[Vol. 1.1 (8. C.) TUESDAY. MAY.14. .1810. ' [v ,
-? ? ^rf^i r . ? ? i i?i *?
I ? II I w
nmiMU wiiitf > >? .f
DY THOMAS W. LORHAItyf.
7Ynrn ?/ Tl?K?l)oJ?m
n?dv in odimnce....Nt? piper lo bldwcimtirtlKa* buUt
iti" option ol the Rditor, until nil ?rrears*ei tare paid.
.n.hrrtUrneitu not exceeding fourteen line#, Inserted
tlie first time for seventy-five cam, uh l f<>Hy cent* for
??itch subsequent insertion. Istter* to tlic Editor l^uit
lie jvm tpakl.or the poitnpo will he cliniyrd tollie writer.
TIIB FINE AR;f&
iikim thr ronr royo.
ANALYSIS OF MK. ALLSTOWi PICTURE
The passage in scrlpturcf froth whicl^the sub
ject of Mr. AUstini's pir.itiVo is'Jjkeii, docs nut
eeem, to the gcm-i al reader, to offer any parti
cular field fur a display of toe powers of the art
?>f painting. It would appear Indeed unfit to
form tlio groundwork of a composition | as the
miraculous part of it in connected with details
which arc only calculated to excito disugreoabte
aensations { and the delicate manner in which
Mr. Atlaton has treatetl them, is not one of the
leatt merits of the picture.
Hut it is tho peculiar property of somas to
create. It is raro that any single fact offers
every requisite for a poem, or a picture, when
unadorned,or not rondered prominent'by the
subordinate fiction of the imagination. In the
Iiroduction before ii.h, a high degrco of interest
ias been given, and a great deal of animation is
thrown into the surrounding groups by the ex
pression of tho various emotions excitcd by tho
performance of a miracle \ and above all by the
touching episode of the family of the deceased,
which is very naturally introduced as assisting
at his funeral.
Au account of the general disposition of these
different groups, and of the emotions which the
artist hss attempted to express in the counte
nance of each individual,cannot bo better given
than in his own words.
" The sepulchre of Elisha is supposed to be in
a cavern among the mountains t such places in
those early age* being used for the interment of
the dead. In the fore-ground is the man at the
moment of reanimation, in which tho artist has
attempted, both in the action and the color, to
express the gradual recoiling of life upon death j
behind Itim, in a dark rcceia, are the bones of
the prophet* the skull of which U peculiariml
by a preternatural light t at his head andftet
ore two alaves,bearers of the body r the ropes
?till iti< their hands, by which they have let It
doubt, as if sjlll requiring further confirmation
of the miracle before him, while in the flguro at
the head, ia iVt^ *tf fiffltljfHftri ?fcjunrcrt*'1WT tcr
ror. M tKe roost tirbmiriet^ group above
soldier, in the act of riih
the violent and terrified a
lung Irom the scene
lltion of tfiis figure was
t liosen to illustrate the miracle bv the contrast
which it exhibita to that habitual firmness, sup
posed to belong to the military character, show
ing his emotion to proceed from no mortal causc.
The figure graipilig the soldier's arm, and pres
sing forward to look at the body, is expressive
of terror, overcome by curiosity. The group
on tho left, or rather behind the soldier, is com
posed of two men, of different ages, earnestly
listening to the explanation of a priest, who is
directing their thoughts to heaven, as tho source
of tho miraculous change) the boy clinzing to
the old man is too young to comprehend tne na>
turo of the miracle, hut, like children of his age
unconsciously partakes of the general impulse
The jgrdup on the right forms art episode, con
f istirigof the wife and daughter of the reviving
man. The wife, unable to withstand the con'
dieting emotions of the past and the present,
has faint'd ; and whatever joy and astonishment
may have. Iicen excited in the daughter by the
rudden revival of her father, they are wholly
absorbed in distress anil solicitude for her mo
ther. The young man with outstretched arms,
actuated by'impulse, (not motive) announces to
tho wife, by a sudden exclamation, the revivnl
of her husband t the other youth, of a mild and
devotional character, is still in the attitude of
one conversing?the conversation beintj almint
1 v broken ofl'by his impetuous companion. The
sentinels in tho distance, at the entrance of tho
cavern, mark the depth of the picture, and in
dicate the alarm which had occasioned this tu
multuary burial."
<)| (his description it inusf he ?ai?1. that it docs ;
not promise mote than Mr. Allston has perform- i
cd, He has been very kucccmI'u!, generally, in
tlu?. delineation of the passion* j hut above all
in the group of the wife and children.?'I'lie
figure uf tlie mother MHUpineness itself.--Over*
come liv excess of joy* her <i;jht become* dim.
