LATER WORKS AND FRIENDSHIPS 165 



plain. Accordingly it was determined to make a 

 change in the method of publication, and ultimately 

 the work was issued only to subscribers. This 

 decision proved to be a right one. The Queen and 

 several members of the Royal Family were among 

 those who took copies, and there was but one 

 opinion expressed as to the excellency of the plates 

 and general appearance of the volumes. From be- 

 ginning to end the drawings, which were coloured 

 originals made on wood for the engraver, were the 

 work of Mr. A. F. Lydon, an artist of no little 

 ability, who had for many years been employed by 

 Mr. Fawcett ; the engraving also was executed 

 under his direction, in the office at Driffield, though 

 not actually by Mr. Lydon's own hand. It will give 

 some idea of the magnitude of the undertaking 

 when it is said that each plate as it appeared in 

 the volumes required for its production, on an 

 average, eight separate blocks for giving the various 

 colours, so that about two thousand blocks in all 

 were made, each of which was drawn by Mr. 

 Lydon. 



The circulation of the work reached ten thousand 

 copies, the price to subscribers being nine guineas 

 for the six volumes, so that this sale would realise 

 not far short of .100,000. Only about a third of 

 that sum was said to have fallen to Mr. Fawcett, 

 out of which the whole cost of production, except 

 possibly the binding, had to be defrayed. It is 

 evident, therefore, that considerable profits must 

 have accrued to those who undertook the publi- 



