It was suggested to him early in 1870 that he should come to London for a short time and make sketches in Hyde Park, and it touched Caldecott's fancy, (as he often mentioned afterwards,) that he whose experiences were far removed from such scenes should have been chosen as a chronicler of "Society." The sketches were made always from his own point of view, and some were so grotesque, and hit so hard at the aristocracy, that they were found inappropriate to a fashionable magazine!—one especially of Hyde Park in the afternoon, called "Sons of Toil," had to be declined by the Editor with real regret.
The packet of original sketches lies before the writer now; the pen and ink drawing of "The Chancellor of the Exchequer" is dated June 3rd, 1870. But the best and funniest of these early works could not be published in a magazine.
For Christmas time, 1871, Caldecott made many sketches. Two were to illustrate a short story called "The Two Trombones," by F. Robson, the actor. It was a ridiculous story, bordering on broad farce, depicting the adventures of Mr. Adolphus Whiffles, a young man from the country, who in order to get behind the scenes of a theatre undertakes to act as a substitute for a friend as "one of the trombones," unknown to the leader of the orchestra. His friend assures him that in a crowded assembly "one trombone would probably make as much noise as two," and that, if he took his place in the orchestra, he had only to "pretend to play and all would be right."
In the first sketch we see him in his bedroom contemplating the unfamiliar instrument left by his friend; in the second he is at the theatre at the crisis when the leader of the band calls upon him to "play in" (as it is called) one of the performers on to the stage! Mr. Whiffles's instructions were to keep his eyes on the other trombone and imitate his movements exactly; but unfortunately the other trombone was a substitute also. The leader looks round, and seeing the two trombones apparently perfectly ready to begin, gives the signal, and the curtain rises. The dénoûment may be imagined! Other stories were illustrated by Caldecott, about this period, in London Society; one of Indian life, another called Crossed in Love, &c., but the artist wished that some illustrations should not be reprinted. Several drawings from London Society are omitted, from the same cause.
The freshness of fancy, not to say recklessness of style, in many of the drawings which came by post at this time—the abundance of the flow from a stream, the course of which was not yet clearly marked—raised embarrassing thoughts in an editor's mind. "What to do with all the material sent?" was the question in 1871—a question which Caldecott was soon able to answer for himself.
In 1871, many favourable notices appeared in the press referring to the humorous illustrations in London Society; but the sketch of all others which attracted attention to the work of the unknown artist was "A Debating and Mutual Improvement Society" on page 21, a recollection probably of some meeting or actual scene in Manchester.[1] Here the artist was on his own ground, and the result is one of the most rapid and spontaneous sketches in pen and ink ever achieved. It had many of the characteristics of his later work, a lively and searching analysis of character, without one touch of grossness or ill-nature—fun and satire of the subtlest and the kindliest. Here was the touch of genius unmistakable, an example of expression in line seldom equalled.
* * * * *
"That's not Rosalind: oh dear no—
That damsel under the misletoe,
Who seems to think life jolly:
And as to the gentleman there behind,
He wouldn't have pluck to kiss Rosalind,
Can't you fancy his 'Heigh-ho, the Holly!'"
Mortimer Collins.
In an altogether different vein, drawing with pen, and a brush for the tint—the new artist tries his hand at illustrating one of Mortimer Collins's madrigals called "Heigh-ho, the Holly!"
Amongst the most ambitious and interesting of Caldecott's drawings at this time were his "hunting and shooting friezes," of which several examples will be found in the pages of London Society for 1871 and 1872, drawn in outline with a pen; showing, thus early, much decorative feeling and a liking for design in relief which never left him in after years.
Two of the best that he did were the hunting subjects, entitled "Going to Cover" and "Full Cry."
"The Coming of Age of the Pride of the Family" is another example, in a different style, of Caldecott's drawing in line at this period. It is reproduced opposite, in exact facsimile from the pen and ink drawing in possession of the writer.
Trivial as these things may seem now, the arrival in Manchester of the red covers of London Society containing almost every month something new by R. C., were among the events in the life of the young banker's clerk which soon set the tide of his affairs towards London.
Referring to drawings made for the magazine after Midsummer 1872, when Mrs. Ross Church succeeded to the editorship, Caldecott writes to a friend:—
"Florence Marryat wants me to illustrate a novelette, very humorous, to run through five or six numbers of London Society, beginning in February. Engraved illustrations,
