fth
volume. (_See_ p. 46.) But his "poetic fancy and inventive genius,"
which aroused the enthusiasm of many others besides the appreciative
John Timbs, were not in harmony with _Punch's_ character, nor was his
fun sufficiently pointed and robust. Whilst he remained he illustrated
Jerrold's "Punch's Letters to his Son" and "Complete Letter-writer,"
which duly received the honour of a reprint; but he left in 1844, and
straightway betook himself to the hostile camp of "The Great Gun," which
aspired to be _Punch's_ chief rival, to "The Man in the Moon," and other
of the Jester's numerous thorns--for of such is the spirit of
caricaturists.

[Illustration: ALFRED "CROWQUILL."

(_From a Photograph by Clarkington and Co._)]

The period of Alfred "Crowquill's" work corresponded with that of
Meadows. Although a versatile man, using his pen and pencil with equal
facility and ability--the former, perhaps, more successfully than the
latter--Forrester (for that was his real name) was but an indifferent
humorist. He was of those who thought that fun could be imparted to a
drawing by the simple expedient of grotesque exaggeration of expression;
and as a great admirer of Seymour's "Cockney humour," he was frequently
pointless and stilted. Personally he was highly popular with the Staff,
for he was philosophically happy and jovial, and sang good songs, and
was, moreover, greatly sought after at a time when comic artists were
few. He was cartoonist, too, in a small way, in the second, third, and
fourth volumes of _Punch_; but his chief merit lay in his _jeux de
mots_, for he was a good punster. Yet even his pictorial puns, good as
they were, constituted little claim on a paper which was steadily
improving its Staff; and when he left, in 1844, his place was easily and
advantageously filled.

Passing over the name of Thackeray, who takes his place among the
literary contributors, we come to Sir John Gilbert. His work, though
slight, has spread over a longer period than that of any other _Punch_
artist--save Sir John Tenniel, forty years later. His first contribution
was the frontispiece to the second volume for 1842, which also
constituted its wrapper, and was used as such for the monthly parts for
many years. He continued with a few drawings to "The Natural History of
Courtship" and "Punch's Letters to his Son," but his most ambitious
effort was that representing the late Duke of Cambridge, coronet in
hand, begging for public money a