The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-03-26
A TRIM EXPLOIT.

happening to have spare hour on his
hands, strolled into friends studio. near
Iangham Place, to see how he was 'sget-
ting on" with his pictures. Drummond
was. of course, painting, and the look he
gave the intruder was by no means en-
couraglng. Enroll, being not easily
daunted, only said, Good morning,
Drummond; know that coming in now
seems like being determined to take off
the cream of your day, but don't regard
1t IN that light, l entreat you; just make
up your mind that you won't be dis
turbed my me, and let me have look at
al your pictures"
All my pictures ?'' echoed Drum
nond, ruefully.
es, all your pictures; the more the
better; but where are they?" And he
examined the room in surprise, for usu-
ally at this season of the year he could
not even shake his friends hand without
having to pick his way delicately through
groves of easels with pictures on them
to-day all the spare easels were run INTO
one corner and untenanted; and, so far
as Erroll could see, Drummond had moth
ing IN hand but one small picture on
which he was working. This was, how
ever, SO improbable that Enroll glanced
around to see how many canyases were
standing on the floor with their faces
turned to the walls; how many empty
frames We're waiting for their reception;
how much preparation, in fact, was being
made Tor the various picture-shows which
would burst into being with the rapidly
approaching month of May.
You needn't look for pictures here, f"
growled Drummond, 'sfor l have got
none."
what! None for the Academy"
No: none for the Academy! None for
anywhere!'
How unwise" said Enroll, taking the
most comfortable seat that he could find
GU were ill-treated last year, but why
should that go on? A year might bring
you rafting success"
Its not lkely-anyhow / can't send.
Don't think that 1 am not mortified, but
1t can't be helped. l must make up my
mind to lose one year of artistic life"
And why, pray?"
Because that fellow Clarke has lured
away my model, and / can do nothing
until he comes back. 1t is abominable of
her to go; it is Infamous of him TO take
her; bat that's how it is. | do believe the
design is good. You shall see it,
SO saying, Drummond went into an in
ner room and brought out canvas.
Good heavens, man, how well that
comesw cried Enroll. You really ought
10 finish it. 1t is a classical subject, and
hate classical subjects; the design is
original, and you know how imprudent
think it is to paint original pictures, but
never III my life saw anything more mas
terly. What is it, and why on earth don't
you get another model and finish it?n
1T is Creusa just as she is about TO put
on the garment which will shrivel up
her youth and beauty. She is turning it
over and wandering at it's strange mag
nifieence. [ don't finish the picture be-
cause L can't-it is grievous veXation TO
me-"
But you can if you like, and you must.
Tor If 1t were we'll hung it would make
your fortune.'
cit wouldn't be hung-it would be re-
jected"
That might happen, of course, but 1
DON'T believe 1t would; anyhow, it is your
duty to finish it, for you are one OF the
Aeaven-sent prophets who have a distinct
message to deliver"
Obadiah hid an hundred men of the
Lords prophets by fifty in a cave, and
led them on bread and water; this poor
prophet would be hidden away in the cell
Lars of the Academy, and have to make a
shift to provide himself with bread and
water"
And if it were so. you might suck
comfort out OF your rejection. Original
work is always difficult of comprehen-
sion. You seem TO forget that il is by no
means easy to recognize a prophet when
he does appear, and TO my mind You have
always been IN far too great hurry to
show that you We're one. 1t is great
mistake for any young man who is origj-
nal to give the least hint of it until he is
landed in position which gives him the
right TO show his pictures. Till then he
should play dark horse. l mean he
should never paint according TO the spirit
which is in him until he has made real
and well buttressed-up success by gIori-
Gus and unmistakable mediocrity. For
che person who can recognize a prophet
there are tens of thousands who would
Infinitely rather be without him. and
adore commonplaceness. 1t is an excel
lent gift-he who has it is certain Of glory.
honor and prize-money, and what can
mortal man have that is better ~
on don't know what you are saving
you would not like me to be common
place." said Drummond.
Il don't suppose you could if Won
tried, answered Enrol provokingly. eft
would be just as hard for you to be com
lnonplace as it would for a COMMONPLACE
man to be originaI-beside, it requires
something very like genius to hit on the
kind of commonplacenesss that is certain
10 be popular. Look at the painters who
were the gods of our fathers idolatrv-
you might fret your soul out trying to
be as bad and as highly thought of as
they were, and at last reproduce their
work exactly, and yet never be noticed
at all-there is fashion even in COM
monplaceness."
II don't want to be popular / have no
desire of any kind but to paint nv pict-
ure as well as 1 can according to nv own
idea of what is best, and to have permits
sion to show it,"
you must paint one before Won can
show 1t; so. for heavens sake. get to
work; 1t is madness to lose year of your
artistic lie IN this way-perfect madness
Finish this If you want to send one of
your original works-do anything Won
like, so long as you do something. / saw
Stukeley last night-that's partly what
brought me here to-day. / could see that
he was well disposed to you, and quite
aware that there was something in your
work which gave it a right to be seen.
lie said that he was on the Hanging Com
mittee this year, so just think what a
chance you are losing if you don't send
IN. Now | am going, but if you don't
lake what have said TO heart and set to
work with an Academy picture at once,
all can say is that you are your own
worst enemy. Cord morning"
Perhaps he is right thought Drum
lnond as soon as he was alone. Il dare
say he is, hut what can l do? This thing
that l have on the easel would be lost at
the Academy, and this other, which
might have done me credit, can't be
finished until Clarke let's me have my
model back. 1t was disgraceful of her TO
go-I shall never feel comfortable about
ler again."
Then he fell to perusing the lines in his
deserted picture, and il was so impossible
not to see that they were good that they
restored him to peace with himself, only
his veXation at being unable to finish it
grew more and more intense 1T would
be such good thing for me if could
SEND III, he thought; II am almost GER
tain they would hang tit would sell if