Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 6).djvu/119

"What are you going to do?" his teacher asked.

"I don't know; but I'm going to London!" was the answer.

The teacher gave him good advice, and advised him to try for a scholarship at South Kensington—then just established.

"If you get it," said the master, "you will have a definite object in view—you will have a right to your education."

Peggotty and Little Emily.

So young Fildes came to the City of All Things in October, 1862, and went in and won a scholarship worth £50 a year.

"I had by this time," said Mr. Fildes, "formed very definite opinions of what art meant with me. I found the illustrated journal—Cornhill was just in the height of its popularity—Once a Week, for which Millais used to draw, and many more; and here I thought I saw a stepping-stone. I followed out my studies at Kensington badly, my heart and soul lay in a desire to be an "Illustrated" artist, A year went by—my scholarship was renewed for another year, when a momentous chapter in my life came, which led me to leave South Kensington, much to the disappointment of Mr. Burchett, the head-master under whom I was studying religious art, with a view to employing it in decorating frescoes. I got an introduction to Mr. William Thomas, an engraver. I sent him some sketches, and he gave me some work. More followed, until at last he said, 'Why don't you go in for it altogether? I'll guarantee you enough work.' So I threw in my lot, and began to draw for the illustrated journals. I did all sorts of work. I selected my own subjects, and they were written up to, making a speciality of London street life—'The Street Juggler,' 'The Street Doctor,' and things of that kind. All this time I was practising painting—going to life- class in the evening; gradually improving; always in plenty to do. Then came the summer of 1869."

The summer of 1869 was a great year for the R.A. in embryo. One night Mr. Thomas confided to him a scheme he had for a new illustrated weekly newspaper. He was the first spoken to on the subject. He was asked to draw something.

"What?" the artist asked.

"Anything you like," replied Mr. Thomas, "as long as it's effective and good drawing."

"I went home—I hadn't a studio then," continued Mr. Fildes. "It was a terribly hot night when at ten o'clock I sat down with a piece of paper and scribbled out the idea for 'The Casuals.' Some few years before, when I first came to London, I was very fond of wandering about, and never shall I forget seeing somewhere near the Portland Road, one snowy winter's night, the applicants for admission to a casual ward. It lived in