Thirty-two "Extra" Steel Engravings by Thomas Onwhyn Dickens's for "The Pickwick Papers" (1837)

Thomas Onwhyn's Thirty-two Additional Pickwick Plates (1837)

Thomas Onwhyn decided to capitalise on the sensational monthly sales of The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club of 1836 by issuing thirty-two additional full-page illustrations in eight monthly parts (initially projected as ten). Frequently the audacious illustrator signed the engravings with the pseudonym "Samuel Weller," but a few bear Onwhyn's own initials instead, and a few are unsigned.

1. Illustrations (November 30, 1837)
2. “He is a strolling actor,” said the Lieutenant contemptuously. “He acts in the piece that the officers of the 52nd get up at the Rochester theatre to-morrow night. You cannot proceed in this affair, Slammer, impossible!” [Chapter III, issued March 30, 1837]
3. “And when Mr. Winkle had done expressing his excessive indignation at witnessing this unprovoked assault, some person behind would knock his hat over his eyes and beg the favour of his putting his head in his pocklet.” Page 35 [Chapter IV, issued June 30, 1837]
4. “‘T’other side, sir, if you please.’ / ‘Blowed if the gen’lm’n worn’t a-gettin’ up on the wrong side,’ whispered a grinning post-boy to the inexpressibly gratified waiter.” Page 46 [Chapter V, issued May 31, 1837]
5. “One of the men suddenly seizing Mr. Pickwick by the leg, at the imminent hazard of throwing him off his balance, brushed away at his boot, till his corns were red-hot;” Page 50 [Chapter V, issued August 31, 1837]
6. “Mr. Winkle instead of shooting at the Pigeon and killing the Crow, shot at the Crow and wounded the Pigeon.” Page 64. [Chapter VII, issued May 31, 1837]
7. “Certainly, Sir,” replied Sam, who had answered Wardle's violent ringing of the bell with a degree of celerity, which must have appeared marvellous to any body who didn't know that his eye had been applied to the outside of the key-hole during the whole interview.” Page 97. [Chapter X, issued May 31, 1837]
8. ‘“Damn you,” said I, starting up, and rushing upon him; “I killed her. I am a Madman. Down with you. Blood, blood. I will have it.” Page 111. [Chapter XI, "A Madman's Manuscript," issued June 30, 1837]
9. “‘Well damn my straps and whiskers,’ says Tom, ‘if this ain’t pleasant, blow me’.” Page 137. [Chapter XIV, "The Bagman's Story," issued June 30, 1837]
10. “‘Tom,’ said the old gentleman, ‘the widow’s a fine woman — remarkably fine woman — eh, Tom?’ Page 141. [Chapter XIV, "The Bagman's Story," issued June 30, 1837]
11. “Mr. Pickwick stepped out of the closet, and found himself in the presence of the whole establishment of Westgate House.” Page 171. [Chapter XVI, "Too Full of Adventure to be Briefly Described," issued September 30, 1837]
12. “‘Yes, I did, Mr. Lobbs — I did come after your daughter I love her, Mr. Lobbs’.” “Why, you snivelling, wry-faced little villain’, gasped old Lobbs, paralysed at the atrocious confession; what do you mean by that? Say this to my face! Damme, I’ll throttle you.” Page 177. [Chapter XVII, “Showing that an Attack of Rheumatism, in Some Cases, Acts as a Quickener to Inventive Genius,” issued July 31, 1837]
13. “‘Where are they! Tell me when to fire. Where are they — where are they?’”
‘Where are they!’ said Wardle, taking up a brace of birds which the dogs had deposited at his feet. ‘Where are they’ ‘Why, here they are.’” Page 190. [Chapter XIX, “A Pleasant Day, with an Unpleasant Termination,” issued July 31, 1837]
14. “‘Weal pie,’ said Mr. Weller, soliloquizing as he arranged the eatables on the grass. ‘Wery good thing is weal pie, when you know the lady as made it, and is quite sure it ain’t kittens; and arter all though, where’s the odds, when they’re so like weal that the wery piemen themselves don't know the difference!’” Page 193. [Chapter XIX, “A Pleasant Day, with an Unpleasant Termination,” issued July 31, 1837]
