by a lecturer or teacher. But this
is a dangerous road for the average student to travel. Of all branches
of art none leads so quickly to mannerism as line work, and a particular
manner when thus acquired is difficult to shake off.

[Illustration: THE RT. HON. JOHN MORLEY, M.P. (EDWIN WARD.)]

Think of the consequences--Vierge with his garish lights, his trick of
black spots, his mechanical shadows and neglect of _chiaroscuro_--all
redeemed and tolerated in a genius for the dash and spirit and beauty of
his lines--lines, be it observed, that reproduce with difficulty on
relief blocks--imitated by countless students; Mr. E. A. Abbey, the
refined, and delicate American draughtsman, imitated for his
method--the style and _chic_ of it being his own, and inimitable. Think
of the crowd coming on--imitators of the imitators of Rico--imitators of
the imitators of Charles Keene!

It may be said generally, that in order to obtain work as an
illustrator--the practical point--there must be originality of thought
and design. _There must be originality_, as well as care and thought
bestowed on every drawing for the Press.

The drawing of portraits in line from photographs gives employment to
some illustrators, as line blocks will print in newspapers much better
than photographs. But for newspaper printing they must be done with
something of the precision of this portrait, in which the whites are cut
deep and where there are few broken lines.

It is the exception to get good printing in England, under present
conditions of haste and cheapening of production, and therefore the best
drawings for rapid reproduction are those that require the least
touching on the part of the engraver, as _a touched-up process block is
troublesome to the printer_; but it is difficult to impress this on the
artistic mind.

[Illustration: No. XIII.

"_Nothing venture, nothing have_," by E. P. SANGUINETTI.

Pen-and-ink drawing from the picture by E. P. Sanguinetti, exhibited
at the Nineteenth Century Art Society's Gallery, 1888.

The large block is suitable for printing on common paper, and by fast
machines. The little block is best adapted for bookwork, and is
interesting as showing the quality obtained by reduction. It is an
excellent example of drawing for process, showing much ingenuity of
line. The tone and shadows on the ground equal the best fac-simile
engraving. (Size of original drawing, from which both blocks were