graphic best.
The same year was remarkable for the appearance of LEECH's most
delightful character, the simple-minded, sport-loving, philistine
paterfamilias, Mr. BRIGGS, first met with in connection with 'The
Pleasures of Housekeeping,' though subsequently associated especially
with humorous sporting scenes.

"The frontispiece to Volume XIX., for the second half of the year
1850, was by a 'new hand,' none other than JOHN TENNIEL _the_
'Cartoonist' _par excellence_, whose work henceforth was to be--as
happily it still is--the pride of _Mr. Punch_ and the delight of the
British Public. TENNIEL's first Cartoon, 'Lord JACK the Giant-Killer,'
graced _Mr. Punch's_ 499th Number, he having taken, at short notice,
the place of RICHARD DOYLE, who after many years of excellent work
had voluntarily withdrawn from the Table, owing to certain religious
scruples, not wholly unconnected with the subject of his successor's
first 'Big Cut.'

"Another member of my little army about this time was GEORGE SILVER,
and my next recruits were the polished and witty SHIRLEY BROOKS, and,
one who was to develop into the greatest master of Black-and-White
Art this country has produced, CHARLES KEENE to wit, our dear,
picturesque, unsophisticated 'CARLO,' lost to the Table--an
irreparable loss!--but a few months ago.

"At the opening of Volume XXVII. for the second half of the year
1854, you will observe, Mr. ANNO DOMINI, a Picture by JOHN TENNIEL
(reproduced above), in which the then existing Staff of _Punch_ are
humorously sketched. They are engaged in somewhat varied sports and
pastimes. _Mr. Punch_ is keeping wicket in a game in which THACKERAY
wields the bat, and PERCIVAL LEIGH is bowling; MARK LEMON, and GILBERT
A BECKETT are playing at battledore and shuttlecock, and DOUGLAS
JERROLD is having a solitary game of skittles, the 'pins' being the
CZAR of RUSSIA, &c. SHIRLEY BROOKS, MAYHEW, and TOM TAYLOR are playing
at Leapfrog, TOM TAYLOR 'overing' MAYHEW, whilst SHIRLEY BROOKS is
following up. In the background JOHN TENNIEL is sketching the Good
Knight _Punchius_ upon a wall, whilst in the immediate foreground JOHN
LEECH, upon a hobby-horse, is leaping over an easel. These were the
chief of my 'Young Men' at this time. In front of the tent are two
gentlemen, one in a black, the other in a white, hat. The first is
WILLIAM BRADBURY, the second is 'Pater' EVANS, our 'proprietors and
friends' of that day.

"In 1856 an obituary notice showed t