15. “‘Go on, Sir,’ said Mr. Fogg, ‘do go on, Sir. You had better call us thieves, Sir: or perhaps You would like to assault one of us. Pray do it, Sir, if you would; we will not make the smallest resistance.’
‘You just come away,’ said Mr. Weller. ‘Battledore and shuttlecock’s a wery good game, vhen you ain’t the shuttlecock and two lawyers the battledores, in which case it gets too excitin’ to be pleasant.” Page 203. [Chapter XX, “Showing How Dodson and Fogg were Men of Business, and Their Clerks Men of Pleasure; And How an Affecting Interview Took Place Between Mr. Weller and His Long-Lost Parent; Showing also What Choice Spirits Assembled at the Magpie and Stump, and What a Capital Chapter the Next One Will Be,” issued June 30, 1837]
16. “You are very right, Sir,” said the ghost politely, “it never struck me till now — I’ll try a change of air directly.” Page 214. [Chapter XXI, “In which the Old Man Launches forth into his Favourite Theme, and Relates a Story about a Queer Client,” issued August 31, 1837]
17. “He called me a wessel, Sammy — a wessel of wrath — and all sorts of names. So my blood being reg’larly up, I first gave him two or three for himself, and then two or three more to hand over to the man with the red nose, and walked off.” Page 225. [Chapter XXII, “In which Mr. Pickwick Journeys to Ipswitch and Meets with a Romantic Adventure with a Middle-Aged Lady in Yellow Curl-Papers,” issued August 31, 1837]
18. “Well, that's a blessing,’” said Mr. Weller. “Sammy, help your master up to the box; t’other leg, Sir, that’s it; give us your hand, Sir. Up with you. You was a lighter weight when you was a boy, Sir.’” Page 227. [Chapter XXII, issued September 30, 1837]
19. “What prevents me,” said Mr. Nupkins, with magisterial dignity, as Job was brought in, — “what prevents me from detaining these men as rogues and impostors? It is a foolish mercy. What prevents me?’”
“‘Pride, old fellow, pride,” replied Jingle, quite at his ease. “Wouldn’t do — no go — caught a captain, eh? — ha! ha! very good — husband for daughter — biter bit — make it public — not for worlds — look stupid — very!’” Page 276. [Chapter XXV, “Showing, Among a Variety of Pleasant Matters, How Majestic and Impartial Mr. Nupkins was; And How Mr. Weller Returned Mr. Job Trotter’s Shuttlecock as Heavily as It Came — with Another Matter, which will be Found in its Place,” issued July 31, 1837]
20. “And now,” said the goblin king, “show the man of misery and gloom a few of the pictures from our own great store house.” Page 303. [Chapter XXIX, “The Story of the Goblins who stole the Sexton,” issued September 30, 1837]
21. “Old Wardle would not hear of his rising, so they made the bed the chair, and Mr. Pickwick presided.” Page 314. [Chapter XXX, “How the Pickwickians made and cultivated the Acquaintance of a Couple of Nice Young Men Belonging to one of the Liberal Professions; How they Disported Themselves on the Ice; and how their First Visit came to a Conclusion,” issued September 30, 1837]
22. “I suppose, Sir,” said Mr. Pickwick, “that it is the intention of your employers to seek to criminate me, upon the evidence of my own friends.” “Very good plant,” replied Jackson, “But it won’t do.” “No harm trying, but there’s little to be got out of me.” Page 318. [Chapter XXXI, “Which is all about the Law, and Sundry Great Authorities Learned Therein,” issued November 30, 1837]
23. “Brother Tadger, Sir,” said Mr. Stiggins, suddenly increasing in ferocity, and turning sharp round on the little man in the drab shorts, “you are drunk, Sir.” Page 214. [Chapter XXXIII, “Mr. Weller the Elder Delivers Some Critical Sentiments Respecting Literary Composition; And, Assisted by his Son Samuel, Pays a Small Instalment of Retaliation to the Account of the Reverend Gentleman with the Red Nose,” issued October 26, 1837]
