Leech's Early Attempts at Drawing—Medical Studies—First Published Work—Desires to Illustrate "Pickwick"—Becomes Acquainted with Dickens—"A Christmas Carol"—Sale of the Original Drawings—"The Chimes"—Leech Misinterprets his Author—"The Cricket on the Hearth"—An Altered Design—The Artist's Humour Exemplified—"The Battle of Life"—Sale of Original Drawings—Unpublished Letters by Leech—A Grave Error—"The Haunted Man"—Leech's Method of Work—Artistic Value of his Sketches—Ruskin's Criticism—Leech as an Actor—A Serious Accident—Dickens as Nurse—Ill-health—A Fatal Seizure—Sir John Millais' Portrait of Leech.

John Leech, the leading spirit of Punch for more than twenty years, was born in London in 1817, his father (an Irishman of culture) being a vintner, and at one time the proprietor of the London Coffee-House on Ludgate Hill, then the most important of the large City hotels. As the elder Leech showed some skill as a draughtsman, we may reasonably assume that from him the son inherited a talent for drawing, by means of which he was destined, before many years had passed, to astonish the world by his humour and originality. When a mere lad, he exhibited such aptitude and dexterity with the pencil, that Flaxman, the famous sculptor, pronounced these precocious efforts to be wonderful, and exclaimed: "That boy must be an artist; he will be nothing else or less." Notwithstanding this recommendation, young Leech (after a course of schooling at the Charterhouse, where he had William Makepeace Thackeray as a fellow-pupil) was entered by his father at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, with a view to his adopting the medical profession; but his penchant for drawing and sketching proved irresistible, and he gained more repute among the students by means of his life-like (but good-natured) caricatures, than for any ability he may have displayed in hospital work. On leaving St. Bartholomew's, he was placed under an eccentric practitioner named Whittle (whom Albert Smith has immortalised as Mr. Rawkins), and subsequently under Dr. John Cockle, afterwards Physician to the Royal Free Hospital.

Plate XLIII

JOHN LEECH
From the Water-colour Drawing by
Sir JOHN E. MILLAIS, P.R.A., 1854

Leech, however, gradually relinquished his medical studies, and resolved to live by his pencil. He was only eighteen years of age when he published his first venture, "Etchings and Sketchings, by A. Penn, Esq.," comprising a collection of slightly caricatured sketches of various odd characters to be met with on the streets of London. Shortly after this maiden effort there appeared upon the scene the initial number of the celebrated "Pickwick Papers," and when, in the second number, the sad death was announced of Robert Seymour, the illustrator, Leech immediately conceived the idea of seeking election as his successor. "Boz" at this time was absolutely unknown to him except by that strange pseudonym, so the ambitious young artist communicated his desire to the publishers, Chapman & Hall, to whom he sent as a specimen of his powers a clever drawing, delicately tinted in colour, of that familiar scene in "Pickwick" where Tom Smart sits up in bed and converses with the animated chair.[36] Thackeray (it will be remembered) also aspired to the position coveted by Leech, but neither possessed the necessary qualifications.

In those early years Leech designed numerous illustrations for Bells Life in London, and concocted schemes of drollery with his literary friends which resulted in the publication of such humorous productions as the "Comic Latin Grammar," "Comic English Grammar," &c. In August, 1841, he contributed his first drawing to Punch (the fourth number), this being the forerunner of many hundreds of pictures, chiefly of "life and character," bearing the [Pg 139]
[Pg 140]familiar sign-manual of a leech wriggling in a bottle. The artist's connection with Punch gave him a great opportunity, for he was thus enabled to come before the public, week after week, with an endless succession of scenes in high life and low life, now of the hunting-field and now of the river,—always with something that could not fail to delight the eye and to excite good-natured laughter. His deftness and versatility naturally brought many commissions from publishers anxious to secure the aid of his prolific pencil, so that besides his weekly contribution to Punch he was occupied in preparing designs for other works, notably Douglas Jerrold's Shilling Magazine, Hood's Comic Annual, and "The Ingoldsby Legends."