Iht liniW fail her, ami you tltut the figure do
rives no support hut from the arms of her daugh
ter, anil from (lie soldier hehind Iht, in whose
countenance slei micm nod compa are hap
Inly bended. The daughter upp<*:irK absorbed
>y the situation of Iter parent t pily atone iaex
Itressed on her countenance ; Air! tit?' painter
tan recotded an instance of th?* triumph of filial
afleetion over thft passion which it vulgarly tai
led the general failing of the ?e\.
There ate in all eighteen figure*. which, al?
though calculated to arrest the attention xepar
ately,are kept, by the general tone, subordinate
to that of the dead nt'?n raided. He is wrapt in
the fohU of a winding-sheet, the drapery of
which is treated in a^ratiil <lyl?i of the art, while
it contribute*essentially to the keeping of the
picture, and forcibly attracts the attention to
the principal tl^ure. Iti.4 body ir. naturally un
covered by the eflorf he is making to ri*e, ami
offer*, together with the head, a masterpiece
both of drawing and coloring. it Is an instance
of what t* seldom acamiplisned in painting; a
grand and large *tylejoined toA degree of finish
ins 'wt to be mirpnsfed by enamel. To glv* an
instance by example of the impression it makes
upon us?and of what we mean by tnis junction
?we should quote the heads of Carlo Dolce and
Sassaferrato, (who possessed in somo/degrpo
botli) in contradistinction to Denner, mil some
ofthq Dutch school, who, possessed the latter
without tho former. , '
Irf tliis figure, the pallid hues of death still
linger over Ids frame, tlm purplo tint of which
indicates the alow return of circulation) while
the pain gtmaTftliy consequent upon 11 return of
animation, is expressed by the rontraction^aiid
spasmodic'affection ofvth6-muscle* of the ex
tremities. The whole figure forms an admira
ble pendant for the famous St. Jerotno j of which
it reminds you forcibly, although the expression
is diftc/cut j as in the latter is attempted to be
shOwii the ecstatic effect of a blissful vision?
the jMAKajze of the holy man from life to death j
whereas the entrance, or return, over the thresh
old of life, is dsgtined to be always accompani
ed by apparent anguish. '
Tno enoct which such a picture must have on
a person who has long been in the habit of stu
dying the productions of the Italian school, is
similar to that of a modorn poem, replete with
classical imagery, upon a reader whose memory
is stored witii tho beauties of the ancients
Parallel passages from that groat fund of imita
tion, which is open to every scholar, suggest
themselves at every instant i he driuks of the
waters of the classical spring at a vast distance
from the source, but their inspiration has not
been lost in the various meandering)* through
which they have flowed. Ho, in thu picture uu
der reviow we are reminded, at overy moment
without any servility of imitation, ot the man
ner, and in some instances, of the outline of ma
ny of t!ie great masters. These arc, if we may
so express ourselves, the parallelled passages of
painting. Thus the fainting wife brings strong
ly to our recollection tho Mater Dolorosa, at the
foot of the cross, in the Descent, by Rubens.
The figure and action of the soldier, that of one
of thoTreacorca of the Vatican. Tho boy re
minds us of that of tho possessed child in the
Transfiguration. ThojIUvo at the head of tho
man is in the style, ancl worthy of Michael An*
gclo) while the coWftgof tne whole has all
the beauty of tint, andenastonosa of tone, pecu
liar to Titian. Of tho latter excellence, it is in
deed impossible to say too rijuch. Tho flesh
throughout is rendered with grept truth, and
the ^various vhw of thediflerentv dresses Mfo
blended w th so much art,aii W succes
sion of brilliant tijPktg, which viewed asa *hole?
cease to bo garish.
Tho/orce of the shadows calculated to give
relief t6m mc(ufe of tliis size, (which U thirteen
by eleven,} is necessarily very great? and yet
they are So e|6at, that every object in them is as
distinctly marked by color and outline as in the
lights.? The great breadth of shadow on the left
in the picture is happily relieved by the light
proceeding from tholiead of tho saint.
The manner in which the artist has treated
this supernatural light is not orthodox t it may
be accounted for* as ho has represented it, by a
vulgar cause.?But we think it* highly original,
ana calculated to excite a train of reflections far
more sublime and terrible, than all the gilt rays,
and brilliant circles we usually sec encompas
sing the heads of thoso persons, intended by the
painter to be peculiariscd, and meant as in'dica*
lions of their sanctity. #
This light sti ikes on tha sole of the foot of tho
slave, serving to mark the articulations of the
joints, and it at the same time sheda a sickly
glare on'tho receding body of the saint, whicli,
as ho is supposed to have been buried not many
months, is still enveloped in a shroud) represent
ed as sinking Into the body where tho flesh may
bo imagined to havo been partially corrupted,
and marking tho form of thu skeleton.