24. “The fat old lady,” inquired Mr. Pickwick, innocently.
“Hush, my dear Sir _nobody's fat or old in Ba-ath. That’s the Dowager Snuphanuph.” Page 380. [Chapter XXXV, “In Which Mr. Pickwick Thinks He Had Better Go to Bath; and Goes Accordingly,” issued October 31, 1837]
25. “Mr. Weller surveyed the attorney from head to foot with great admiration, “And what’ll you take, Sir?”
“Why, really,” replied Mr. Pell “you’re very_Upon my word and honour, I’m not in the habit of_ It’s so very early in the morning, that, actually, I am almost_Well, you may bring me three penn’orth of rum, my dear.” Page 458. [Chapter LV, “Mr. Solomon Pell, Assisted by a Select Committee of Coachmen, Arranges the Affairs of the Elder Mr. Weller,” issued October 26, 1837]
26. “He folded his hands, and murmuring something more they could not hear, fell into a sleep — only a sleep at first, for they saw him smile.
They whispered together for a little time, and the turnkey, stooping over the pillow, drew hastily back. He has got his discharge, by G_.” Page 477. [Chapter XLIV, “Treats of Divers Little Matters Which Occurred in The Fleet, and of Mr. Winkle’s Mysterious Behaviour; and Shows How the Poor Chancery Prisoner Obtained His Release at Last,” issued November 15, 1837]
27. “He’s not used to ladies’ society, and it makes him bashful. If you’ll order the waiter to deliver him anything short, he won’t drink it off at once, won’t he? — only try him.” Page 497. [Chapter XLVI, “Records A Touching Act if Delicate Feeling, not Unmixed with Pleasantry, Achieved and Performed by Messrs. Dodson and Fogg,” issued 26 October 1837]
28. “Dear me,” said Mr. Pickwick. “Poor lady! gently, Sam, gently’.” “Strange sitivation for one o’ the family’,” observed Sam Weller, hoisting the aunt into a chair. “Now, depitty Sawbones, bring out the wollatilly.” Page 513 [Chapter XLVIII, “Relates How Mr. Pickwick, with the Assistance of Samuel Weller, Essayed to Soften the Heart of Mr. Benjamin Allen, and to Mollify the Wrath of Mr. Robert Sawyer,” issued 15 November 1837]
29. “There they both stood, gentlemen, jerking their arms and legs about in agony, like the toy-shop figures that are moved by a piece of pack-thread.
‘“The mail, the mail!” cried the lady, running up to my uncle and throwing her beautiful arms round his neck; “we may yet escape.” Page 528. [Chapter XLIX, “Containing the Story of The Bagman’s Uncle,” issued November 15, 1837]
30. “Mr. Bob Sawyer whose wit had lain dormant for some minutes, placed his hands upon his knees and made a face after the portraits of the late Mr. Grimaldi as clown.” Page 540. [Chapter L, “How Mr. Pickwick sped upon his Mission, and how he was reinforced in the outset by a most unexpected Auxiliary,” issued November 15, 1837]
31. “Wretched creature, what do you want here?” said the gentleman, who it is needless to say was Mr. Snodgrass. To this the fat boy, considerably terrified, briefly responded, “Missis.” [Chapter LIV, “Containing the Particulars relative to the Double Knock, and other Matters; among which certain Interesting Disclosures relative to Mr. Snodgrass and a Young Lady are by no means irrelevant to this History,” issued November 30, 1837]
32. “Well, I’ll bet you half a dozen of claret,” said Wilkins Flasher, Esquire_ This was addressed to a very smart young gentleman who wore his hat on his right whisker, and was lounging over the desk killing flies with a ruler.” Page 591. [Chapter LV, “Mr. Solomon Pell, Assisted by a Select Committee of Coachmen, Arranges the Affairs of the Elder Mr. Weller,” issued November 30, 1837]

