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Herald (NY Herald) 1835-1841

Aug 31 1835 p. 1 for the Herald, Amateur Pencil Sketches by L? S?, will any time turn fr viewing a splendid lscape on canvas, to one of moderate beauty formed by nature.  a scene conveyed to paper with most minute accuracy, loses in my eye, half its effect.

            -p.2 identifies RA Locke as writing the hoax was formerly police reporter for C &E, feuded with Hoskin, dismissed him, hired Attree, who B calls a vulgar caricaturist w/o knowledge, edc or manners of a gman.  Locke is an original genius, v gmanly

Sept 1 p. 2 notes that Prof Tucker of VA writing hi interesting life of Jefferson, Harpers hired Inman to review it, litterateur, principal editor or literary aid of the Harpers and paragraphist of Commercial, book will be pub in London.

Likes the Boston poet who translates Beranger.  don’t believe the Ital Opera will succeed.  Identifies literary critic of the C& C as Mr Herbert of the American Monthly, puts down Cooper to build up Paulding.  Says Hoffman and Herbert of the Am Monthly are flat and dull, don’t equal the Herald’s poet “h”.  Softens on Attree.  Puffs the museums.Davie Crockett a buffoon

Sept 7 p. 1 interview with King of Sandwich islands, is given cast iron statues of great men of Europe, Napoleon etc, and portraits;  he has portraits already

Sept 11 p. 2 Somebody pretends to be exhibiting here at Clinton Hall two “master pieces” of ptg, Apoethosis of Madonna by Raphael, Christ’s Nativity by Correggio.  Pedlars in ptgs fr Euro succeed imposing miserable daubs for origs of old masters, or copies equal to origs taken by first of living artists.  refuse and scum of picture dealers in Paris, London, Rome or Venice sent here palmed upon us as surprising works, faultless pictures or masterpieces of ptg.  our people too go see believe pay and consider themselves connoisseurs, exhibitors laugh.  grt names of ptg are known to us, but beyond them we know little and are easily duped.  need a reform

Says C&E and its literary clique don’t like Mr Price of NY Mirror  Takes a Willis Sept 18 Gaylord Clark poem on Mrs Hemans fr the Knickerbocker

            C&E clique are JW Webb, WH Herbert and J Inman, who conspire agst NP Willis, GP Morris, J Price--bottleholders Holland, Sandford, Hoffman etc.  formerly, when Irving, Paulding, Verplanck, Drake and Halleck, all harmony and love.

Says Ormsby’s pentraphic estab 142 Nassau st sending out engravings of most beaut kind, of Chief Justice Marshall excellent, peculiar orig and highly ingenious style

Sept 21 p. 2Eve Star and Sunday News puffing outrageously certain daubs exhib in Clinton Hall, prob written by Peter Simple, who knows as much of ptg as of poetry, must be shown up

Sept 22 p. 2 criticizes C&E for puffery, including Vanderlyn and Niblo and the ventriloquist, etc

Thinks Mechanics Exhib shd be cheaper

Oct 2 p. 2 notices Doctor Ellet a prof at Columbia College, wife is authoress of grt taste and fine genius, moving to So Carolina.  Likes Beauties of the Hudson River

Oct 3 p.2 correspondence fr Baltimore, Greenough’s Medora, most beaut specimen I saw in Euro or America, for Mr Gilmer of this city, gman with largest coll of statuary, ptgs and autographs in country. $5000, to furnish him with a Medora at his leisure.  cost the sculptor $1200.  richly worth the price.  workmanship exquisite. display the form symmetry and beauty of the limbs, heavenly, beaut in death, rich profusion, wonderful powers of sculpture matches Byron’s description.

Oct 5 p. 2 criticizes Sunday News for 20 puffs of pictures etc.  Notes Clinton Hall ptgs continues to be praised and puffed, won’t be rational, they are originals, or from the minds of Corregion and Raphael, or Bron Van Schlprettrapltr copied them from the originals

            equates phrenology with atheism

Oct 7 p. 1 Lines on the picture of a girl leading her blind mother thru the wood, NP Willis, no mention of the picture itself.

            p.2 had a look at fine fresco ptg Transfiguration in St Joseph’s Church, 6^th ave, best artists classical decorations, lover of fine arts, intellectual excellency (fr the Green Banner)

Peter Simple Townsend, editor of NY Evening Star, attacks him in Wall st .   Peale’s Museum used to also include in its name and Gallery of Fine Arts.  Notices Amer Inst fair in more detail than the Mechanics.

Oct 23 p.2 Harpers in a letter to boston indorse literary character and pretensions of John Inman, he mocks them

Oct. 24 1835 p.2 The sapient critic of the Courier and Enquirer in a piece on the Southern Literary Messenger designates Byron and Moore as “modern upstarts.”  (has been publishing a fair amount of Moore poetry, and one Lamb)

            Major Noah says “the Bowery audience is certainly respectable, with the exception that the pit audience occasionally take off their jackets.” Oh!

            Mr. John Inman is now pretty decently “used up.”

Oct. 28, 1835 p.2 Panoramic Exhibition at Brooklyn.—This is one of the prettiest, the neatest, the most interesting, the most admirable exhibitions ever got up of the kind.  It is an exhibition of the Manc hester and Liverpool Rail Road. Reader go and see it.  [they are an advertiser; so too regularly is Peale’s museum]

            Some of the Southern papers complain that the New York Mirror is stained with “Abolitionism.” We can bear witness that the stain is not real—the editors are spotless.

Oct 30, 1835 p.2 Notes. constantly attacks B Day of the Sun as a follower of Fanny Wright’s morals.  When Bennett walks “I confess I do take a long, graceful, Grecian step,--such a step as Alcibiades or Pericles took in walking into the Athenian Prytoneum.”

            -associates himself with Wall street, Broadway, fashionable society, and Van Buren (and Tammany)

            -no family antiquity, no heraldry, genealogy, but bright in ideas and saucy enough.  Tho claims some noble kin.  Catholic.

            Specimen of the “Mixed Style.”  British epitaph combines latin and English—humorous. 

