The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-02-06
STORY. THE SCULPTOR.

i STORY, The SCULPTOR.
1ais ChermIng Ronan Homo. His Poenas,
Ills Statues aaa Els Geniuz--A Life OF
Noble Labor Deliberately Preferred to
Ignobio Ease.
Here and there, redeeming an age of
melancholy, monotony and unloycly
haste, there is to be found g human life
reviving in the nineteenth century tho
1aire. traditions and the richer and
warner faiths Of an earlier time. Es-
Gaping from the bondage Of conventional
custom, and strong enough to stand alone,
such q life arises like beacon of light
from the formless maas of triviality and
money-grubbing which constitutes the
joys of the modern world, and is never to
be entirely dragged down to the level of
the commonplace, nor altogether tarn.
ished by the atmosphere of a corrupt
society Such life will bear the fierce
light that beats upon throne, and glow
the purer for it; it will bear even the
harah scrutiny of common and envious
observance, AID still keep it's greatness
and proportion, because il is what IL il
by the power of its own genius and ma.
ture, and not from any accidental circum.
stance or extraneous influence. Such a
life. 1t may be said without fattery and
in all simple truth, is that of William
story, the American sculptor, in his
Roman home.
In tho palace of the "berbarous Bar
berini"-under the same roof that shell.
tefs the Cenci and the Fornarina Dor.
traits, within the sound of the fountain
and within the sight Of sunrise aud sun
set-the home of this true artist is made
In country moro congenial and natural
to him than that which gave him birth.
When he first arrived in Italy Mr.. Story
was. wont to cay that he felt like the
lrlshmsn who "had had the misfortune
10 be born out OF his native land" To
q man red on classical lore and with an
instructive passion for all the arts, life as
1t is understood in tho United States
could offer but little sympathy or satis-
faction. The Storys are an old New
England family of high standing and
eminence. Waldo Island was given them
in the early days of colonization as a
Grown gilt from the King of England.
and they were men always of high place
and character. His forefathers and bis
father-a Judge of the Supreme Court.
the highest legal Office that an American
can fill-wege famous for their forensic
talent, and were great lawyers. William
Story was intended by his family to be
great lawyer also. But, although he
studied for the bar, and even for some
time followed it as career and wrote
some able legal works, to him nothing l.,
life seemed worth living for but art. A
bronchial affection alarmed his parents
and procured him liberty to follow the
desire of his heart and go to Italy; here
Mt laat he seemed to breathe his 1,atiys
air, and here ne has since continued to
live a life beautiful, noble and useful he.
yond that of most men.
| Worthier Of the Barberini Palace than
is its prince, iwho has torn down its
magnificent tapestries, leaving them to
moth and damp in lumber rooms. be.
cause he prefers French vail papers.)
hr. Story has homo rs characteristic
and as artistic as the heart of any great
artist could desire. The grand old house
is in one of the finest positions, high
above all suspicion Of malaria, command.
ing view from Monte Mario to the Villa
Pamfill Doria, all the city lying between.
You enter by iron gates into O court mu-
aical with the sound of graceful and
lofty column of water that plays in the
garden, proceed up the grand and stately
|
famous Greek lion brought from Pales.
trina, past lines of OLD statues. gray waIla.
solemn and majestic arches, and so np
ward, leaving Cardinal di Lucca's apart
ment beneath you, to the sunshiny rooms
of the second floor. There sort of half
English half Roman home has been
made-English Tor comfort and luxury
of arrangement, Roman for vastness and
breadth of design. It is the abode of
one who may fairly claim, now that
Gibson IS no more, to be the first of liv-
ing sculptors of the Anglo.Saxon race.
What looked at frat glance to him and
his wife too spacious and too desolate for
family use has been wrought, by the com
bined graces of wealth and talent. into
the beau ideal of an artists and q gen.
| tleman's residence. Five or six large
salons open one out OF another, besides
other ANAL and quiet little chambers full
of.books and sunshine. MIR. Story car
ried O large portion Of his fathers library
with him TO Rome, and Ghus has a stu
dents resources always at hand; one
large hall has been built into theatre
for private theatricals, where many de.
lightful evenings have been passed, and
where the amateur ability displayed has
very often approached high art. Indeed.
the whole house has been long famous to
all that Is best in Roman and English
society for its refind hospitalities and
brilliant receptions. In the social and
intellectual gifts of, his wife Mr.. Story
has found q helpmeet singularly fitted
for him, whilst the sympathetic eraces
and musical talents OF mis- daughter inow
by marriage one of the Florentine Pc.
ruzzi) end the f;as p=os:.ise os his sons
have surrounded this wonderfully happy
and gifted man with q home-iife of rare
| perfection. Every year when the warm
| weather comes they go nofthward, usu-
ally to England. But the approach of
winter or of tho red vintage Of autumn
always secs them safely back in their
beloved palazzo, within the sound of the
fountain, ready si:si. tsi:s;- Roman season.
| One glance at MIR. Story's face tells
you that you are looking at no ordinary
man; the broad ard powerful brow has
the yigor Of . strong intellect; The whole
expression has that mingled delicacy and
mastery which are only TO be seen on the
o0uiItsI, ssfiiecs;-; &C these whose liyea ara
spent in great thoughts and high en-
deavors. He is emphatically q Hmany-
sided man." very Greek-like in much of
This temperament, and perhaps only
northern in the ono quality Of taking
palms." which he possesses In rare de-
Igree. In all the circle of the arts moth
fnO ~ r,ay " f,a frt,lvT cold In oI;a,, tr s;,,