The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-10-21
Mrs. Opic and Her Writings.

iit t'Iullli AIhEdLlhtI
Opie sat at his easel, painting portraits to
| earn money for his wife's use and comfort,
and encouraging her TO write, for he had
faith in work. He himself would never
intermt his work FOR a single day. He
would have gladly kept her always in his
sight. "If would stay at home forever |
believe my husband would be merry from
morning TO night-a lover more than Il
| husband" Amelia writes to Mrs. Taylor.
He seemed TO have some feeling
that time was not to be long-that
life was passing quick 10y for him, almost
too quickly TO give him time To realize his
new home happiness, TO give him strength
TO grasp his work. He was no rapid
painter. instinctiyely feeling his light and
color and action, and Selling the moments
suggestion. but anxious, laborioIS, and in
vOlyed i'm that sad struggle in which some
people pass their lives. forever disap-
pointed. Opie's portraits seem 10 have
been superior to his compositions. which
were well painted. "but unimaginatVe
and commonplace SAYS the painter OF our
time. whose own work quickens with that
mysterious soul which some pictures (as
indeed some human beings) seem 10 be en-
tirely without. " during the nine years
that | was his wife" says Mrs. Opie, -
never saw him satisfied with any one OF
his productions. OFTEN, very Often he has
entered my Sitting-rOOm, and throwing
himself down In an agony OF dependency
upon the sofa, exclaimed, Il shall never be-
painter =" He was a wise and feeling
critic, however great his shortcomings rs 4
painter may have been. His lectures are adj
mirablc, full OF real thought and good judg-
ment. sir james Macintosh places them
beyond ReynOldS's in some ways. "lf
there were no difficulties every one would
be painter" says Opie, and he goes on
to point out what painters object should
be" the discovery or conception OF per-
feet ideas Of things; nature in its purest
and most essential form rising from the
species TO the genus. the highest and uti-
mate eXertIon OF human genius" For
him it was no grievance that painters
life should be one long and serious effort
" II YOU are wanting TO Yourselves, rule
may be multiplied upon rule and prccept
upon prccept in vain" Some OF his re-
marks might be thought still 10 apply i'm
some cases, no less than they did a hun
dred wears ago. when he complained
Of those grcen-sick lovers Of chalk. brick
dust, charcoal, and old tapestry. who are
so ready TO dccry the merits Of colorng
and TO set 1t down as kind OF supertuity.
II is curious to contrast Optics style in
literature with that Of his wife. who be-
longs TO the entirely past generation which
she reflected. whereas he wrote from his
own original impressions, only saying those
things which struck him fOrcibly as they
strike now. "Father and Daughter" was
Mrs. Opie's first acknowledged book. 1t
was published in 1901, and the author writes
modestly OF all her apprehensions. MIR.
Opie has no patience with me; he con-
soles me by ayerring that fear makes me
oyerrate others and underrate myself"
The book was reviewed in the EdinburQh.
We hear OF one gentleman who lies awake
all night after reading il; and Mrs. Inch
bald promises candid opinion. which,
however, we do not get. Besides
stories and novels, Mrs. Opie was
the author Of several poems and
verses which were much admired. There
was an impromptu to Sir James Mackin.
tosh, which brought long letter in return,
ana one OF her songs was quoted by Syd-
ney Smith In lecture ut the ROYAL Inst-
tute. Mrs. Opie was present, and she used
TO tell in after times "how UNEXPECTEDLY
The compliment came upon her, and how
she shrank down upon her seat in order to
screen herself from observation"