Nov 2 1835

Mrs. Stevens, of the Portland Magazine, paints a sunset scene in the following style:  “The sun was sinking slowly to his nest of flame, like an archangel folding his robes of glory about him and spreading his pinions, shivering with prismatic plumage, for a flight from heaven.” Oh, Shadrach, Meschech, and Abednego! Had you been in that “nest of flame,” you never would have escaped with a whole skin.

            Elections.  Praises as honorable and talented Prosper M. Wetmore.

Fri Nov 6 1835 p. 2. The Recent Election. Courier & Enquirer, American, Evening Star, Whigs:  swagging air, em,pty, whiskered pomp. sleepy

            notes WW Snowden, the publisher of the Ladies Magazine, has moved from the Courier Office to Beekman street (where the Herald is; a decent, respectable neighborhood except for the Abolition Society).  Call Snowden a worthy young fellow.

            Plate Number of the Mirror.  Praises its attractions, “exquisite engraving” of the Deaf and Dumb Institution.  Colonel Morris is Anti-Abolitionist.

            Says the “Lady’s Book” pub at Phila would be better called the “Washerwoman’s Book”

Sat Nov 7 1835 p. 1 New York Enquirer in fall-spring of 1827-28, under Mr. Noah, first raised cry against the Bank; Argus joined in

p.2 Halleck has been offered $1000 for as many lines of poetry by an Amer periodical. (in a later paper gives one of his poems? FHH)

            Robt. W. Weir.—The last thing from the easel of this distinguished artist, is a design for the frontespiece and vignette of the forthcoming volume of the posthumus works of the late Dr. Drake.

            The American of yesterday, states that “Mr. Willis is probably the most brilliant Magazine writer of the day.” He married a rich wife.  Of course his value is increased in the eyes of the Americans.

--

anti-fashion (for women, anyway).  Frequent mentions, mostly praise, of Hamblin and the Bowery theater. 

Praises a manufacturer who uses religious discipline, in contrast to the dirty, ragged, ugly Infidel crew who meet at Tamany Hall.  These Moral Philanthropists degrade the mind with their scorn, satire, incredulity and barren sarcasm, talking of knowledge, but corroding natural religion/enthusiasm

Various jokes, puns, “facetiae”

--

Weds Nov 11, p.2 mentions Willis again—citation is from the Boston Gazette, he has a new work in press.  Also  cites the Cinti Gazette re a murder, and the Charleston Mercury re anti-abolition.

            -also later So Lit Msger, the Amer Monthly Mag

Fri Nov 13 p.2 dirty is one of his fave words of opprobrium, often close to Five Points.  Uses it esp for penny newspapers, like Davis’s Transcript, which he associates with Haggerty & Co. auctioneers

p.3 advert for “exhib of ptgs at the Landscape Gallery” to be sold by lottery, $5 ticket, Mr. Richardson’s large Pictures of Catskill Falls, Lake Scenes, etc. (from sketches painted on the spot); did this last spring too, 311 ½ Broadway, opposite Masonic Hall

            prefers Webster to Harrison—thinks Webster has too much talent to be elected.

Nov. 14 p.3 Adverts include for Barnums, grand moving panoramic view of England, J. Thom re his exhib in the Amer Acad of FA, Barclay Street, including a full length statue of Burns, Willie and Allan from the song of “Willie breued a peck o’?” Tam O’Shanter, Souter Johnie and other works, Old Mortality and his Poney

            Nov. 17^th editorial notes Thom’s exhib is drawing crowds, a litho of his Burns just been pub, neat and beautiful thing

            Exhib of ptgs at the Landscape Gallery 311 ½ broadway, opposite Masonic Hall, Mr. Richardson’s finished his large Pictures of Catskill Falls, Mountain and Lake scenes (from sketches painted on the spot) and offers them to the public in same manner as last spring, with 20 prizes and 200 tickets, $5 ea, free admission, 8 am til dusk

            Hanington’s Dioramas, City Saloon, opposite St. paul’s church (assoc with Hannington’s transparent blind and sign painting Establishment at 450 Broadway), Moving panorama of the moon, with Herschell’s observations, and seen the inhabitants, animals, birds, forests &c with their natural motions to resemble life, also representations of the Deluge, Italian Scenes, Conflagration of Moscow, shipwrecks, Italian scenes

Very very anti-abolitionist, particularly got it in for Tappan, favors Texas; moderately supportive of trades unions as a brake on predatory employers; notices the theater, the Woods at the Park drawing big crowds including for a Somnambulist, pretty actresses/dancers like Celeste.  Lots of references to the Irish, Ireland, Irish politics, Catholics, etc., but covers Natives too.  Variety of poems, funny, romantic, often scottish. E.g. Nov. 21, 1835, p. 1, upper right corner (always the place), “The Happy Family” has a baker’s dozen of kids, happy father sees them all/Attentive to his slightest call...guided by his sovereign will...their wishes take their measure/From what they think the patriarch’s pleasure.  He rules them, by what arts? “he know s the way to touch their hearts!” no author. Poem on disappearing Indians. On nature.

            -notices Franklin theatre (Dinneford) is doing well

Nov. 18, p. 2 criticizes Gulian C Verplanck for defeating James Monroe’s bid for Congress in favor of Harrison.  Approves of Edward Everett.  Likes Snowden’s Ladies Magazine, handsome, and beautiful engraving of the Mountain House (No, 11 Boekman street), the Knickerbocker is a good number for November with a gem from Capt. Marryat, better than the Evening Star.

            -approves of Benj F Butler the Prof of new law faculty at NYU, suggests they have a political faculty too and appoint Martin Van Buren

            -thanks Major Noah for supporting Hugh White, a native fo Scotland, for next Pres (?!)

A portrait painter Ben Trott went to Boston, taking with him portraits belonging to a family that he had received to repair. 

Notes Manager Hamblin in Broadway is looking well.

Recommends lovers of Landscape Paintings to visit Richardson’s Gallery. Richly framed. Tempting to those with an unornamented wall.  Will critically notice some of the principal prizes, which possess uncommon merit.

