New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-08-10
RIA THURSDAY MORNING, AUGUST 10. 1sa3.
Religious Character OF Washington

Religious Character of Washington
ilI>ton.
TO tic Editors Of The Tribune
observed, IN your last Weekly Tribune, that
you had copied an article from the Boston Atlas,
giving some anecdotes Of the origin Of Washing
ton Allston religious character. The article was
IN measure answered by :" \ Relative" Of the
great Artist, who, however, could do little else
than contradict 1t in general way; knowing
that the extreme state of restitution there lntna
ted never existed: and that the whole story was
not characteristic of Mr. AilSton. But frequent
ly have heard Mr.. \. himself tell of what entire
ly contradic;s the story of the Urie picture; and
since so much was false. it is fair TO infer that the
whole was a sort of yonaHce, illustrating the IN
vcntor's, rather than Mr.. Allston's mind The
Marquis Of Stanford was the purchaser OF Unel,
but IN far other circumstances. That picture
painted in six weeks-was Immediately put into
the Exhibitions won the prize OF 300 gulneas,
and was bought for $50 guneas, though Mr.. ALL
ston only asked half that sum. 1t is 50 large,
that the idea OF his pulling 1t out OF ii corner OF
his room himself, and brushing the dust off, is pre-
postcrous. One may Judge of the size of the PIC
ture from the circumstance, that the measure from
TIC heel to the knee of the Archangcl was SIX feet
1t must have taken more than one man TO move
the frame Of it.
This picture was painted in Mr. A!ston's last
visit to Europe. But it was in his first visit to
Europe that he Travelled through Italy, and resi-
ded III Rome III company with Coicridgc; with
whom he was very intimate, and accustomed to
converse on all the great subjects OF philosophy
and religion. In some considerable acquaintance
that | was privileged TO have with Mr.. A!lstOn,
this acquaintance with Colcridge was very com
mon theme of conversation between us and 1t led
me to know something of the chronology OF his
spiritual history, as well something OF the char
acter Of his religious feeling. Nothing could con-
vcy less adequate idea OF Mr.. Alls,on's Christ
ian character than tc suppose HIM driven to Scrl-
Gus views OF religion by the pressure OF physical
want; Or brought to religious CONVICTION by the
accidental coincidence of d timely supply OF that
nature. Mr. Allston's sense of The need OF religion
was not founded upon knowledge Of the eXigcn-
cics of circumstances 10 which men are liable but
but clear conception of the erigenctes Of hUn'an
nature, which he seemed to feel all the more clear
ybccausc his fine native powcrs-lnclIcctual and
of the hcart-madc him see even more clearly
than other men, that nothing short OF Sovereign
Divine aid could bring the soul into peace with
itself. There was not particle OF superstition in
the profound religious humility which was the
keystone of his character, and the foundation Of
the magnanimty which made him at once the
most digniiicd Of gentlemen, and the most gentle
and alniablc of friends. wish you would put
this single lnatterrght in your paper. And think
it is best since Mr.. Allsion has literary friends
(thc Danas, Channings, Sc amply competent to
do llsticc to his memory, and who will doubtless
give US his memoirs that other friends and ad-
mircrs who think they know anecdotes Of him,
should be advised to convey them to some one Of
his family to be incorporated in work, under
sponsbc authority, rather than throw them, in
this way, into the public Doubtless the article
| am crticising was written in the spirit of love
and respect, but it was founded on msaPprchcn-
sion Of facts somewhere III the chain of the report
crs. The attempt, TOO, to draw his name INTO a
political controversy is out of place; but, indeed,
what was said proves nothing but that Mr.. AlIston
did not like to paint JottleS, especially very mod
crn ones +.
Bcsftm august |.
Il understand Mr.. Il. NJ Dana would like receive any
thing Of the kind.
n, fT,ro MorLiuau Ro,Is laden with butfalO