Upon tho whole, wo regard thiii picture ns a
strong illustration of the fact, than an ottention
to minutiie,?a fidelity to the representation of
natural effects,?is by no means incompatible
with grandeur of design. The diversity even
of the texture and quality of the stuffs in it. are
admirably expressed, and their colurs highly
varied without being gaudy. Tho plcturo for
tin* reason begins by pleasing tho sense, and
afterwards the mind.?it is perhaps all that can
be wished for in a production of the art, thatthe
first should draw you towards it, and that the
, last should detain you before it.
The propriety however of the admiftstion of
s'icli brilliant hue* in (renting n subject of ho
grave n nature may he r|uefttionahle; but we nre
of opinion, that if they nro wot requisite*, (h?y
arc nt all events admissible. Nay, (hat the pro*
(faction it* more or loan perfect, according ns they
arc present or not.?-Whatever may Ihj the more
elevated object df painting, it is desirable to the
generality of *jiecta(oi!t that it should bo orna
mental | and it any of the ancient inatrier* have
been deficient in lively colouring, it in but rea
sonable to AUpjpoie tluit they wanted the faculty
of giving it) for we du not find by the uso of it
in any of their minor productions, a proof of
their having rejected it through system in their
hi?torical compositions.?On (ho oilier hand, we
have the authority of great painter* for (he use
of it.?The pathetic feeling* excited by lluheiiH
in hi* descent from tho Cross, nre not checked
by the brilliant colour* of the dresses of those
who are agisting at it.?In real life, on act i
dent would not be leM affecting if happening to
one clothed in scarlet and gold, than it Ida drew
consisted of atuftj of the gravest colour*.?A
field of battle in a sight not the less hari owing be
cause the ruya of the <um may Im reflected by
the highly burnished lielmel,?tho gaudy epau*
let,?in a word, all (he pi ide aud pomp of war !
'I'ho greater the contrast, tho moro awful aud
impressive tho leHson of man overtaken by cala
mity } and (he painter in ri^ht to make use of all
*ticn circumstance* if oft'eied, or imagine (l;cm
If not, in order <?> make his picture sub/arviant
to (ho purposes of ornament 1 while the iptrtxl
tion ol Ijioui only goes to prove his conscious
trbduc^
outness
of hiqpowerq, by liid disdaining to call in the aid
of asMciation. #'
We have Often thought it a contradiction in
tho theory anil practice of sir Joshua lioynolds,
Uiat although he dwells in the one on tho unim?
portance of brilliant colouring an contributing to
grandeur, nay, goes so far an almost to incul
cate as a maxim that it ought to bo avoided, yet
in his practice ho always anued nt*perfcction in
that branch of the art, by the study of the Vene
tian school. In one of hi* notes, indeed,
fresnoy, when speaking oi Micliuel Angelo, (Ju
lio Komano, and Kanhacl, who are justly ranked
first an painters, (although two of them were ap
parently ignorant of, and the lattor deficient in
(he management of colouring, and disposition of
light and shadow,) ho goei so far as to say, that
" although the merits of those two great painters
are of such trancemlency as to make us over
took this deficiency, yet a subdued attention to
these inferior excellencies must bo added to
complete tho idea of perfection."
' As this is not meant as n panegyric, but as an
enquiry into tho merits of Mr. AUston'ii picture
a few words must bo said of what ap|?cai- to us
the prominent defects of it. They lire to be
found principally in the drawing and relative
proportions of some of tho figures ; particularly
in those of the group in the second plan, which
are certainly shorter than can bo warranted by
the distance from the principal figure ;?tins
circumstance may arise liowei er from the colos
sal size of the slave in the left of the picture.-?
Their limbs do not appeur to us as exactly pro
portioned to the bodies ; a circumstance the
more extraordinary, because, in every other in
stanco the relativu* proportions are good, and the
drawing, nbovc all, of the extremities, correct.
