The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-01-10

cion was pretty natural under the circum-
stances.
When returned from this clock pilgrim
age and went back again to the clock factory,
! felt MS | imagine, some of Dante's charac-
tiers must have felt when they came ont all
singed from his Inferno. | was set TO work
repairing some of the machinery for making
clocks, and a considerable part of the time
was making clocks myself But was occu-
pied, more to my satisfaction, upon machine
ry for others to use; and introduced several
important labor-saving improvements which
are generally adopted, | ann told, in all SINH
lar manufactures In this business / was
brought into intercourse with several clock
pedlers and | can certify TO the truthful
ness of the character Halburton has drawn
of Sam Slick, for have known "A peder who
might have stood for the model.
This business pleased me much better than
collecting bts,although was not at all sat
lsticd with it; for it was monstrous. The
buZzing of saws for 10 or IL hours II day
just under my nose and the dust from the
wooden wheels cut away, certainly had little
affinity with art. But did not at that time
really know what l wanted; for had never
yet had an opportunity ofstudying sculpture,
or of even seeing the process ofmaking II stat
ne or bust.
| finally heard of n Prussian who was en-
gagged OH n bust of general Jackson, who was
stopping in Cincinnati few days on his way
to or from the Capitol. obtained an intro
duction TO him and was astonished mt the
simplicity of the operation of modelling
mass of clay on n stool and n number ofsmal
sticks of various shapes, made out of box
wood, comprised the whole apparatus. But
the old gentleman had as yet had no occasion
for the sticks; for by means of his, fingers IL
lone he had modelled the clay into some
thing like Il human head; the sticks, he told
me, would be useful only in the details when
his fingers would be too clumsy TO operate
by themselves. | went often to see him, and
was extremely interested; but did not dare
TO criticize his work, although | thought !
could discover great errors in it. The neck
was extremely short the eyes sunk too deep
in the heud, the head itself too large, and
the hair anything but Gen. Jackson's; still it
bore Il resemblance to him. In the mean-
while determined to make Il trial myself
and anticipating that on my first work, ocCu-
! pied as | was in other matters, should con-
sumo much time, | concluded TO work in
wax instead of clay; and accordingly ] pro-
cured several pounds of bees-wax, and in
melting it, stirred III quantity of coloring
matter TO render it sufficiently Opaque
! When il was all prepared, began reduced
copy of head ofthe Venus de- Medc which
some Italian plaster-workcr had brought 10
Cincinnati had little apartment in the
garnet oftho clock-iactory which | used for
Il stltaio. 4 gentleman whom | showed this
work was so well pleased he desired me to
make a bust of his daughter only four years
old. This gentleman was Mr. John p. FOote.
This head, too did in wax, and finished it
as had the other, in the garnet ofthe clock
factory; and can say with all honesty, that
when compare it with other busts | have
made, that so far us the likeness and finish of
it are concerned, have never surpassed it,
NOR could improve it now, if | except some
portions of The hair This was my first order,
and received for ii all asked, which was
deemed very reasonable sum by the chd's
father, who assured me it would give him
pie to pay me more if would consent
to receive it. The work was finished plas-
ter, and my price for it was twenty-four dol
lars.
| was now determined to be a scuptorbut
found | had no great prospect of success in
Cincinnati and it was a long time before |
found another person to give an order In
the meantime became acquainted with the |
proprietor of the Western Museum, who told
me he had lately received quantity fNew
Haven waX-fgurcs he had purchased from
broken-down Snowman. ''They are" said
he, 'n a mutilatcd state, but doubt not you
can put them in order" | had little time 10
spare and could not leave the factory TO go
to the Museums; but | promised him if he
would send them up TO my studio, ! would
see what could do with them. | was not
at home when they arrived.
When came back found them lying on
the floor of the garnet, the heads without
bodies, the latter being reserved at the Muse
UNI. Icould not help laughing at their singu-
lar juXta- position when | entered. Napole-
ON was kissing the bearded vissage of Loren
70 Dow-Gen. Washington was whispering
in the ear of Il beggar some matter of state
and John Quincy Adams appeared to be
breathing soft nonsense under the long tresses
of Charlotte Temple, who strange to say, was
greatly distressed at his confessions. Pve for
gotten about the rest, but it is enough to say
that the sight was burlesque on all sculp- I
ture Some had broken noses, others crack
ed skulls, and the moths had made sad havoc I
with the wigs and boards and eyebrows of I
the whole company. To have restored them
to their pristine state would have proved u 5
failure in the end.
Soon after had finished my survey, Mr. b;
Dorfcuille came in.
"Well, Mr. Powers" said he with smile,
do YOU think it a total destruction"
ooh nor Ireplied, mot exactly, they are in |
rather deplorabe state though, it must be
confessed" t
Some of them can be saved, then, you
hink" he added; and was not little shock i
I'd to hear him say he intended to send the
est to HILL ! for the famous Mrs. Trollope, !
hen in Cincinnati accompanied by French
Artist p had suggested TO him plan of an t
exhibition of the Internal Regions >of Dante. a
The painter had undertaken to do his share y
,fthe work. Mr. d. thought might be able C
o get up the mechanical portons;and he pro- [
POSED should come at once and take mp my t