The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-09-25
From Chambers Journal.
THE MODERN ST. CATHERINE.
A ROMANCE OF A PICTURE.

THE MODERN ST. CATHERINE.
ROMANCE OF A PICTURE.
Venture with me, gentle reader, into por-
ton of the great Metropolis; permit me to lead
you through the haunts of the aliens in Leicester
Square, past the Panopticon and Mr.. Wyld's,
"the gorgeous palace and the great globe ITSELF"
into little street which thence communicates
with the Strand. 1t has not the air of heredi-
tary grandeur and past msgnifcence; no torch
extinguishers project before doors at which
sedan and coach we're wont in olden times to
take up and set down no high black windows
scowl there in deserted state, through which
the light once flashed from chandelier and mir
ror in the nights of ombre, basset, and qua
drille nor is it aristocratic now. Its principal
productions, as we may see and smell quite
easily, are onions, republican serials, red her
rings, old books, and old Clothes yet it is in
this place the first scene of our romance is laid,
and your first introduction to St. Catherine must
needs take place. And why should it not be
SO =? The drama of real life can be acted with.
out the theatrical vestments, and, alas |! too
often without any vestments at all and for q
sanity heroine, where better shall we look for
her nova days than by the poor mans side
make no apology, then, for introducing you
to Blank street, and especially to the book-stall
on the left-hand side.
1t was ten years ago wnons --~~---~.-
footsteps at that dingy shop; its contents con-
sisted chiefly of odd back numbers of obscure
periodicals, bound up together with the same
amalgamates his "a B Cs" and Bradshaws;"
the paintings, also, with which the interior was
hung, were most hideous daubs. / was soon
satisfied, and upon the point of passing on,
when, as I turned my head TO 90, picture upon
the open door, which had hitherto been out of
my vision, concentrated at once my whole at
tention upon it, in Joy and admiration. 1 my
self have little or no artistic taste one or two
water-color paintings of scenes that are dear to
me adorn my little room, for the sake of their
associations rather than their merits along
with some engravings OF Tu lers Italian works,
to remind me, in the noisome city, Of summer
and blue skies. Ny few artist friends, in
deed, make merry at my utter inability to pick
out the gems of an exhibition, except for the
crowd surrounding them; but I was certain
and positive of the worth and beauty of the
jewel in this dunghih. 1t was the f4ll-length
portrait of woman little past the prime of
life, not beautiful though full of grace with a
plying fondness in her hazel eyes, and an as
surfing smile upon her lips, which seemed to
breathe consolation and offer succor from the
dirty and cobwebbed canvass. 1t wss c,eariy no
work of the old masters, nor any imitation of
them; but the blscks had blown down upon it in
its exposed situation, and the rain had attempt
ed to "clean it in its off.hand and acedemical
style, and every dirty arm that entered the shop
must needs have given it q "coloring" and
"tone" for months, so that it looked almost as
well as Rembrasdt's own. With flushed cheek
and anxious voice most unbecoming in q pur.
chaser, asked its price. "Twenty-fve pounds, u
was the gruff reply, given like a piece of gov
eminent intelligence, over which he the official,
had no sort of control. The animal knew / was
hooked, and jerked me quite remorselessly at
once, instead of playing With me off and on.
The money was as far above what was JUST
| fed in spending, as beneath what felt to be
the true value of the picture. 1t hangs opposite
to me as l write this, and, poor as 1 am, have
refused 200 guineas for it. To all my questions
as to how, when, and where, he had purchased
it, the dealer refused to give any sort of answer
The picture was there, he said, to be bought OF
| let alone "a very vulgar expression-as
thought proper and the most could extract
| from him, was not to sell it within four and
twenty hours.
Putting by the business had ia hand, be
took myself to an accomplished friend, paint
er by nature as we'll as by profession, and re-
| turned with him to the shop. At first sight, be
thought it wonderful that such portrait could
have hung there for q day without purchaser
but when we took it down to examine it more
closely, he found world of faults one hand
| was pointed skywsrds, and the other closed
round some object which we could not for the
dirt decipher; the elbow was too foreshortened
and the fingers out of joint, he said; the dra
perry, with most of the accessories, which were
few enough, was yet unfinished, and the clouds
were certainly what he denominated "spongy.'
The face was, however, without flaw, and il
seemed to me as if that wonderful effort had
taken the painters whole attention, and ex
hausted all his skill. The frame was ugly, and
sufficiently unsuitable. When had paid the
money, however, my friend offered me f35 70,
the purchase, to the intense disgust of the deal
er; and drove off with my prize homeward
exulting in its possession, and with not little
of the satisfaction. 40 pardonable in a Briton
of having made an excellent bargain.
spent two days in the careful and judicioul
cleansing OF my prize; every hour 7 gave L
that employment, drawing me closely to the ex
quisite face, begat warmer interest in tn,
painter, and in her he had portrayed. In tn,
lefthsnd corner of the picture, and at the bacl
of it, there was written the word " Catherine,
and "l845" for date. 1t took me time AND
pains to get that much intelligence, for letter,
and figures had been carefully painted oyer
/ and that was all. But three h6nths previous
! ly, then, in all probability, the author of thi
work was living.
/ With my curiosity more sharpened than ever
j returned to the dusky shop and the uncom