St. Dunstan, and tweaking a wretch of a publisher by the nose! The
collectors of George's etchings--oh the charming etchings!--oh the
dear old "German Popular Tales!"--the capital "Points of Humor"--the
delightful "Phrenology" and "Scrap-books," of the good time, OUR
time--Plancus's in fact!--the collectors of the Georgian etchings, we
say, have at least a hundred pictures of the artist. Why, we remember
him in his favorite Hessian boots in "Tom and Jerry" itself; and in
woodcuts as far back as the Queen's trial. He has rather deserted satire
and comedy of late years, having turned his attention to the serious,
and warlike, and sublime. Having confessed our age and prejudices, we
prefer the comic and fanciful to the historic, romantic, and at present
didactic George. May respect, and length of days, and comfortable
repose attend the brave, honest, kindly, pure-minded artist, humorist,
moralist! It was he first who brought English pictorial humor and
children acquainted. Our young people and their fathers and mothers owe
him many a pleasant hour and harmless laugh. Is there no way in which
the country could acknowledge the long services and brave career of such
a friend and benefactor?

Since George's time humor has been converted. Comus and his wicked
satyrs and leering fauns have disappeared, and fled into the lowest
haunts; and Comus's lady (if she had a taste for humor, which may be
doubted) might take up our funny picture-books without the slightest
precautionary squeamishness. What can be purer than the charming fancies
of Richard Doyle? In all Mr. Punch's huge galleries can't we walk as
safely as through Miss Pinkerton's schoolrooms? And as we look at Mr.
Punch's pictures, at the Illustrated News pictures, at all the pictures
in the book-shop windows at this Christmas season, as oldsters, we feel
a certain pang of envy against the youngsters--they are too well off.
Why hadn't WE picture-books? Why were we flogged so? A plague on the