The Portland daily press., 1878-12-14
Yorick's Drawer

terested IN it will delight 10 an artists proof
OF Bellows's "Village Elms" that is now the
ornament of one of our art stores. 1t is a
singularly fine engraving OF noble picture,
and will be revelation of the graver's art to
people who have only seen the thousandth
or even the hundredth impression struck
from the plate. There is a great d. al of
comfort in possessing an artists proof not
only on account of its intrinsic fineness, but
because of its rarity. One knows that du-
plicates are not much easier to secure than
replicas of famous paintings. It makes one
feel rich, too, for he knows that he owns a
costly thing. and has the signature of artist
and engraver for proof. Let no one on the
strength of this mention hasten to secure
"The Elms," and treat himself to the emo
tions above described; for alas the engrav-
ing is marked "sold."
Foreigners sometimes say, referring to
the sharp IS" sounds that load down our
tongue, that one must lisp and hiss in order
to speak English. In their mouths certainly,
the popularity is accentuated. The sibi-
lants are more apparent, perhaps, be-
cause more stress is put upon them
by the effort of the speaker to pro-
nouoce difficult or unfamiliar sounds.
Do We do the same with foreign tongues,
and throw the French nasals UP against the
sounding board with unnecessary violebce,
and draw the German gutturals from the tips
of our toes, and actually sneeze when we
sputter Russian?
Perhaps the man who is subjected to the
most Unfair criticism is the man who has
been unfortunate in business and is forced to
avail himself of bankrupt laws. He and his
people are subjected to merciless scrutiny. In
the days OF his prosperity his family was well
cared for. His wife had fine clothing, his
children expensive toys. The day after the
failure the wits has occasion to 60 into the
streets aud throws cameps hair shawl over
her shoulders. Then what cry is raised |
People do not stop for moment to consider
that it may be the only shawl she has, and
that she has not dollar with which to buy
cheaper covering. Or the little girl may be
found playing with a French doll, and some
one groSls, Il pay all my dehts and can,
afford to buy French dolls for my children"
The child has had the toy a long time, and it
will be many day before she has new one
perhaps not until years hence she buys one
for her own children.
Tie death of the aged geutewoman and
last descendant of two honorable New Eng
land families, mentioned In the PRESS yes
terday calls to Yorick's mind striking illus
tration of snobbery. This is the chYonique
scandaleuse: The members OF an old family,
of the same name. singularly enough, as she
whose ancestry w. G.. traces, while in strait
ened circumstances were approached by a
rich man of some note in the business and
political world of neishboring common
wealth who wished to buy the family por-
traits Of worthless Of the Colonia! and Revoiu-
tonary days. The prosperous man was Of
the same name but not Of the blood. Appar-
emily he felt the need of ia nily behind him.
A claim of long descent would advance his
social standing if not his political ambition.
However that may be the portraits were
bought and hung in his halls, and thereafter
he pointed to them with pride as the pictured
semblances Of his forefathers-men OF note
in tho old Commonwealth. The artifce is
certainly an improvement On the custom said
to obtain in some circles of having family
portraits and other relics made to order.
GA Digent Reader" who is pleased to
express a kindly interest in the Drawer asks
Yorick to give the passages from Ruskin, De
Quincy, and Raleigh, mentioned last week.
Sir Walter Raleigh's apostrophe to Death, to
be found in his History OF the World, is this
80 eloquent, just and mightie death, whom
none could advise, thou hath persuaded
what none bath dared, thou hath done and
when all the world hath flattered, thou only
hath cast out OF the world and despsed.
Thou hath drawne together all the fame
stretched greatness, all the pride, crueltle,
and ambition OF men. and covered it all over
with these two narrow words, Hic jaces."
The passage from DE Quincy that Yorick
had especially in mind is a comment upon
the well-known sentences in the Urn Burial
"Now since these bones have rested quietly
in the grave under the drums and tramplings
Of three conquests" &c. De Quincy ex-
claims:
"What melodious ascent as OF prelude
to some impassoned requiem breathing from
the pomps of earth and from the sanctities
OF the grave! What fuctus deeumanus OF