The New York herald., 1873-10-27
The Queen Of England Corresponds
with Him Familiarly.
HIS INTIMACY WITH THE ARISTOCUACY.
His Method and Manner
: of Work.
HIS INSANITY AND DEATH.

may be said to have equaed him in their delinea.
tions OF CATTLE anG Snyder In his rendering OF wild
beasts, there were many phases Of animal life In
which Landseer was by far their SUPERIOR, died
this morning, at his residence, No. st. Johns
Wood road. Had his death occurred some three
years ago O vast amount of surprise and grief
would have been exhibited; for. although then ap-
preaching the number OF years allotted to man by
the Psalmist, the great artist In the zenith OF
his power, and his right hand seemed to have lost
none Of the cunning which had won him 80 much
glory in former days. But about that time dire
afliction fell upon him-the afliction which has
befaen so many great men who have worked too
hard or lived too freely-a soltening Of the brain, a
loss OF reason.
From Marlborough's eyes see tears OF dotage how,
And Swift exoires a drivellcr and a show.
Not that Landseer ever worked too hard or ex-
ceeded in any way. Though during his career he
produced an enormous number of pictures. he re-
membered the whoesomeness OF the Horatan say
ing, "NeQ1e sen,per drcum tendn Apollo" and
was in the habit Of spending his autumn holidays
in the Highlands where, being keen sportsman
as well as an admirable talker, he was welcome
guest in the best families. The blow took effect
gradually His manner was noticed by his friends
to have become odd; he was restless and could
not bear the thought OF remaining any length OF
time in one place. He would suddenly come to his
excellent and attached friend, Mr. I. II. Hills, and
insist upon their setting of at once for Brighton,
for Hastings, anywhere for change. Then he
grew irritable, morbid, morose, and, when there
was no help for 1t, he was relegated to the
care OF keeper and kept In seclusion In his own
house. There is something inexpressibly touching
In the thought that this man, whose
genius had made him the darling Of society
and the friend OF royalty (he was o
frequent visitor at Osborne and Balmoral, and tho
Queen in writing to him was accustomed to com.
mence her letters "Frend tandseer'D. whose
works have been the delight of at least two gener
ations OF the inhabitants ofthe globe-you have
them by hundreds OF thousands IN America and
have never yet entered O continental city OF any
size without seeing Landseer print In some shop
window or on some inn wall-tnat this man should
be wearing out the remainder Of his life solitary and
insane. A iearful plight, indeed! Well might old
Samuel Johnson put up his mighty prayer to God
that the doom OF madness might never fall upon
him In Landseer's case there was some slight
mitigation Of the dread sentence. For the last lew
months OF his life he was so far recovered as to be
able to understand what was passing around him
and to receive visits from one or two intimate
friends. But 1t was obvious that anything like
physa n cases anacy was In a
most daily attendance, and the event which took
place TINS morning may oe looked upon as q com.
do not propose to give you catalogue
raisOnR6 Of his works, nor to enlarge upon such
bold facts In his life as can be iound in any bio
graphical dictionary. ! would prefer touching
the pleasure OF his acquaintance, giving my per.
sonal recollection of him. Perhaps the, most
adelity to nature. was it's beauty, There, is
scarcely one OF his conceptions which is not i'm
timent which he throws into his representations
OF dumb creatures is wonderful. There Is no book,
domestic p patos % is more % Beautifully @ portrayed
than in the "Highland Shepherds Chief Mourner,"
and Its Won Paqe the e pog tine
'War," with the dying charger, the dead dragoon
the distant smoke-enshroqded carnage. and what
day on the margin OF the cliffs. the children
playing about and the harmless sheep
cannon, across the mouth of which (mark the pre-
Rapheete toucnD stretches spiders Web
q4 OF se sns
uprears his lofty head and and proudly snifrs the
an5 % ns sbs s
scarcely less remarkable than the animals. With
the peculiarites. the lights and shades, the deep,
thoroughly familiar. l have mentioned his visits
to Balmoral but years before BalmoraI was built
Highlands ON deer-sr alking expeditions, and at
Mar Lodge, the shooting box OF the Earl OF Fite in
A6erdecnshre and the highest inhabited gentle
sketches which he presented to lis host bur heads
OF the deer which he shot; He was also frequent
OF the late and the present Duke OF sutherland.
In the earlier part OF the Queens reign Landseer's
pencil was constantly engaged in her service
sketches Of herself and Prince Albert OF her horses
and dogs were made In rapid succession indeed, it
somewhat OF his independence, and he incurred
considerable amount OF ridicue by the introduce
ton of portrait OF Prince Albert's hat, gloves
and cane in one OF his pictures, 1t Is great mis-
take to imagine that he was only successful in his
representation Of animals; he had a Keen eye for
ness the female head IN the LADY and the
Spanieln and Titania III the midsummer Nights
ever been SUI surpassed. This picture cont Contains EXAM
pies Of all his best work. Note the superb texture
maszs Ssr ne m soe sa
bury your hand, and their luminous pink eyes and
the quaint weird efeSt a, o. the little pixies and
merit was about the average. One OF himself,
with dog looking over each shoulder-a picture
good, but little nattered; one OF his father. ex.
hibited some fifteen years ago, was really great
painting one is reminded Of pleasant
anecdote OF sydney Smith. The celebrated wit
had been ha y Lad Holland to
the artist as an aplma painter he had Invariably |
declined. Az length. when personaIly- pressed by
this thngS"
When only five years old he was sent by his father
into the suburbs to study donkeys, sheep and |
s se s 1e In ss
tached to his house were frequently TO be found |
smas deer Burmese S COWS r Snd ehsr i've STOCK
there was no more constant visitor TO the Zoo. |
logical Gardens to which he had admission ut all
times when other people were excluded and where |
he was thoroughly well known by all the Keepers, |
and verify believe by many OF the animals. His |
studies OF the lions which adorn the pedestals OF |
the Nelson statue in Trafalgar square were made |
here and were afterwards carried out by him In |
the studio OF his friend, the eminent sculptor, |
Baron Marochetti.
There is no good portrait OF Sir Edwin Landseer
extant. His own attempt was, as / have said |
before, somewhat nattered, and ! never recollect |
having met with one Of his photographs IN an |
album or shop window. Curtously enough, Mr.. |
Telbin, the Punch artist, whose ikenesses are gen.
orally excellent, failed In Sir Edwin. His cartoon, |
representing Nelson descended from his column |
ana congratulating Landseer on the completion OF |
the lions-a picture which Landseer declared to |
friend was the greatest compliments he had ever |
received In his fe-faed to do justice to the great
academlcian. He was O short, slight man, with |
plain, round face, deep set, twinking eyes, gray
hair and gray mustachc; 3 face by no means ex- |
pressive OF the poWer that was In the man. but