Comical People   By: J. J. Grandville (1803-1847)

COMICAL PEOPLE.

COMICAL PEOPLE

ILLUSTRATED

WITH SIXTEEN PICTURES

TAKEN FROM THE EMBROIDERED TAPESTRY CONTRIBUTED BY MARIA FUSINATA, OF BELLUNO, TO THE GREAT EXHIBITION.

Drawn and Grouped from the Designs

OF

J. J. GRANDVILLE.

LONDON: DAVID BOGUE, 86 FLEET STREET. MDCCCLII.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

LADY CHAFFINCH'S BALL 1

THE LORD OF THE MANOR 13

MY NEIGHBOURS. A COUNTRY STORY. BY WARREN RABBITT 17

THE DE MOUSAS. A TALE 27

ROOKWOOD HALL 33

CITY PEOPLE 37

THE PORTRAIT PAINTER 41

THE STUFFED ANIMALS IN THE EXHIBITION 46

ALDERMAN GOBBLE'S AMBITION 49

MRS. STRUTT'S SEMINARY 53

ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

LADY CHAFFINCH'S BALL ( Double Plate ) Frontispiece

THE GREAT MR. GRANDBOY AND THE HON. MRS. DELMACARE 5

LADY ZEBU AND ADMIRAL MACAW 7

THE POACHER 13

THE DUEL BETWEEN MR. CHANTICLEER AND YOUNG LEVERETT 17

MR. LEVERETT'S INTERVIEW WITH SHARPE VULTURE, ESQ. 23

THE ARREST OF MR. CHANTICLEER 25

THE DE MOUSAS 27

THE MARRIAGE SETTLEMENT 33

MR. TRUNK AND HIS ADVISERS 37

MR. PORCUPINE'S STUDIO 41

THE STRANGE VISITORS AT THE EXHIBITION 47

LORD FALCON AND HIS LONDON VISITORS 49

THE WALK TO HIGHGATE 53

THE TRAVELLING SHOWMAN 55

PREFACE.

AMONG the contributions to the Great Exhibition which, from their position, did not acquire that popularity and praise which was due to them, were some fine specimens of embroidery from Vienna and various towns in Austria.

Hung high up, beyond the glance of the casual observer, the elaborately worked tapestry of Maria Fusinata attracted little attention. Those, however, who had the good fortune to notice it were always delighted with the excellent adaptation of the clever designs of Grandville, which the embroiderer had so faithfully rendered. The expression of the animals was most cleverly given, and the brightness of the colours added much to the effect of the compositions.

Had Ploucquet added some of these designs to his "Reynard the Fox," he would have increased the attraction of his show, deservedly popular as it was. Grandville, in these delineations of the faculties of animals, is quite equal to Kaulbach; and, though the French artist had not the honour of having his pictures copied in stuffed animals, they are thought to be quite worthy of being formed into a volume as a sequel to the "Comical Creatures from Wurtemberg."

LADY CHAFFINCH'S BALL.

HEIGH HO! well, I am at home again at last. I wonder if I am the same innocent little Linnet that left these bowers only three months ago. What have I seen, where have I been? or rather, What have I not seen, where have I not been? I have visited China and Peru, Nova Scotia, Trinidad, and Tuscany; I have been to Sweden, Egypt, Germany, and Mexico, and I have some recollections of Sardinia, and the United States. This is good travelling for three months, is it not?

Let me think: how shall I tell you about it? I will begin at the beginning