Nov. 19, 1835. P.2.  Regarding a debate over xtianity at the Euterpean Hall, calls it disgraceful to discuss the truth of xtianity publicly, chief priests of the infidels, who meet in Tammany Hall, attract immense crowd, venerable mysteries shd only be approached with prayer, bandied about like any paltry political question or circus show or exhibition about town.  Xtianity is too sacred, holy, dearest and tenderest feelings, to be sported with in this open, indecent, unthinking manner.  Trying to expose Xtianity to reproaches, submit its lofty graces to the rude touch of dirty deists.  If a man’s wife, a dear partner of his bosom, has her reputation attacked by any vulgar fellow from Five Points, would hubby show his delicacy, his love, his belief in her virtue, by dragging her unveiled before a heartless multitude, exposing her lovely form to the gaze of the rabble?  No man of virtue, decency, truth, honor would.  Suggests rioters will close it down.

Nov 20 1835, p. 2  Italian Opera completely abandoned by our fashionables, the House is for sale, and Mrs. Hamblin interested in purchasing, she would be most competent to manage it, has taste, genius, energy and business habits, her husband would be security.  Advise Stockholders to sell out, as the Italian Opera will never do here, the extraord success crowded houses fashionable jams for the Woods show the genuine taste of the town.

            Reviews Philomathean Society meeting—beauty, Mr. E. Allen’s poem was trash.

Nov. 21, 1835 p.2 ongoing story of Onderdonk’s pardon by Gov Marcy, Bennett sees as elite conspiracy (New York American and Albany Argus) to use legal technicalities to get him out of a forgery charge.  But doing so violates peoples’ sense of equity and justice.  Attacks fashionable society, as no longer an example to the rest of the world, but morals undermine religion, respectability and civilization.

            -says Hannington’s Diorama is talking all the visitors from the two Museums, as is right.  Any stranger with family shd go to Hannington’s “That’s the place to see and to be seen” Avoid the museums as you would ipecacuhana.

Regularly mentions items from the Cinti papers, as from the Cinti Post on the truth of Trollope’s satires of theater behavior

More on Sleigh and the debate with infidels over xtianity, a mixed audience but few ladies, reverend fair spoken pleasing man with oily manner of charlatan; a humbug Orator and cobbler who spoke in dialect of sorts, farrago of nonsense, folly and insipidity disgusted people.

Attacks New York Transcript as prone to errors esp in its court reports.  Has had several stories on boy vagrants being charged, notes Nov 23 1835 p.2 that this is becoming too common, and such persons turn out to be dangerous members of society.

Nov. 24, 1835.  “Female Busts” fashion for female nobility to have their bust sculptured.  Many handsome English women, but they may not necessarily be fine subj for sculpture.  In Venus de Medicis and Apollo Belvedere it isn’t phys beauty that produces the effect upon the beholder.  “It is the mind, the music, the air, as it were, of immortality diffused over the whole” that makes them appear an emanation of Divine intelligence. P. 1.

            p.2 further criticism of Philomathian speeches, energetic, forcible delivery, good sentiments.  Extravagant compliments to ladies’ laughing eyes are beneath a literary gman of taste.  Wm E. Allen’s poems were trash for a Byron or Bryant, an old poet, but for a youngling tolerable and some passages almost striking.

            Franklin theater advertises merchant of Venice; Park theatre advertises too (Wallacks)

Nov. 25, 1835, p. 1 “Natural Criticism” from Jesse’s Gleanings, “I” listen w pleasure to remarks by country-people, one shown Gainsborough’s celebrated icture of the pigs.  “they be deadly like pigs” but one fault, if three pigs are feeding together, one will have a foot in the trough.

            p.2 theatrical rioters at the Bowery Theatre, part of a gang who kick up a row there

            anti-Washington memorial, as it already exists in breasts of freemen

            Hanington’s Diorama splendid exhibitions of ingenuity continue to attract numerous visitors, deservingly.  Skill taste and industry of inventor.  Nothing like them, with imagination as vivid as Arabian Nights, gorgeous magnificence outdoes scenic displays ththe Theatre.  Art and ingenuity combined.  Should stop sending out woodcut representations of the Moon for it does real scenes injustice.  Praise is reprinted from Courier & Enquirer.

            Says Washington National Intelligencer is good, also the keen opposition paper, US Telegraph, but calls Washington Globe miserable, dirty, disgraceful, contemptible, mean, poor

            Capt Marryat’s Peter Simple novels advertised by Godey, their Philly publisher.

            Richardson had to postpone his lottery.   Those who paid their fee should come to the gallery.

Nov. 28 takes a long article fr Xtian register opposed to parents making marriages for children, critical of women with many suitors. (under poem about desire for fame)

            p.2 follow up on Trott the painter, from the Boston Transcript, a clever artist, both in the English and Yankee acceptance of the word.  The owner of the portraits will find them at Morgan, the guilder’s, in Fulton Street NY where Trott sent them two years ago.

            p.3 mentions a negro dance to have taken place at Military Hall between a Mr Shene’s man of Fulton Market etc

Nov. 30, 1835 p.2  “Another Painter in a Scrape” pretty Boston milliner with small feet and blue eyes brought breach of promise against Walter Farwell, a painter, with turn up nose and broad shoulders.  Wrote her 19 letters, but then met a rich widow and married her.  Plaintiff received $800 damages which she is bringing to NYC to set up an establishment.  Should meet with Barnard, the rejected of Mary Powers of Hudson, as their verdicts together will make a capital of $2000.  Boston painter’s love letters are hardly equal to the New York painter’s.

Dec. 1, 1835 p. 2

Richardson’s Landscape Gallery.  Dropped in to see what he’s doing, found he has finished in a style of superior excellence since last year 20 beautiful views of scenery in the US, Scotland, England and oriental countries.  large size, framed in a rich, tasty, and highly ornamental manner.  Real merit.  “the ruins of Askelon, sunset” is the chef de’ouvre.  Beauty and finish of the sky, tinged with the golden hues of the setting sun, the fine aerial perspective, and the rich and national appearnce of the foerground, with the brilliancy, depth and tone of the coloring...one of the best speciments.  Views of the Catskil mtns and falls are also exquisite, and a view of Mount Arrarat is very perfect, masses of clouds and the rainbow are finished in the most perfect manner. 

            -his method of disposing of them is novel and good.  Also does miniature painting.  A man of fine genius and great industry.

