New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-08-22
motives so entirely antagonistic, would be attempted

the reputation Of the friends OF Powers In endeav.
fishes letter Of one Of Powers friends in which
he the friend writes:
Mr. Lester requested TO call az leisure hour that ne
might read 20 hs intended publication relation 70
Powers and have m! opinion Of the work. After few
minutes conversation formed me opinion that the pub
hcation was calculated 20 nJure Powers and resolved
sudiousy 10 avoid reading hearing the Inanuscrp.
read, believing from the opinions mad formed that M
objections would have influence. Nj Lester assur-
ed that Mr. Powers had read the Ms and sanctioned
its publication thought residence in Italy must have
wrought entire change in The feelings and principles
OF Powers If !. were true NJ Lester sran-
ger and Of his character and standing OF tuta
knew nothing Had been advised fully Of the con;
tents OF the Ms should nave had decided OPINION ana
! have expressed II freely.
This letter shows Tor itself whether It's author be
true friend of the artist or not He confesses, what
has been affirmed by US. that Nh Lester was anx
ious to have the opinion OF men OF taste ana lovers
of Ar, before the publication OF the Ms winch does
not look ike willful intention 70 do the subject OF
it an injury. But he says,
81 resolved studiousy avoid reading or hearing the
Ms read"
A little farther on he writes
Had been advised fully Of the contents Of the Ms
should mad decided opinion and have expressed
it freely
very strange aiterthought II he had been
true friend of the artist suspecting there was that
in the Ms tina. would njure him he would have
seized the opportunity see and scrutnize it and
at once have given the resulting impression and
was certainly due to Mr. Lester, after giving the
opportunity that he should either avail himself Of
it. or for ever after hold his peace. He should not
have written the letter alluded to after having
written as he did the following apology:
a" regret that was prevented b. business from
ing your Life OF friend Powers But you have lost
nothing By it / should not have dared 10 recommend
a change of word where your information was derived
from him though well satisfied his nodesty has pre-
vented him from telling nall the ruth -
And after ias is aveued by gentleman Of the
house that published the book expressing much
enthusiasm in its favor and declaring that thous
and copies would be sold in Cincinnati and even
proffering his influence to facilitate the sale and
what is more furnishing material in regard to Pow
ers genius and character, and writing it ont him
self for insertion III Testers book-styling what he
wrote
some circumstances that friends modesty might
prevent him from giving IN full
Such is the consistency OF those who find SO much
fault with that Of Mr. Lester and such the Friendship
shown to the Sculptor by rich patrons OF Art
We come now to something that looks like
main spring to the clock-work Mr.. c. has intro
duced a letter from Mr.. It C. H. Smith, who was
IN Florence at the time Lester there, and who
was in intercourse with both the artist and author
In this letter Mr. Smith states
Abou, 4 fortnight after leaving Florence met Mr..
| ester AZ I.eghorn. lie read me. some portions
of the Ms pertaining Powers left for Florence and
tbertn
Ii had appeared to when Lester read the Ms at
Leghori that Mr. Powers brought forward III II IN
manner hardly suited the want OF pretenson and 10
the dignity of character which had marked him 10 my
observation On seeing Mr.. Powers at Florence, com
muuicnted TO him my impression OF the Ms lie appeared
troubled and wrote Mr. L. a cauhonary letter
1t appears by this that Mr. Smith was the real
friend OF Powers for he told him frankly what he
thought Of the Ms. But it does not appear that he
was equally friendly TO Mr.. Lester or he would
have told him the same thing
Soon after this little incident Mr.. Smith and Mr..
L. sailed for America in the same vessel During the
voyage personal difficulty arose between them
the final result of which was that Mr.. Smith lost
considerable amount by fine or damage as defend
ant in q suit against Lester.
Mr. s is resident of Cincinnati 1t is not i'm
probable that he said something about Mr.. Lester
and the MS to the other friend OF Powers. who re-
sides there also. after his return from this City
with good wishes for the OF the publication
Now nil this is natural enough; and If the suppo
sition were sustained by fact. it would furnish no
reason WHY we should doubt Mr.. Smiths veracity
and we should still consider him, Of the two Gin
cnnatians the better friend of Powers BY far, al.
though friend of only two or three weeks stand
ing when his friendly offices first commenced.
But it does furnish cause for to suspect that
there existed through the whole transaction. n
stronger bias against Mr. Lester than there was in
favor of Powers, and that this bias had great deal
to DO in instgatng the doubts and fears III the mind
of the Sculptor and perpetuating that germ OF dis
cord
This suspicion is confirmed by another crcum
stance Two or three weeks before the date OF Mr.
Smiths letter, we happened to be present during
an interview between him and Mr.. Lester. at the
house of the latter Mr. Smith brought friend
with him there also another gentleman pres
ent during part of the interview. Mr.. Smith de
sired the privilege of examining the Ms OF the book
in question with the view OF satisfying himself as
10 its identity with the one he i'll ltslyot com
pairing it with the printed book, and OF seeing the
emendatorv interineations alleged 70 have been
made by Powers In compliance with his request
Mr. [ ester broug Int ont the Ms. and placed II before
HIM. He made pretty thorough examination OF
IT. in the progress OF which he found considerable
number of words and phrases, giving directions how
passages should be altered some OF these were IN
pencil and some i'll black INK the Ms. was writ
ten in blue. He remarked upon several OF the IN
terliueations that they were written by Powers
He compared some passages as altered IN the
manuscript with corresponding ones in the printed
book and confessed their identity and finally arose
from the examination showing convictions favorable
to Mr. Lester-appeariug in his whole manner and
by expressions one convinced by satisfactory proof
shat he had been in error and replied TO question
OF Lester as to his ccrvictiou that he COULD now
correct erroneous views entertained NJ refer
enoe to both parties or something 10 that effect
and finally. taking lesve expressed inmo 81 cour-
7 rho