Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1827-01-27

and il was our intention at the time, to have con
tinued them, in each succeeding paper, until they |
were completed but a thousand circumstances in |
terveued, which have prevented our fulfilling du- |
ty at once so congena al with our feelings, and so
gratifying to our pride, as native Americans.
Being ut this moment, somewhat at leisure, we
proposals offer to our readers, a slight skstch Of
the history of one ofthe most distinguished Ameri
can artts-a self taught genius, who now resides in
Europe, aud is in the enjoyment of the patronage oi
Il people, who Of all others, are rem their habits;
and local situation. the best calculated, to appreci
ate the merit, of sterling genius: The Individual
to whom we allude, is.
JAMES BOWMAN, Esq.
. native Of an obscure district of Pennsylvania.
which, if ii has not yet gained any considerable no.
toriety, for its trade and population is destined TO
hold rank somewhat conspicuous, among the com
munite. of the continent, from the circumstance, o
it. having given birth to the son Of genius, whose
history is the subject of this feeble memoir.
JAMES BOWMAN, was the second son Of poor
but respectable mountaineer, who gained an honest
livelihood by tillins the soil, and hunting among
the cliffs of his native mountains. which whilst they
reared their SUBMITS toward the skies, and impe-
ded the clouds in their passage, were we'll calcua
led to inspire thirst for deeds Of noble daring, an
a taste for the delneatiou Of those mysteries, which
the hand of nature displayed among their rude and
unfrequented Heights and frightiul precipices. H
ws. man, Injured to the Inclemences o the seasons:
he thought of but little else than honest main
,enance Of his family, and if all well clothed
md fed he cared but little about the culture Of the
| mind, or The embellishments Of the person. Hence
he paid no attention to the culture Of the mind
sufficient was for him to know, that his offspring
gained An honest livelihood, and could handle RI
Ae or muzzle bear, with dexterity unsurpassed
| by the lads OF the mountains. His brood, however;
as they merged towards the age of manhood, negan
to look forward fo better prospects and to urths
| themselves in their views, migrated towards what
was then called" the settlements" aud it was here
that James. and his older brother betook themseve
to the study Of the art and mystery" of tho car
renters vocation but it Was but lily calculated
for James taste, he follow ed it with dissatisfaction
whilst his heart painted for some kind of employ
ment-but what that employment was, he could
not tell.
About that period, he CHANGED TO behold sign
| board on which miserable house daub.r had at
tempted to deneate the bust OF an officer Of the
amy. 10 decorate village tavern, and whilst he ga.
zed upon it with ecstacy, he exclaimed to those
around him." that is the employment would de-
Light to follow. Before this he had never seen q
PAINTING of any kind, but so delighted was he with
ar,aIs int tba.v
crudest shape, and commenced his early career as a
painter. The sign board was the first subject tina,
sat Tor his pencil, and although he had never be-
fore attempted to deneate line, he so tar succeed
ed, that he ou,s,ripped :he artist of the mountains
AID won the admiration of those untuored sons o.
the valley, who equally unacquain ID with the
art of painting. His next effort was made IN Gelln-
eating colors and shades from real life, and although
he possessed none of the materials tools neces-
sary to the artist, he so happily succeeded IN por-
traying the iineamens Of those who sat to him, that
those who behed his pictures, even little children,
instantly recognised in the shades Of the artist the
lines and colorinss ofthe original.
About th. period, his older brother, visited Pitts
burg, in pursuit of employ ynent, and took James
with him and il was whilst there, that he first dis
covered there was such profession that of a
Portrait painter. Unacquainted with little else
than the scenery of his native mountains. the scenes
that presented them.elves to his vision in place
like Pittsburgh, which compared to what he had
before beheld, was a magnificent city, lighted up
the hitherto latent powers of his imagination, and
he determined no longer to confne himself down ia
the onerous duties Of an occupation, which howev-
or honorable it may be, is but lily calculated to as
.ociate with impginings Of painter or the wild and
unsettled fancies Of the poet.
| Abandoning the profession to which he had been
reared, he threw aside the axe, the jack plane
and the saw, and ,eizng with ecstacy aud avidi'y
the palette the m atrx and the pencil, assumed ali
humble rank in that profession, for which he seem
ed, by nature, to have been originally intended
He had nearly reached his majority, when he frs:
took up the profession in good earnest;" aud com.
paratively destitute OF education, without friend
to us,ist or instruct, whilst the Other hand those
who knew him best, exsrted themselves to dissuade
him from undertaking theprofessiou, he commens-
cd his professional career under the most unpleasant
} and discouraging circumstances. But nothing
daunted, by the obstacles that were presented to
impede his progress he whistsd ss he went" and