Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-11
EDITORS BOOK TABLE
LIFE AND LETTERS or WASHINGTON
ALLSToN-AN ARTISTIC REVIEW.
Notices Of Numerous New Publications.
The World of Romance
and Science.

BY J.nsp b. FLaGa. n. A., S. T. D., with
reproductions from ALLsroN's paintings.
New York; CaARLKs ScRIBNkSs Sons.
MDCCCXCII. Large svo.. ass pages. IS.
For sale by WEST. JOHNSTON n 90.
A charming book for the holiday season
worthy as presentation volume in form
and execution. type and illustration; in
teresting in every detail OF its contents
. book to be enjoyed by the reader, TO DO
priced by all lovers of tho beautiful, OF art
and of literature; rs biography present
inc Network told with admiration. SYM
patty. love. and vet with discrimination.
The personality OF the man Is brought out
etrikin0iy through the numerous letters
from and to him, while the author merely
supplies the thread whenever necessary
upon which the successive pearls are
strung. As brother artist the author
has seized with lively appreciation the ar
tistic perceptions and feelings Of his sub
ject; and we feel that no eentler nor more
discriminating touch could have possibly
penned these pages since the elder DANA,
ALLsroS's brother in-law, who knew every
impulse OF his delicately- soul,
passed away.
The story Of the life is told so naturally
that we follow each episode every success
and failure, with breathless interest; ana
parts are almost dramatic IN their lnten-
sity--if we are willing 10 admit so quiet
life could have its dramatic situations.
But 1t is in the inward struggles OF the
anguished spirit that the highest conoep-
tions of drama obtain-all the elements
are present in the conflict between the
actual and the possible. in the psthos OF
looking upon what might haze ben IN the
light of what tods.
We are led from the pine-trees, wild mo-
raises, and black, sluggish rivers OF south
Carolina, where AILsToS was porn anu
passed his youth. 10 the varied coast OF
New England. We catch glimpse or Ola
Harvard as the college was IN the closing
DAYS of the last century. We tread the
streets of Cambridge, catch the lests or
student-life observe the feelings OF YOUTH
and mark the growth OF the artistic tein'
permanent of his nature. We pass 70 Europe,
10 the silent city--as CoLHRiDoE described
Eternal Rome-we watch CoLERIDGE ana
AIIsroS walking arm-In-8rm In deep con-
yersation, buried III talking-such taking
az only CoLKRIDGE could talk while yer IN
his prime. in 1905, before the slavery Oh ms
unfortunate habit had fastened upon him.
We picture the deep influence OF TINS
nb;Insonn,c dreamer and mystic idealist
upon the ferVent IMAGINATION OF the young
artist Weunderstand WASHINGTON iRNiNG
iptoxication with the Young artists soul
and his temptation TO throw away Tue pen pen
for the brush and live forever near TINS ln-
spiriup spirit We follow ALLsToN's mag
nificent successes as artist in England. OF
his tlrst marriage with the sister OF the
great CLAIMING. and rust as the hlehest
fame seemed his We see him lose ms wite
and with this one blow have the WhOle cur
rent of his life changed.
Desnite the implorations Of friends and
nairons he resolves to return TO America.
No artist in England had brighter pros
poets, more commanding position nc
tuallv attained. He who could set on fire
others needed JCst now TO escape from hlIn-
self. He longed for home, for rest. lie
had begun picture of sIngularly great
conception-" BelsbazZar ut was almost
comnle,ed and a few weeks at turthcSt
could have placed 1t before the public.
He carries this piece of unfinished work 10
Amerca with HIM, and 1t proves ominouS
aud typical of his later career-unfrultful
OF the richest results that had been conf.
IDENTIFY awaited. leaving unfinished the
work II seems he might have done. de
starts to work AGAR. III his new home amid
his old haunts. He intends finishing
Belshazzar" at the earliest opportunity.
lie writes constantly TO friends abroad.
OF inspiration. from moulding influences,
and is given over TO solitude, sublectiylty,
and reflection What under tavOra-
Tile conditions might have been finished in
few days-what indeed was tinished-he
turns over in his mind; new ideas come,
changes suggest themselves, proportion ls
lost, and the whole must be once more
gone over.
He soon becomes morbldly sensitive. He
executes no other commissions unless
driven 10 them by poverty aud want, when
frequently Cypress him. His Imagination
u checked III other directions, his VIII Is
ossihed tor other attempts. 1t Is Won
deriul example o. a metaphysical problem.
"BelshaZzar dominates his mind. his en-
ergy. his art He IS written TO and urged
repeatedly TO undertake private pieces OF
work-oGers which would relieve him from
immediate poverty--but no, Belshazzar
is unfinished. The Government at Wash
ington desires hlm TO paint two OF the
panels in the Capitol rOtunda, winch would
have brought him both fame and gain, but
no. "BelshazZar is unfinished. The
Duchess of Sunderland wishes to give an
order for a picture worth $4,000. though
the artist was suffering from want the re-
ply comes: Il would not undertake TO
paint q picture for any crowned head IN
Christendom till Belshazzar is finished
Meanwhile no one else is allowed to catch
glimpse of the painting, and he works
each day in his studio alone, constantly
changing and recastlng. After twenty-five
wears one night he is a-weary, and, coming
home, he rests his head upon the table.
His wife comes over 10 him and finds he
hos fallen gently into his eternal sleep.
After few days curiosity, raised TO Its
highest pitch TO see the masterpiece, the
work of a lifetime. goes to the studio, re-
moves the cloth-and " Belshazzar is still
unfinished. The whole had been begun
freshly over again once more.
But we must not Judge too hastily from
this outline OF ALIsToN's life. What he
might have accomplished had he remained
in England in happier environment l.
now idle speculation. What he actually
achieved entities him TO place IN the
foremost rank of modern artists. Tie was
not only the first great American artist III
position in the singular purity and loftl;
ness of ideal, strength of passion, and
cleerness of perception. He was among
the first at the beginning OF the century 10
go back 70 the old masters for inspiration
az time when they were laughed to
scorn-and his works show this spiritual
kinship. The Romans, MICHAEL ANGELO
in form and RAFAELLR in the affections
the Venetians, TITAN IN color and PAUL
VERoNFsE in harmony of composition
these were the masters he most cherished,
following laws he thought he could road
out of their art.
The examples of ALLsToN's literary work
and his intimate friendships with COLE
ErDGH, LAMB, WORDSWORTH, Sir JOSHUA
REYNOLDS, Sir THOMAS LAWRENCE, BENJA-
hin WEST, CLAIMING, DANA, WASHINGTON
IgyISG and others-names famed In htera-
ture and in art-are by no means the least
interesting parts OF the volume.
The eighteen full-page engray,ngs, re-
productions of ALLsroS's paintings, would
alone, as works OF art, make a notable
volume. The name of the publishers, the