Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-05-13
A MORNING Dialogue,

Scene, Studio, the fits floor IN Ncwman-street.
LGiy: Nay, don't be afraid OF little excess that
WAY, Mr.. Lake. TO he plain with you, would Be
- tiy as possible III my picture. In fact | ,cjyt
10 be fa!icrcd, though people IRE sumttmcs s,iy
enough to tell me that Is impossible. But pray, do
tell me- what is that grca: aw kwa5d doll of i.urc
you have III the corner, here, looking like house
taIG verified:
artist. We cali it q lay figure aud 1t is used to
arrange snch drapcry upon we WISH to paint from
Lazy. Drapery! Why should imagine the NEST
lifting drapery for such to be curtain, de
hnut en- b0s And what that ouf'e old chaier for!
1t surely must have come from Lumber Conr'?
.4'tjst ] can assure your adyship-your eyes
little more IN this direction if you pease-;t forms
Il picturesque object canvass, and gives a"hIghiy
suitable support to the seated figure OF an old lady
or gentleman, Iii fine old sotnbre apartment, with
every thing venerable to match
Lady. Possibly 1t OF the ark.
.4rtia, rSmi ing. Really know of .11chirC$ i'll
which It's HISTORY is recorded
Lady. Well; but don't stick any such antiques INTO
my picture, or | shall die of premature old age by
ihr force of ASSOCIATION. .Nds royons Esu EGf-
fGirc; Mercy me! What is that white spot you
nave pni on the tip of my nose: Is cicie from
Dams Temple or stray pearl from my dress, or
Wilaif Surely have spcck of the kind
'frtid OH that Is merely the light caught by the
extremity of the feature, and reflected from it.
Lady. Well, it's vastly odd And hat dark patch
under The nose' ] certainly have nothing like that
.41tiSt. That madam, Is very common appear
ance.
Lady never saw any such appearance-"n-
less, indeed, now and then IN the case o-of old PEG
pie who take good deal of snuff
Artist | can assure your Ladyship the effect ~
question depends such erciting cause. 1t is bu
the shadow cast downwards from the nose. where 1t
intercepts the light II CT those effects which
IN nature, are too apt to escape notice
LGoly Its escape from notice, here. is impossible
1t amounts to partial eclipse.
Artist (bouing An eclipse which only renders
conspicuous the brilliancy of that larger por-
ton which the light kindly reveals
Lady Flnttcring,-aud therefore, suppose, ar
tst-!lke or. al all events, gehtfemdn-like'
.47tiSt Your head a little more turned. Madame
I beg.
L0dy So far thnt object may be gained by
hattety, sir, you are not negecting the means. Now
tor another peep at the canvass, TO see how you have
managed NV toii,tte Lud what dress you have
pui me on! CQnme uoiM derdturec! For a
'ohe dress, lis really the most yellow, and blue and
black, that ever looked reproaches against evil
6tdacFts$suse Positively, you must give it bleach
ing--you must shed more Of the snors of your pencil
upon 1t.
s4rt& (Boring nth an ai,-.l Alas, Madam, eve
~ tlng me|tS in your prescnce and thus the SHOWS
of my pencil sink but into deeper tint, and,
the words OF the poet, conclude in moist rel
ment."
Lady. (Smiingl Well, protest, if men ar,
tterers, painters are men in the extreme. But
poetry and laltery apart, why should the plain white
undergo all this conversion?
Artist. The tints which your adyship observes
are pa ty the effects of position in the modification
of the light, and partly of the reflection from neipb-
boring objects of color.
Lazy All! you ire an ingenious puzzler, Mr. Lake
But tell me aguin,-you have not copied my hair
CONNIE HGnM,-what's your philosophy for thata
.1rtiSt. The fashion of frzzng out the hair at the
sides disturbs the repoSe of the head.
Lddy. Repose Oh, then I'm to look as if were
going to sleep. ] hate your dormousc people.
.4'iist Your Ladysh? mistakes me l simply
meant that in looking at the picture, the eve would
be disturbed by that arf cal arrangement of the
hair, and taken away from what is far more impor-
tant, the native charms of the countenance
Lady a most conciliating explanation, upon my
word. But now really, one can't the texture Of
the hair. 1t looks somehow all of lump Surely
they manage it differently in prints
.4rst Why yes, Madam, they give wire instead
OF sllk-minuteness instead ofsmoothness-and then
the fact is that the most finished picture must hard
y be expected to challenge inspection with what is
Incompatible among the objects of nature. (.4no-
ther bo1r
Lazy. y mellifuously moving argument But la!
now, what red ear you have given me on that side,
IT'S an Gu'acaia1' confession of really too bushino
reluctance. Oh, and the locke too! |: is not plain
enough lcan't make out the plated hair in it, nor
the flagree work round it--and them oh c;ef, what
odd-looking lace round the skirt of the dress 1t
seems all rnmplcd and doesn't shew the pattern
.4If5St. trust can explain al TO your Ladyship's
satisfaction. The reddish tinge of the ear results
from its transparency, the light being seen through
It, The little details of the lOcke. If more Distinctly
worked, would make The more massy portions of the
picture appear deficient ill finish and the same re-
mark applies 10 the lace-Besides paintings in GEN
cral expressly calculated for inspecton AZ car
'N' I''"PSS''Ol'
tain distance, in order that the EFFECT of all the parts
may be blended into harmony. And surely Madam
to scruilnize closely the little accessories Of 1ewery
and lace, and texture, indeed consider TOO
curously ID cases like the present, where the face so
naniiestly claims pre-emincnce Of homage. IA tor
Jo,U.)
Lady. If you varnish your pictures equally well
with your explanations, sir, they arrive at gloss
highly IN unison with polished society. LAUGHS y
But pardon my assailing you with one question more
pray, why have you made one of my arms shorter
than the otherl ''0'' ~
Artist The effect OF the point of view in which it
is seen 1t projects towards the eye, instead of from
IT, and so appears fore shortened, as we term it.
Lady Jaime Ia JaisoH But, after ALL it would need
snme time to make Painter of me- You Painters
appear to see every thing if you looked through
some vastly peculiar pair of spectacles, tina, would
suit nobody eises sight but your own.
artist. Those spectacles, Madam, are merely oro
fess,onaI knowledge concentrated into focus. and.
perhaps, worn bright by use.
LddH Well, must own like to hear Won n TX. VIM
give such odd reasons for things that one knows no.
thing about; and then, you so happily discard all com.
PlimeHf-(LaughingJ
artist. Madam your Dresence I;lre A1obo-,..