ALSTON'S MYSTERIOUS PICTURE. — Mr. Alston, who is the first, if not
the only historical painter in America, has been employed for many years upon a very large picture, which is not to be seen by any one till finished. The sub- ject is Belshazzar's Feist, and the figures are as large as life. He intends to rest his reputation on the success of this painting, which will not see the light till he himself is perfectly satisfied with it. Many parts of it are said to have been repeatedly altered. On one occasion when it was threatened by fire, Mr. Alston requested a particular friend to assist him in its removal, but made him walk with his back towards the picture, that he might not catch a glimpse of it. — Vigne's Six Months in America.
ERRORS IN PAINTING.—Would-any man believe, that all the whole-length portraits that have ever been painted since the death of Reynolds, by the most eminent English portrait-painters, have stood on their toes, from the painters' ignorance of design? And.would any man further believe, that when a portrait was sent with the feet properly in perspective, so corrupt were the eyes from long habit of all the eminent painters, that they cried out, " The man stands on hisieels!"—Haydon, in the Times.
THE BIRD-WHISTLER AT THE STRAND THEATRE.—This Than stands before you, moves and quivers his lips us a bird does his beak, and pours forth abso- lute torrents of song—now like the thrush, now the nightingale, now the lark. Re chirps, he warbles, he jug-jugs, he gives all those littleireale; and junapings of the voice which seem analogous to the quickness and skittishness of a bird's. movements ; he knows the favourite burdens of their song; he chirps (as it were) a whole tree-full of notes; he is loud and liquid as the thrush; he grows richer and richer, with the nightingale;. he times with the lark :(imitating the motion with his hand), and seems to shatter the air with rapture.—True Sun. MORAL COTTON.—The forms of good breeding have been properly compared to the cotton and other soft materials placed between china vases, to prevent their Icing broken by collision.—Duntant.
Previous page
