Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-19
4 MARtrIors iNyrNrtoN.

Something About Professor Cromwell,
the Man with the Wonderful Cosmo-
scope FROM the Tallow Candle to
Aladdin's Lamp.
Prof. G. r. Cromwell, whose art lectures
with cosmoscopie illustrations at the
Theatre are attracting so much attention,
is in many respects remarkable man,
being poet, musician, artist and lecturer.
He has succeeded in devising an intellee-
tual recreation which may be said to be
fairly unique in its perfection, for an ap-
proach to his effort is yet to be realized.
The effects upon his canvas are often sub
lime. The present is the Professors sec
ond visit to Savannah, and no doubt the
many who have become familiar with
him through his lectures will be glad TO
hear something more about the man.
Professor Cromwell was born in New
York city on the 18th day Of August, 1885.
One would hardly guess him to be in his
18th year, judging from his personal ap-
pearance. He has been an inveterate
traveller from his youth up, having inner
tied the rowing disposition from his mother,
who frequently accompanied him to dis
tanf lands in his youth.
The collection Of art objects has been
mild mania with him from infancy. At
an early age he knew the handling of the
the art of engraving and etching his ar
tistic tastes being carefully fOstered by
his parents9, he was sent to an artist, and
for two years he drew from casts and the
life, thus becoming familiar with anatomy
and the best works, antique and modern.
In later years his education was finished
in England and the best universities of
Europe. Speaking of his first experiments
in the line of illustration which he has
made so popular, the Professor said:
''At the age of eight or nine years |
constructed my first camera for the
| amusement of my friends. i obtained a
small lens and made a tube to tit it.
When it was finished | lighted up the
great as then thOught) apparatus with
a tallow candle, but l found that INSULT
cient to illuminate the very large screw
(Which l had taken from my bed }, and in
consequence my first exhibition was a
failure. The lecture was success, for
during the progress of my efforts to sue
coed to the visual satisfaction of my all
sized audience, made them familiar with
| the obstacles of optics to their intense
merriment. At the next exhibition /
used sperm oil lamp, producing a
great heat with a moderate quantity of
| light, and as had painted my pictures on
| glass with a mixture Of gum arabic as
medium, discovered suddenly a curious
| effect on the dimly lighted screen: the
| pictures were going to pieces and becOm-
| ing beautifully distributed, so that at the
end Of the exhibition | had the apparatus
| left, but the young members of my audi
ence were picking up bits of my artistic
labOrs to carry away as souvenirs of the
august occasion. Now, you would think
| that with such results l would retire from
| such a seemingly protitless pursuit; but
| no, | cannot claim to be especially brave,
| but desired to conquer, so | kept on, and
! gradually grew into what some term
| perfection.
Reporter-Then the invention of the cos
mOscOpe was a growth?
Eyes and no at the same time. | must
! tell YOU about it. | had been long in
Europe, and | had made a great collection
| Of views, had visited many of the lead
| ing opticians in London and Paris for the
| purpose of obtaining an apparatus for
! projection without any success. / finally
/ decided to try and make one myself; per-
| haps | might succeed better than when
| young. All had seen were too meagre
| or elaborate in their construction
to suit me. You, see l was becom-
| ing an expert. having made many
! failures, so / set to work. l obtained
| good picture, but not quite the one that l
carried i'm my minds eye. One day took
/ my invention apart and cleaned up.
| Well. put it together wrong according
| to the books J, but what was my surprise
/ upon projecting a picture TO discover a
| realization of my dreams, ! was dazed at
| first. | then tried statue. The effect
was marvellous, and exclaimed; George,
| you have Conquered"
RepOrter-Did you make known your
| discovery to any of your scientific friends,
or is any other person known to your Sc
! cret?
'No. When 1 visit a city 1 arrange the
| apparatus myself, the operator even being
ignorant of the principle of its marvellous
! results.
II first gave private exhibitions. Mr..
! Harrison. who was proprietor of Irving
! Hall, in New York city, first introduced
me to the public, and great profit was
the result. ! have achieved this, that |
gain the ear by fixing the attention Of the
| eve, and thus can talk art as much as
l please, and force the public into a
knowledge Of the beautiful while they are
unconscious of the instruction that they
are receiving. Ny aim is to leave trace
/ of my existence as a master of artistic
| form in visual and oral demonstration"
Prot. Cromwell will deliver the fourth
| lecture of his course tonight on ''Jerusa-
lemr and the E'HOly Land"