Evening journal., 1888-12-24

l. AuL NOoa = htsAny. y OtOueWall." d
Sheridan. ThnmaA q sherman.
sists in marginal illustrations. Pen and
ink drawings and water color sketches,
Of almost microscopic delicacy. adorn not
only the heads and tails of chapters, but
the narrow strips of margin around the
letter press upon tho pages. As these
must necessarily he the product OF the
most careful and painstaking work of
very skllful artists, whose art com
mands very high prices, there is hardly
a limit assignable to the expenditure that
may be indulgcd i'm for this sort of orna-
mentation of single copy Of a chosen
book.
The late millionaire banker, J. w.
Drexel, ordered of Mai David Edward
Cronin a copy Of Gen. Grants autobiog-
raphy, illustrated on tho margins. for
which he agreed to pay 81 600. He died
before the work Of illustration was COM
pleted and Mr.. Augustin +. DAILY Sc
cured the book for 81 500, but even at
that price the proportions Of 81 for book
and 81 ,493 for marginal illustration are
suggestive, and Mai. Cronin says that
the work will bear thousands Of dollars
worth moro of similar adornment.
Among the exquisite drawings in this
costly book are over two hundred por-
fruits of distinguished heroes Of the war
of the rebellion, both Federal and Confed-
crate. in the making of which Maj. Cronin
achieved what he believes to 30 an Inn
portant discovery In physiognomic
science-nothing less than the lighting
nose, or nose Of the soldier" which he
demonstrates Is at least as markedly In
dicative Of character as any other physi-
cal trait previously noted. Speaking on
the subjectly recently he said;
S"H
As my drawings copies from photo
graphs) were chiefly made with pen and
ink. 1t was necessary, in order TO secure
accurate resemblance, to dwell with
great particularly upon every line and
| feature, especially as in pen and ink
drawing on delicate paper mistakes can
not be effaced. Knowing the general
character and history Of my subjects, 1t
was natural that should remark uny-
thing In the facial outlines plainly indie
ative of either, and before finished my
work detected at least one peer liarity
which seemed so invariably characteris-
tic of a certain class of soldier that
came to regard it almost as a demon
strated generalization. At all events,
whether demonstrated or not, the at
tempt at generalization may be worthy
Of record, even should nothing more be
proved than q series Of remarkable coin
cidences.
"Thosc who are familiar with the his
tory of the late war know that there was
q class of soldiers distinguished by a sort
of personal intrepidity, amounting al
most to ferocity. They were, perhaps,
no braver than others who, in action,
were governed by q sense of duty incul-
Gated by stern discipline. But the class
to which | refer appear to have been &c.
tuated not only by a sense Of duty and
sometimes by o spirit of gallantry, but
also by q fervent love Of fighting. They
gloried in the tempest of battles. Gen.
Phil kearny was q good representative
of this class
There were many famous generals
who did not belong TO this class; good stra,
tegists, like Gen. Joe Johnston; great or
ganizers, like Mcclellan; able command
eIs of corps and tacticians, like Frank
lin, Newton. Humphreys, Wright nnC
Warren; trusted in council, like Halleck
methodical and executive, like Meade
and Mcdowell. or ouprehensive, watch
full and patient, like Lee.
That there were SO many West Poini
graduates often very capable officers whs
, did not exhibit the personal quality
have described, does not seem stranc,
when we are reminded Of the fnct tina
all who enter West Point do not volun
tarily choose the career Of soldier
Some are merely passive in their choice
. influenced by the wishes Of parents O
guardians; others nre prompted by q de
a sire TO secure tho unusual advantages o
, the educational course at that institu
: ton. Gen. Grant himself, as he tells IL
in his memoirs, was averse to a militar'
. career and at first tried to evade q cours
, ut West Point, though In his case, evi
I IDENTIFY, he did not mistake his calling
q On tho other hand. some Of the officer
who possessed the quality of personal In
a trepidity to an excessive degree wcr
r West Point graduates Obviously, i
their choice Of profession. they were pei
mitted to follow their natural bent.