Links Sleigh to the Commercial Advertiser and Chatham ST chapel.

Dec. 3 1835 Byron poem on the Sorrows of Woman and long article about it by “Jeanie D.”

Dec. 4 Th Moore’s Day Dream (also lots of ads for his hist of Ireland) p. 1

            p.2 Comes out in favor of an Amer copyright law; lack of one is destructive to Amer lit.  in the present state, inundated with the catchpenny publications from the London Press.  If citizens and foreign authors could secure copyrights, advantages would be felt.

Dec. 5 1835 p.2 Sun and Transcript are both out for the abolitionists (and amalgamation).  Benj H Day belongs to Fanny Wright section of infidelity and conducted the Free Inquirer; transcript controlled by persons formerly in Wright’s employ too, esp WW Davis, clerk in auction store of Messrs Haggerty & Co of William St, who have trade with the southern states.  Akin to her call for equality of the sexes,

            Webster meeting last night at Masonic Hall had Benj Strong, Philip Hone, George Curtis and Hamilton Fish as officers.

            Mr. Thom generosity worthy of his genius is giving his countryman and poet, blind J Graham, the benefit of the receipts of his exhibition for one day; Graham will recite celebrated poem Tam O’Shanter

Dec 7 1835—calls speeches at Webster convention p.2 trash

Dec. 9, 1835, p. 1 poem by George P. Morris  on love

            -reminder Richardson still  has more tickets to sell, and urges the ladies to go see the paintings, that would make elegant presents

            anecdote of Hogarth not a “great comic genius” but a “great master of tragedy and comedy of low life” a talent to blend terrific and pathetic circumstances.

Dec 12 p. 3 Mercantile Library Association advertises their lecture series; they’ve been mentioned by Bennett before favorably

Dec 14 1835 p.1 from Edinburgh Magazine, “Advertising considered as one of the fine arts”

            p.2 notices of recent publications, including from the Freeman, Hunt & Co publishers on John St (Peter Parley’s Almanac), Knickerbocker, Carey’s Library of Choice Literature, Foster’s republication of Blackwood’s Magazine

            p.3 has ads for Mirabeau’s System of Nature, part of the Free Enquirer’s Family Library, published by GW and AJ Matsell, 94 Chatham Street; has also always had ads for the Franklin Library

Dec 16, 1836, the article on art of advertising concludes on p.1, but Bennett on p.2 inserts his own instruction for dealers to study this science that exerts a power over the imagination of the public

            p.2 Mr. Vanderlyn is to receive a present of $1000 from the Corporation, and a free lease of the Rotunda for five years.  Mr. V. was a great loser by former acts of the Corporation, and we are glad to see him in a fair way to any of that body—“they are honest men again.”

Dec 21, 1835 p.2.  Plundering after a great fire, includes a “painter by profession” L.A. Gunst”

            p.3 The Annual Gift pub by Disturnell is beautiful

Dec 22 1835 p.1 reprints from the Southern Literary Messenger specimens of love letters from the olden days

Dec 24, 1835 p. 1 poem on poor voter’s vote—rich should be ashamed for trying to bribe him.

            p.2 obit for Doctor Hosack, accomplished gentleman and enlightened citizen.  Also notes fire damage to wife of late illustrious De Witt Clinton (Hosack did a memoir of Clinton)

            praises the periodical the Ladies Companion for having mostly original material and embellishments

Dec 25, 1835. Poem written for the Herald by McDonald Clarke attacking the skeptic cobbler/Tammany man involved in the debate on xtianity with Sleigh

            p.2 recommends tourists go to Hannington’s Diorama, which has new wonderful scenery, Joice Heth in the Bowery, The Mysterious Lady, Zoological Institute, Thom’s Statues.  All the Museums are humbugs (American, Peale, Euterpian Hall, Bowery Theatre, but don’t forget the Park and Franklin)

            Harpers have published “Conti, the Discarded,” a novel well worth reading

Dec 29, 1835 p.1 poem by Moore. Vulgar minds will pay full dear/when once they move beyond their sphere

            p.2 praises a story in Snowden’s Ladies Magazine (9 Beekman St), written by Edward Maturin, a clerk in the city, who put the story into the hands of Mr. Inman, the proofreader of the Harpers, who took 6 months to look at it and returned  it saying “It is too wild”.  Sorry that the respectable house of the Harpers should be duped; Inman also thought an original bio of Thom Jefferson was too wild.  Harpers will lose their high character if continue to trust vain blockheads

Dec 30 1835 p.2 praises two Harper’s publication, an expensive version of Hannah More (the evangelical counterpart of Byron) and Robinson Crusoe

            Criticizes views of the recent fire as not correct nor good, and will take proposals from artists

            p.3 “Impropmptu on Witnessing Hanington’s Dioramas” by E.C. H.

to see Nature (rather than just shows) must go here, to see the truths the Bible brings to light, divine order in Nature and when man presumes, then deluge

Dec 31, 1835, p.2.  Merc Lib Assoc. heard E.S. Gould, talented author of the critical papers signed “Cassio” which disturbed the novelist cooper, lecture on “American criticism on American authors.” Piquant and interesting, pure gold.

Jan 1 1836 p. 3  d for Haningtons’ dioramas, deluge, Cave of Terror, etc.

            Letter to the Editor from “Justice”:  article appeared in one of your contemporaries reprobating an Engraving of Mrs. Chapman, executed by S. H. Gimber and a duty we owe to justice to say that “gman’s rep as an Aritst rests upon too solid grounds to be sullied or injured by such nonsensical criticism as the article alluded to contained.” Specimens may be seen which will dispense with doubt as to his competency.  Must be borne in mind, the amount of finish betwowed upon a work ought and will be commensurate with the remuneration. 

Jan 4, Jan 6-7 11^th/12^th/ /13^th, 15^th, 16^th, 20^th, 21^st, 25^th, 26^th, 28^th, 29th nothing

Jan 5 p.2 The Transcript publishes a woodcut and calls it the “Statue of Hamilton” It is as much like that chef d’oeuvre, as a rough block of winstone is like it.  What horrible trash to sell to a gulled city.”