In speaking of the productions of an artist of
such eminence, we can only mean by " bad
drawing," a departure from the ideal beauty of
the antique. There is in the group in question
no want of proportion, such as it may be found
in vulgar nature. If this be a fault, the painter
certainly err* on tho right side ) for if the pro
ductions of the Flemish school are deficient in
dignity, from tho representation of that vulgar
nature, on tho other hand, wo find it result still
less from tho coloured bas-reliefs of the school of
David, Tho perfection ofdrawimr must be found
in a happy medium between both these extremes t
and with the exception of tho instances alluded
to. Mr. Allston has been successful in the deline
ation of either muscular force or dignified pro
portion! and the drawing, generally speaking,
of the extremities, as well as the foreshortening
and keeping.of the whole, is not to bo surpassed
oy a?j pwWr. Wct?Dt or modern.
1 If wo may bo allowed an observation an to tin:
general composition, the bustle which pervades
throughout tlio whole scene would not seem to
bo ^illiell by tho performance of the miracle, as
.4ne subject of it is in u pit, urul removed from
tho sight of most of those represented in action ;
tho mu?d la not cmito satisfied as to tlio possibili
ty of the news of his recovering having been so
rapidly circulated an to cause uti the commotion
from vf hence the picture derives its interest and
animation. Hut these, after nil, m e minor de
fects, and not incompatible with the general li
cense usually granted to artists in their compo
sitions. Upon the whole, we may bo perfectly
safe in pronouncing it the finest production of
any modern artist.
Air. West, in a letter to lord Elgin, relative
to tho Athenian relievos, speculates on tl\e pro
bable degreo of eminence in the art attainable by
a young man of genius, if aided by the uninter
rupted study of these sculptures. Should such
a result ensue, it would make amends for the
sacrilege his lordship has committed by their re
moval from a spot where they harmonised with
every surrrounding object.
Mr. Allston is now a resident in !?ondon j the
monuments of Phidias are within his daily reach.
: lie evinces in the picture before us. n coinbina
; Hon of genius and talent rarely to lie met with
in modern times. We have therefore every rea
son to hopo that ho is destined to realize the
supposition of the president of the royal acade
my | and that art will attain, through nim, a de
gree of excellence unknown since the days of
Alichnol Angelo and Raphael.
A monument is now erccting in Trinity
Church, (I'hilad.) to the memory ot the much la
| mooted Lawrence. It represents a broken co
| liimti of whito marble of the doric order, the cap
| of which is broken oft'and rests on tho base'. On
the plinth in front is tho following inscription >?
lu Memory of
I Captain JAJMlM l.AWJtKNCK,
of die United fttate< Navy,
Who fell
on the first day of June, 181;), in the 23d year of his age,
In the action between the frigutea
<;hc?i)Ci*ke rikI Shannon,
lie distinguidtcrf huii*elfon various oecns'onsi
Hot particularly when ho commanded
sloop of war li nnet,
11/ capturing nii<l n,liking
Hi* IVitann.n Majo?ty'**|t>opnf war Peacock,
After a <le?pct'utc action of 14 minute*.
Ilm bravery in art ion,
%Vu? only cr|iinllc<t hy hi* modt^ty in triumph,
And ni< magnanimity to the v;in<pii?hcd.
In private life,
Mr was ag<*jitk-manof themojt
generous and endearing <pialitie?.
\n<l so iM-knnwIeriged wa* In* public Worth,
'I'lnt tho whole u ition mouioeJ his loa* i
A'. J thf eix'.ny contended with hit country men,
Who imwt should honor his rem&.n*
' lUM TilS RKYKMC.1
The. Ilero,
Who? c remain* are here depot',ted,
With his expiring breath,
Expressed Ins devotion to Ills Country.
Neither the fury of battle ;
The anguish of a mortal wound i
Nor the horrors of approaching Death,
CouM subdue lit* gallant tpirit.
Hi* dving word* were,
" don't oivKi ?jr tiih sim v
?????gggaMH-l..Ill L.Jl'
*- (ECONOMICS.
CAMKLH. ,
[We copy the following letter of Gen. Raton,
from a Connecticut patter printed in the year
1800, in the hope that tin- useful hint* contained
in it, though an long ncglccted, ill not he en*
tircly lost upon those who posse** the means of
| profiting by them.]
TO TlIK apITOR or TKB MOST* AMMIICAK.
SIR?Accidentally, on my passage through
thin ?State, I met with an extract from your iwt
lpcr recommending the introduction of tho Ca
mel to tho Southern sections of the Union, a* an
animal of burthen. Mnny yearn ago I held a
command on the southern frontiers of Georgia,
and had occasion to rcconnoitrc a very consider
able part of that country. I remarked much
inconvenience in transporting the productions
of interior plantations to navigable waters, by
reason of the working cuttle and horses; ob
| structions of loose sands and slippery clay hot ?
