Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-03-17
John Gibson and N. P. Willis.

N. P. Willis gives the following &C
count of John Gibson, the sculptor:
One Of Greenough's first kindnesses 4
me, on my arrival at Rome, lin 1881, i
l remember rightly was to introduce
me to an English artist, with whom ht
lived like a brother. John Gibson anc
he had rooms in the same crumbline
palazzo on one of the solitary streets o.
the old city; and, on an upper floor OF
the same building, | was soon ledger
and schoar-devoted, with all my soul.
to sudden adoption of Art, and a pupil
TO both these inspired creatures in their
mouldings of the clay and chisellings OF
the marble. | had just passed dream
like year in the Mediterranean, on a
cruise to Constantinople with Commo-
dore Patterson and his three ships
of war, and was in fall enjoyment
of health and other mediocrities-
making my adoption, apparently, then
and there, (under the lull of sanguine
temper and my diplomatic passport), of
a profession for life. Would / accept a
tempting offer which was then made to
me, to 60 to London as a correspondent
of the Morning Chronicle, 1.-THE offer
which | afterward accepted), or would l
take what was then Gibson's pressing
advice to his American pupil? He told
me, that, whatever else might be true of
my talents" had certain derterity
of manipulation not always born with
a man, and my chance to be sculptor
was that much fairer than itwould other
wise be. See what risk ran your pres
ent destiny, my dear Phillips, thirty-fvc
years ago, ("Willis, your editorial part
ner in New York instead of my being ths
survivor of Gibson amid the echoes of
solitary RomeD
will give you another well-preserved
fact herewith to take the measure of that
turned-over leaf of times past Gibson
had two models whom l well remember,
an Italian and his wife, iazzarOni,"
but accidentally people of very perfect
symmetry of proportion, who stood
in any pastures which might be wished
for the groupings Of the artist chance
to have recorded in memorandum-book
that the price for each one of these pro-
fessed studies" was ten cents the
hour" and, for long year, practiced
my mouldings," daily succeeding CID
son and Greenough as customer for these
cheap commanding" and taking my
turn with beauty thus stepped in the
delicious forenoons of Italy. The group
ings Of our English master, for his
world-renowned statutes, were then com
pleted, and | thus saw his sweet first
successes, also, in adding the color to the
groupings in marble. (Greenough made,
at his leisure during that same long
period, the beardless bust of myself
which, years after, he presented to me,
and which now stands in the admirable
sculpture of his hand in Mr.. Grinnnell's
drawing-room at New Bedford Glib
sons Italian countenance, Of which the
critic from whom / have already quoted
has chronicled the wonderful tranquil
ity Of daily beauty and repose, was
then in its perfection; and nothing could
surpass our homage TO him, as he thus
took his meals and walked unconscious
among the scholars from all lands who
formed his train. He was one Of the
gifted whom have met here and there
IN all parts Of the world, and whom
have l0ued, with no distinction of sex,
inevitably and renderly, for their sweeter
gifts only 1t is pleasant TO believe that
superior creatures thus walk among us
and sweet to remember, when we thus
toll the knell over their closing grave,
that we have ourself enjoyed the privi-
lege of their personal friendship
Or what fish does the opera-house re-
mind us2 The Pike