New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-05-19
TIE PORT-ARTIsT.
Obituary Notices of the Late Thomas BIZ
chanan Read.

2 | ObAbAhAy NOAACGS u siC AAdtc ABUAAAhB Nh
1 chanan Read.
From the New York Tribune we copy tn,
! following brief biography of Mr.. Thoma
: Buchanan Read, whose death was an
3 nOunced several days since:
Mr.. Read was native of Chester county
: Pennsylvania, where he was born March II
1922, and was consequently little more
than fifty years of age at the time of his
, death. His instincts for art were awakened
at an early period, and when only seventeen
years old he entered the studio of a sculptor
In Cincinnati, intending to make that the
profession of his life. He was diverted
from this purpose, however, by the superior
attractions OF painting, although in after
life he occasionally INDUCED in the practice
of sculpture as an amateur, among the
fruits of which was an admirable portrait
bust of General Sheridan, which Ameri-
can visitors in Rome will remember as a
striking ornament of his studio. In
lS4l, he removed to New York, where
he commenced his career as a painter
and subsequently, after a brief resi-
/ dence in Boston, settled in Philadel-
phia in 1876. His first visit to Europe was
made in 1850, since which time, with the ex-
| ception of intervals mostly spent in Cincin-
NATL his home was in Florence and Rome,
| where he was the centre of a large social
circle, dispensing an elegant hospitality on
| the most generous scale, and unWearied in
his attentions to Americans who made
temporary sOjOurn In those capitals. His
studio in Rome, especially, during the last
| few years was the resort of numerous Amer
| lean and English visitors, together with
many distinguished personages from vari-
GUS European countries, who learned to
| prize his portraits and other productions of
his pencil for the delicate refinement
of their execution, and the soft ideal
charm which he threw around his IA
vOrite subjects. His chief pleasure was
in the delineatiOn of scenes of aerial
lightness and grace, though diversified at
times by such pieces as his vigorous por-
trait of sheridan and his Horse" which
has attained almost equal celebrity with
his singularly popular poem on "Sheridan's
Ride" His most successful paintings are,
perhaps, "Undine," ''The Lost Pleiad,"
''The Star of Bethlehem" and others of a
similar character, which exhibit a peculiar
unity of conception amid every variety of
detail. Mr.. Read was also known by his
poetry, which, for the most part, presents
the same traits as his paintings, and which
has given him an honorable rank among the
minor poets Of this country.
His first collection of poems was pub
lished in Boston in l847, which was followed
by volume OF " Lays and Ballads" in
lS4S, and an illustrated edition of his poems
in 1853. Two years later he brought out his
most elaborate poem, "The New Pastoral"
/" The Home by the Sea " was issued in
1856, and a new collective edition of his
poems in 1860. Of his miscellaneous pro
auctions, the patriotic lyric of "Sheridan's |
Ride" written in 1864, has attracted the |
most attention, both by the interest of the |
subject and the fervOr of its composition. |
Since that time Mr.. Read has written little |
for the press, except occasional fugitive |
productions, which bear the impress Of the /
gracefulness and elegance OF |
his mind.
eli Perkins," in the New York CONNER
cioE Advertiser, writes
There was always splendid boyishness
about MIR. Read. In life he was the life |
and light of every circle which his presence
graced. His sparkling puns are the stock
in trade of the Cincinnati clubs, and his
witty repartees are the talk in American
literary and army circles.
Once at the meeting of the Cincinnati
Sketch Club it was customary to give out
practical texts from LOngfellow, Whittier
1r TennysOn to be illustrated by the artists.
On one occasion the lines from Evangeline:
And every house was an inn, where each guest
was welcomed and feasted"
ell to Mr.. Read. 1t was such a queer pas
age that the ts-Frankenstein, The.
Jones and Kellogg-all looked at Read, as
NUN Do " Dcsgs ANOH you NO RuG d puA-
.lerp In few moments the pOet-artist
inished his sketch
What have you got, Read ?" they asked.
And every house was an inn,' he re-
,eated and then held up picture of Crest
inc, with two trains arriving, while every
,ody was ringing bells, whanging gongs,
md crying, dinner, dinner, dinnerl'" :
While in New Orleans, Sheridan invited
read to come and see him. For several
ays Phil and Read run the town, and then
he General got up big dinner to the honor
+ the poet. At this dinner were the wit,
Hood and beauty of the Crescent City. = =
'uns, repartee and saucy anecdote held
arrival 1t was Wallack and Miss Jen. y
lngs In the morning call, each struggling :
o say the best thing
After few courses and Phil had toasted 9
he historian of the "Ride," Read leaned l
onward, and took hold of an empty de-
anter of sherry.
Now" said the poet holding the de- I
anter bottom upwardl "this is sherry done,
ut l propose to till sherry done ~ Phil. I
heridan.) Then he handed the decanter I
} the waiter.
Speaking of Kirby Smiths defeat of Banks 9
nd capture of his suffers supplies and g
amp chests, Read said Smith was like
harOah's daughter. y
"HoW?" asked Sheridan.
"Why, because he found little profit in -
le Tushes on the Banksp' :
Once ProbascO, and 10 LongwOrth, and L
rOesbeck, or some of those rich Cincin- y
atians who have splendid art galleries, :.
'ked Reads advice about buying Franken- 4
ems Niagara. =
''Why, yes" says Read, ''if had the =.
Oney I'd go by it right Off 81
PRETTY COMPLIMENT.
Once the poet was dining at the writer's W
ster's, in Cincinnati. The handsome Gen. fl
al Hooker was there, with his uniform all W
egrimed with smoke from ninety cannons Ell
Nashville; and on the same side was the d.
'me!y Sherman, who Mark Twain said VI
nlled once and broke saueer-smiled ey
gam, and smash went plate-and Mrs. bI
eneral Lander, whose gallant Fred had m
in. A'1ON NV 81
me ride was the agony in Cincinnati then, an
Ghey asked Read to read it. Mrs. Lander M
~ itII sne mad never heard the poet read it. tn
NOW, 90 read it, Mr.. Read; do favor di
rs : Lander la = urged my sister, handing the tn
81 wish did favor Mrs LANDER - renIied tn
ead, as quietly as if he had not paid Mrs. ru
lnder the sweetest compliment.
Once Read was dining in company with
r. and Mrs. Senator Pugh. The Senator | az
rs noted, like General Nye and Mr. Wah &c