The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-08-09
The DAILY DISPATCH.
From Dickens Household Words.
TOO MUCH BLUE.


was walking on the road between Brussels and
Namur. he expected friend to arrive by the
diiigence, and he set out some time before ii
was due, to meeit on the road. Having good
deal OF time to spare, he amused himself by
watching any object ofinterest that caught his
eye; and at length stopped TO inspect the op-
erat'ons OF painter, who, mounted on ladder
placed against the front of wayside inn, was
nus'iy employed in depicting sign suitable TO
It's name, The Rising Sum-"
Here" said the old man to HIMSELF "is an
honest dauber, who knows as much OF perspec.
i've as cart horse; and who, I''ll warrant.
fancies himselfa Rubens. How he brushes in
that ultramarine sky!''
lne critic then commenced walking back.
wards and forwards before the inn, thinking
that ne might as well Ioiter there for the dill.
gence as walk on farther. The painter, mean
time, continued to lay on fresh coats of the
oright blue, which appeared to aggravate the
old gentleman very much. At length, when
the sign-panter took another brushfull of blae
paint to plaster on, the spectator could endure
" no ..1 longer and exclaimed severely:
TOO much blue!''
The honest painter looked down from his
perch, and said, in that tone of forced caimness
winch an angry man sometimes assumes:
eur does not perceive that am paint
ing a sky!'' f-'-'-
"Oh, yes. l see very we'll you are irving 10
paint as SKY, but tell you again there is too
"Didyou oversee skies painted without blue,
Master amateur
am not an amateur. l merely tell you, in
passng-I make the casual alremark-thst there
too much blue; but do as you like. Put
more blue if you don't think you have ,row.
elled on enough already"
But tell VOu thar I want IN rerro,ar+ :,
clear blue sky at SUNRISE"
"And tell you that no man in his senses
would make sky at sunrise blue"
"by 81. Gudula. this is too much" exclaim.
ed the painter, coming down from his ladder,
at no pains this time TO conceal his anger; ii
should like to see how you would paint skies
without blue"
Il don't pretend to much skill in sky paint.
ing; but, II were to make trial, wouldn't
put in TOO much blue.''
"And what would it look like, ifyou didn't?'
Like nature, hope. and not like yours, which
might be taken for bed gentIaneIla, or a sam
pie OF English cloth, or any thing you please
except sky; beg to assure you, for the tenth
time, there Is too much blue!"
IL tell you what, old gentleman" cried the
lnsulted artist, Crossing his maul-stick over his
shoulder, and looking very fierce, 81 dare say
you are very worthy fellow when you are
at home but you should not be let out
alone"
"Why not?"
"Why not? Because you must be crazy to
play the critic after this fashion; too much
blue indeed! What, 1, the pupil of Ruysdael,
the third cousin of Gerard Douw's great
grandson, not know how to color sky q
Know that my reputation has been long es-
tablished. l have Red Horse at Malines,
Green Bear at Namur, and Charlemagne at
Aix-la Chapelle, before which every passen-
ger stops fixed in admiration!''
"Nonsense" exclaimed the critic, az he
snatched the palette from tle painters hand.
~ ou deserve to have your own portrait paint.
ed TO serve for the sign of the Flemish Ass !"
In his indignation he mounted the ladder with
the activity of boy, and began with the palm
of bis hand to efface the chef d'euvre of Ger.
ard Douw's great grandson's third cousin.
"Stop! You old charlatan!" shouted the
latter, "You are running my sign! Why, it's
worth thirty-fve francs. And then my repu.
tation-lost! gone forever ="
He shook the ladder violently to make his
prosecutor descend. But the latter, undis-
lurbed either by that or by the presence of
crowd of villagers, attracted BY the dispute,
continued merciessy to blot out the glowing
landscape. Then, ising merely the point of
his finger and the hande of brush, he sketch.
ed, in masterly outline, three Flemish Doors.
with beer glasses in their hands, drinking to
the rising sun; which appeared above the ho-
rizon, dispensing the gloom of a greyish morn
ing sky. One Of the faces presented strong
and laughable caric.ture Of the supplanled
sign-painter. The spectators at first were
greatly disposed to lake part with their coun-
iryman against the intrusive stranger. What
right had he to inteferei There was no end
to the impudence Of these foreigners.
As, however, they watched and grumbled,
the grumbling gradually ceased and was turn.
ed into murmur OF appreciation when the de.
sign became apparent. Tue owner Of the inn
was the first to cry "Dravo!" and even Gerard
Douw's cousin nine times removed, felt bis fu-
ry calming down into 0admiration.
"Oh!" he exclaimed, 'you belong to the
craft, honest man, and there's no use in deny
ing it. Yes, yes,' he continued, laughing, as
he turned towards hs neighbors, "this is a
French sign painter, who wishes to have jest
with me. Well. 1 mu.t frinkly say he knows
what he's about"
The old man was abouttto descend frCm
the ladder, when gentleman, riding beau
tiful English horse, made hs way through the
crowd.
"That painting is minee he exclaimed in
French, but with foreign iccent. II will give
a hundred guineas FORT
'AnOther madman.' e4laimed the native
genius. "Hang me, but d these foreigners
are mad!"
"Wha, do you mean Masieuri'' said the
inn keeper, uncommonly iIeiested.
"What say-I will Civ one hundred gui-
meas for tha, painting" atwered the young
EngIishman, getting of hiAhorse.
.fhs picture is not TO bS0ld, said the sign
painter, with an air Of as luch pride as If il
had been his own work.
mo-" guoth mine host"fo il is already
sold, and even partly paidfor in advance
However, if Monsieur wi4es TO come TO an
arrangement about it, il is 9Th me that ne must
treat"
.'Not at all, not at ALL" 5oined the Flemish
painter of signs, "it belonato me. My fellow
artist here gave me littlstelp out Of friend
ship but the picture is q lawful properly.
and | am at liberty TO Sd il to any one l
please"
"What rog uery !" exclaied the innkeeper.
"My Rising Sun 10 my pr1euy; fastened on
the wall Of my house. Hoscan il belong to |
any body else. Isn't ii pail ID on my boardsi |
No one but myselfha the Z elIesf right to it"
"Pll summon you beforeAhe magistrate"
L