, 1877-10-06
The Flora Round About Chicago /:
The Olive Family.--" Mich
Cows" of the Ants.


eouraeInR Sfr. Tbornhury to undertake the task,
rs7c him bit Of important alvlcc. "F!x ut
,hc bcginntug," he wsotc, the following main
characteristics Of Turner In your mind, Us the
keys tu tho secret Ut all lie said aud did:
Eprlghtnes.
geNtrosHy.
TtnaItrness OF heart (extreme),
.S7tsma'itN.
Ubstindey textreme).
IrritqsNHy.
IuadaNY
And be sure that he knew Ills own power, and
felt himself utterly AoLc In tho world from It's
not bc!ng understood. Don't try tu n,ask tho
dark s!lr."
During four years nftcr The reception OF these
xorIs from yls. Ruskln, Mr. ThoruburY laIored
diligently II, the collection anh arrangement Of
materials for tho contemplated biography.
Every facility was afforded him which one could
lo}c tO have wllo 1lad not enjoyed the adva1l-
tatc of Ill actual acquaintance with the man
wluse life ilc was ambitious of nortruYlnR. Tur-
lis mut!tudnous pict!ircs a,!'l sketcll-houks,
for the use Of Il bio9rMpllcr. 1ic Ind been too
busy trInscrtbiuE the m{raeles Of Nature to
keep petty account. Of Ills own daily
ss' r. ~, u ,n, m paSes ses OF Given ora x,t"1 sa
tsre. hut the friends who survived him, gratt-
fel to show to tho best Ut their ability what
manner Of tnan lle was who huu won their
hearty atIectlon as we'll as admiration. freely
eusc Mr.. Tllornbury tho store Of anecdotes and
"reminiscences III their posecssinn, and III every
waY puss,bic aided hin to Nil understanding VI
Turner's peculiar traits anl habits.
Painters, c1graScrs, art-crltlcs, nrt-dealers,
project et,-furtlshing nccdtul evidence conccrn-
pG thu date, tho saics. and the final disposition
Of Turner's pictures, with useful faets relating
to tho hlstury Of engraving md painting In En-
advance vi these arts during Ills time, and by
lis efforts. The ,uass OF Information referring
10 the distinguished artist thus gathered t.
Eether by sfr. ThosnbuFy was scrupulousIy
e''GtatSa a s to Ia 1s.. a!s *'it 4 Viz ia SsHa Ss4aa
md interest. But, unfortunately, ho WHO
bad succeeded 80 well In collecting essential
aatcrals for his design had not the capacity t.,
'!s!l elects With tl'rn. lie did tho test ho
tonll, which WIS 70 1ay Ills Information before
lie reader, but In loose, confused manner,
calculated to convoy tnuistflict and often coil
ss1dhtory tlnurcssions. lie did nut himself
comprehend tho tdl1syncrastes Ut Turncr's
genius. the ecccntrlcittea of his disposition:
how could lie Interpret them to othcrsi In nt-
tempting to reveal the tnotivcs of the artlst's
trruttc conduct, he grpeA biindly: for hts own
mind WIS IN tho dark. md llts judgments wero
vaa to do ltistfec to q unique md magnificent
Ecnlus AMI his sympatllics md conscience wcru
bot'! earnestly. enlisted; but he wantcl tho
Fcacll and tho kcc1ncss VI Insight that would
enable him to nnalyzu and tstMntc correctly
thu conflicting and complicated cieil,eiits OF q
singular. mysterious, powerful individuality.
Turner IL nut to bu measured by the stanl-
tvds .Gt for cola'noa men. liz was that strange,
the manifestations of which seeM beyond tho
ontto VI ordinary lnws. Why should the vaIn
tNort bo peTststcd III of holding ttlcm subject
70 c"1ntHonplaee eustu.ns, ansl to tho tribunal
erciy ,'errcd In his art null III his lIfc, for tho
thie! rcasOa TINT In both ho departed from the
Usual methods, aud was, therefore, stlspectct!
xnd misunderstood. 1t was not Agreeable, 1t
Has nut nntural, to hin totlisciose tho secret
nature: To a curious public; und the public
ileyer fGrEave htM. lie was most singular In
h!s tastes and l.ublts. Ilo luycl solttu.u,-liko
most ar'lct!t wursllipcrs ot Nuturc,-anl hate,l
H. cascl nothing for sumptuous living anu 70
!nea e'lrrnnnll'Es- Ills paEcnts were obscure
lsaple. Ills fathcr wis l,slr1resser, with no
Mt Waa ,rastsn; amyS The saving OF hatEcnny. lIe
IL as - y ynTs s s's9 s a I txn! s
snsS ~ snsso vraetiecs. Ills mother was
Turner ", Was st,ll . young lad. Inheritance &C
tlp6. '' "~~e'0''
Before he l'asl come ot age, Ills heart vas
wrung and hfh ra'nl c,nhlttcrei by a ,li.snnn,t.
,si' wtn xhan II 1"Hs, @ , Tn n,,,, gr
hls lcstets from ller during q sennrn;fon ~ twn
jraFs; and, when ut Inst thcy met. shs ,Sas NJ,
tho eve VI n,arIiagc for thu sake Of fr.rdom. NJ.
iis 'rsA int"1eraeY t tytanny. Turner was not ths
@ c s "sc % q y Ses vi ns s oos ss4 drs b. had
hls affections to y woman. A seconI dian.
l1intnient-tls TING, II Il said, Tie rcsult II
l!s want nf outrage to nlake q proposal-Husliv
,s.,iea tug matter oi iis eyioaey; and dooned
TURNER ~as accused nt being mserlY; bnt Ga
eavcd ani accumulated property that he mtvht
beqAeatl II to no'lc charity. llo had Ieea
oppressed by art-1ea'ers III hIa youth and
hs showed tile tenar!ty ct his Re-.
stentnIcnt by stern ami small exaettons.
UT hIs trie,lis and hls blowrapbcr testify that
H. hs vas inexor4bly lusf,-t'rnahdlng only tl,at
Which, wa llis dac, ,-.and that he could be aobly
ge'!rrous. But this man. who wus " ceusurc1
aI't :uadeInnea by critics and ',clllers oi, every
ia1Id, never himself lnetldletl With, Or passed
{uagmcht upon, any one. saTs QUO Ut hts few
.lte.sog friends. "sty ureat Intimacy with hlu,
Arose FROM hs coniilrnre that / had no leaire
10 KNOW lis secreta. centro his ertionk, OF suE-
Fest changca III Ills course Ut life. lie never
ta,eelere! with or condemned the habits Ut
olhrts, Il he thought them Incorrect, 4e was
sleat OIL tho subject; and, II my excuse or pal
.l ,l!soi voulA bu lnasic, he was always ready to
aesept, adopt, and t1alnulgate thu excuse.
nessf heard him speak i'll Of auy oae." The
.unaolaleuA ~. Testimony III all who knew him Ia 70
~ .ae s aaac effect: II never beard him speak III
a,n. was denied the gift Of speech, anu Or
olnaiuY said but little, and that III the fewcst
poss!ble wortls. But, II be spukc 1t nil og the
~ f,A o. bsotheF:arttst, It WIS always In terms
~ iie had no le2luusleJ, and no desire
nS1l paintcrs.