenty examples from "Dalziel's Bible," by Lord Leighton, Sir E. J. Poynter, Holman Hunt, Ford Madox Brown, Thomas Dalziel, Sir E. Burne-Jones, and others, with four proofs from Sir J. E. Millais' illustrations to "The Parables." For these contributions the Committee awarded us a Diploma for a Silver Medal.

Among our schemes for publishing high-class works was "The Biblical Life of Joseph," to be fully and carefully illustrated. We consulted Frederick Sandys upon the subject. The following letter will show the feeling with which he received the proposition:

Of the many books placed in our hands for illustration, "The Pilgrim's Progress," by John Bunyan, exceeded in number all others. That immortal work came to us in every form—published at various prices, from one shilling, with a large number of original outline designs by a distinguished artist, to the edition produced by Alexander Strahan, in 1880, at five guineas. In this instance we printed all the larger pictures for him on India paper. There were one hundred drawings, no less than sixty-six of them being by that highly-gifted artist, Fred Barnard, whose dramatic power quite equalled his high sense of humour. Of his large pictures in the book, while all are good, those of "The Giant Despair," "The Man with the Muck Rake," and "The Atheist," are amongst the best. As to his smaller designs, it is difficult to say whether one admires them most for their strength of character or for the delicate and refined touch of his pencil.

There were other men of distinction to help Strahan with the full-page pictures. E. F. Brewtnall had ten drawings, all good. "The Three Shining Ones" is very refined and original in treatment. William Small's "Slough of Despond," and "At the Gate," are both worthy of this accomplished artist. E. G. Dalziel had five pictures, of which "Christian Climbing the Hill of Difficulty," and "Christian and Faithful Crossing the River of Death," are most remarkable works. John Ralston, another of the clever young Scotch artists who came to London, had three pictures, "The Ladies of the House—Beautiful Reading to Christian," being by far the finest. Sir James D. Linton, P.R.I., had four very powerful drawings, which were typical of all the work of this long-distinguished and painstaking artist, who always gives good sound readings of his subjects: "Old Honest" is an admirable example. Of Towneley Green's four pictures, "The Bundle Falls off Christian's Back," we like best; but all are good. The one picture by Joseph Wolf, "Lions in the Path," is simply grand.

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A most important and comprehensive work which Messrs. Routledge entrusted to us was the production of the pictures for the "Illustrated Natural History," by the Rev. J. G. Wood. They were, of course, to be under the superintendence of the author, who was at that time Chaplain of St. Bartholomew's Hospital.

During the publication of the book, which was issued in monthly parts, and extended over a period of nearly four years, it was our custom to go there and see him every Monday morning, accompanied generally by Mr. George Routledge, to receive new lists of subjects, to report progress of those in hand, and to discuss the matter generally. From there we went on to the printing office of Richard Clay & Sons, who were printing the work under our supervision.

Among the many distinguished artists engaged we would first mention William Harvey, of whom we have spoken elsewhere. He did not, however, make many drawings, from the fact that J. G. Wood thought them too mannered and conventional; the same objection was held by the author to Harrison Weir. Although this clever artist contributed considerably to certain sections of the book, J. G. Wood summed up his drawings in a few words: "Always picturesque, but never correct."

Joseph Wolf, a German by birth, made a large number of drawings for the work, and gave the author every satisfaction. By many it is held that his birds are more correct than those by any other draughtsman; certainly his perfect manipulation gives them a beauty that cannot be excelled. There can be no doubt that his contributions are by far the best: take his lions, tigers, or his groups of monkeys and of birds—all denoting the artist of high culture. He was appointed Special Artist to the Zoological Society, and worked very much at their Gardens in Regent's Park and also at their Museum.

While we were preparing the first sheets for the press, a very fine specimen of the gorilla, preserved in spirits, most opportunely arrived at the Zoological Gardens, one of the first, we were informed, that had ever reached this country. Permission was obtained for Mr. Wolf to be present at the opening of the barrel which contained the defunct animal, so that he might have a better opportunity of making notes for his guidance in doing the drawing, one of the best in the entire book, than the indifferently stuffed specimen in the Museum afforded him. Wolf afterwards remarked that opening the barrel and lifting the animal out of the spirits was extremely interesting, but the effluvia was sufficient to poison a regiment of soldiers—whether he considered it a fact that soldiers as a rule are less susceptible to the influence of poisonous gases than other men, he did not take the trouble to explain.

From J. B. Zwecker, who was also a German by birth, we had considerable help. He was a highly-educated artist of the Dusseldorf School. He painted in oil and water colour; his work always showed good drawing and design, but was generally heavy in effect. He made a large number of drawings for the "Natural History" and for other publications—his being a ready pencil. He was an accomplished athlete, a genial companion, a kind-hearted man, and an enthusiastic son of the "Fatherland."

Another of the many-sided artists with whom we were connected in this work was W. S. Coleman. On coming to London he called upon us and we were of some service to him, we believe, in introducing him as a wood draughtsman. Beyond his art taste and knowledge, he had considerable skill in a literary way, creating some small books of his own—"A Book on Butterflies," and another on "Birds' Eggs," being amongst the first and best. The Rev. J. G. Wood always said he could rely on Coleman doing his utmost, for when living specimens could not be obtained he would take any amount of trouble in searching for the most reliable representation of the objects required.

We must have had hundreds of his drawings through our hands. He painted both in oil and water colour, his landscapes in the latter medium being always very sweet and tender in feeling. In fact, Coleman's work ranges from a careful drawing of a butterfly—as decoration for a Christmas card—to classic or nude figures full life size.

T. W. Wood, an artist, in no way related to the Rev. J. G. Wood, made many careful drawings for the book—principally of birds and butterflies. Though always technically correct, he was deficient in artistic treatment—in fact, a playful artist friend once dubbed him the "Wooden Wood."

The commission to prepare the pictures for "The Natural History of Man" was also placed in our hands by Messrs. Routledge, in the same manner as for the "Natural History," with this difference, that, with the exception of implements—warlike, domestic and otherwise, huts, etc., which were all copied from the best authorities by other hands, the entire set of drawings were done by one artist, J. B. Zwecker, who, having an excellent knowledge of the human figure, was well qualified for dealing with the Kaffir, Zulu and other South African tribes, of which the first portion of the "History" deals so exhaustively. Zwecker always received his lists and instructions direct from the author; our portion being the engraving of the wood blocks and a general supervision of the printing.