            [they’ve also been advertising a beautiful and lively and graphic and splendid woodcut and engraving of the fire and damaged area, merchants’ exchange, for one cent, p.3]  park and Franklin theaters advertise regularly p.3

J Thom now exhib in Amer Acad on Barclay Street various statues based on Burns and Scotch stuff, 25 cents p.3

Jan 8 p. 1 poem by G.P.R. James, “The Voyage of Life,” from the Friendship’s Offering for 1835

Jan 9^th snips at the Bowery theater as a nuisance

Jan 14^th p. 2 puffs another litho of the burning of the Exchange, by Robinson of Courtland st, preparing by Hoffy of Cedar St, called splendid, recognized faces of Col. Webb and others who fought flames; notes dislike of Philip Hone

            also a dig at Hamblin of the Bowery, mentions bootblacks and Jim Crow

            puffs Hannington and the Woods of the Park

Jan 18^th p. 1 follow up notice Henry R. Robinson correct picture of the fire, artist employed competent to give a true representation, great labor of the artists necessary for a unique and finished picture

19^th Bryant poem,  A Simile; excerpt from Maria Monk!

22^nd NP Willis poem on Andre and Washington p.1

            puffs Carey & Hart of Phila and the Knickerbocker, p. 2

23^rd p. 2 puffs Harper’s new releases (they have an ad)

Jan 27 p.2 puffs Snowden a publisher on Beekman st

Jan 28 a poem by Lamartine transl by Mrs. Ellett

Jan 30 p.2 notices Dunlap (a veteran) new novel almost ready

            Willis sent his book to Harper’s, they rejected him, Carey & lea picked him up

still critical of Hamblin, Noah hangs out at the Franklin

Feb/ 1 1836  softens on Hamblin, Harper’s didn’t actually reject, Marryat excerpt (an advertiser--same with Bulwer’s Rienzi)

Feb 2 Feb 8^th 9^th 10^th 11^th, 15^th, 16^th, 17^th, 19^th, 23^rd , 24^th , 26^th 1836 nothing

Feb 3 attacks Transcript, pub at Five Points, for criticizing commercial community as thieves

Feb. 4^th praises Leicester (bface minst) at the Franklin;  attacks abolitionism as fanaticism and an evil like agrarianism

Feb 6^th ad for Mount & Wilson sign-ptg p.3, formerly Wm and Wall St, now at Exchange Place above Warner & Kiersted’s Paint Store;  druggist Graham, Mabee & Co. dealers in paints and oils, now on Broad and Stone st

Feb 12 p.1 Theo Sedgwick (Harpers) new book on econ is humbug; he is acting ed at the Evening Post, loco foco

Feb 13 look in at Levy’s auctions, a beautiful Venus for sale, p.1; p.3 ad for Aaron Levy, One of the best collections of the “Fine Arts”…consisting of the “Venus de Medicis,” “Dancing Girls,” and many choice works from Canova.  The paintings are elegantly framed and undoubted originals of the best masters.  The private collection of a gentleman.

Feb. 18 p.1 “Snow--snow--snow” the snow spirit of Moore has taken up his residence…When it first commenced…poets, painters, and the ladies were fond in their praises of its “fine whiteness,” virgin purity,” &c” but enough is enough

            “Engraving and the Fine Arts”--from the Mobile Advertiser: A chap calling himself Wm. Fairthorne has within a few days decamped from this city…He passed himself off here as an Engraver, and it would not be strange if he should set up for something of that sort in N. Orleans…He is an Englishman by birth, and a huge eater by education…he looks full as well in the distance as near at hand.”

            p.4 “Lawrence Bayley’s Temptation” by Hon. Mrs. Norton

secret of the power to charm is not beauty, not talent, not amiability, but an unaccountable sympathy, a bodily chemistry.  old maid on her mantelpiece with old china are two small miniatures in polished black frames, a young clergyman, “as ill painted as it is possible to conceive” the other “exquisitely finished”; she held the first in her hand, looked at it, wiped the dust from its frame, showed it to the dog, then sobbed on her knees

Feb 20 p. 4 Bayley’s Tempt cont; heroine spies some drawings taken from a portfolio in the sitting room, near a large Bible; representations of the scenes of her youth by her beloved’s pencil.  A new one, which as she gazed, sent the blush of pleasure to her cheek, a sketch of herself.  She looked until tears dimmed her sight, then timidly and hurriedly kissed the signature--he enters, bad news

            says Knickerbocker is liveliest of the tribe, ladies are fond of it, as are young gmen who have sense enuf to escape certificates from the Fire Dept

Feb. 22 p.1 recommends Spirit of the Times to southern readers who don’t want abolitionist papers like the Sunday News

Mar 1 1836 p.1 interview with Maria Monk, compares as wonders “Hannington’s Diorama up to Peale’s Museum”

            counts house painters as mechanics

Mar 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 21, 22, 24, 26, 30 nothing

Mar 3--p.1 note that Nat Willis got criticized in the last Edinburgh Review, accused of a want of taste, great curiosity, but a simpleton, namby-pambyism, tolerable descriptioner, leaks private conversations.  Willis will writhe under this infliction

            p.3 gold leaf still advertised, another company, David Felt, London Stationery, sells drawing papers, watercolors, lead pencils etc

Mar 14 p. 2 ad for Mount & Wilson, notes that their signs are painted in the most “artist like manner”;  American Museum now advertises Hanington’s moving dioramas

Mar. 15, p.3 first woodcut illust I’ve seen (earlier in this month, mention of a beautiful woodcut of an actress suitable for hanging where a man shaves), in ad for Hanington’s, showing the conflagration of NY Merchants’ Exchange (firemen at work putting it out)

Mar. 16 notices new books, al notices whether illustrated, calls them excellent engravings; notes that plans to publish a map of NY with locations of advertisers.  Gives a puff to Felt’s store. p.1; Robinson of Courtlandt street has pub an ‘excellent’ caricature of the payment of the French Indemnity, Old Hickory and an are ‘excellent likenesses’ (p2 he advertises a variety of caricatures and colored proofs of the fire engraving)

Mar 17 p.1 “The Jewess” is playing at 3 houses, chaste, elegant at the Park, neat, bewitching at Franklin, gaudy, rumpsey-dumpsey at Bowery p.1; calls Evening Post a despicable twaddler in loco-focoism

