Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-01-26
BY Jessie FAINT EVANS.

XA/ weather without-we had
" " companionship with the
heritage of a goodly past
within. Such was the writer's feeling
one disagreeable Saturday afternoon
as she visited with Miss Maria Nichol-
son. 1911 Thirty-first street, in old
Georgetown. Otter In telling of the
achievements of those of our family
who have gone on before, we can only
give the oral tradition that is our
family heritage. Miss Nicholson illus
trated almost every graphic instance
with an autographed letter, signed
etching, or a portrait in oil, until the
spirit of glowing accomplishment in
our own land and in the British Isles
leapt into being, making each yester-
day seem as If it were a today.
Upon the distaff side of her family
Miss Nicholson is the great-great-great-
granddaughter Of George Thomson,
whose daughter married George Ho-
garth. the English cartoonist. It was
the daughter Of Hogarth who became
Mrs. Charles Dickens, you will remem-
Der. In Miss Nicholson's possession to-
day is the original oil painting of this
George Thomson, painted by her
grandsire on her fathers side. Will
liam Nicholson of the Royal Society
of Artists, Edinburgh, Scotland. With
spectacles atop his nose. Mr.. Thomson
is shown perusing a poem recently
received from his friend, Robert
Burns, entitled Behold the Hour"
which became still more famous by
being set to music and sung as a
popular ballard. In an old copy of
Burns poems which had belonged to
her father we reread this poem and
Miss Nicholson recalled how these
two lines were often quoted in her
youth, But fate has willed and we
must part" and Zen here I took the
last farewell"
In Miss Nicholson's possession is
also the framed letter from Robert
Burns sending her three times-re-
moved "Grandfather Thomson the
same copy of the poem he is shown
reading in this portrait. In Burns
own handwriting it is addressed, MIR.
George Thomson, Trustees Office"
William Nicholson, the artist, was
one of the founders of the Royal Scot
fish Academy and its honorary secre-
tary for six years. Miss Nicholson
owns many Of the pieces of the tea
set presented to this ancestor and his
wife upon his retirement from the
secretaryship.
Charming Portrait Of Scott.
So absorbed was I in the lore of
Burns that when I glanced to another
wall of Miss Nicholson's home felt as
if I were a discoverer on Dariens
peak. Here was delightfully."- charm
ing portrait of Sir Walter Scott from
life. sketched in all the charm of his
youth. by this same artistic forebear
of Miss Nicholson. Below is this
framed letter from the author of
"Ivanhoe" which the bits of red seal
ing wax still adhering where they were
broken open when the missive was
first read:
Sir Walter Scott begs Mr.. Nichol-
son will express to the gentlemen of
the Scottish Academy, Sir Walter
sense of their politeness in offering
him an opportunity Of attending the
promenade at their exhibition. He
regrets leaving town. he is unable to
avail himself of their obliging invita-
ton"
AS Miss Nicholson patiently and
courteously satisfied my Unsuitable cur
iosity while the rain dashed the trees
Of the r.earby Dodge home, also stood
before virile pencil sketch of James
Watt. inventor of the steam engine
done by her grandfather Nicholson In
1918, just before Watts death. Above
it is a water color by Arthur Perigal
an Edinburg classmate of her grand
father Nicholson, depicting Loeb Lub-
naig and the home Of James Bruce
distinguished traveller up the Nile. Al
most reverently, too. I lifted one by
one from their folder. a collection OF
.tchings on copper by william Nichol-
son. Royal Scottish Academician u
Among others by this versatile artist
were those of Francis Jeffrey, Sir