The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-10-11
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Anecdotes of Thorwaldsen.


city. cn,itled The true story Of my
life" hy Hans Christiah Anderson. trans.
lated from the Danish by Mary IIowitt.
occurs the following interesting passage
relating to the great Sculptor, Thor
waldScu -
"Oue morning at Nyso-at the time
when he was working at his own statue
I entered his work-room and badc him
good morning he appeared as if he did
not wish to notice me, and stole softly
away again. At breakfast he was very
parslmoniou, in the use Of words, and
when somebody asked him to say some
thing at all events, he replied in his dry
way, | have said more during this
morning than in many whole days but
nobody heard me. There / stood. and
fancied that Andersen was behind me
for he came, and said good morning-so
| told him long story about myself and
Byron. | thought that he might give
one word in reply, and turned myself
round and there had | been standing a
whole hour and chattering aloud to the
bare walls
We all Of us besought him to let us
hear the whole story yet once more; but
VIC had it now very short.
Oh, that was in Rome said he, when
| was about to make Byron's statue he
placed himself just opposite to me, and
began Immediately TO assume quite an.
other countcnance to what was custom.
airy to him. Will not you sit still said
| but you must not make these faces
1t is my expression, said Byron. In.
deed said |, ana then made him as
wished. and every body said, when it
was finished, that | had hit the likeness.
When Byron, however, saw it, he said,
1t does not resemble Inc at all I look
more unhappy
lie was, above all things so desirous
Of looking extremely unhappy. added
Thorwaldsen, with comic expression.
1t afforded the great sculptor pleasure
to listen to music after dinner with half
shut eyes, and it was his greatest delight
when IN the evening tho game Of lotto
began, which the whole neighborhood of
Nyso was obliged 10 learn they only
played for glass pieces, and on this ac.
count l am able TO relate a peculiar
characteristic Of this otherwise great
man-lhal he played with the greatest
interest on purpose to win.
lie would cspouse with warmth and
vehemence the part of those from whom
he believed that he had received an in.
justice; he opposed himself To unfairncss
and raillcry even against the lady of the
house, who for the rest had the most
chlldllkc sentiments towards him, and
who bad no other thought than how to
make every thing most agreeable to
him.
ln his company | wrote several ofmy
tables for children for example, Ole
Luck Oin,' E O!c Shut Eye,0 to which
he listened with pleasure ard interest
Often in the twilight, when tho family
circle safe in the open garden parlor
Thofwaldsen would come softly behind
me, and claPping mo on the shoulder
would ask, Shall we little ones bear any
tales tonight p ......
ln his own peculiarly natural manner
he bestowed the most bountiful praise
on my iictions, for their truth, it dc
lighted him to hear tie same stories over
and over again. Often during his most
glorious works, would he Stand with
laughing countenance, and listen TO tho
stories of the Top aud the Ball, aud the
Ugly Duckling possess certain
talent OF improyising in my native tongue
little poems aud songs This talout
amused Thorwaldson very much and as
he had modelled, at Nyso, Holberg's por,
trait in clay, l was commissioned 10
make o poem for his work, and he re.
ceived, therefore, the following im
promptu;-
No more shall llolberg live, by death va.
said, -. 'I.' TN
l crush the clay, his souls bonds hereto
fore :
And from the formless clap, the cold, the
dead
Cried Thorwaldscn, shall Holberg i've
.ncc more