A Christmas Carol, 1843.The year 1843 was memorable to John Leech, for then he first became acquainted with the author of "Pickwick." By whom the introduction was brought about is not quite clear; perhaps the credit of it may be awarded to Douglas Jerrold or Thomas Hood. In the above-mentioned year Leech's services were obtained for the illustration of "A Christmas Carol," for which he prepared eight designs; four of these were etched on steel, the impressions being afterwards coloured by hand, while the remaining four were drawn on wood, and beautifully engraved by W. J. Linton. The popularity of the "Carol" (the pioneer of all Dickens's Christmas Books, and, indeed, of Christmas literature generally) proved enormous, and much of its success was undoubtedly due to the attractive designs of John Leech, who entered so thoroughly into the spirit of this charming little allegory. In 1893 the original drawings, with the exception of that entitled "Scrooge's Third Visitor," were sold at Sotheby's for 155 guineas, and afterwards catalogued by a London bookseller at £240—a considerable advance on the price paid to the artist and engraver, which was just under £50. This interesting series of drawings (two of them tinted in colours) had hitherto remained in the possession of a daughter of the artist.

Plate XLIV

"RICHARD AND MARGARET"
Facsimile of the Original Sketch for "The Chimes" by
JOHN LEECH

The figure of Richard was altered in the published design.

By Permission of the Art Museum Committee of theCorporation of Nottingham.

The Chimes, 1845.To "The Chimes" Leech contributed five illustrations, the original drawings for which realised 66 guineas at Sotheby's in 1893. Some of these slight pencillings now form part of the Leech Collection at Nottingham Castle, including the first sketch for the illustration referred to by Dickens (in a letter to his wife) as being, together with a sketch by Doyle for the same story, so unlike his ideas that he invited both artists to breakfast with him one morning, and, "with that winning manner which you know of, got them, with the highest good-humour, to do both afresh." The design in question appears in the "Third Quarter," in which two scenes are represented, the upper one depicting Margaret in her garret, while in the lower compartment appears Richard, with "matted hair and unshorn beard," as he enters Trotty Veck's cottage. The artist misunderstood his author, and delineated, instead of Richard as described in the text, an extremely ragged and dissipated-looking character, with a battered hat upon his head. When the novelist saw it, the drawing had already been engraved, but the woodcut was promptly suppressed; there still exists, however, an impression of the cancelled engraving, which is bound up with what is evidently a unique copy of "The Chimes" (now the property of Mr. J. F. Dexter), where blank spaces are left for some of the woodcuts; this particular copy is probably the publishers' "make up," and had accidentally left their hands.

The Cricket on the Hearth, 1846."The Cricket on the Hearth" is embellished with seven designs by Leech. The original sketch for one of these illustrations, representing John and Dot seated by the fire, indicates that it was Leech's intention at first to introduce Tilly Slowboy nursing the baby; but it was apparently considered that her presence in the picture destroyed the domestic harmony of the scene, so the figure was omitted, and a separate woodcut made of the subject for a subsequent chapter. It is interesting to compare Leech's illustration of Caleb Plummer and his blind daughter at work with a similar design by Doyle in the same chapter, the vigorous character of the former happily contrasting with the more restrained treatment of the latter. In the final woodcut of "The Dance," Leech's sense of humour (not always devoid of exaggeration) has free play, for here not only do we see the human characters in the story indulging in the pleasant exercise, but observe that, in one corner, the carrier's pets, Boxer and the cat, are similarly disporting themselves, while even the artist's signature (in the opposite corner) of a leech in a bottle is placed upon a couple of lively legs, and is kicking away with an abandon worthy of the occasion.

The Battle of Life, 1846.In Dickens's fourth Christmas Book, "The Battle of Life," John Leech is represented by three illustrations, all of which are designed in the manner characteristic of these little volumes, in having one scene superimposed upon another. The original sketches for two of these woodcuts, viz., "The Parting Breakfast" and "The Night of the Return," are in the South Kensington Museum,[37] while the third drawing has found its way to America, whither so many Dickens relics have departed. When, in June 1893, some highly-finished replicas of these designs were disposed of at Sotheby's, they realised the extraordinary sums of £35, 10s., £17, 10s., and £20, 10s. respectively. In the Forster Collection at South Kensington there are two very interesting letters, addressed by Leech to the biographer of Dickens, having special connection with these illustrations. The first (dated November 16, 1846) refers to the breakfast scene, and from it we gather that there was a very limited time for preparing the designs:—

Plate XLV

"JOHN, DOT, AND TILLY SLOWBOY"
Facsimile of the Original Drawing for "The Cricket on the Hearth" by
JOHN LEECH

The figure of Tilly Slowboy was omitted in the published Drawing, a separate Illustration being made of that portion of the Design.

Lent by Mr. W. H. Lever.

