The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-10-07

The day and hour arrived but no doctor made
his appearance That evening, Miss Hosmer
rode into Boston, and next morning the papers
announced the decease of DR.. -
Popular, both in his public and private ca.
pacity, half Boston and its neighborhood rushed
to the physicians house, to leave cards and
messages of coincidence for the family, and to
inquire into the cause of the sudden and lam.
entable event.
In 1850, being nineteen years of age, Harriet
Hosmer left Lenox. Mrs Sedgewick's iudicious
treatment, and the motive aud encouragement
supplied by Mrs. Kemble, had given the right
impetus to that activity of mind and body
which needed only guiding and directing into
legitimate channels. She returned to her
fathers house at Watertown, to pursue her art
studies, and to fit herself for the career she
had resolved upon following. There was at this
time q cousin of Miss Hosmer's studying with
her father, between whom and herself existed
hearty camaraderie. Together the two spent
many hours in dissecting legs and arms, and in
making acquaintance with the human frame,
DIR. Hosmer having erected a small building at
the bottom of the garden to facilitate these
studies.
Those we're days of close study aud applica.
ton. Lessons in drawing and modelling-for
which our young student had to repair to Bos-
ton, distance of seven or eight miles-and
anatomical studies with her cousin, alternated
with the inevitable rides and boating, on which
her father wisely insisted. The river Charles
runs Immediately before the house. and on this
river Harriet Hosmer had a boat house, con.
taininga safe broad boat, and fragile, poeti.
cal'looking gondola, with silvered prov, the de.
light of her heart and the terror of her less ex-
perienced and unswimm ming friends. The life
oipl xuou 4 I'D G, 1ofa
nest purpose and noble ambition, and the un-
firing energy and perseverance, which distin.
guish her now in 80 remarkable degree were
at this time evidenced and developed. Having
modelled one or two copies from the antique,
she next tried her hand on portrait bust, and
then cut Canova's bust of Napoleon in marble,
working it entirely with her own hands, that
she might make herself mistress of the process.
Her father, seeing her devoted to her studies,
seconded them in every possible way, and pro-
posed to send her to his friend, DR.. Mcdowell,
Professor of Anatomy to the st. Louis College,
that she might go through a course of regular
instruction, and be thus thoroughly grounded
for the branch of art she had chosen. The
young artist was but too glad to close with the
offer and, in the autumn of 1850, we find her
at st. Louis, residing in the family of her favor
lite schoolmate from Lenox, winning the hearts
OF all its members by her frank, joyous nature
and steady application, and securing, in the
head of it, what she heartily and energeticaly
calls " the best friend ever had"
Her independence of manner aud character,
joined to the fact of her entering the college as
student, could not fail to bring down animad.
version, and many were the tales fabricated
and circulated anent the young New Highlander,
who was said to carry pistols in her belt, and
to be prepared to take the life of any one who
interfered with her. 1t was perhaps no disad.
vantage, under the circumstances, to be pro.
tected by such q character. The college stood
some way from the inhabited part of the town,
and in early morning and late evening, going
to and fro with the other students, it is not i'm
possible that she owed the perfect impunity
with which she set conventionality at defiance
to the character for courage and skill in the
use of firearms which attended her.
DR.. Mcdowell, charmed with the talent and
earnestness of his pupil, afforded her every ia.
cility In his power, giving her tbas fsasder, of
the lege- st-all times. .Apo lecture, when she
attended to see him prepare dissections for the
public ones. Pleasant and encouraging it is
to find men of ability and eminence 80 willing
to help q woman, when che is willing to help
herself. The career of this young artist hither-
to has been marked by the warm and generous
encouragement of frst.rate men, from Pro
fessor Mcdowell to John Gibson, and pleasant
it ia to find the affectionate and grateful
appreciation of such kindness converting the
temporary tie of master and pupil into the per-
manent one of tried and valued friendship. 81
remember Professor Mcdowell" writes Miss
Hosmer, with great affection and gratitude,
as being most thorough and patient teacher,
as we'll as at all times good kind friend"
Through the winter and spring of 1861, in
e L. L1l1
prosecuted her studies with unremitting zeal
and attention, and at the close was presented with
diploma" or, as we in England should call
it, q certificate, testifying her anatomical eff.
cheney. During her stay at st. Louis, and as a
testimony of her gratitude and regard, Miss
Hosmer cut from bust of Professor Mcdowell,
F! BY Clevenger, a medallion in marble, life size,
| which ia now in the museum of the college. 1t
ia perhaps worthy of note, that Clevenger and
| Powers both studied anatomy under this pro-
| fessor. ..-
The "dploma achieved, our young aspirant
was bent upon seeing New Orleans before re-
turning to her New England home. 1t was a
season of the year not favorable for such travel,
and, from one cause or another, she failed in
inducing any of her friends to accompany her.
To will and to do are synonymous with some
and 30 Harriet HosRer, having set her mind
|
| Crescent City, embarked herself one fine morn.
ing on board steamer bound for New Orleans
| The river was shallow, the navigation difficult
many q boat did our adventurous traveller pass
high and dry; but fortune, as usual, was with
| her and she reached her destination in safety
| The weather was intensely warm, but, nothing
daunted, our young friend saw all that was to
be seen, returning at night to sleep on board
the steamer as it lay in its place by the levee
and at the expiration of week returning with
it to St. Louis. Arrived there, instead of re
Joining her friends. she took boat for the Fall.
of st. Anthony, on the Upper Mississippi, stop
ping on the way at Dubuque to visit lead
mine, into which she descended by means of 9
bucket, and came very near an accident which
must inevitably have resulted fstally-a cstas
trophe which, as no one knew where she was
weuld probably have remained q secret forever
the Indians, much to their surprise and amuse
ment, and brought away with her pipe, pre-
sented BY the chief in token of amity. She alst
achieved the ascent of q mountain, never be
fore undertaken by a female; and 80 delighted
were the spectators with her courage and agil
ity, that they insisted upon knowing Der name
that the mountain might thenceforth be called
after her. In visit TO st. Louis last summer
Miss Hosmer found that her rustic admirer
had been as good as their word, and Hosmer'
Height" remains in evidence Of "the littl
lady's" ambition and courage.
On her return To 81. Louis, where her pro
longed absence had created no little uneasi
ness, abe remained but short time, and, bid
ding farewell to her kind friends, retraced he
steps homeward
This was in the summer of 1851. No soone
had Harriet Hosmer reached home, than sh'
set TO work to model an ideal bust of Hesper
continuing her anatomical studies with he