Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1843-11-06
From Tie North American Review.
WASHINGTON ALLSrON.

hile wewrite these sentences, our
thoughts are drawn irresist. biy To the
ivss we have recently suffered in the
death Of Washington Alls lie WIS
an af'ist in The trnest and hig oesi sense
oil the ~ord- For mtn wears he held
uad'spulec <pfe-eninrncs ai,"ag the
american pa.nlers. lie was "a n,,u OF
nnsshed inesary e.iaca,mu, having
studied aud lake, MS dc2f. u AL III Uni
verssty at ConDrhige; sn '-nroa III his
Whole life his leisure sas nJorurd by
poetry and elegant literature. Ia, BIS,
authors iu several icansuags were as
familiar 10 him IS the great models in
> art; his tas.e in ht, ratur. was as
exquisite as that, h Ia is shed over The
I'm mortal pr~d Icuons OF his y neal =
Some of .his pabltshcd poems aIe not
surpassed by any tang m American iit
oratuse. Every reader is familiar wnh
ms nag ,iicrnt Cd 10 !sngani and A.
inerica. As a p, e. he showed nosl
deiicIse iaa2InalIo.I, an exquisite puri-
~ Of Thought, the finest susceptl6ilI,,
10 the haruloa es OF language, aud ex-
irtosdinary powers OF expression. A
csiicctiqn al his pieces, including the
little Volume published bv hun many
years ago and now out OF PRINT, and the
poeHis he has s.uce written, wrald be
precious a'iJttion- IO tue treasures of y
snerican poetry As a prose- writer, he
Is chiefly known by the romance OF
"Mol,alJi-" Fire sGsle uf thss work Is
howins, nNcl.'d.s,us, picturesque. aud
hean'iiuily iinishe ;; man. OF it's scenes
ara wrought up with a terrible power; ;
more Of them sparkle wiih all The gra-
ces of Inauguration and tast TIA re
are Paragra phs in that book, in wlit h
tne ysey oul Of the autaor seem 10
pour itself Qua IN s.raIt 5 Cf the rio est
mslody; there are sna sneraO.e pa s res
Of such graphic beauty. that no oti1e.
hand could h I'VE Irar. j them euI his
whose +naryelious cunning painted ioi
All coming lime, The 'BeaIrIcc," Rosa
lie," and Amy Robsart.o We are in
competitor 10 trace his character as an
artist; but we may be allowed to stale
our own impression, wsthoui es posing
curse YES 10 the charge OF assumption
or arrogance. we have always felt in
tho presence Of AlstJn's pictures, that
they were stamped with a sublime gen
ius and all nob.=ness Of soul They are
marked by the parity aud eleg tnce OF
conception which are go strongly ex-
pressed in his literary works. A beau
titul and lofty Imagination and spirh
OF generous morality impress themselves
on the mind of the spectator. Our souls
are touched no less than our fancy; we
learn lies. ons Of purity, as we'll as stamp
upon our memories The images of uaap
proachab beauty, whenever we con
template his wSrKs. His cDloring. was
celebrated, eSeH in his youth, while he
formed one Of that glorIoas company of
artists in the Eternal City, 10 whom the
revival OF art an these latter DAYS is due
he writer of most able chapter on
the arts in modern Rome. in Bruusen.s
great work, expressly says, tina, Allston's
colorlngi approaches nearer that Of the
OLD Italian masters, than the coloring OF
any other painter OF the age. The opin
Ion pronounced on his early pictures
has'been strengthened by the noble pros
ductions Of bis pencil that have since
appeared. Ia drawing aud composition,
ne was equally skillful and lea rned -
We have seen compositions OF his which
have never been executed ia colors. of
the most delicate beauty. The genius OF |
Allston we regard as one of the dearest
treasures OF our nation. fiis re.aiIon
20 American art was peculiar, and un-
Ike that Of any other great artist to art
IN any country. tie never formed, or
apparently attempted TO form a school
ne never headed party; he never fell
any one of the bad passions which so |
often disturb the harmony Of poets and /
artists. Is devotion to his art had NO
reference 10 personal aims, selfish pur.1
SUITS, or vanity, or ambition. II was
simply following out the Instincts Of his
nature. la il he found his happiness.
he lived in world Of his own crea ion:
iaif forms, Of iranscendant beauty, ra
dIant with the hues of heaven, surround
Cd him IN his daily life, aud among them
nis gentle spirit moved, with them con.
Versed, and from them borrowed the i'm.
mortal colors IN which his own lovely
creations are clothed. To other artists
ne stood IN the relation OF friend. lie /
was regarded by them all with singular
adeciion and generation No rivalry 1
ever exis'cd between him and any other
human being. tie pursued his own ideal.
which, ike the line OF the horizon, ever
retreated before him; aud this was The
o.1ly form OF ambition il was possible for
hnn To iBdalge. lie Judged the works
% other artists with genial aud appre.
rfafiDg spirit, entering into their Dur
P ose, and pointing out their excelleoces
S1th single eye to art, and not the re-
totcst reference TO self We never
card OF his having an enemy, either IN
" out Of hia nrofaeafon 4, -. -