Four Hundred Humorous Illustrations

Excerpt from Four Hundred Humorous Illustrations

John Leech was born in London, on the 29th August, 1817, His father, John Leech, was an Irishman, a man of fine culture, and a good Shakespearean.scholar. He was the landlord of the London Coffee House on Ludgate Hill, one of the most important of the city hotels at that time. For a while the father was successful in his vocation, but ultimately, through financial embarrassment, was obliged to give up the hotel.

The father was a man of real ability, possessing considerable skill with the pencil, and from him, no doubt, the son inherited his special talent. And, again, on the mothers side there was relationship with the great scholar Richard Bentley, so that on both sides of the house young Leech had considerable advantages so far as mental heredity was concerned.

At a very early age the mother observed the extraordinary aptitude for drawing that her boy possessed, and did all in her power to encourage it. When young Leech was only three years old, he was found by the family friend, the great artist, Flax man, seated on his mothers knee, drawing with much gravity. The sculptor pronounced his sketch to be remarkable, and gave the following advice: Do not let him be cramped with lessons in drawing, but let his genius follow its own bent. He will astonish the world. A few years after this, some more of the youthful artists drawings were shown to the celebrated sculptor, and, after examination, he said The boy must be an artist; he will be nothing else or less.

At seven, the boy was sent to Charterhouse. This early departure from home was, of course, a sore trial to the fond mother, who was bound up in her child, but, knowing that it was for her sons future welfare, she threw no obstacles in the way of his departure from home. She was, however, resolved that somehow she would see her child frequently. With this object she hired a room in one of the houses commanding a view of the playground,…