Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-03-26
A Female Ccnnoisseur

Mack SlOper" in some % observation" in
the last number of the knickerbocker Maga-
zine, discusses fine arts, and thus describes a
female connoisseur:
q" Haven't heard Mrs. Henry Bane Strick-
lime (who writes poetry say that considering
what improper subjects artists generally paint
ed, and the want of clothes in statuary, she
was IN all truthfulness Compelled to admit that
the World would have been so far far far bet
ter of by far without Art than with it, She
trusted, however, that a Moral Era was now
dawning in painting, and that a complete re-
formation would sweep away such Abomina-
t0nS as now scandalized her. She did not
speak ignorantly. She had been to see Pages S
Venus and Wertmuller's 'Danae,' Palmer s
Captive and Dubufe's Adam and Eve and
had been Simply Disgusted. That was the word.
She had no other feeling. 1t was Disgust This
was said to nae by Mrs. Hen Bane s., in mock
picture auction-show, in the presence Of 200 En-
lnent Masters-the collection of Gentleman
Going to New Jersey. When left Mrs Hen
was in 'wraptures' with lemon candy looking
view of The Prodigal Son. which was rather
below the level of the worst panel in the Fourth
Avenue Cars. In vulgar diction, she was On
IT. Ii that picture had been an egg, Mrs
Hens warmth would have hatched it. If it
had been a man she'd have married it. If it
had been three-cent pie, she'd have been
right in the middle Of it n less n no time. If
Il had been anything Reviving, in quart bot
tie, / wouldn't for the sake Of her family have
trusted her alone with it, unless the cork screw
crop had failed that year But as it was only
Moral Picture she could only criticise it,
which she did TO the amount of seventeen
sticksful in the Family Pudding of the next
week. Therein she spread herself like the
banyan turkey who went it blind on $50 eggs
Therein she scattered and sparkled with be-
wildering yet fiery ease the chorus-skating
spotted splendors Of the 1.-the and radiant ag-
onies of language. Therein did she display a
Morality 80 over-ripe that il burst open in a
rather fshy detail of the hideous courses pur-
sued by the Prodigal among the other gals,
before he came down from wining it to swim
ing II on husks. Therein did she ferociously
deny that the husks in question were carob-
pods, or any other pods, any more than they
? were pod-augurs, because Husks and nothing
else was the generally established reading
linked with every soothing memory of infan-
cy Therein, finally, did she magnifcate and
eleyify 10 the sum of all SUBMITS the Gifted
and Rising young man who painted the Prod
in question, and in whose studio, by the way,
Mrs. Hen makes a good many morning calls,
utterly disregardful Of the vast quantity of
stairs which she herself is compelled to rise
on before she strikes the turpentine. 1t was
a great crittercism and one worthy of the
eritter who wrote it,
Il was very glad to hear afterward that
Mrs Hen had secured that picture at a very
Great Bargain. The bidding was spirited,
but she got 1t tor Five Dollars with the Frame;
and 10 now adorns her beau-door, as she calls
the scantum- -scsntorum in which she receives
a few highly favored friends"