THE TECHNICS OF WOOD ENGRAVING. 305 



eral character of a frog it is to have a hump-back, not at the 

 shoulders, but the loins. 



111. Here, then, is a case in which you will see the exact 

 function that anatomy should take in art. 



All the most scientific anatomy in the world would never 

 have taught Bewick, much less you, how to draw a frog. 



But when once you have drawn him, or looked at him, so as 

 to know his points, it then becomes entirely interesting to find 

 out why he has a hump-back. So I went myself yesterday to 

 Professor Rolleston for a little anatomy, just as I should have 

 gone to Professor Phillips for a little geology ; and the Pro- 

 fessor brought me a fine little active frog ; and we put him on 

 the table, and made him jump all over it, and then the Pro- 

 fessor brought in a charming Squelette of a frog, and showed 

 me that he needed a projecting bone from his rump, as a bird 

 needs it from his breast, the one to attach the strong mus- 

 cles of the hind legs, as the other to attach those of the fore- 

 legs or wings. So that the entire leaping power of the frog 

 is in his hump-back, as the flying power of the bird is in its 

 breastbone. And thus this Frog Parliament is most literally 

 a Kump Parliament everything depending on the hind legs, 

 and nothing on the brains ; which makes it wonderfully like 

 some other Parliaments we know of nowadays, with Mr. A} r r- 

 ton and Mr. Lowe for their aesthetic and acquisitive eyes, and 

 a rump of Railway Directors. 



112. Now, to conclude, for want of time only I have but 

 touched on the beginning of my subject, understand clearly 

 and finally this simple principle of all art, that the best is that 

 which realizes absolutely, if possible. Here is a viper by Car- 

 paccio : you are afraid to go near it. Here is an arm-chair by 

 Carpaccio : you who came in late, and are standing, to my re- 

 gret, would like to sit down in it. This is consummate art ; 

 but you can only have that with consummate means, and ex- 

 quisitely trained and hereditary mental power. 



With inferior means, and average mental power, you must 

 be content to give a rude abstraction ; but if rude abstraction 

 is to be made, think what a difference there must be between 

 a wise man's and a fool's ; and consider what heavy responsi - 