Mar 19, p.1 Robinson has estab a permanent Caricature Publishing Establishment, new effusions, ea more witty, droll and amusing than its predecessor.  Only genius in this line that we have ever seen in the USS, touches off the times as neatly as the small papers do it, contains much point and good humor (on strikes, hi prices)

            -his ad on p.4 suggests the caricatures are appropriate for Southern and Western merchants, store on Courtland, corner of Greenwich

            p.4 also map of business part of NY. ad for splendid graphic ornaments engraved by WL Ormsby

Mar 23. 1 “State of Literature in America” depraved taste prevails, immoral and licentious productions to gratify disgusting appetite (in reference to novels like Maria Monk tha the has excerpted).  Trash is called ‘an American novel’;  scenes without point, descriptions without meaning, sentences without connexion;  drama too suffered from innovation and “Americanism”, gorgeous scenes, without a dialogue…dazzle the eyes of a gaping crowd with tinsel splendour” who are pleased and know not why.  Unmeaning nonsense for simple fools for money.

Mar 25 p.1 Mr. Abner Whitlock, pretty Lithographic drawing of Mr. John Sefton as Jemmy Twitcher, likenes is true and  up to nature (couldn’t find his ad)

            seems to approve of the New York Mirror

Mar. 29 p.1 attacks publisher Geo Dearborn

Mar 31 p.1 caricaturist Robinson has made a miss throw of “Genl Jackson slaying the many-headed monster” comparable to Dearborn’s bad edition of Dryden.  urges they be witty, spicy, pleasant, searching, peppery, and then it will sell like glazes

            GW & AJ Matsell of Chatham st issued a splendid litho likeness of Thom Paine, by Bufford, from ptg by Romney.  Execution is beautiful, reflects highest cred on artist.

April 1 1836 p. 1 Renewal of the strikes:  young men marched down Broadway, with music and flags, with enchanting representations of Adam and Eve in Paradise, before their graceful limbs were bound up in French fashions, indicating that tailoring was the first trade after the fall of man. 

Apr 2, 4, 5, 6, 15, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 30 nothing

Apr 7 p,2 Carey and Hart of Phila splendid ed of Marryatt, handsome engraving by JB Forrest

Apr 8 p.2 ad telling Print Dealers to call at the Lithographic Office at Nassau and Spruce to purchase variety of new subjects at lowest prices

Apr 9 p.2 West’s celeb ptg “death on the Pale Horse” is exhib privately today to editors, artists, savans, wits and ladies.  We’ll go and look at the first and the last.

Apr. 12 begins coverage of the Jewett murder. On p. 4 describes her room, a beautiful print of Ld Byron as presiding genius of the place (don juan); she read Scott, Bulwer (who Bennett also puffed) and the Knickerbocker; above the mantel hung several theatrical fancy sketches;  the brothel itself was elegantly furnished with mirrors, splendid paintings, sofas…describes her corpse as white, polished as purest Parian marble, exquisite etc all surpassed the Venus de Medicis

Apr 13 p.1 Robinson’s miniature, found in her possession, a beautiful piece of art, elegantly enclosed.  She also read the Mirror, the Lady’s Companion, the (American) Monthly

Apr 14 p. 1 An artist has takena  sketch of the beaut form of EJ reposing in the embrace of death, like another Ariadne.  If correctly drawn, it will as far exceed Venus de Medicis, as nature always excels art

            p.2 Ptgs to be sold at auction by Aaron Levy, Chamber st, a most brilliant and splendid collection of Oil Paintings, many rare gems of art and rich cabinet pictures from the old masters, well worth the attn of the fashionable, now on view and to be exhib by gaslight on Fri eve, admission free

Apr 16, p. 1 Robinson of Courtland st will publish a splendid Litho of her lovely remains in the arms of death in the pose Bennett saw her

Apr 19 p.1 talking about his interview with the madam, saw a ptg repress the murder of a beautiful young woman by an Indian with a hatchet, hanging up in the dark corner of the inner parlor…a perfect type of the tragedy committed up stairs

            ‘Beaut work of art’ dissection, now completed a most elegant and classic skeleton

            p.2 ‘Death on the Pale Horse’ praises Hon Joseph Hopkinson Pres of Penn Acad FA goal of promotion of taste and instruction of Amer artists, ollected superb works of art for these laudable purposes, including the great picture of our countryman West.  great pleasure received from contemplating incidents on this canvass, figs in every variety of attitutde, struggles of man, beautiful group of a family, all astonish the beholder, proud to claim fellowship with the designer and executor of superb moral lesson

Apr 21 p. 1 puffs Hanington again--will have a permanent show at city Saloon

previously has excerpted Trollope

Apr 26 p. 1 puffs Death on a Pale horse in Barclay st, worth seeing if taste;  ad is on p. 3, near theater ads, at Amer Acad of FA, first time exhib in America, 25 cents, and pamphlets 12 ½ cents

p.4 Fitz Greene Halleck transl poem

Apr 28, 1836 p. 2 “An artist’s fate” Thom Honor drunk, stated an artist by profession, engaged in taking a panoramic view of the city from St Paul’s church steeple, his passion for liquor overcame h is better feelings.  Except for delirium tremens, wore every appearance of a well educated, gentlemanly man

Apr 29 p.2 another puff of west’s great picture—“on a second visit” our interest was increased, by the accuracy of the drawing, variety of attitude, and truth of expression...delightful lesson to the amateur, invaluable to artists.  ‘West has proved that the painter and the poet are one.”

May 2. 3. 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 18, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31 1836 nothing

May 9 1836 p. 2 ‘National Academy’ Presuming that the Herald wishes to be known as having due regard for the arts, writer asks permission to give to the public thru it a notice of the present exhibition.

