New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-02-27
. Washington Irving and His Friends
BY @. scHussxLR AND p. o. O. BARLEY.

piece TO those very unsatisfactory engfaFlhSs' on
Walter Scott and Ills Friends" and Shake speare and
His Friends" In the shape OF print shortly to be peD
lisbed from picture drawn by Mr. Darlcy and coorcd
BY Mr Sohussee. purportng 10 contain accurate pof'
traits of Washington Irving and his friends
What psitcular reasons have Induced the Two ef1hes
whose names orc associated in the production OF WIS
picture TO Join their forces "a not very clear Tor II Is
certain that M barley has but little skin in portrature
and eouniy evident that Mr. Sohussele has no speo'
0;It a. = nsiptcr OF tho two however, Mr. schissee,
Though merely conventional workman appears 20 nav
placed Mr. barley under considerable Obligation "a GOV
ring nm 10 some extent. tho detects Of ms oriBna'
draving which work is displayed not very (uoclousy.
I'm our opinion in the room with the hhisheu punt
ing on the opposite wall. $3.50 &,
We have no unreasonable dislike to The class o. PIC
tureq of which this ~ type. But we nave Iory
clear ideas as to what their use H. and eqaiy clear
ones rs the principles TO De followed IN painting e
In order 10 make them any good purpose; bhd a.
in this respect we seem 10 have decided adv anLaee
over the makers OF portrait groups In general END o.
ms ol Ir ing and bic Friends in the light Of
common senge and give tho pubic tho benefit OF our
conclusions. .,.,- u,
Jryines name in the public for the last few years
tero Il probably American vriter tor whom our peo
Die feel more genune affection, no ons "hon an arlst
could with equal certainty of welcome reception iof
lis picture from oil cultivated people make tine center
Of s,ch group this which We are now examining.
Doubtless the object proposed in making group Wa 20
ooud not have been TO present any scene that ever d
take place. or that could possiby have taken place II Il
were shall that the resui! Violation Oh truth
In other pictures Of iris sort the artists have been
fortunate in having considerable warrant for repro snt.
ing their subjects gathered together In free inniiaE
con- fsaton although. as no man OF more than aver
age ability has ye. attempted such subject sGccess4n
grouping the figures naturally bas never been reached
But In the "Weltor scott and h's Friends" and
"Shakespeare and Lis Friends" II only needed good
! nj. "A ~ 81 y with ll9 pencil WIFE q iiltl
imagination and well read. 20 bring before u. one o.
those frequent meeting, at te Mermaid Tavern or one
OF those at Abbotsord. orIn Edinburgh, with which
We are Ill familiar and which If pictured by master
! hand world he n most welcome gift; The pictures OF
these that have been painted and engraved arc
comparatively worthless at oil events, CHARACTERISTIC
natfal pictures. faithful ia costume. Accessories. and
portraits. world soon mako them forgotten. :,
But in the case Of Washington IrvinF hardly any
treatment however sLilful graceful, could MAKE Us
forget tho :nheTen, unrEthfGlness OF saoh scene ca
| this We know all about his habits. and NOS lev
Americans have shared his generous hospitality ~ IuI
Of warmth, so unprotending and We know tna. no snen
gathering this did take Place in bis little cottage
Sunnystte or from the very nature OF the mani9!,
retiring. bsshfu almost az giri-oouid ever by aIy
chance have assembled there. such meeting Wouh
NO. only have Dccn most unsued 70 Iryngs tastes or
habits but 4. would mover haze been possible ~ ma
those men assembled sfeF such fashion anywhere In
bis house out OF IL. American literary men ese 700
busy and too unsooia for such meetings and In tho
present shadoWng forth 81 snch uueIamped prodigy
,he artist has seemed 20 end 1. lax to diheut 10 plI
flfm az tnclr case, ana. ptoi"
unhappy set 81 mortsls ever met beiore or since
those Quaint Concord days which George Curtis mas 10
vel described when Hawthorne, Alcott, snd Th9Eeaa
met at Emersons houso 70 MAKE thsir nrss bhu msI
attempt at forming o olnb.
