Hennessy with thirteen illustrations, while
in the other volumes equal liberality is manifest.
We have not the space to make, as we should like to do, an exact
analysis of these volumes, comparing each artist's series of drawings,
one by one, with his chosen passages of the text; but a careful
examination convinces us that as a whole these designs are remarkably
appreciative and apt. Every person will not expect his own ideal
Evangeline or Sir Launfal to appear before him on the page, but every
reflective mind will find, we think, such a parallelism between poetry
and picture as is not only consistent with exactness, but will further
serve to illuminate and beautify the text.
Intelligent or even inspired drawing is vain, if to it be not added
faithfulness and fervor on the part of those whose handiwork follows
that of the draughtsman, and upon whom his fate and fame greatly
depend,--the engraver and the printer. Heretofore it has seemed almost
impossible for American representatives of these three arts to work
together for good. The drawing might be faultless as it lay intact upon
the wood, but the graver in a heedless hand or the manipulation of an
injudicious pressman left little except the broad, indestructible
characteristics in the impression which was eventually made public.
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