• JOHN LEECH.
• RICHARD DOYLE.
• CLARKSON STANFIELD, R.A.
• D. MACLISE, R.A.
• SIR JOHN TENNIEL.
• FRANK STONE, A.R.A.
• SIR E. LANDSEER, R.A.

It was nothing less than an inspiration when, in 1843, Dickens conceived the idea of "A Christmas Carol," the composition of which induced in him such mental excitement, that when it was completed he "broke out like a madman." Its extraordinary popularity encouraged him to prepare a similar story for publication at the end of the following year, this being succeeded by three others, all of them appearing during the festive season, in a binding of crimson cloth embellished with gold designs.[35] Not the least interesting feature of these handsome little volumes is the illustrations, mainly owing to the fact that they were designed by the leading black-and-white artists of the day, including three Royal Academicians and one Associate of the Royal Academy. Of this talented company only one member survives,—Sir John Tenniel, whose pencil is still actively employed in the pages of Punch. The following table denotes the number of designs supplied by each artist to the Christmas Books.

Analysis of Illustrations.

The engravers were the Dalziel Brothers (14 subjects), T. Williams (11), W. J. Linton (10), Martin and Corbould (8), Smith and Cheltnam (5), Groves (3), Thompson (3), F. P. Becker (2), Gray (2), Swain (2), Green (1). Four designs were etched on steel by John Leech, thus making up the full complement of illustrations.