I touts, and the want of forage to supjtort teams;
for these arc impediments which can never be
wholly removed?*,** remedy can be had by in
troducing the Camel. I formed this opinion
soon after becoming acquainted with tlie cus
I toms and habits of tho Moors and Arabs on tho
I coast of Africa ; and it was my intention to have
sent a number of that and other animals from
that const to some of my friends in the southern
| states, hud not adversity defeated my designs.
All which is stated in the piece above alluded
to, concerning the usefulness of the Camel, I
| can confirm from actual experiment. About
: fivohundrcd Camels bore our baggage, provision*,
and camp equipage from tlie borders of Egypt
to tho eastern provinces of Tripoli. They wero
driven by Arabs. Tlie region through "whjcli^
we passed was extremely sterile. In a march*'
| of about six hundred miles in the desert we saw.
neither a cottage, a fruit tree, nor a natural
| stream of water. On tlie borders of the moun
tains and in thu raviuos wo found a miserable
shrubby, wild thyme, thistle, a kind of dwarf
| sweet briar, low and knotted thorn bushes, and
hero and there a little heritage. No provisions
were made for tho subsistence of our Camols.
I Tho proportionate burthen on each of them was
| about 700 weight. The vallies between thu
high grounds and mountains are plains of sand,
in some places deep and quick. In many in
stances we were compelled to march two,'thrc^
or four days through this dreary plain without
affording any forage to thoso patient animals {
| and it was only when we fell in with such coarse
vegutation as I have before described, that thev
were loosed from their hampers ami permitted
to roam under the vigilence anil responsibility
of their drivers\ they seemed to prefer the.
roughest weeds, ami were peculiarly fond of the
thistle' and wild thyme. 1 nough, from the tcan
tines* of this wretched kind or forage, they be
came low in flesh, not one of them failed j -nnd
I am persuaded from my own observation that
they did not have water more than four or five
times duringa passage of fifty days* The scan
ty supplies which we took from accidental cis
terns and rare reservoirs hardly kept alive our
famishing ho?t, and our cavalry horses, which
cannot subsist without drink. One Arab was
allowed tho care of ten Camels. How useful
might this animal he rendered on the plain^ of
our southern climates ? Cold, freezing wreathe
is destructive to them * and they mako a labori
ous and weaver progress among rocks.
|n sucn parts orihe southern states as where
roads at^imperfcct, and where the mails and o ?
other communications are carried by horse*, the
Dromedary would also be a useful introduction.
This animal seems to be a species of the camel,
less in size, not calculated for burthen, slender
of frame, easy of motion, and speedy of. travel.
Its general daily march is about sixty j miles?
when pushed one hundred. It feed* on tho
same plants as the camel, and is equally docile,
and obedient. It is remarkablo that tho Camel
always kneels to receive ltsburtheu,and ha* tho
sagacity to know and complain when too much
is imposed for his Strength} it kneels also to bo
unladen. Other kinds of useful animals might:
also be brought froifr Africa. They have tho
finest mules on tho Barbery coast 1 have over
seen in any country | and the mean* of pre
ducing the same quality here may bo oh
tained and transported. An excellent spec'uM
of Sheep are found there, Upon which beneficial
experiments have been made upon the planta -
tioiis Of Judge Peters of Pennsylvania. Horn.*,
valuable tropical fruit trees from that coast, un
known 111 oar c&ttntrv* I think mjkht be. made to
flourish In the vieinlty of New-Orleans, on tho
banks of the Mississippi* and on our southern
frontiers* particularly the, palm-tree. It pro
duces a fruit extremely nutrlcloup, which form?
a cldef article of subsiHtenco to tho sun-brown
ed wanderers of the interior of Barbary and K
gypt j is very delicious, and (s a rare treat as a
desert upon the boards of gentlemen in Europe
and America.
The skotch is imperfect?-but not income'.
A passenger and a late hour must apologize for
imperfection. 1 Shall bo glad to correspond with
any gentleman who feel and will take an inte
rest in this subject) and, if circumstances al
low, would willingly have u concern in an en
terprise which f believe might*in process of time,
be rendered very useful to our country.
Accept,Su, &c.
" v WILLIAM RATON.
AthfonI, Con. Jnnr 17, 1800.
COTTON 8BKD OIL.
The following is exti acted from a northern
paper printed in the ycar 1809 ?*-u We nre in'4
formeu that a person in Massachusetts has at -
tempted to convert to an eminently useful pur
pose, a substance that has hitherto been considei
ed as worthless and of no account He has t'ir ?