New-York tribune., 1896-11-22

s.,.ored IN perfect IT, endeavored to mould II
inst as he would have moulded statue IN clay.
He was like many men who begin life early eN-
periencing in their boyhood things which the
hu,L of mankind know nothing about until they
have left school. He had suffered too much from
ris restless and often ill-advised bringing-up to
trust much to impulse. He thought twice ABOUT
everything that happened to him. The result
was that he became an intellectual character,
not an emotional one. Hence his apparent cou-
ness and scientific deberation In matters which
the greater number of men disposed to treat
wit hout reflection.
Hamerton was an incarnation Of common
sense He like Mr.. Hare has some stories 10
tell but they unimportant beside the dighi-
fed narrative Of his own Development his
father Injured him to pain when he was a iad'
riding about pony beside his parent whiie
the latter reeed in his saddle from the effects Oh
countless "stirrup-cups" Later on the con-
scousness Of how pain could be borne ied MN 10
turn resolutely to the conquerng Of difficulties.
He kept his health by judicious hNing. fc
studied with ardor If not with intelligence He
started in to work as writer and an artist WIN
q logged determination to test both forms of
employment and to stick by the one that turned
out to be the more useful The only incident In
result Of more or less mpusive action was his
marriage. and even that revealed the accuracy
of his Judgment for he married the very woman
who was best calculated to be MS Wlie ne
worked on as an art student and persevered as
n writer First in "The Saturday Review ana
then in other periodicals his criticisms attracted
attention for their knowledge and calm tone.
The Macmans gave him commission to write
"I.,cbfpo opd L,tchcrs and he launched.
That book crystallized his fame. and he went on
TO the founding Of THE Portfolio and the COM
position of his numerous works or criticism
artistic and social To survey the career which
gave us these books. in his own and his wifes
well-choscn words. is to feel In the presence or a
man Of character Such a survey. In fact. leaves
an impression exactly in harmony with tnat re-
celved through Intercourse with the man him.
self. surely n significant test
Uarnerton was TO the last just such n simple
and at the same time self-confident man as the
biography depicts His home On the fringe OF
Paris a small. quite unremarkable place. IL
had. indeed. less of the atmosphere OF an art
critics domicc than the visitor naturally eX-
pccted But the very absence of art-crltca!
things was expressive of his character. Though
he was stanch to the Academy. he was never
conventional he was never the art critic on pa
rade. with the paraphernala OF his Office about
Of Paris with a friend and talked Of old or mod
crn painters. of architecture or books. or people
or things his eye following anectionately the
dog who often his companion. he struck
the listener very much wise and gentle man
Of affairs. who mad dealt with the world at
first hand. had no cheap Illusions, and tested the
Venus de Milo by a standard of intellectual hon
csiy which he used also in working on mathe-
matical problem. or course. he treated mathe-
matics mathematics. the Venus de Milo as the
Venus. but the sub-currcnt OF truth was the
same In both cases with him. He could not be
affected. concctcd. He could never be merely
the art critic. saturated with theories. convinced
that he and the public were upon different
planes He remembered that he was man as
well as critic. that there Is something besides
technique in art. and that 10 treat of art properly
must go beyond technique. or course. the
artists were quick To dencuncc him as "a painter
who has failed. the high priest of the phil
istinc. He could afford 10 smile at their i'll
natured filings He knew that he seeing
through sane glasses His Life IL an uncom-
monty sane production. Taken by itself IL would
bc sure 10 impress the reader with sense Of its
lucidlty and IT, human health-it portrays "A man.
Taken In connection with Mr.. Harc's astounding
volumes. with their portrayal Of n babbling ego
tlSt. IL Is like "A breath Of mountain