Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1872-12-27
The AIdine for january.

This superb enterprise is being steadily
and surely carried forward to an artistic
development that even its most sanguine
friends would hardly have anticipated
The issue for January, coming. as it does
upon the heels ofthe great Christmas num-
Der, might possibly miss some of the atten-
ton which the enhanced artistic value de-
serves. AS the initial number of New
Year, it is most important as sort of JUS
LITIGATION of the expectation excited by the
promises of the publishers in their widely
scattered prospectus. While it would be
hardly possible to note any marked change
in the uniform and unrivaled excellence of
the mechanical execution, which has given
| The Atdine a worldwide reputation, we
| think there is an advance in the art stand
ard Of the designs-at least, it is very evil
dent that the conductors are now able to
give their subscribers designs which, aside
from their intrinsic merit, are interesting
and valuable as expositionS of the style of
our foremost artists. The prospectus gives
list of contributors which includes near
ly all the painters of high standing in the
country, men who have never before con-
descended to come before the public
through the medium of the wood-engraver
| In the January number we have no less
than three large designs from Thomas
Moran, whose large picture Of the Yellow
Stone Valley was purchased by Congress
for 10000. Probably Mr.. Moran is the
strongest man in his line in America, and
the exhibition Of designs from his pencil
was the best card. The Aldjne could pos
sibly have played. Mr.. Moran's pictures
illustrate an article on "The Pictured
Rocks Of Lake Superior" and while they
are all extremely good, the storm scene
Qull page will take the palm as power
full and successful delineation of Nature in
it's sternest mood. Peter Moran, young
er brother &c. Moran, the great marine
painter, is an elder, gives us sketch,
which he entities "The Critics" The ~
dine certainly has had no special reason to
introduce this picture, and from the great
merit of his drawing, we can hardly think
the artists experience at their hands should
suggest such representation of that much
abused class. Still the picture is good
humored, and eminently worthy of the po-
distance, sketching, has left partly finish
GU PlCGule vi LIS edsel, ny tHe uldISlu Vi d
piece of woods-two donkeys, and calf,
and sheep come to inspect. The draw
. ing of the animals is simply perfect and
would make horse laugh, to say nothing
fgood-natured donkeys! John S. Davis,
the rising man on the figure, gives very
pleasing design, "After the Frolic," in
which child of tender years is caring for
the benumbed limbs of still younger spe-
cimen. The kindly parental care which a
slight advantage of age always gives a
child, has been caught, and very happily
rendered by Mr.. Davis, and his drawing
manifests the care and thought which is
characteristic of this artists work, and
which is sure to give him high position
in American art. The literature is varied
and excellent. Mrs. J. G. r. Dorr con-
tributes pleasant sketch, entitled, "Hal's
mistake" and Mr.. William Percival, Ga
dy De Sade's Chaplet," romantic legend,
of which Petrarch's Laura is the heroine !;
Miss Clara F. Guernsey objects, and very
properly, to that brute in fiction, ''The La
dy's Hero;" "Our Noses" is one of the
most entertaining papers we have read in
years; the difference between "Puritans
and Cavaliers" is we'll stated in brief
but scholarly article; and Elton College"
and "The Pictured Rocks are clever de-