Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-05-08
Written for the IIera'c
mo. So
What "A Merchant Saw in Europe.

FLORENCE, Italy, May :, 1872,
Taking a cab at the DuOmO ''along
the banks where smiling Arno sweeps"
across that stream of fable and of song
four hundred yards outside the Roman
gate and mp the Paggio lmperiale, we
halt in front of great garden shut in hy
an iron fence. The gate has in unpre-
tentiOus lettering, these words "Nilla
Powers. With hOme-like assurance
we pass in and tread the labyrinth OF
walks. Who, than an American, has a
better right to enter here and rcvrl
amidst the profusion of art dclicately
manifest in both garden and studio
We are greeted by one of Mr.. Powers
wOrkmen, who informs us that Mr.. Pow
crs Is in the garden. We recall to mind
an old man we saw among the flower
beds, with skull cap ard beltcd gown.
Not long to wait, for the hale, hearty
Old Yankee gentleman, who cordially
welcomed us with a face all wreathed
in smiles To you who have never seen
Hiram Powers, there are doubtless two
surprises in waiting if your fortune ever
takes you to his studio. One, his re-
markably genial, handsome face, and
another, the haleness and seemingly
long lease of life to this man of sixty
six eventful years. Engaging us with
with most courteous and informal con-
versation, Mr.. Powers said he was born
at Woodstock, Vermont, which place he
has regarded one among the loveliest he
ever knew. In consequence of famine
created by severel years of unpropltious
vegetation, his father and family left
the old Green Mountain State and took
ND their residence in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Mr.. Eckstein of Cincinnati, fostered in
him an early love for sculpture, and
Nicholas Longworth whose memory Mr..
Powers greatly venerates, pecuniarily
aided him to remove to Washington.
There he became associated with Con-
gressmen, and it was John S. Preston of
South Carolina, who furnished him with
funds to remove to Florence, where he
prosecuted his labor with untiring zeal
and great success. When was that? |
asked. ''Thirty-six years ago, he said.
So long a time and you have not been
to American shores in all that interval :
"No!" We can hardly claim yon as
our own, mo more can leopard
change his spots than | my attachment
to nv native land. My work has been
so engrossing, and my home here, and !
advanced in years, shall probably never
realize my hope of seeing America
again. Were l to go, what more would
it be than a meander among the graves
of the dear departed. No doubt | should
be greatly startled at the rapid strides
| of progress in my native land; but
many, many Americans come to see me
| here. and / read much of the United
| States" I found more in his argument
! tl,an | could well gainsay, but Powers
seemed to me like willing exile. | re-
ferred to the original plaster model OF
the Greek Slave which stood near us,
and asked how many copies had been
chiseled. s'Six," he said. 'eThe first
about twentv-six wears ago. Three are
! now Ill ElSldHu anu bAAiSS -
You will remember that the original
was placed on the great exhibition OF
1851 In London. The jury there award
ed me the prize medal, and discussed the
nropriety of special medal for me.
A duplicate in all respects was after
wards exhibited at the Worlds Fair,
| New York, so were the Fishing Boy and
several others of myworks. There the
iurv. who were in part brother artists,
awarded me the lowest of all possible
! eampiiments-a honorable ,s . mention n
The General rejoinder to the success OF
NV Greek Slave, at the London Exhl'
hilton. was set to words in much thli
strain: what might be expected o.
English criticism London is no ar! 'f II
bunal, but rather Paris Happily II ,.
aned 1 out sna Of of1 me BY Prince Dem
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