The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-01
BONE n BOOKS.
Wnrhinrton Anston.

Washington Allston. or the latter there has
hitherto been no adequate biography. 1t
seems that Richard II. Dana, ST.. intended to
produce one which should be worthy at once
OF himself and OF his subject, and that he left a
selection OF notes and unfinished manuscripts.
together with many and valuable letters.
These materials have been placed In tho hands
OF Mr.. Jared b. FlaRG. and are embodied in a
auarto volume entitled The Life and Letters
Of Washington AHston. tScribnersL We may
say at the outset that this book is rather q
biographical narrative than n critical estimate.
although in a final chapter the author dis
cusses in q sympathetic yet discriminative
way AlIston's natural gifts and notable attain
monts and tho use which he mado OF thcm.
Il.
Washington Allston was born in South Caro-
lima on Nov. 5. 1910. and died In Cambridge
port, Mass. or July o. 1S43. His father was
an opulent planter who had done good SER
vice on the side Of tho patriots In the Rovolu-
tionary war. but who died In 1871. Just aftcr
his return from the battle OF Cowpens. Mrs.
Allston subsequently married n Northern man.
DR.. H. @. Flagg. much against the wishes OF
her family. who regarded her second husband
ss q Yankee adventurer. The marriage. how
ever. turned out happily for Washington ALL
ston. whose early training was n subject OF
the deepest interest to his stepfather. II was
duo to him that the boy received a careful
preparatory education. first in Charleston and
afterward at Newport. and was subsequently,
sent to Harvard College. 1t was at Newport
that Allston met the sister Of the young man
who was a%fterward to become the well-known
Unitarian clergyman. William Ellery Claiming.
This lady. to whom Allston became engaged.
exerted q marked influence upon his after
life. We may add that his preparation for
college had been so thorough that while ut
Harvard tho academical curriculum made but
small demands upon his time. SO that he was
Enabled to devote several hours daily to
painting.
Ailston discovered his vocation in boyhood.
one might almost say in childhood. In one OF
his letters he records that in his youth his
chief p~leasure lay in drawing from prints all
kinds Of figures. landscapes. and animals He
soon began to make pictures OF his own.s some
in India ink. others in water colors. Though
/ never had" no said. any regular instructor
In the art 10 circumstance l would here OBJ
serve. both idle and absurd to boast Of. I
had much incidental instruction which l have
always through life been glad to receive from
any ono in advance OF myself There is no
such thing as q self-taught artist In the igno-
rant acceptation Of the word. for the greatest
genius that ever lived must be indebted to
others. II not by direct teaching. yet indirectly
through their works" While ut school in
Newport Allston made the acquaintance OF
Malone. the foremost miniature painter OF his
day. and when he entered Harvard he found
the same artist established In Boston. Allston
says Of him: "Malbone had the happy talent
among his many excellences Of elevatinG the
character without impairint tho likeness.
This was remarkable in his male heads. and
no woman ever lost any beauty from his
hands; nay. the fair would often become still
fnirer under his pencil. To this he added a
grace Of execution all his own. My
admiration OF Malbone induced me at this
time to try my hand at miniature. but it was
without success. All my attempts In this line
were so far inferior to what I could then
do in oil that 1 became disguised with
my abortive efforts. and I gave it up" In
the same letter he mentions that an old
landscape. either Spanish or italian. at the
houeo OF q friend in Cambridge gave him his
first hints In color in that branch. In the
eoloring OF figures the pictures In the Co.
lumbar Museum in Boston were his first
masters. But he had a higher master In the
head Of Cardinal BentivoGlio. from vandyke.
In the Harvard College Library. which he OBJ
tained permission to copy during ono OF his
vacations. This copy of Vandyke was by Smy-
bert. an English painter who came to the col
onies with Bishop Berkeley. There is an in
teresting incident connected with this COPY.
When Copley sent out to be exhibited in the
Royal Academy his picture Of a boy wearing
aturban. Sir Joshua Reynolds said to Mr..
West. The man who painted that picture
has studied Yandyke." Wost replied that he
could assure him the man had never seen a
Vandyke. Both statements were true. for
while Copley had never seen an original Van
.v(A hA 100 ~ kLs- -
6mybert which had SO captivated Allston.
Although much Of his time had been given
to painting. Allston graduated from Harvard
with honor and was elected poet by his
class. His genial nature endeared him to his
classmates. by whom he was regarded with
the reverent aud generous consideration which
10 the frse-will Offering to genius. Full OF the
buoyancy OF health and the impetuous ardor
Of youth, he was In sympathy with the rollick-
ing rashness Of the average student. ready for
the tricks and sports incident to college life;
bot mover to degree that obliterated the
subtle indeinable influence which. as u
Halo. sncircles gifted spirits who. though
physically they may be upon the COM
mon plane. arc In the higher qualities
which mako up the essential man. above
their fellows Although different ~assocla-
tions and interests separated Allston's class
mates In divergent walks Of life. tho sense
Of his ideal superiority went with them. Evil
donces OF affect!onate and high appreciation
were constantly given by those who in school
or college had enjoyed the influence Of his
oom~panionship. and in later years the COM
mon suffrage found expression In Irving's
memorable tribute to his character.
After his graduation Allston returned to his
native State and took up his Gbode with his
mother in Charleson. There he painted sew
eral pictures. which indicated the tendency Of
his mind toward the highest spiritual thought.
And II became 80 manifest that his life was to
be devoted to art. that all opposition on the
part Of his family ceased. and 1t was arranged
that he should pursue his studies in Europe.
In Nay. 1901. accompanied by his friend. NAL
bone. he embarked for England. Sir Joshua
Reynolds had died before Allston reach ed Lon
don. but BENJAMIN West, who was then Presl-
dent OF the Royal Academy. received him with
the greatest pleasure. OF the portrait painters
the young American did not conceive a high
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