leman"
hard at work at his vocation of a scribe of cheap and deleterious
literature, consulting his authorities--"The Annals of Crime," a "Last
Dying Speech and Confession," and the "Newgate Calendar." In _The
Footman_ we have a gorgeous figure, adorned with epaulets, lace, and a
cocked hat, reading (of all things in the world) the "Loves of the
Angels," over a bottle of hock and soda-water! _The Pursuit of Matrimony
under Difficulties_ is a more ambitious performance. "Punch's Guide to
the Watering Places" (vol. iii.) is illustrated with a number of
coarsely executed cuts, wholly destitute of merit; the fourth volume
contains a cartoon entitled _Private Opinions_. But the graphic humour
of Alfred Crowquill, although amusing and sometimes bright and
sparkling, was unsuited to the requirements of a periodical such as
_Punch_. As better men came forward, he gradually dropped out of its
pages, and we see nothing more of him after the fourth volume.

[Illustration:
ALFRED CROWQUILL. _From "The Book of Days."_

FROZEN OUT GARDENERS.

_Face p. 368._]

Alfred Crowquill was a sort of "general utility" man, essaying the
character of a _litterateur_ as well as that of an artist, and achieving
as a natural consequence no permanent success in either. In his literary
capacity, Alfred Henry Forrester made his first appearance (we believe)
in "The Hive," and "The Mirror," under the editorship of Mr. Timbs;
while as an artist he illustrated his own writings, besides those of a
host of other authors. An early effort of his pencil is entitled, _Der
Freyschutz Travestied_; this was followed by "Alfred Crowquill's Sketch
Books," which were dedicated to the (then) Princess Victoria, by command
of the Duchess of Kent. We find him afterwards employed on the pages of
the "New Monthly," but on the death of its editor, Mr. Theodore Hook,
his useful talents procured him an engagement on the staff of "Bentley's
Miscellany," to whose pages he was not only an indefatigable
contributor, but rendered it substantial assistance in its difficulties
with George Cruikshank. The best of his illustrative works (mostly
designs on wood) were executed for this periodical, and selections were
afterwards collected and published under the title of "The
Phantasmagoria of Fun."

[Illustration:
ALFRED CROWQUILL. _From "The Book of Days."_

"SWEARING THE HORNS" AT HIGHGATE.

"When any person passed through Highgate for the first time on his way