The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-04-22
THE PORTRAITS WARNING.

Ny friends the Mainwarings lived
in Gordon square; london, in the
west-central district. and Mr. Main
waring, stout gentleman of fifty
or thereabouts, WAS a musician; that
is to say, he gave lessons in music,
was the author of u number of songs
and piano-ferte pieces, and a per-
former of some note on the vio-
loncello. They lived in very good
style, as he had some little property,
in addition to- his professional earn
ings; and the family consisted of
father and mother, lad at school,
and a daughter Ellen, who, at the
time I ann writing about, had just
reached the fascinating age of nine
teen.
For myself, I was studying medi-
cine, and expected in a few months to
pass the College and Hall, and then
settle down in country practice
near my father. I had good many
friends In London, but with none
wasI SO intimate as with the Main
warnings; and I must confess that the
attractions of Miss Ellen had to au-
swer for good deal of non-attend-
ance upon lectures. and for my
presence in the family circle two or
three times a week, when / wl.; in
town. Mr.. Mainwaring was IN old
friend of my fathers, and on that
account, and also because was pas
sionately fond of music, I was o
great favorite of the composers, who
used to drag me off to listen to
long solos, when I longed TO be talk
ing with Ellen, and hearing the more
exquisite music of her voice.
1t was q pleasant house to visit at,
for Mr.. Mainwaring knew many
literary and artistic celebrities, and
was himself o highly-cultivated man,
and not wholly wrapt up, like some
professors of his art, in musical
doings and his own compositions.
Mrs. Mainwaring was pleasant and
motherly; and as for Ellen-it was
occupation enough for any man just
to sit and look at her. She was
rather tall, with dark hair, and eyes
that looked at you from under their
long lashes in most bewildering way;
she had the sweetest little mouth in
the world, and she carried her small
head as graceful as an antique statue.
The house was we'll furnished, and
MIR. Mainwaring had an artistic but
rather expensive mania for pictures
and hundreds of them in oil, water.
colors, and chalk, hung about the
rooms, and in some of the passages.
OF portraits especially, he had great
number, not only of historical per.
sonages, picked up at various sales,
but OF his own friends and family
and among them several of himsolf
l don't like man having q portrait
of himself in his room, especially i
it is really well-painted and a goot
Likeness. 1t always gives me an un
comfortable ghostly feeling, as if h,
bad his double in the house, silentl,
watching people from the canvas ane
endowed equally with himself will
life and understanding. I speak t.
the man, and then catch myself look
ing up at the portrait for an answer
or II thought unfavorable to hin
crosses my mind for an instant,
always have an uncomfortable feel
ing that the portrait will know of it
a man with q good likeness of him
self on the wall has me, consider, q
ueoiueu disadvantage; IL is not ex
actly two to one, but he is endowed
at least to my fancy, with dnplicat
characteristics and double powers.
Mr.. Mainwaring had one portrai
of himself hanging in his drawing
room, which 1 held in especial detes
tation for this very reason. It wa
an absurd idea, for the picture wa
an excellent likeness, by q famou
artist, and meritorious as work q
art, apart from its merits as like
ness. And yet l could not endur
it, although I had neYor dared t