            Lscape by Oddie, improves over his of last year, but too deep a green.  Portrait by Moore is decidedly good.  Lscape by Greenwald, not ‘force enough’ in the style, resemble water colored ptgs.  Needs ‘more steam.’  Wood engrav by Redfield are ‘spiritedly executed.  Engrav fr ? Smillie, beaut but does not shadow forth all the beauty and life of the original.  Hasn’t taken his usual pains?  Or Col Morris regards it as the standard of engravings for the ‘Mirror’?  Beautiful miniature portrait, no artist named.  Beautiful specimens of Cummings’ finished and soft manner.  Engraving fr Chapman, by Smillie, is far superior to the previous, and another of the same is soft, sunny and still, in a superior style.  Hubert and Arthur--rather stiff; Flagg has better pictures by far.  Bay and Harbor of NY by Chapman is the best picture of his.  Scene by S.V. Hunt is of considerable merit, sky well-painted.  Sailor Boy is a sketch by Freeman, a bold and spirited design, well-executed, but an appearance of carelessness which we fear is affected.  Page’s portrait of a gman is by far the best ; the coloring is rich, soft and harmonious, and the attitude is easy and natural.  Group of kids by Inman is hardly equal to the name of this artist, its beauty ruined by proximity to Page.  Faces tho are sweet and expressive.  Durand’s Peter Stuyvesant and his Trumpeter is full of humor and excellence, the best effort of this artist.  The fat roistering Trumpeter is finely embodied in the cunning and contented Heer.

            don’t see an advert for it yet.

May 10 p.2 ad for the Penny Magazine ($2?) embellished with 117 engravings, for 1835, completing the 4^th volume, by Wm Jackson on Cedar st.  From the Soc for Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, including natural history, great works of art, antiquities, bios, travel, etc

            Favors the Clinton lunch.  Shepard’s bookstore a regular advertiser.  Mentions the American hotel favorably, Custom House hotel also advertises.  Astor hotel mentioned, not open yet.  American Museum a reg advert, Thoms’ statuary has moved there, perhaps.

May 12, p. 1.  praises May issue of Knickerbocker, unusually varied and interesting, esp Theo Fay’s article on difficulties of editing a periodical.

            ‘Nat Acade of Des’: continue notices of the works.  A Steyant’s Cottage Scene, a name new to us, the little scene finished in a style of accuracy and nicety that gives promise of future excellence.

            -JG Chapman’s Scene from Knickerbocker, uncommonly good, he excels in cabinet pieces of this stamp, few superiors, little gem to be engraved for the Mirror, where it will be  a novelty and appropriate embellishment.  SFB Morse Lscape Composition, high authorship, poetry in this composition, but not truth and excellency of color that we wish to see. Sky rather fiery even for sunset, and intro of New York University into a romantic oriental lscape is rather recherché.  Port of a Gman! (no artist) is excellent, good.  View fr Ft Lee, J. Smillie, new to find him doing lscape, shows he can do more than engrave.  JE Freeman, Bou’s Head, taking a stand still higher than ever.  warm and good harmony in coloring.  steady improvement in style flatters his talents, perseverance and ambition.  A very good Head from Marchant, also a well colored portrait deserving of high praise. C. Ver Bryck’s Cavalier, a good ‘bit of color’ and the handling is free and easy.  new name to us, encomiums ptg has received from those high in authority and well qualified to judge were rightfully accorded. H Inman lscape;  great versatility of talent, lscape of unusual excellence; chief fault is it lacks light and is too cool, air of spirit and freedom it possesses more than counterbalance.  JW Casilear’s Sunset, a gem of intrinsic merit fr an excellent engraver.  W Page’s Port of a Gman, fine portrait fr artist eminent for his happy success in prtraiture.  By far the best Port from Anelli, lacks warmth and softness in many parts, but deservedly admired for genl arrangement and position, eminent considerations in a port.  R. Hoyle’s Valley of Wyoming,  much of merit, much of poetry.  more of ‘the misty’ than we think natural, obvious lack of force in the foregrd.  Let this artist study nature.  View nr village of Ariccia in Italy by Angelo del Naro; shd hardly suppose this picture to be of the modern school, too much brown and a great lack of atmosphere.  artist needs practice and perservearance to improve.  WJ Wilgus, Port of gentleman, a good port by a new competitor.  Spirit and ease characterize this ptg, shadow forth succeeding excellence.  The Evening Star, with its accustomed accuracy, designates it as a port of a little girl, and launches forth into extravagant and fulsome eulogiums upon its merits.  Why did the Star critic give so effeminate a title, unless a sly insinuation upon the subject rather than the ptg.  But regard it as an additional and melancholy proof of insanity in the Star.  Port of Col GP Morris by Inman--Good,  Wm S Mount, Undutiful Boys (its companion is no. 155) has attracted much attn. There is a sly humor, a grace and happiness of expression in this cabinet gem, rarely met with.  The general grouping, and expression of the sturdy minister of domestic justice, who is approaching the unsuspecting truants, with vengeance in his tooth, and “full of wrath and cabbage,” is ludicrous in the extreme.  To dignify Mount with the title of ‘the American Wilkie’ (if the reader will pardon a bull,) is “stale, flat and unprofitable” praise.  Why does not this artist give us something from Irving? Let him take the hint.

May 13, p. 2, puffs the usual publishers, also Russell, Shattuck & Williams of Boston’s book of poems by SG Goodrich, prefaced by a beautiful vignette, also another bookstore, Wiley and Young, that advertises with him

May 14, p. 1, N&J White has sent a copy of the Money Diggers, a pretty little tale.

            ‘Nat Acad” continued.  The criticisms upon the ptgs inclu betw numbers 72 and 116 were misplaced, and are now subjoined.  JG Chapman, View on Hudson, a good picture;  the same artist Puck in the Dairy, with a poem “Either I mistake your shape and making quite,/Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite/Called Robin Goodfellow; are you not he/That fright the maidens of the villagery,/Skim milk, and sometimes labor in the guern,/And bootless make the breathless housewife churn?”  One of those “merry wanderers of the night” that “follow darkness like a dream.”  What a look of arch knavery there is about the sprite as he turns the golden cream, watching for the busy tread or first voice of the lark that bids him away.  We are much pleased with this little picture, an appropriate embellishment for the “Magnolia.”