Beside Ills thess Is another m.ss,acnsn. which we
are the frat " point out namely that many u these
men By whom lie Is surrounded In the picture, were not
IriAgs special friends intirrstes at al. It Is true
that tie artist has limited as much for Irving IS not
looking 81 any Of them. and has not word or smile
fbr one OF tina whos company And those among them
w In urar u
SGray siac--Kennsdy. Tuckcrnan. Pauldng. and By:
anti vould little very demon Of psIversty had
pS. tSe.e nes-whc. kIIns had been consulted. Sc
wouid nave clusierea about him drawing them
. h' sIds a ~s. Ress'o:'ss y S2ss as S x
death and wishing themselves hundred Iailcs aTsy
from . plsoe that must In reality have been nosl
pleasant 10 them.
A nnstteT-offaot maitland this H. without doubt q
matter fact picture mean! for snchhas right to
s.s s.n s1s arc shss9 b. People imam Sos rsS
side the little room On the eastern side o. tho house
where were Lving's writing table and his books Is
would have been pleasant thing 20 look st tie aTtis
bad gvon accurate portrait Of the little unpretend.
Ing room where much good honest work VI as done,
produced passed 90 many happy hours. Bot alter tie
fashion Of his kind he has preferred to ideaze hs sub
ec 70 adorn g. 10 set in more attractive Light and
accordingly we have upholstery without s,ni she small
room has become drapered aud gpa, elegant ssloon
boudor and 70 add tie final touch to ts elegance we
have In The middle that peculiar feature Of the most
u
covered with vh!to lnan cloth This - small ua:
ter you think 10 carp al, but really It is not II Is
very logical cimeK " the weak absurJity and unruth
Of the whole picture.
But sfsor an It Is yet possible for the portraits Of
ffteeh such accomplished gontlemon II vol painted 10
make Us forget aud forgive all the defects OF the work
Bus here We come to tie very worst feature Of the
picture. for among all these heads. there Is rot
likeness that would sell for sxpcnce III cut away
from s surrounding bcls. Eyory dguro In !ifcress.
wooden block duniy. twisted into attitude with.
u meaning and will Just that lan Resemblance Ia its
face 20 hg man prctenas 30 eok Ike that mu7t annoy
and dsspPoini bis friends. and give saisfseon 10
s;,aRgcrS Irving sits IN o chair looking ve hS,e
said. a. nobody doing nothing saying nothing. bat
allowing. u tie unhappy expression In Ills lace that no
deeply sympsthlse5 w;h Bancroft, who suddenly segod
with q orenp. wrtihcs painfully in his chair. and
twists his head round AFTER fashion that threatens i'm
mediate disocatlon It might not De held emiabe |
In US We were " tuggeSt that Mr.. Iying'- uAcom.
Portable oppression OF face be caused By tho close
proximity Of Mr. Cooper. and Nc therefore prefer ~
plain on the ground Of bis sympathy for Bancrof.s
eyidek distress IL there needed still another e1plaan
tion. however Il might be found In the fact that Ia en-
deayoring TO avoid the friendly looks OF Nj, Cooper AID
the torturss OF OF best historians he IN nracd
aely confronted by tie painful spectacle Of Mr. Prescott
who last his tender hearted host should forget u he
Is blind and lest should forget H. also fouriahss in
the nost onspicuoUs manner = lntr OF uncommoEy
large eye-glasses which stand out in narrowing relief
against the white tnblo-oloth Aforesaid. Kennedy,
Lvings dear aud lifelong friend, s,snds behind him,
leaning against the side OF the window, apparently
conscious oi Bryants presence Who stands within
foot Of him. but who returns kennedys want Of polite az
ton;ion by que.; fsnk ignoring Of his presence as
uncomfortable that he he's tanned away 70 say few
words 10 Mr.. Wills. ButMr Wills Ia absorbed in
deavoring to catch every word Of poeiieai sooquy
sstryng 10 begin his eyes Gxed upon nothingness and
his mind evidently MED with emptiness, that NJ.
Pauldug is reduced TO utter abandonment in which
TO fix him. Perhaps. however, II he bad been consulted
lie would nave preferred the place now accorded 10 him