ndsor Castle." For "The Lancashire Witches" he received
from the proprietors of the _Sunday Times_ one thousand pounds. Several
of the works named had not the benefit of Cruikshank's illustrations;
but in 1850-1, cheap editions of all such of Mr. Ainsworth's romances
and tales as had appeared up to that period, were published by Messrs.
Chapman and Hall without any illustrations at all. "Windsor Castle" was
the first of the series, and upwards of thirty thousand copies were
disposed of in a short time; while all the other works enjoyed a very
large sale, and popular favour was so far from being exhausted, that
another edition of his novels was called for in 1864-1868. He was a
veritable literary rolling stone. In 1845 he disposed of his magazine to
the publishers, and purchased the "New Monthly," previously edited by
Theodore Hook and (after his death) by Thomas Hood; in 1854 he bought
the far-famed "Miscellany" itself, becoming its proprietor and editor;
in that year he seems also to have re-purchased "Ainsworth's Magazine,"
which as a separate and rival publication thenceforth ceased to exist.

The only work which Cruikshank illustrated for Charles Lever was "Arthur
O'Leary," and the reason of this has been explained by himself in a
letter which he wrote to Mr. Fitzpatrick, the author of Charles Lever's
life: "I had the honour and the pleasure," he says, "of being personally
acquainted with the late Charles Lever, and I regret that I was only
able to illustrate one of his works, 'Arthur O'Leary,' my engagements on
'Jack Sheppard,' etc., at that time prevented me from illustrating his
other works, which he wished me to have done, but I do not remember ever
having any written correspondence with him, as the MS. or printed matter
was placed in my hands for illustration; and then I had entirely to deal
with the publisher. Mr. Charles Lever was an author whom I held in high
estimation." Lever himself was highly gratified with these
illustrations.

THE FINAL LEAP IN THE DARK.

By 1845, that is to say, at least two years before he had taken his
final leap in the dark, Cruikshank had contrived to pick quarrels with
the very class of men whom it was his special interest to conciliate,
and had been driven to set up an opposition serial of his own--the
celebrated "Table Book"--which, notwithstanding the superlative
excellence of his own illustrations and the talent of his literary
contributors, comprising such names as Joh