Grattan in Gilbert James's The Railways of England: Containing an account of heir origin, progress, and present state (1839) advertised as the Onwhyn engravings as "completed in Eight Parts, price 1 s. each, or bound in One Volume, price 9 s." However, the advertisement does not name Thomas Onwhyn as the illustrator of Samuel Weller's Illustrations to the "Pickwick Club". Among the contemporary endorsements of the series the 1839 advertisement mentions the Observer, Bell's Life in London, and the Age, the last of which hails "Samuel Weller" as a potential "second Hogarth." In 2011, a first edition of Illustrations to the Pickwick Club, edited by "Boz" [by Samuel Weller) published by Grattan in eight parts sold at Bonhams Auctioneers for $1,000 USD.

The order in which Onwhyn issued his illustrations is somewhat confusing since he tended to jump about across all serial instalments issued up to the times of composition. The following represents what he included in each of his ten numbers, which he issued somewhat across seven months, between March 30 and 30 November, 1837:

1. March 30, 1837: “He is a strolling actor,” said the Lieutenant. . . .”
2. May 31, 1837: “‘T’other side, sir, if you please.’“Mr. Winkle instead of shooting. . . .”; “Certainly, Sir,” replied Sam. . .”
3. June 30, 1837: “And when Mr. Winkle had done expressing. . . .”; ‘“Damn you,” said I, starting up . . .”; “‘Well damn my straps and whiskers. . . .”; “‘Tom,’ said the old gentleman. . .”; “‘Go on, Sir,” said Mr. Fogg. . . .”
4. July 31, 1837: “‘Yes, I did, Mr. Lobbs. . .”; “‘Where are they!. . .”; “‘Weal pie,’ said Mr. Weller, soliloquizing. . . .”; “What prevents me,” said Mr. Nupkins. . . .”
5. August 31, 1837: “One of the men suddenly seizing Mr. Pickwick. . . .”; “You are very right, Sir . . . .”; “He called me a wessel, Sammy. . . .”
6. September 30, 1837: “Mr. Pickwick stepped out of the closet. . . .”; “Well, that's a blessing,’” said Mr. Weller. . .”; “And now,” said the goblin king . . . .”; “Old Wardle would not hear of his rising. . . .”
7. October 26, 1837: “Brother Tadger, Sir,” said Mr. Stiggins. . . .”; “Mr. Weller surveyed the attorney. . .”; “He’s not used to ladies’ society. . . .”
8. October 31, 1837: “The fat old lady,” inquired Mr. Pickwick. . .”
9. November 15, 1837: “He folded his hands. . .; “There they both stood, gentlemen, jerking their arms . . .”; “Mr. Bob Sawyer whose wit had lain dormant for some minutes. . . .”
10. November 30, 1837: Illustrations; “I suppose, Sir,” said Mr. Pickwick . . .”; “Wretched creature. . .” ; “Well, I’ll bet you half a dozen of claret. . .”

Other artists who illustrated this work, 1836-1910

Bibliography

Dickens, Charles. The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club. Illustrated by Robert Seymour, Robert Buss, and Phiz. London: Chapman and Hall, November 1837. With 32 additional illustrations by Thomas Onwhyn (London: E. Grattan, April-November 1837).

Onwhyn, Thomas. Mr. & Mrs. John Brown's visit to London to see the Grand Exposition of All Nations: how they were astonished at its wonders!!, inconvenienced by the crowds, & frightened out of their wits, by the foreigners. London: Grattan, 1851.

Titley, Graham D. C. "Thomas Onwhyn: a Life in Illustration (1811-1886)." Pearl. University of Plymouth (2018-07-12).

Weller, Samuel. [Pseudonym of Thomas Onwhyn]. Illustrations to "The Pickwick Club," edited by "Boz." London: E. Grattan, 1839.

Created 29 February 2014

"Extra" Illustrations for Pickwick by Thomas Onwhyn (1837)

Philip V. Allingham, Contributing Editor, Victorian Web; Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Education, Lakehead University (Ontario, Canada)

Thomas Onwhyn's Thirty-two Additional Pickwick Plates (1837)

Other artists who illustrated this work, 1836-1910

Bibliography