Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-06-25


Ivy eleciing him member.
Soon after his return to England, and almost
before lie had settled down into full employ
ment rs n sculptor, he paid one Of the most
tender and delicate tributes TO his wife that
artist ever paid. II wns his own way Of ne
knowledging the love and the admirable
qualities of his wife, and proud indeed she
must have been with the gilt us of tile giver.
lie got qunrto book made, containing some
score of leaves, and OIL the first page he drew
tie design Of dove with mn olive branch IN
her mouth, guardian angel OH either side,
with the words written underneaih-"T To
Ann Flnxman." Beneath this wus the rep
resentuton of two hands claspe.l az at an
alter, and garland borne 10y two cheruhs
carried the following inscription -" The
anniversary of your birthday calls on me to he
grateful for fourteen happy years passed in
your society. Accept the tribute of these
sketches, which, under the nllegory of n
kuight.errants adventures indicates the trials
ofvrtue aud the conquesis ofvice,p epnratOry
TO n happier state of existence. John Flax
man, Oct. 2, l706" The designs IN the book
were Forty IN number, two on each page
They are still preserved, and are so full OF
grace and beauty - they tell the story of
trial, endurance, faith, hope and courage, so
well, that we wish some adventurous pub
Usher would undertake now to give them to
the world. We nrc Of opinion thai Flaxmnn's
remarkable genius his imaginative aud ar
tistislic quailies-nre more vitality exhibited
IN these aud other of his designs tlInn even
in his most elaborate sculpiured works.
Flaxmou often used to say in jest before
his friends" Well, Sir Joshua was wrong
in lis prophecy, after all. You see wedlock
did mol ruin ne for an artist. Did it Ann z"
Anu's reply may he easly imagined.
When the bgwigs of the Royal Academy
heard of Flnynaus return, and especially
when they had an opportunity OF seeing aud
adniring his noble portraii.stntuo of Mans.
field, they were cnger to have him enrolled
among their number. The Royal Scademy
has always had the art Of stunning to the
help of the strongest" aud when an artist
hns proved that he cnn achieve n reputation
without the Academy, then is the Academy
most anxious to "patronize" him. The
Academy, il will he remembered, had given
its gold medal to his unworthy competitor,
Engleheart, passing by his own far superior
work. lie had then felt bitterly vcxct, but
determined tlint the next time he modelled
70. the Academy il should he ms n master--he
would deserve and he would command their
applause. Perhaps, too, he had not forgotten
the presidents cruel cut when Flaxmnu told
him hc had married -" You are ruined for
life ns au artist" Well he had got over
both these Sights. The wounds had healed
kindly, and he had no desire to keep alive
the grievance. lie allowed his name to he
prop sed in the candidates list of associates,
and wus Immediately elected. In the course
of the same year (l797) he exhibited his
monument OF Sir William Jones, aud several
bas.relieis from the New Testament, which
were greatly admired.
His progress was now rapid, and he was
constantly employed Perseverance, and stu
dy had made him great, and he went on from
triumph to triumph.
A, the Peace Of Ainiens, Flnxman formed
one of the crowd OF englishnun who fockcd
over TO Paris 10 admire the treasure of the
Louvre,w which had been plundered fiom near
ly all European countries. Flaxmnn enter
tnned hearty English dislike TO Napoleon.
When at Rome, some young French officers
showed him medal of Bonapnrte, then only
n general officer. Flaxman looked mt the
head, and snid: "This citizen Bonnparte OF
yours is the very imnge of Augustus Cesnr ~
The sculptor never got over his dislike TO
the mnn; and though, when at Paris, the
First Consul wished TO lc introduced to him
| Flnxmnn refused. Still grIeter was his re.
| pngnunce to the French Republican painter
aud sculptor David, in whom FlaxnIan saw
an nt,rocous Jacobin aud declared atheist
and he turned from his pr0ffered ciyiitie;
with only hali.concenled disgust Flnxmar
was himself so pure of heart, so simple ant
so gentle, that the very idea Of such maj
set him n.loathing.
He returned to England, and continue,
his great career; pursuing at the same lin'
his life Of quiet affection at home, in III,
company of his wife and in the frequen
evening society of the poetic Blake ant
the gifted Stothard, who continued nmonI
his most intimate friends. lie would oiiel
amuse those gathered about him in hi
: family circle by composing little stories il
sketches, serious and hIresque-an art i
which he himself found great pleasure. i
this spirit ne composed his story aud illu:
; lraiuns OF The Cdskei, encouraged TO do $
by his poetic friend the sculptor Banks. Til
story runs in rhyme of Fluxnans making
and there is oiien u good deal Of quiet hl
I nor in his fancies.
IN 1910, our hero came out in new cha
meter. The little boy who had begun b
studies behind the poor plnster-c cast seller
shop-counter in New Street, Convent Garde
: was now man Of high intellect and recoI
nized supremacy IN art, TO instruct aspirin
+ students, in the character of Professor
u Sculpture to the Royal Academy Aud I
II man better deserved to fill TINT distinguish,
u office; Tor no man Is better able to instru
q others than lie who, for himself aud by i
l. own almost unaided efforts, has overcome
10 difficulties. The witty and cnustic Fuss
ln used 10 talk Of the lectures rs sermons
" the Reverend John Fnxnlan; for the scul
:, tor was very religious man, which Fus
uI' was nor, aud was jealous Swedenhorgi
us in the latter part of his lie. But Fluxn
he acquitted himself well in the professor
re chalr, MS any one who reads his instruct
Lectures on Sculpture, now published, m
~ ascertain for himself. His literary tale
hl were further called into requisiIion in st