The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-10-01
and history, was to be found" This

and history, was to be found" This
conversation occurred while we were
passing the statues of Goldsmith, Burke
and Grattan in College green, in 1885.
This want of material for a true portrait
has at last, think, been supplied by the
discovery of an old painting in the pos
session Of Mr.. Ralph Nash, solicitor,
Caeneora, CORDIALLY, Limerick. This
painting, though ignored, and though
the pedigree of it is not complete-being
wanting in one very important link-yet
by reason of it's easy and confident style
of handling and execution, may be fairly
stated to bear within itself sufficient evil
dence to establish it's authenticity, and,
as matter of course, it's high value as
national portrait and a fair claim to be
in future what one competent Judge has
already pronounced it to be. "a picture
that will come to be the standard por-
trait of that whole-souled patriot
The pedigree of the picture Mr.. Nash
gives as follows: II was presented with
the picture over ten years ago by my
father-in-law, the late Mr.. Philip Smith,
of Kevit CASTLE Crosdoney, County Ca
van. Mr.. Smith had the picture in his
possession about thirty-f1ve years before
he gave it to me, and he bought it,
believe, from Mr.. Nesbit, of County
Cavan. Before this the picture was,
understand, in the possession of Mr..
Kilby, at whose residence Mr.. Nesbit
bought it at an auction. Mr.. Kilby was
a gentleman of high social position in
County Cavan, and entertained at his
residence Lord Mulgrave when lord-lieu-
tenant of Ireland. On giving me the pic
ture Mr.. Smith Informed me that by
those competent to give an opinion it
was always regarded as faithful like
ness of Robert Emmett"
Mr.. Nash has lent this painting to the
'98 exhibition. about to be opened in
Dublin. Before sending it away, Mr..
Nash was kind enough to permit your
correspondent to make copy Of it, This
I did very carefully indeed, restoring in
the copy the parts injured, and so giving
the expression the picture had before
these injuries were sustained. And here
I will tell how these injuries happened
to the picture, as it was told to me: 1t
is said that while in the keeping of one
or other of it's earlier owners, it hung in
the dining room, where some Every loyal
gentlemen" 60 visitors were in the habit
of taking their after-dinner punch. and
as mark Of their esteem for The "rcbels
picture,' used to fling some of their
smoking hot whisky punch into it's face.
This story may or may not be true, hut
it would reasonably account for The in
juries seen on the painting today.
The picture represents Emmet at
somewhat earlier date than those have
before referred to, while hope and love
were still strong in his heart, and before
treachery and political hatred struck
him down. 1t shows us face of long,
regular oval shape, with fair, sandy brown
hair scattered thinly over the forehead.
Eyes clear, open, truthful, with q sort of
suppressed enthusiasm in their bright,
blue depths. A nose almost classical, but
slightly aquiline in form. with full nos
tril, expressive of fine scorn of every
thing base or dishonoring; mouth rath-
er small in size, with lips slightly parted,
but so eloquent, tremulous, and almost
passionate-the mouth of just such
lover and patriot as Emmett was a chin
beautifully formed, somewhat prominent,
and taken with the finely rounded oval
of the jaw, expressive of hrmness and
resolution of high order This face, I
venture to think, expresses all that our
best information and most just concep-
tiOns of Robert Emmett make linn out to
have been, and as such will repay the
careful examination of those to whom
his appearance "in his habit as he lived"
is matter Of affectionate interest. And
l feel sure that, due allowance being
made for the disfguring effects of the
injuries it has sustained, it will come to
be regarded as the best picture we have
of that idol of the Irish Nationalist
heart-RoDert Emmett