The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-08-26
LETTER FROM BOSTON.

great senator is matter for wonder. No one
not even those the least acquainted with the
sculptor's art can fail to be impressed with the
complete failure of the exhibition of models for |
the proposed Sumner memorial. Not one of
| them gives any idea of the splendid figure of
| the man who was himself not insensiblc to his !
claims to admiration on account of his noble |
| proportions. He declared that none of his |
| early portraits gave correct idea of his size. |
| Then again, not one model gives satisfactory
| likeness OF his face. This is strange, nasmuch |
| as Millmore has made two splendid busts of |
| him, which are accounted unrvalled. and for |
| the modelling of which he had the best oppor- |
| tunities afforded to any artist. This contribu-
| ton, however, does not compare with either of
these efforts, although it is of the few least
Objectionable in the collection. Undoubtedly
his advantages for executing the work are s,l-
perior to those of any other Marshall W GODS,
of Londen, Perry, and Miss Whitney are among
the others whose models are deemed the fair
est. Ball has not done himself credit. On the
| whole those ulptors who are represented by
no design in the exhibition, have reason to con-
| graduate themselves Il blemish saved to
their reputation; but it is scarcely commend
able in them to put themselves so ahsurdly out
| to LET it be known, as some have done. The
origin of the models was to have been withheld
| from the public, but the committee seem per
| tectly willing to ASST gu their authorship. |
used often to see sumner, during the legisla-
tive vacation before his death, seated lt one Of
the tables at the Athcnaeum library, with
| pile of books before him, engaged in the rcVis-
| i,,,, pfI II L.
these sculptors had seen him then, the figures of
dwarted old men. dapper youths, and alder
manic portlness. surmouned with craniums OF
every conceivable shape but that Of his own
| broad-broWed, rugged featured, Shaggy-locked
and grandly-poised head, that now deSecrate
| this exhibition, would have been spared us.
| Who, that remembers Summers own account Of
his sensitreness to Thackeray's criticism of the
! Washington statues can avoid wondering with
what feelings he would regard this collection,
the larger number of the contributions to which
represent the work of men who only seem to
know that they were to make sitting statue
| of Il man.
The meeting of the New England Bookshelf
ers' Association attracts attention to that bust
ness, which seems also to be suffering from hard
times. The fact is, thi, branch Of trade is quite
in 4 demoralizcd condition, and the retailers
| begin to fear that their occupation is gone. A
| very large number of persons outside of the
| trade buy their books ut wholesale prices, of
which the retail books eers complain. But
| they, in their turn, have INDUCED in the UNI
| healthy practice of deductlag all the way from
| five to sixty per cent, according TO the knoWl-
| edge, demands, and position Of their customers.
The result is, that the time has come when slack
sales and small profits are united, and the out
| look is dubious. In the mean time, few new
books are announced Authors increase and
| multiply, to be sure, rs lecturers do, but their
productions are by no means commensurate
with their own estimate of them. A new au
thor is said to be most always confident of sue
cess, and ''would by no means desire publica-
ton" if he or she We're not "confdent Of at least
a demand for 10000 copies" The average cir
culatiOn of published works is 300 copies. y
new author counts largely on his friends-to the
boosted extent of certainly three hundred. But
; when asked to prepare 4 list of those he can
depend on, in nine cases out of ten he cannot
name twenty-five persons. At Il single pub
average rate of two Il day and they are refused
in almost the same proportion. The duty of Il
manuscript reader, it may be imagined under
these circumstances, is far from onerou, or
pleasant. Yet | am informed that from one
line to tive pages decides the fate of new
book and its would-be author. Lee & Shep-
herd have just gone to press with the four
teenth thousandth of Mr.. iIigginson's Young
Folks History of the United States 1t has
proved more successful than any of his other
books. and will vet reach an edition of over
10000. But even with such sale the author
only realizes about $4,000 Therefore, it will
be seen that fame i, the chief compensation of
the majority of authors
4 laughabe case of matrimonial mtclcity
has recently occurred in an adjacent suburban
town, which shows that there are some possi-
bilities that cannot be included in the ''betcr
OF worse" complexion of the marriage state.
The three months bride was the petted daugh-
ter of wealthy gentleman. All her wishes
had been gratilied by both father and mother.
OF course in due time she came to think that TO
have 4 little home of her own would be 50
nice" See never thought That there need be
| Ill
dwelling IN which She had been reared, where
plenty seemed to spring as naturally as the
grass on the lawn. She was wooed by an enter
prising youth Of the town who kept a grocery
store, and of whom it seemed to be The general
impression that he would get on" Whether
his choice of . wife was dictated by this get
ting on" spirit ls not certain, but was doubt
less dominating influence. At all events, the
honeymoon Of the youthful pair was uncom-
monty short. Something, the gossps said, was
wrong. ana this became the confirmed opinion
when the young bride left her new husbands
home and went back to the protection and sup
port of her parents. What was it all about:
IncompatibiIity of temper? Not exactly. The
bride was determined that there should he no
secret about the affair, 50 she plainly stated
that her lord and master had not provided
enough for her to eat. If that young man had
formed the theory that women do not eat TO
live, he now knows it to be 4 deuSion and a
| snare.
Mr.. Murrays new religious paper, :" The
Golden Rule, !" the initial number of which Is
to appear the 9th Of October, is doubtless Il
part of the business enterprise of which the
new Independent religious society is the ioun-
dalton. The whole thing looks like an imita-
ton of Plymouth church, The Christian Union,
&C.. and the head of these-the minister, editor
and lecturer. The publication of the Park
Street sermons was failure. Why should
there be more hope for the Music Hall ones:
| Mr.. Murray as Il writer is unfortunate in rat
ing his productions higher than the reading
public. Indeed, he is himself like plant quite
fair and graceful, which has lost all its little
strength and original attractiveness by PERM
eious forcing He was in town yesterday dash
ing along the street with huge portmantcau,
and clad in n silver gray alpaca buster and an
| ayneption,Iv hroa, GRAY felt hat and draw mo