"My Dear Forster,—I really cannot say off-hand how many illustrations I can make within the week; indeed, I am so embarrassed by the conditions under which I am to make my share of the drawings that I hardly know what to do at all. Conscientiously, I could not make Clemency Newcome particularly beautiful. If you will read a little beyond the words 'plump and cheerful,' you will find the following: 'But the extraordinary homeliness of her gait and manner would have superseded any face in the world. To say that she had two left legs and somebody else's arms, and that all four limbs seemed to be out of joint, and to start from perfectly wrong places,' &c., &c. Again, she is described as having 'a prodigious pair of self-willed shoes,' and a gown of 'the most hideous pattern procurable for money.' The impression made upon me by such a description as I have quoted certainly is that the character so described is both awkward and comic. Of course I may be wrong in my conception of what Dickens intended, but I imagine the lady in question a sort of clean 'Slowboy.' The blessed public (if they consider the matter at all) will hold me responsible for what appears with my name; they will know nothing about my being obliged to conform to Maclise's ideas. I cannot tell you how loath I should be to cause any delay or difficulty in the production of the book, or what pain it would give me to cause either Dickens or yourself any annoyance. I confess I am a little out of heart.—Believe me ever yours faithfully,

John Leech."

"John Forster, Esq."

Maclise, who also provided illustrations to "The Battle of Life," was anxious that his own type of character for Clemency Newcome should be reproduced in the designs by Leech; hence that artist's protest. Writing again two days later on the subject, Leech said:—

"My Dear Forster,—Perhaps I was wrong in using the word 'conditions' in my note to you—I should have said 'circumstances,' and by being 'embarrassed' by them I meant that I found it very harassing to do work (that I am for several reasons anxious to do well) under the constant feeling that I have too little time to do it in; and also I meant to convey to you that the necessity (which I certainly supposed to exist) of preserving a sort of resemblance to the characters as conceived by Mr. Maclise made it a rather nervous undertaking to me. It seems I expressed myself clumsily, as the tone of my note appeared to you anything but what I intended it to be. Any suggestion from you I should always consider most valuable. I send you one drawing, completed this morning at four o'clock, and I assure you I would spare neither time nor any personal comfort to show my personal regard for both yourself and Dickens.

"I should not like to promise more than two other drawings, if Saturday is positively the last day. I might be able to do more, but I should not like to promise, and fail. Pray overlook any glaring defects in the block I send, and believe me yours faithfully,

John Leech.

"John Forster, Esq., &c. &c.

"P.S. I should like, if there is no objection, that Linton should engrave for me."

Plate XLVI

"CALEB AT WORK"
Facsimile of the Original Drawing for "The Cricket on the Hearth" by
JOHN LEECH

Lent by Mr. W. H. Lever.

It was natural that, remembering the excellent reproductions of his wood-drawings in the "Carol" and "The Chimes," Leech should express a wish that Linton[38] might also engrave those in "The Battle of Life;" but the signatures appended to the cuts show that, doubtless for some sufficient reason, the artist's wish was not respected.

In his third design for "The Battle of Life" Leech committed an extraordinary blunder, the result (it must be confessed) of carelessly studying his author. In this illustration, where the festivities to welcome the bridegroom at the top of the page contrast with the flight of the bride represented below, Leech gravely erred in supposing that Michael Warden had taken part in the elopement, and has introduced his figure with that of Marion. This curious mistake, which might have been avoided had the drawing been submitted to Dickens, was not discovered until too late for remedy, and it is highly characteristic of the novelist, of the true regard he felt for the artist, that he preferred to pass it silently. The most remarkable thing of all is (as Forster has pointed out), nobody seems to have noticed the unfortunate oversight, although it must be obvious to every attentive reader that it makes great havoc of one of the most delicate episodes in the story. The feelings of the author, on realising the seriousness of this terrible misconception on the part of the artist, may be readily imagined. Writing to his biographer, he said: "When I first saw it, it was with a horror and agony not to be expressed. Of course I need not tell you, my dear fellow, Warden has no business in the elopement scene. He was never there! In the first hot sweat of this surprise and novelty, I was going to implore the printing of that sheet to be stopped, and the figure taken out of the block. But when I thought of the pain this might give to our kind-hearted Leech, and that what is such a monstrous enormity to me, as never having entered my brain, may not so present itself to others, I became more composed; though the fact is wonderful to me. No doubt a great number of copies will be printed by the time this reaches you, and therefore I shall take it for granted that it stands as it is. Leech otherwise is very good, and the illustrations altogether are by far the best that have been done for any of my Christmas Books...."

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