The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-03-13

pieted, and it is expected that the scat
folding will soon be removed. The work
has been carried out under the direction
of Sir A. Bloomfield, and in recent re-
port to the special committee he in
formed them that the turret at The
northwest of the cathedral was in such
bad state that it was necessary tC
take it down.. 1t has now been rebuilt
The work, Sir A. Bloomfield said, was
one of great difficulty, but has been ac-
complished in the most workmanlike and
satisfactory manner. Every stone that
could be reused appears again in its
proper place, new stones being intro
duced only where the original stonework
had been crushed, broken, or composed
of such small stones as to be unsafe. The
turret staircases at the four angles OF
the tower, which have to support sc
much of the enormous thrust of the
spire, has been thoroughly repaired and
Strengthened On all four sides defect
i've masonry has been taken out and re-
placed by new stones weighing in some
cases more than a ton. The foundations
of the south aisle and of the west side
of the south transept have yet to be re-
paired. Altogether the cost OF the work
will be about E15,0 900. sum which the
dean and chapter are securing with
difficulty. The deficit at present amounts
to about fl 500, and contributions to tnar
amount are awaited with some anxiety.
Tolstoi is the subject of long letter in
the IT mps' of January 20, written from
Moscow by Andre Beaunier. He reports
the Russian as still absorbed in his phil
anthropic and religious activities, hav-
ing now reached as lofty a scorn for
science for sciences sake as he had be-
fore expressed for art for arts sake.
The trouble is that he can make nobody
understand him. He cries out TO his
fellows: Why open your eyes and look,
il is as clear as day." but they remain
as blind and puzzled as ever This Toll
stoi admits and this is what he, on his
side, cannot understand.
A life of Maupassant is in preparation,
a joint work of French and English col
laborators-M Hughes Rebel and Mr..
r. H Sherard. The work is to be crit
ical as we'll as biographical. and will in
elude many of Maupassant's letters.
French and English versions viii be
published simultaneously.
Another important work Of continental
derivation is set down for early publ
scation-an English translation. from the
hands of William Archer and Miss Diana
White of Brandes' lectures, or essays,
on Shakespeare.
The Almanach de Gotha is not di-
rectory of artists, but if you look there,
not having Princes and Princelets at
your fingers ends, you Will find under
Sweden that there is a Prince Eu-
gene Napoleon Nicolas, and that he
has the right to call himself the Due de
Nericie The Eugene" and the Ma
poieon' recall the Bernadotte origin.
The Nicolas is compliment to rather
aggressive neighbor-Russia.
There have been Kings and Princes
who have written books. Generally they
We're bad and poor, and the fraternity
who WELD the pen for living have been
by no means courteous to these royal
authors. But people with royal blood
in their veins have rarely been artists.
That most worthy and estimable lady,
Queen Victoria had at one time artistic
aspirations, but such authentic works Of
hers as have been shown are about as
good as ordinary schoolgirl work. Prince
Albert had certainly artistic perceptions
and was a good judge of pictures, but he
never put down his ideas with pencil or
paintbrush. The present royal family Of
England has an art taste, shown more
particularly in the female line, and GER
tainly one member sketches fairly we'll,
though modest-as she should be-as to
her artistic claims.
There was, however, the late King of
Holland. who really could produce a
good water color which had spirit and
force. With what delight the good and
genial Alexandra Dumas pere would
show TO some intimate friends the
sketches the King had made from the
scenes of The Three Guardsmen,' one
was The Taking of the Redoubt, and
Dumas. to whom the King had given
his pictures. would tell glowingly of his
illustrious "compere," his own cher col
laborateur."
We have no opportunity of knowing
whether the German Emperor of to-day
is a painter of distinction. This has not
yet been asserted. Still, it is probable
and may be shortly expected to become
known. for he is many-sided.
In the last number of the studio,
Tor Hedberg writes of the landscape
art of Prince Eugen of Sweden, ami
there are some five illustrations taken
Of his works In pursuit of painting
Prince Eugen went to Paris for two
years, working eagerly in the studios
of Gervex and Bonnat." and then stud
led at home, having for master the
well-known Swedish artist Hugo Salm-
SON According to Tor Hedberg Prince
Eugen, who first exhibited in 1894. is
considered, both at home apd abroad,
as one of the leaders of Swedish land
scape painters" AS far as the we'll
worked-out illustrations in the Studio"
can give a conception of color and out
line. Prince Eugen's work is excellent.
There is no attempt at overpowerins
effects. What is designated as "A
Summer Night in Sweden" is pleasant
~ inspired. 1t shows a broad river
or estuary: with forelands jutting into
the water. and long extended PENN
sula There are Earring lights. 1t IS
a quiet, soothing and poetic conception.
Why should there not be white
blackbird or a Swedish Prince who
paints?
More private letters of Queen Vic
toria are about to appear in London
auction mart. One Is addressed, in
German, to the Duchess de Nemours,
and another in French, to the king
of Holland Another lot is a letter
written by her majesty on mourning
note paper. shortly after the Prince
Consort's death. At the same sale
several letters written by Byron TO his
wife. at the period of the poets sep