The New York herald., 1876-01-31
LITERATURE.


nails In two volumes. London: Chatto X Windus.
New York: scribner, Wexford h Armstrong.
The present rage with the reading public for per-
sonal recolections, the gosspy and the nearer
the verge Of the scandalous the better Since the
"Groville Memoirs" there has been nothing published
that has met with more enthusiastic welcome than
Hayaon's correspondence and Table Talk" The me-
moir by his son is interesting throwing light upon
the life OF an artist VINO was perhaps, mistaken, and
certainly misunderstood Hayden was a man with
one idea, but he was honest with it, He believed that
he was born to be reformer and he did work a
revolution in the public mind tho subject OF pic
lures He considered that English art was snubbed
and unapprecated he set TO work to prove that 1t
was just good any other, and only
wanted encouragement He man who
believed in ginning at the moon, even
though you fen short OF the mark
Mono but the grandost historical subjects ever found
place his canvas and these were generally painted
life or heroic size He set down by his contempo-
rares a 'young enthusiast term of the highest
Opprobrum in the mouth OF an Engishman That art
unapprecatcd in his country he believed to be for
the reason that tho people knew nothing Of its first
principles So he hammered away at the government to
establish art schools anu art galleries worthy of the
nation. He wanted tho schools TO form part of the
national system of education, but TO DO independent
For iorty-two years he fought for the accomplishment
of this object, and he fought singehanded Hayden
lived 10 see his plans carried out with regard the
establishment of schools of design London Though
It was through him that employment given TO
artists in the decoration of the Houses of Parliament
he had no hand IN the work. Brokenhearted with
peated rebuis and discouagements, he died in the
primo Of life by his own hand.
Hayden great painter His strength lay In
his conceptions; they always grand ana proved
10 be n ma Of mi nd and pi IJo
ceedingy clever with his pen, and he never appeared
in print but to purpose. His literary style is
vigorous and straightforward and remarkably lucid
The reader viii revel when, after perusing the ad-
mrable memoir, he strikes upon the Correspondence
and Table Talk" Among the former a number OF
heretofore unpublished letters from Keats Wke
Southey, Wordsworth, Kissup, Lamb, Leigh Hunt
Landseer Horace smith, Goethe, Mrs Siddons Sir
Walter Scott Taourd, jeffrey, Miss Milford Macready
Mrs. Browning Halam and others. There are also
portraits of Hayden by Keats and wikie and portraits
of Keats and wilkie by Hayden.
If Hayden had been good painter as he was
writer there would have been doubt as to his po-
ston As letter writer he had few equals. His cor
respondents we're among the famous people OF his
time, all of whom express admiration for his cause If
not for his work Literary men who were not innu
enced by professional jealouses in him great
mind and master spirit, and they could fail
see tho man in his work They caught the feeling in
his pictures and sympathized with that Among his
earliest and dearest friends was
HUNT
He was actually in love with him. II ono man can be
said ever to be in love with another But in later
years he grew despise him. and spoke OF him as tho
evil genius of his life In OF hrs letters to Wkie
Hayden says OF Hunt, though she is not deep in
knowledge-moral, metaphysical classlcal-yet he
the alert he is ike one of those instruments ON
thfee legs which, throw how you win always pitches
on two. and has spike sticking forever up and ever
ready for you. He sets at q subject with scent hike
pointer He is a remarkable man, and created SEN
saton by his Independence, his courage his dsinter-
ssedness in public Matters by the truth acuteness
and of his dramatic criticisms he raised the rank
Of newspapers, and gave, by his example, literary
feeling, to the weekly especially As poet
think him full OF the genuine feeling His third
ranto Rmini is equal to anything in any language
Of that sweet SORT As man ! know none
with such an aiectonato heart il opposed to his
opinions Later he speaks of Hunt having been
The ruin both OF himself and Keats He says;-"Keats
said to OF Leigh Hunt IL is great pity that people
by assocating themselves with things spoil them;
Hunt has damned Hampstead, Masks sonnets and
Italian tales 4" These letters very tree and out
spoken and the writers do not hesitate say what
they think which is the piqgante Of the feast
HAYDoS IN PARIS
Ono Of the best letters in the book Is the one in
which Hayden writes to Hunt OF his visit to Paris
with Sir David wilke:-
The moment wilkie and had placed our trunks in
our hotel We sailed the Louvre The gallery of
pictures was Shut 80 We walked about and conteIn-
plated the building in its various positions There is
something grand In the extension Of It's square, but
the building itself is mean small windows by
thousands and chlmneys by hundreds make II moro
like model In wood for larger building than like the
palace itself This was my impression. Alter
Sauntcrng about TILL night went TO bed and at ten
the next morning were at the Louvre door. To be
quite sure about II had gone down about six A. NJ,
and had inquired OF National Guard, who, with the
most gcntlemanlike manner, entered into converse
ton about England and the war; about Bonaparte and
the Revolution, and, can tell you, In a that
you would have been surprised my dear Hunt 10 meet
with in a militiaman in England. After breakfast
down went kept thinking ms l went along,
'Am going TO see the TRANSPORTATION 2 " and then
had a sort OF whir in my head. On walked The
first thing that convinced that at the Louvre
was the politeness OF the attendant at the door,
who without looking through you for half hour,
with us, took my umbrella and opened the door l
jumped two steps Again the TRANSPORTATION" darted
through my BRAIN and was angry At my own tard
Away went three scps-the 'Pietro Martyre"
TOO; four-Correggios '''St Cathcrine;" five, and,
breathless TO the top. In was in and
left wikie trotting his usual pace. The first glance
Ing affected felt quite cool There Is nothing grand
In the first glance Tho gallery is on the same childish
inordnate length. and instead OF looking large 1t
looked small, and had the effect on the mind as
when one looks through the wrong end OF spyglass
Frankly tell you also the TRANSPORTATION" was not
what had expected to find in effect They have ruined
the picture by cleaning but It is only the effect they
have ruined for the expressions are Raphaops Then
drank I'll my faculties were drowned There is
Coneggo there which no language on heaven or earth
could do justice TO- II is smpe subject, but how he
has treated l II Is the Marriage OF ST. Catherine"
NAPoLEoS's SECRET CLOSET.
He describes visit to Ramboullet the hunting seat
Of the kings OF France From the drawing room he
Sntcted twilight room OF small dimensions. This
Napoleous private closet for repose and re-
lection where he used 70 retire when exhausted, and
10 which no one was admitted but the Empress. The
little room seemed complete llustratoa OF tho mind
and feelings OF this extraordinary Opposite tho
window elegant arch, under which stood most
luxurious satin couch with the softest pillows Round