I reminded him that he ought not, like the stag in the fable, to
despise the quality which had extricated him from difficulties, in
which his talents, as a portrait or landscape painter, had been found
unavailing. Above all, I praised the execution, as well as conception,
of his painting, and reminded him that, far from feeling dishonoured by
so superb a specimen of his talents being exposed to the general view
of the public, he ought rather to congratulate himself upon the
augmentation of his celebrity to which its public exhibition must
necessarily give rise.
"You are right, my friend--you are right," replied poor Dick, his eye
kindling with enthusiasm; "why should I shun the name of an--an--(he
hesitated for a phrase)--an out-of-doors artist? Hogarth has introduced
himself in that character in one of his best engravings; Domenichino,
or somebody else, in ancient times, Morland in our own, have exercised
their talents in this manner. And wherefore limit to the rich and
higher classes alone the delight which the exhibition of works of art is
calculated to inspire into all classes? Statues are placed in the
open air, why should Painting be more niggardly in displaying her
masterpieces than her sister Sculpture? And yet, my friend, we must part
suddenly; the carpenter is coming in an hour to put up the--the emblem;
and truly, with all my philosophy, and your consolatory encouragement
to boot, I would rather wish to leave Gandercleugh before that operation
commences.
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