The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-01-04
CRITICISM.


If that isn't the finest thing ever cut out |
of II block Of marble, I'm IA Dutchmanl"
Thompson friends came and were prop
erly transported with pleasure.
by Jove!' they cried unanimously.
What masterpiece How beautiful
Thompson felt lump in his throat and
could scarcely murmur: Truly, truly,
you are not joking You are in downright
earnestS"
His friends protested with many gestures
Of enthusiasm. Joking indeed! We are
in downright earnest. Frankly and with
out Partially it is the finest statue we ever
saw"
Thompson hesitated and then demanded
modestly, "You have no criticism IT,
make?''
To which they replied in chorus,
None"
One, however, probably seized with a
burning desire to distinguish himself, haz-
arded in n timid voice, Only one, Thomp-
son, only one-no more.
Thompson turned pale, and the severe
friend added, with smile, "A trifling
criticism really"
"What is itS" faltered the sculptor.
1T Is too fine
Ard his companions all echoed the sen
uDnenU. lTut tTtic we Wclc RolIS W
say the same ourselves. 1t is too fine"
Tears came to Thompson's eyes as he re-
spcnded: YES. You are right. 1t is too
fine. Perhaps it is. But there--one does
what he can. D."
The friends departed, shaking Thomp-
sons hand warmly. The sculptor exhibit
ed his masterpiece, convinced that it would
revolutionize the whole artistic world, if
not the very art of sculpture itself. AS for
the mob, it would be taken by storm.
But the mob was much more stupid than
even Thompson had fancied. 1t absolute
ly refused to be taken by storm. On the
contrary, it was wholly Indifferent. The
artistic world behaved exactly like the mob.
This is very strange quoth Thomp-
son, and in u condition of extreme de-
spondency he sent again for his friends.
"We told you so, you know" said they
in unison.
"The deuce you did," faltered poor
Thompson.
Eyes, we said it was too fine. ~
Dear me, but that isn't u fault, is it,"
The friends burst into II laugh.
well, Thompson, you are green, and no
mistake.
Again the tears came to Thompson s
eyes.
eco on, go on, said he. "Tell me what
l am to do then. "
Here one of the group who had not
spoken whispered into Thompson's ear:
"We don't mind giving You point or
two-at least don't But these are little
matters which must be done in private
separately"
understand said Thompson CRATE.
fully. So the sculptor sent to the gallery
Ia c eta 70 md nf nab
of his friends separately what there was
about it that was especially too fine.
The first conner, IA baldheaded man, ex
amined the work anew carefully. "Your
statue" said he, "has n most ridiculous
head of hair 1t looks to me very much
like wig. People don't have hair like
that. 1t is absurd. Look at my head. "
Thompson could not deny the force OF
this reasoning. He swept off the flowing
locks with few strokes of his chisel and
polished the Uranium of his masterpiece
after the fashion of the living model be
fore him.
'Splendid!" cried the baldheadcd man
The second to turn up was n knock
kneed party.
"Your statue, Thompson, said he, ct
fitted with most preposterously straigh
legs. Such an absolutely vertical line il
inadmissble. Where have you ever socl
legs like thosep Not on me, for example
And you know, old fellow" he added
reality before all. -
Thompson groaned. He seized his chisel
followed out the neither limbs-in fact
from the legs of Apollo he managed t.
make pretty fair copy of those of hi
, friend.
"Bravop' declared the knockkneed man
The third was one armed man. "Lool
here. Thompson, he said contidentially
between you and me, two arms are al
very we'll. Arms are all right in thei
place, but think of the Venus de Milop'
eyes" objected Thompson, Il know
; The Venus do Milo has no arms now, blu
you don't mean to assert that she neve
had anyp"
81 do, indeed. All, what Il daring gen
ius was her sculptor!'
"Not more than Ip' cried the excite
Thompson. With blow of his hamme
2 he severed the right arm of his statue. H
was just on the point Of serving the left Il
? the same fashion when his friend stoppe
him.
"No, no. Not too much zeal Not to
much imitation either One will do, as
-, sure you"
"You think SOP" said Thompson
! 81 am sure Of It,, responded the on
s armed man
And so on with half dozen other friends
-. One found fault with the nose, whose ow
was broken. A cripple and a great poe
. asked pleasantly:
: "Now whatever use are those legs q
allp'
Thompson gasped:
: "Why, to hold him up.
4 Nonsense. l haven't got any sue
e things. You don't hear me complain
t not being held up"
Thompson saw the point. BY this tim
the statue was little more than n shapele.
block of marble. The last of Thompson
friends was an Ethiopian, highly cult
waited and appreciative person.
4 "a fine piece Of work, said he. Ever
+ fine indeed. But the color is unbearable
" Thompson covered the statue with
;. coating of black paint
The following day the friends all can
" to the studio in a body. They were Ell
chantod. Again the statue was put on e.
/. hibitiOn