The Confessions of a Caricaturist

If, in these volumes, I have made some joke at a friend's expense, let that friend take it in the spirit intended, and--I apologise beforehand.

In America apology in journalism is unknown. The exception is the well-known story of the man whose death was published in the obituary column. He rushed into the office of the paper and cried out to the editor:

"Look here, sur, what do you mean by this? You have published two columns and a half of my obituary, and here I am as large as life!"

The editor looked up and coolly said, "Sur, I am vury sorry, I reckon there is a mistake some place, but it kean't be helped. You are killed by the Jersey Eagle, you are to the world buried. We nevur correct anything, and we nevur apologise in Amurrican papers."

"That won't do for me, sur. My wife's in tears; my friends are laughing at me; my business will be ruined,--you must apologise."

"No, si--ree, an Amurrican editor nevur apologises."

"Well, sur, I'll take the law on you right away. I'm off to my attorney."

"Wait one minute, sur--just one minute. You are a re-nowned and popular citizen: the Jersey Eagle has killed you--for that I am vury, vury sorry, and to show you my respect I will to-morrow find room for you--in the births column."

Now do not let any editor imagine these pages are my professional obituary,--my autobiography. If by mistake he does, then let him place me immediately in their births column. I am in my forties, and there is quite time for me to prepare and publish two more volumes of my "Confessions" from my first to my second birth, and many other things, before I am fifty.

[Illustration: Faithfully yours Harry Furniss]

LONDON, 1901.

[The Author begs to acknowledge his indebtedness to the Proprietors and the Editor of Punch, the Proprietors of the Magazine of Art, the Graphic, the Illustrated London News, English Illustrated Magazine, Cornhill Magazine, Harper's Magazine, Westminster Gazette, St. James' Gazette, the British Weekly and the Sporting Times for their kindness in allowing him to reproduce extracts and pictures in these volumes.]

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

CONFESSIONS OF MY CHILDHOOD--AND AFTER.

Introductory--Birth and Parentage--The Cause of my remaining a Caricaturist--The Schoolboys' Punch--Infant Prodigies--As a Student--I Start in Life--Zozimus--The Sullivan Brothers--Pigott--The Forger--The Irish "Pathriot"--Wood Engraving--Tom Taylor--The Wild West--Judy--Behind the Scenes--Titiens--My First and Last Appearance in a Play--My Journey to London--My Companion--A Coincidence pp. 1-29

CHAPTER II.

BOHEMIAN CONFESSIONS.

I arrive in London--A Rogue and Vagabond--Two Ladies--Letters of Introduction--Bohemia--A Distinguished Member--My Double--A Rara Avis--The Duke of Broadacres--The Savages--A Souvenir--Portraits of the Past--J. L. Toole--Art and Artists--Sir Spencer Wells--John Pettie--Milton's Garden pp. 30-53

CHAPTER III.

MY CONFESSIONS AS A SPECIAL ARTIST.

The Light Brigade--Miss Thompson (Lady Butler)--Slumming--The Boat Race--Realism--A Phantasmagoria--Orlando and the Caitiff--Fancy Dress Balls--Lewis Wingfield--Cinderella--A Model--All Night Sitting--An Impromptu Easel--"Where there's a Will there's a Way"--The American Sunday Papers--I am Deaf--The Grill--The World's Fair--Exaggeration--Personally Conducted--The Charnel House--10, Downing Street--I attend a Cabinet Council--An Illustration by Mr. Labouchere--The Great Lincolnshire Trial--Praying without Prejudice pp. 54-87