The Portland daily press., 1867-11-06

BOSTON, Nov. A, 1861
To the Editor Of the Presss
have had the pleasure of spending a week
in and around Boston, at this delightful sea-
son, seeking respite from the labor. of the
long summer, and a little refreshment for the
coming winter, when L shall be confined at
home. IL the readers OF the Press would like
to peruse lew jottings as to matters literary,
artistic, musical and architectural, in our
American Athens, here they are. l make it
a point to visit the art stores among the first
places OF interest in Boston. Messrs. A. a.
Chids & Co.'S fine establishment on fremont
street near Ticknor & Fields splendid store,
opposite Park street, docs not contain the
usual large collection of articles ofUirtu, a
new picture by BeTIaas and the statue of
Edwin Forrest as Coriolanus, by Thomas
Ball being now the chief attractions. The
statue is set up in the inner gallery in a can
opy of brown cloth. The height of the figure
six feet and six inches-some eight inches
higher than Mr.. Forrest is-the ex-
treme height of both figures and
pedestal being eleven feet, and its weight
over three tons. "While the artist has made
a most ia ithful representation of Mr.. Forrest
he has still thrown, as the Traveller well
says, a glamor around his work by which
his subject is invested with the poetry OF an
ideal statue" 1 saw Mr.. Forrest himself at
the Continental Theatre as Damon and as
King Lear, and can testify that the artist has
very faithfully performed his work, which was
done con amOre, as artist ard subject have
long been strong personal friends. Mr.. Ball
has also executed fine group in bronze, IL
lustrating the great work of Emancipation by
President Lincoln, which is to be seen at this
gallery.
At the new store ofDeVries, Ibarra Co. also
on fremont street, may be seen some choice
paintings, particularly noticeable among
which is one entitled "the New Jerusalem" !"
a large beautifully painted work representing
the descent OF the new city upon the still
beautiful old earth as prophesied by st. John
In the Apocalypse. The towers and domes
are seen dimly floating upon even lines OF
clouds such as we sometimes see in the west
ern sky at sunset. "Valley of the Shadow OF
Death" is weird painting. A hoary pilgrim
is standing upon the edge of an immense and
cavernous gulf Clouds of darkness surround
him, but high in air rift discloses clear
blue space in which light in the form OF a
cross shines npon the traveller through the
dark valley to "that undiscovered country
from whose bourn no traveller returns. y
Both of these works. are by Geo. Inness, and
are valued at $4,000. 1 noticed also a new
bust in marble, by Gould, a Boston artist o
the elder Booth, which has been purchase,
by his SON, Edwin Booth. A large RomaI
bronze of =" the Lion Slayer" and another o
Si'enus, the largest specimen of Terra Cots
ever wrought, are very beautiful Here a'so
is large painting entitled "Midsummei' :"
which the rank growth of flowers, "''e,
and cereals well illustrates the SUBJECT anu
this is the creation Off no less an 'r''s. ."'h
Gustava Dore. the illustrator OF iic Dloie'-
Ano,,,o, largo work exhibited at the window
/ o,,o,, ar lincoln and his first dollar" illus
80, the we'll known incident in the earl!
,;Ge of LINCOLN, when he earned his first dol
lar by carrying some baggage across a river
A very curious picture is shown here, no
for sale, but belonging to an English gentle
man. 1t is a fine drawing inindia ink, repre-
senting rat catcher and his dogs; and it was
executed by a poor cripple, who lying uPol
his back unable TO move his neck and heat
took his. pencil in his mouth between m
teeth and with his paper fixed TO desk
close proximity to his face, produced eve
without any teaching in drawing, pictur
which rivals the greatest prpfcients in Il
| art of drawing.