ation on the subject of this
artist and his works. It is just this early period of his life, in which
he first followed and then gradually emancipated himself from the
artistic control and influence of Gillray, which seems to us to afford
the most interesting study of the man's career. Nevertheless, nearly all
the articles we have read on George Cruikshank would give us the idea
that, with the exception of certain designs for woodcuts for Hone--such
as the celebrated _Non Mi Ricordo_ and others--certain rough coloured
engravings for "The Meteor," "The Scourge," and other periodicals of a
kindred stamp, the artist executed but few caricatures properly so
called. This at least is the impression which these articles have left
on our own minds; and we can only account for the little notice taken of
him as a caricaturist by the fact that, unlike the etchings which he
produced when in the prime of his career, his caricatures are not only
exceedingly scarce, but being in many cases unsigned, are capable only
of being recognised by those intimately acquainted with his early
handiwork.

The caricatures of George Cruikshank may be divided into three classes:
first, those which are wholly designed and etched by himself; secondly,
those which he designed after the sketches or suggestions of his
friends; and thirdly, those merely etched from the designs of other
artists. We find the first, although frequently unsigned, more usually
signed (on the left hand), "Geo. Cruik^k. fect." or "invt. & fect."; the
second--"invt. G. Cruik^k. fect.;" while the third are indicated as
merely _etched_ by him. Of the second class it may be remarked that with
the exception of the mere sketch or suggestion, the drawing and the
workmanship are oftentimes unmistakably George's own. In the description
of his caricatures which follow, we shall indicate the designs which
belong to _this_ class with an asterisk.

Publications such as "The Scourge," although containing many caricature
designs by George Cruikshank, are scarcely among those to which the
present chapter was intended to be devoted. There are, however, two
satirical compositions of his in this scurrilous publication,[69] which
appear to us so exceptionally good, that we feel justified in drawing
special attention to them. As the publication itself affords little or
no clue to the subject of the illustrations, it seems necessary in order
that the first may be understood, to explain the circumstan