Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1873-11-28
Thomas Nasrs Lecture.

nouned caricaturist, Thomas Mast =
The lecturer began by speaking of tn,
appreciation of humor which is an attri
butte of the human race, man being th
only being which can laugh. He illus
trates his point by rapidly sketching OIL
the screen laughing man. Monkeys
though causes of fun in others, are inca
pable of it themselves, and one who will
take pains to watch the face of mon
key while he is cutting his antics will
notice that it is characterized by an ut
terly woebegone expression. Mr.. Nast
then drew beside this laughing man the
picture of an ape to show how great was
the contrast. To read the works 0,
Englishmen who have been to this coun.
try one would suppose that we we're a
very serious people and incapable Of
fun. Perhaps you would like to see
how an Englishman looks, he said and
he straightway drew traditional Eng.
llshman, with mutton chop whiskers,
eyeglasses" etc., accompanying his
drawing with quietly droll and senten-
tious commentaries. They always have
good large shoes, he said, as he drew
the pedal extremities. Englishmen when
they visit us don't bring the British lion,
but nevertheless we'll put one in and
he drew funny specimen following be-
hind like poodle. In looking over a
book OF jokes published in England he
found half of its contents to be by Amer
lean humorists. He then drew picture
of the typical Uncle Sam," with the
bell-crowned hat. "Uncle Sam had no
eye-glass, but in lieu thereof he quizzed
the Englishman through key, and by a
quick stroke the latter was made to re-
turn most sgonized and savage look
through his glass. An eagle was placed
beside of "Uncle Sam and straightway
the lions tail enlarged to the proportions
VI lrlSuleneu feline s.
Contrary to the English assertion, Mr..
Mast continues, we are very jocular
people, and ike the ancient Greeks we
make jest of DEATH To illustrate his
point he gave few examples taken
from the Western papers collected in a
single day, such as of DIR. who was
killed by the caving in of we'll. it was
said that he should have tended to the
sick and let the well alone, or 60 Drown
ing capacity of the Erie Canal = four
boys week" He went on to speak of
the comic men of the press who perpe-
trate these jokes. One of them, in po-
litically dull season, last summer, start
ed the idea of C@sarism and Immediate
ly 1T was discussed by the press of the
country. But should we have Cesar
he would be so numerically ridiculed by
the press that he would be driven from
the country in thirty days. Modest
man that he was, he felt equal to the
extirpation of a few Caesars himself. He
then drew the ghost of Casarisn, in the
shape of Andrew johnson, with coroneton
his head and gorgeous in silk and ermine,
and by his side he drew the present Ca-
sar, being jackass's head with a fools
cap on, with pair of long legs, and
bodyless, for C@sarism is nobody, he
said.
lie then went on to speak of the art
OF caricature, which is the oldest of pic
torial art. He drew such a caricature
as Briton of old might have made of
the invading Danes, resembling the pic
lures OF the hated masters which wicked
school boys are apt to make. The first
political caricatures were made in the
days of Charles l., and they have at
many times since turned and overturned
ministries and influenced the course of
the British empire. Until late years
the art has made but slow progress in
this country, owing to the difficulty of
bringing caricatures before the people.
The growth of the illustrated press obvi-
ated this. This he modestly said, brought
him to talk about himself, for he believ-
ed he was the first individual in this
country who accepted carioaturing as a
profession-accepted, he said, for in his
youthful days he hoped to become
great historical painter. Seeing Burton
in comedy was what first gave him
love for caricaturing. He drew a pic
ture of Burton as he used to depict him
when a boy. He loved to draw the
comedian in all his favorite characters,
and thus was acquired the taste which
deprived the world of those magnificent
historical paintings he had contemplate
ed.
When about fourteen years old he
went to the editor of an illustrated Jour
nal and boldly told him he wanted to
draw for his paper. He drew an anus
ing sketch of the interview, showing the
look of astonishment and contempt on
the editors face. He was told to 90 to
Hoboken Ferry dock and draw picture