'I'm not surprised that you do, all the world do,
and the public chucks down its coppers to the poor hartist; but 'e aint no
hartist, no more than is them 'ere boys that did for my show.' Leaning
still further forward, he lowered his voice to a whisper. 'They learns it
all by 'art; there is schools for the teaching of it down in Whitechapel.
They can just do what they learns by 'art, not one of them could draw that
'ere chair or table from natur'; but I could. I 'ave an original talent. It
was a long time afore I found out it was there,' he said, tapping his
forehead; 'but it is there,' he said, fixing his eyes on Hubert, 'and when
it is there they can't take it away--I mean my mates--though they do laugh
at my ideas. They call me "the genius," for they don't believe in me, but I
believe in myself, and they laughs best that laughs last.... I don't know,'
he said, looking round him, his eyes full of reverie, 'that the public
liked my fancy landscapes better than the ship on fire, but I said the
public will come to them in time, and I continued my fancy landscapes. But
one day in Trafalgar Square it came on to rain very 'eavy, and I went for
shelter into the National Gallery. It was my fust visit, and I was struck
all of a 'eap, and ever since I can 'ardly bring myself to go on with the
drudgery of the piece of bacon, and the piece of cheese, with the mouse
nibbling at it.
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