yed to illustrate _Bell's Life_ and
_Figaro in London_. For _Pickwick_ he prepared seven illustrations, of
which four appeared in the first part. Whether from overwork, or from
the fact that his often hasty sketches did not invariably give
satisfaction to his employers, Seymour was in a depressed state of mind
at this time, and on 20th April, just before the publication of the
second number of _Pickwick_, he committed suicide by shooting himself
through the head with a fowling-piece.

ROBERT WILLIAM BUSS

In consequence of this catastrophe, the second number came out with only
three plates, and an apology to the public. In their dilemma the
publishers invited Robert William Buss (1804-75), a young artist of some
promise, to take up Seymour's work. Buss, who was the son of an
engraver, had studied under George Clint, A.R.A., and had been employed
to illustrate Cumberland's _British Theatre_. He was also an exhibitor
at the Royal Academy, where his most successful works had been in a
humorous genre. Buss consented to lay aside his Academy picture and
undertake the illustrations to _Pickwick_: but as time pressed, and he
was ignorant of the art of etching, he put the two first designs into
the hands of a professional etcher. The result was unfortunate, since,
although the technical part of the work was well executed, the free
touch of the original was entirely wanting, and Buss's name appeared to
designs, not one stroke of which was on the plates. While the artist was
busy designing other, and, as he hoped, more successful illustrations,
he received his dismissal from the publishers, who were dissatisfied
with the specimens already submitted to them. Although he admitted that
his first two plates were "abominably bad," Buss was much aggrieved at
this treatment, having been promised every consideration from the
publishers on account of his ignorance of etching, and the haste with
which the earlier designs had to be prepared. Later he became known as a
popular book-illustrator, executing plates for the novels of Mrs.
Trollope, Captain Marryatt, and Harrison Ainsworth; while, towards the
end of his career, he issued an elaborately-illustrated work on English
graphic satire.

HABLOT KNIGHT BROWNE

In consequence of these early misfortunes, there was so poor a demand
for the first three numbers of _Pickwick_, that the publishers had
serious thoughts of stopping the publication of the work. However, on
the dismissal of