The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-02
ERNEST sETON-THOMPsON.
Something About the Author of the
Delightful Animal Stories.
Detroit Free Press.

Detroit Free Press.
Most persons find 1t exceedingly difficult
TO master thoroughly one branch OF science
or art, Mr. Ernest eton-Thompson has
succeeded in achieving distinction in not less
than three First and foremost he is a
naturalist and zoologist of recognized abil-
1ty, having spent a number Of years in the
Northwest, part of the time In the employ
OF the government collector of sDeci-
mems of the flora of the continent. Second
ly, he Is an artist and painter, whose pic
lures have been deemed worthy of a place
or honor In the French salon, and. lastly,
he has won renown as writer of delight
ful animal stories, in which capacity he is
perhaps best known TO the American pub
lie. Though an Englishman by birth. Mr..
thompson has spent so much time in the
United States that he is not unreasonably
regarded as one of us. in consequence of
which circumstance a brief sketch OF his
busy career will doubtless be regarded
possessing general interest.
Mr. Seton-Thompson was educated at
Toronto College. Ontario, and at the Royal
Academy, London, Eng. o descendant of
the oldest branch of the famous Seaton
family of Scotland. he was born in the
north of England, Aug. IA, 1S60-although
think on the plains of the Assiniboine, in
1ooz In log shanty, on the big plain, he
lived with his brother for three years
necessaries of life. and left ample time for
geological expeditions, which extended into
the surrounding country several hundred
months of hard study i'm London, these
three years of free, wild life seemed. in
deed golden. They were the formative
period that decided his subsequent career.
In 1t he INDUCED to the full his ardent love
Of animated nature, and those who know
MN Dest declare that no matter what the
medium-whether prose. paint, or plaster,
which he uses to express his ideas. through
1t one can see, primarily, the naturalist
In 1888 Mr.. Seton-Thompson first began
to be known as a naturalist, by a series
n ThaCp
were eventually gathered together, ex
tended and published in book and form,
THE Birds of Manitoba and THE Nam
mails of Manitoba" and resulted I'm his
being appointed government naturalist to
that province. The illustrations he made
for these and other papers excited so great
an interest among the publishers an
scientists Of the East that the Century
Company brought him to New York to aid
in illustrating the Century Dictionary. On
this work he was engaged until 1880, when.
after having made 900 drawings for il.
he sailed for Paris to pursue his studies in
art; He studied there with Henry Mosler.
and his first picture, painted within year
after his arrival, was hung in the salon.
in a place of honor on the line. The SUBJ
Ject of this picture was sleeping wolf.
During his western life he had been noted
as a olf-hunter. and all the drawings and
pictures he exhibited in the salon. some
eighteen I'm number, were wolf subjects.
called. painted his next canvas for the
worlds fair. 1t was called Awaited in
Vain" 1t tells the CHASTITY. tale of a
woodcutter. who. returning to his wife and
his supper. is devoured by wolves within
sight of his own door To some people the
picture is revolving; to others fascinating:
and the wonderful knowledge of animals
which the artist has displayed. The
artist, when questioned about his choice
of subject to exert his talents upon re-
piled: 1.-THE incident occurred i'm the Pyr-
enees, while l was in France. Ii was
graphically told. 1t haunted me until /
Returning TO America, Mr. Seton-Thomp-
son was invited to renew his wolf hunting
by expedition into the Csrrumpaw re-
gion of old New Mexico. where huge
wolf, with chosen band, had slaughtered
cattle daily for five years. In spite of IA
great price set on his head this wonderful
animal had laughed at all efforts to de-
strey him: and Notwithstanding his skill
Wolf Thompson four months i'm
pursuit of Wolf Lobo before he and his
pack were captured.
Returning to Paris to resume his studies
under Gerome, Bouguereau and Ferrier
Mr.. Seton hompson realized that a thor
ough knowledge of anatomy is essential 10
the animal painter. For obviously, since
his models never pose he must paint large
ly from a knowledge of the subject. As
there was no work on the anatomy of ami
mails, from the artists point of view, he
sat about collecting and completing the
numerous studies from his own dissections.
These results of four years conscientious
study were condensed into fifty large
plates, treating of some fifty of the ami
mails and birds of chief interest to the ar
fist. This work, under the title of Art
Anatomy of Animals. has been published
by Macmillan, of London and New York,
in royal quarto volume, with 100 pages
of text accompanying the superb plates. A
series of autograph letters from Lord
Leighton, Briton Riviere Fremlet, Gerome
and others attests its value.
In June, 1896. he married Miss Grace CAL
latin, daughter of Mr.. Albert GaIlatin. of
the well-known family now residing in San
Francisco-a writer herself and a true help
mate. Mr.. Seton-Thompson's wild AMI
mails Have Known gave him high rank
in literature. and his Trail of the Sandhll
Stag and 1.-The Biography of a Grizzly
also illustrated by himself, have confirmed
his position.