Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-10-31
"sHERIDAN's RIDE"
i. buchanan Reads Humbug In
Chicago - The Great American
Barn-Burner I'm the Act of Attack
ing an Undefen ied Rear.

| Chicago - The Great American
Barn-Bnrner I'm the Act of Attack
From the Chicago Republican, p
Sheridan (Gen. Phil. mounted his
horse and rode twenty miles; which was
q good deal of an ashievement-on the
part of the horse. Read Thomas Buch
anan) mounted Sheridan and rode him
twenty miles, with innumerable repeti-
tons; which was good deal Of an
achievement on the part Of Thomas
Buchanan. He rode him first in poetry,
and then in paint, which was a double
inAiction. Then Thomas Buchanan and
Sheridan-not, so far as we are aware,
with the completely Of the latter
mounted confding and incautious
public, and rode it, as hag is supposed
to ride nightmare.
Thomas Buchanan is both painter and
poet. II |. is just about as much poet as
painter, and just about as much painter
as poet. If he is not great painter,
therefore, he is not to blame for it; it is
simply because he is not great poet.
And, if he is not a great poet, it is no
fault of his; it is simply because he is
not great painter. His admirers in
paint and poetry, wondering at the YER
satility of his genius, long endeavored to
find a common term with which to give
expression at once to his artistic and his
literary excellencies. Crowned, at
length, with success, they discovered the
coveted symbol in the word putty.
Thomas Buchanan is puttyist in poetry
and puttyist in paint. He is justly
entitled to the praise of standing at the
head of the puttyistic school in both I;
which is very high eminence.
Sheridan rode his horse Thomas
Buchanan rode Sheridan, and both to-
getker they rode and are riding the pub
lie. 1t is the first performance that
Thomas Buchanan has, in immortal
putty, illustrated. Thomas Buchanan is
profound admirerof Sheridan; sense
of justice has constrained us to reserve
our reverence for the horse Thomas
Buchanan thinks that Sheridan did it;
we feel very confident that it was the
horse that did it. His conception of the
event is, therefore, we regret to say,
slightly different from ours-he regard
ing it as a sublime example of human
heroism, we as a fine display of equine
muscle and endurance.
The literary putty preceded, by several
years, the artistic. Indeed, il was not
until the former had ceased any longer
to awaken auditory enthusiasm--so un-
grateful areRepublics and Republicans
that the latter made its appearance. In
the puttyistic succession, the last may
properly be regarded as sort of renas-
sance Of the first; the image, of which
the other was the chrysalis. OF this, it
is only necessary to say that if its entry
was greeted with applause, its. exit was
the occasion of a sense of relief nearly
allied to pious gratitude. Delivered
with spasmodic elocution and convul-
sive gesticulation in the attenuated treble
of the author, it bore, as nearly as mate
rial corresponds with immaterial phe-
nomena, resemblance to the intermit-
tent passage through quill of current
of extremely weak water Cruel, and was
very apt to excite corresponding emo.
tions Of physiological description in
the auditor.
Thomas Buchanan, his great picture,
is now on exhibition in this city. 1t is,
in one sense at least, a great picture;
some two hundred or more
square feet of canvas, which, in its orig
inal state, was not without real value |
In one sense, also, it is high art; being
located In one Of the upper stories of a |
Of no Insignificant altitude. 1t
s furthermore, in one sense, a very ine |
painting; the hues being brilliant enough |
10 convey the most intense satisfaction |
10 the heart of Lowell calico-printer.
II is work Of genius also a revolution
lry work, in which the old and musty
,anons Of the pictorial art-the tradi-
ions of ages of medieval barbarism-
nave been boldly and wisely disregarded.
This is perceptible especially in the per
'pective; wherein a degree of justice
hitherto unknown has been done to the
This is effected by making
he figures in the back about the same
Iize with those in the foreground; athing
which no artist Of modern times-at least
Iince the age of Hogarth-however emf
ient, has dared to execute
The figures in the foreground are the
TASTY Sheridan, mounted upon his heroic
,harger; those in the background are the
taft, also mounted. Here, again. in
ustice is done TO the horse Of the story;
or il other horses performed the same
Quincy in the same time, the glory
Which you'd otherwise attach to the one,
must be divided among several. SO of
be men; If not one, but Q dozen, rode
Wenty miles, where is the specially
which makes the act exceptionally
In one respect Justice has been done
o the charger; the artist has given to
lis countenance force and determine
ion which he has denied 70 that Of the
lder; bat, as If to compensate for this,
q has bestowed upon the quadruped an
assortment Of limbs, which, however
tplking in their arrangement, would be
ut 20 operate ine0syeniently in practice,
nd render the work Of locomotieu rather
'icfaresque than progressive, In the
ttitnde Of the mounted general, however,
e has risen high into the regions of
'oetic inspirations representing him as
furnishing his sword in q distracting
manner, as If contemplating an assault
pom the undefended rear Of the flying
nimal. In conclusion, we feel COM
,elled 10 confess that we have done but
inadequate justice TO the very remarka-
lie picture and its very remarkable au-
hor, who, we hope, viii be more than
ompensated for our deficiencies by the I
Judgment Of an intelligent and appreci-
tive public.
The way Colorado deacon laid up
In heaven is thus touchingly | I
.....l.i an lii forn hsfnnn. when Ill I