New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-09-07

ground, and the right drawn in close to the tree
root with the foot resting Its outer or right
side under the left limb The head Is thrown
slightly backward "a If the I" lingering star sui
held the eye of the poet; and. although the
body when viewed from the front appears erect.
il Il when looked az from the right side
found that with the upturning OF th- face the cest
has fallen slightly inward. and that the PACK II
proportionately rounded. II will be observed that
whatever else NAV be- said of the pose Of the hgnre
il is when taken in detail harmoniOusly expressive
of perfect abstraction and abandonment 10 the mel
anchoy broOdinQs # the hour.
The face j. suggestive of similar feelings IL tells
less of the bosom rent with groans than of deep
set sorrow softened by wears As we look upon
it-upon the full eye. lofty forehead and beaut tu
mouth-we fancy the poets struggle with griei-
laden memory is past, and that he has sunk INTO
mood of more passive detection. The lace ~ taken
from Nasm,t tbs portrait. and some OF the finest
touches of the scuptos hand are 10 he Ound III the
refinement Of expression thrown over the well
known features. They are changed, and vet so sud-
tieis the skill by which the change has been effected
that the portrait remains perfect SIT John has 0een
here, at least. eninentiy success III. lie nai
a view IF Nasmvth's sitter III a more exalted mood.
The head is modelled after cast OF The
poets skull in the possession of the Ednburgh
PhrenolOgical Society. In 50 far fidelity 10 his
model is concerned in point OF feature and dress. iii
Johns work must therefore he commended, ana
from all that can be gathered about the bard
figure the statue appears TO represent il also with
near approach 10 truth.
According To Walkers description of Burns In
I7-7 his person though strong and vel built was
rather in outline and his stature. from want
of setting up appeared 10 be only or the middle size
though IN reality rather above II. Dr. tufrir III
compiling his description, alludes u a certain
fulness and bend in the shoulders Sir john
Burns seems to correspond very accurately with
these descriptions. His scheme las been based
upon the first essential IN statue OF the KIND,
gamelv resemblance 10 the original. There J. no
st~aIning after over-refnement the creation of
more or less idealized Burns. There l. no trace
faN nal
afectation on the other The faults Of the
work if such exist must Dee looked for elsewhere.
FACT, THAI QUALIFY ADTIRAuoN.
Upon this latter point few suggestions only will
here be made in order that NEWCOMERS may Ice
led to satisfy themselves on the merits of the
statue before giving full vent 70 that enthusiasm
which partial Scotsmcn believe to be even now
snmering in prospect" The first view that vii be
obtained of the statue by any one it from
the lower end OF the Mall is that including the
right side. ana il Is precisely from that side that
the worst impression VIII be received. The
sh oue is pushed up 50 high rs partially 10 obscure
the head. and even allowing for the advantage OF
looking AT il from a short distance. the effect can
hardly he altogether pleasing. On the first glance
thr head appears unnaturaIly sunk between the
shoulders. and the removal of that impression 10y
front view in respect lessons the feeling that the
upper right arm and shou.der have bern quite mn
necessarily distorted INTO ungraccfulness and
further painful feeling j. given OF strained un-
easincss which clashes with the Tcpo,e suggested
by the statue as whole.
The central Idea viii he most readily seized by
looking go ID" statue from It's r4-ht HpHt Inns at
least l. the sculptor, opinion. IL is hardly Gu"@-
tionahle al the same time that higher estimate OF
tine artistic merit, Of the WORK VIII Dee formed by
looking 100 II from ir, left front whence the iacr is
seen in profile and the di>pos ION of the mDs has
its happlcsj effect. From either point however and
more strongly from one dlrccly ID 'front.'. douot
suggests itself of the due observance of proportion
between the parts of the figure. The trunk ap-
pear, unGn,y Elongated. and the limbs proportion
at4lv shortened This arises az least I'm pa Z. from
the Arrangement OF the plaid which. while graceful
enough in Itself contributes % the production ol
The above effect. Us reason of the apparently LONG
and uuhr0keu line from the left shoulder % thr
tn chs ON botl sides of which the folds are allowed
10 fall. II il fortunate that this defect VIII De-
~omey hat Jess obtruS when the statue ls raised
uuou i, pedestal of granite.