time acknowledged the steady support which _Punch_ had offered to
the Whig policy. By the general public it was regarded as an
appreciation of the man who was the personification of the good-humoured
and the loftier side of political life--who had brought the _Punch_
spirit round to something a good deal better and higher than he found
it, blending fun with classic grace, and humour with dignity. To the art
world it was the recognition of that "Black-and-white" drawing which has
been the glory of England and the Cinderella of the Royal Academy of
Arts. It was in this sense that Sir John Tenniel accepted the
distinction. But it was to "Jack[=i]d[=e]s" that the _Punch_ Staff drank
when Mr. Agnew proposed his health at the Dinner following the
announcement of the nomination; it was "dear old John Tenniel" that the
Arts Club toasted when, with Mr. Val Prinsep, R.A., in the chair and Mr.
du Maurier in the vice-chair, the new knight was the honoured guest of
his club, and received its congratulations with the modest dignity and
kindly good taste characteristic of him. And it was "good Sir John," the
cartoonist--who has also been, at extremely rare intervals, a _Punch_
writer too (see _Punch_, p. 56, Vol. XX.)--who was celebrated by the pen
of Mr. Milliken--"the Pride of Mr. Punch and the delight of the British
Public."

FOOTNOTES:

[51] It may be stated that Doyle contributed a ewe-lamb of literature to
_Punch_ (May 13th, 1843), entitled "High Art and the Royal Academy"
(Vol. XVI., p. 197).

[52] This conversation took place in April, 1889.

[53] Since 1892, I may explain, Sir John Tenniel and _Punch_ have moved
with the times. Sir John now draws his cartoons upon the
Chinese-whitened surface of cardboard, and they are photographed on the
block in the usual way.

[54] But when, in 1866, Keene contributed three cartoons, Sir John
Tenniel's appeared side by side. This was the result of a revived
experiment to add to the attractions of the paper by giving two
cartoons--an experiment resumed in later years in the case of Mr.
Sambourne and Mr. Furniss.

CHAPTER XX.

_PUNCH'S_ ARTISTS: 1850-60.

Captain Howard--Receipt for Landscape Drawing--Earnings, Real and
Ideal--George H. Thomas--Charles Keene--His Training--Introduction
to _Punch_--Called to the Table--Uselessness in Council--A Strong
Politician--Inherits Leech's Position--Keene as an Artist--Where He
Failed--His Joke-Primers--Torturi