The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-01-16


praise. They think every line of Coie-
ridges prose must be like pure gold.
Perhaps it is But when some Cole
ridgean notes on F'logel's History OF
Comic Literature" were discovered a
while ago, and a taste of their quality
was given to the public. it did not appea-
that the world had lost much through
their disappearance for so many years.
Nevertheless. all the notes are to be
printed in "Cosmopolis" soon, and we
shall probably have all sorts of grand
Eloquent illusions made to them every
where, quite regardless of the fact that
Flogels History of Comic Literature
is a book of a great deal less than
breathless interest, and that Coleridge' S
notes thereon may easily be of no earth
ly Importance.
Anthony Hope Hawkins the author of
1.-THE Prisoner of Zenda," proves, on
the closer acquaintance which his visit
to this country is now yielding, no less
attractive as a man than as writer.
His public readings from his own works
seem to give his large audiences the
highest satisfaction and in the busy
course of friendly dining through which
he has been put since he landed he has
shown himself the kindliest and most
unassuming of guests of honor.
Mr.. Hawkins is now 81 years old. He
began life as a lawyer. and in 1872 he
made a vigorous but unsuccessful can
vass for a Liberal seat in Parliament.
While waiting for clients he began To
write stories. He made his way put
slowly at first; he had been writing four
IL. cd a
nounced success in THE Prisoner of
Zenda.' THE Dolly Dialogues" fol-
lowed and confirmed his popularity.
Take off my hat to the silversmith-
He is an artist instead of mere artl-
san"
so spoke the artist, he of oils and pig
ment and palette and brushes as ne
looked with very evident gratlhcatloh
uEon something like q hundred examples
of the revived art of silversmlthihs'
New York Times: The collection
made in Paris by the father OF the
painter Jules Stewart has been Iof
many years one of the objects OF phi
srirnage for art students and lovers OF
the fine arts it is gathering Oh
pictures in which the work OF fortuhy
takes so prominent a place that II useu
to be said Paris, not Rome, was the
spot to enjoy Fortuny pictures, ana the
house of Mr. Stewart the only building
where a fairly complete idea or for-
tuny's art could be had.
we are accustomed to collections OF
modern. paintings in. New York, Boston
and. Philadelphia which from time to
time are brought TO the auction-room
owing TO failures or TO the setting up
of estates: but the present is rare
Instance Of. a collection which was
made by an American long resident
abroad. and in that city of all others
where one ought to be able 10 choose
pjct1res of the modern Italian Spanish,
and French schools to the best ad-
vantage. Mr.. Stewart had in Paris
the reputation of being Independent OF
the picture dealers. requiring no help
from them, and following his own rath-
er than their judgment in buying
The collection shows the impress OF
an individual taste as much by the
artists who are missing from it as by
those. who are present.
That the collection should have. beer
sent over to America for sale is a sign
that New York is still considered one
of the best markets for paintings in
the world, despite the woeful tales OF
business depression with which the pa
pers have been filled for some years
past. And, indeed, in view of the ac-
cumuiation here of money seeking in
vestment. it may be that the step was
not unwise, for few things are better
settled than the excellence Of we'll
chosen pictures for an investment Of
money, with good chance of profit il
sale must be had. As a collector goes
on he learns the tricks of the picture
selling fraternity and begins to steer
clear of those In the trade who from
sheer ignorance or knavery offer doubt
full examples He gets to know the
famous painters and sees pictures in
the studios where they are painted
He will sometimes pick up a master
niece which has failed to interest the
dealers and lost value in the eyes OF
the artist himself. and discover that
the find turns out TO be one of the
gems of his gallery.
Mr.. Stewart was attracted by the
brilliant qualities Of the modern Span
ish school. particularly by the Cataloni-
an painter Mariana Fortuny, WHOSE
death in 1874 in the prime of his life
and the plenitude of his powers wa.
regretted wherever pictures are cher
iehed. Fortuny came by natural IN
heritance into the kingdom Of the van
ished AIoors of Spain, those dispossessec
upon whose artistic anG scientific rel
les the Spaniards have lived ever since
lust az the barbarians who SLAUGHTERED
the Romans and despoiled the old cities
eIxed out their intellectual and artistic
fortunes on the remains of the Roman
Empire. 1t cannot be said that For
tuny discovered the treasures of hi:
own country in the way of Moorish
color and beauty in architecture and
garments and romance. Frenchmen
and even Americans, were before him
witness Washington Irving and Pres
colt and Theophile Gautier and Sainte
Beuve. and artists like Decamps and
T'romentin, some Of whom passed ove'
spain and made directly for North At
RIGA and Egypt. FortuM himself die
not fail to refresh the faded lineaments
of the Moors of Spain by visits K
Mauritania. bat we know him best by
his resurrectlons of the old splendic
times IN Spain. when the Cross was
attacking the Crescent in its last foot
hold on European SOIL Naturally. tins
Alhambra held his attention One o.
the paintings by Fortuny figured here
tells a grim anecdote of the petty wars
in which the Moorish King Of Granada
was victorious Ii Is painted with tfa'
,rispness. that sparkle. that nervous m
+ensity which suggest the glitter o.
sunlight on a thin Toleda blade, guam