S Watson Port of an Old Pointer is finely painted; D. Huntington’s Toper asleep is a pleasing little picture, well penciled, warmth of color and a truth that commend it to those who delight in the quaint and humorous. Attitude of the sleeper is admirable. A. Andrews small full length portrait is rather stiff in design, ease in attitude and grace are beauties of a high order, sadly lacking here.  Ingham’s Port of a Lady is highly finished, but very flat.  Inman’s Port of Wm Rawle, Esq, is best from the pencil of this Academician.  Light is beautifully managed, air of ease and elegance which characterize this ptg are seldom met.  The Phila Bar, for whom it was done, know where to look for masterly execution among our native artists.  RW Weir, View fr West Point, a fine picture, his studio lets him study fair scenery of solemn and romantic Hudson.  sunlite on foregrd is happily effected, and gives value and force to the shadowy distance.  breeze seems to ruffle waters of the river, whole has appearance of a miniature panoramic view ; lack of freedom in the foliage.  C. Van Bryck, Capuchin Monk, very excellent, stone work uncommonly rich, bold and excellent, few who don’t admire gel effect and style of color.  Ingham Port--surprised it was by him, had expected better.  A Bird of Paradise and a portrait by an Italian artist who has much to acquire in knowl of  harmonious coloring and freedom of style.  R. Hoyle, View, many beauties but exceptionable for want of dark objects in foregrd necessary for contrast, a prevailing fault in artist’s works.  Watson’s Setter Dog is good.  WB Oddie’s lscape is good, fr an amateur.  JG Chapman’s Cornoation of Powhattan, an historical picture, much commends itself, chiefly the Indian girls, who being soft and pretty, have inspired a sentimental passion surely to be forgiven.  Not often find such fair forms among the “daughters of the forest.”  Durand’s Port of a Gman has a good head, forcibly painted.  JG Clonney’s Fancy Portraits, has unus good accompaniments, finished with pencil of ease and beauty, but a stiffness and hardness of color in the figs which is very unpleasing.  In other respects, coloring is strangely rich, harmonious, and mellow.  W Page’s Port group of children, gen’y regarded as the masterpiece of the collection, deserves high encomium.  Rich and brilliant in its tone and color, and natural in its grouping and positions, great claims upon connoisseurs and really discerning.  We think it’s too glowing, and are of opinion that other ports by same artist are super excellent in color and in genl character of arrangement.

JG Chapman Warning of Pocahontas, very excellent in many respects, fire light effect is striking and natural.  Inman port of a child, very fine, but too cool.  Port of Dr Smith by SFB Morse, unusually good, a roundness and force to this head not often found, artist successful in his portraits this year.  F. Anelli portraits of a gman and his on, a failure, cold stiff, and ungraceful.  Presentation in the Temple (no artist) parts are very excellent, but too cold by far, lacks mellowness.  Watson, A Dog, Unusually spirited.  Ingham Port of a Lady, very soft, smiling and pretty, have seldom seen anything better than this from his polished pencil.  Wall’s Dumpling Fort, Newport RI, very forcible, Wall is justly celeb for his water-pieces, scene here of surpassing beauty.  Nothing is more amusing than the remarks of those not qualified to appreciate such ptgs. The Evening Star, taking offence at the water, which, by the way, is beautifully clear and liquid, declares that it has “too much candle smoke!” Smile, good reader.

The crowds of ladies visiting the Acad are enchanting.  Our office being the next door to the Exhib Room, can see the fashionable fair ones in hundreds.

p. 2 praises the Green Banner of Centre steet, a Catholic weekly miscellany; the Mirror for this week too is superb, fine engraving, crack articles, humor, good nature, wit, sentiment, true principles of philosophy. Five dollars.  better than England

May 16, p.1 ad for JW Morse, engraver on Wood on Ann St, also another sing painter by F. Down, on Wm St, fine imitations of wood and marble; p. 2 ad for lithography of Browne on Fulton st, has engravings for sale in a complete assortment, comprising heds, fancy subjects, historical pieces, etc, has stones for mapping, all kinds of drawings, facsimiles, circulars, etc.  Ads for apprentices for coach painting, for lithographic printers, map colorers

May 17 p.1 “Nat Acad” whole fash world, carriages up to great door of Clinton Hall, oppos Tabernacle and next door neighbor to Herald, at the enchanting spot, the footmen dismount, loveliest females descend steps, with cavaliers waiting on them, enter exhib room, be divinely inspired.  Prev sketches have set down nothing in malice, but a free, full and comprehensive crit of their merits and demerits.  Duty to the dilletante, both male and female, availed ourselves of the superior critical mind of John More-Anon, Esq., No. --Broadway, who is piquant and racy, like the Herald, as the Peter Simple critics of the Evening Star know to their cost.

D Huntington, Lscape Sunset, very pretty. distance hazy and mellow, genl appearance warm and rich, excellent contrast of dark tree in relief against splendor of evening sky.  Lack of boldness and freedom in the penciling of the fioliage as most eminent fault, clouds too are bad.

            T Cole View fr Mt Holyoke, MA. Many who shape their remarks on artworks conformably with the merit of the ptg when compared with the style of other productions of the same artist, expect to find in all works of Cole the same magic coloring and all-surpassing beauty.  In this picture we are presented with a copy of the fresh and living scenery of nature, not the free creations of a poetic mind.  Nature is not always beautiful, or we should not know how to appreciate her, and might “die of roses in an aromatic pain.” The poetry of this scene is marred by the ungraceful outline of the river, which flows far below and appears to the eye like a winding canal…distance solemn hills with storm..foregrd trees rough and forest-like tempest tossed yet riven to the ground.  None would ever mistake this for any thing but the wild and rocky magnificence of American scenery.  Those who study well this ptg (spirit the foliage is touched in) cannot but admire it.

            JP Healy Port of a Gman, artist suspect is new to field of competition, much ease and decision in style, color much to be approved.  C. Mayr Lady and Child, merit lies in the drapery, which is tolerably good, nothing else that impartial crit can commend.  J Thompson Port, moderately good.  Durand Port, very well executed, getting quite celeb for his gman’s portraits.

            Farmers bargaining (no. 155) WS Mount, counterpart of no. 149, Mount exceedingly felicitous in catching the right expression.  image of pure Yankeeism, full of wholesome humor.  Both yeomen “reckoning,” both whittling, both delaying.  The horse, obj of their crafty equivolcations, stands tied “sleek as a whistle.”  Sameness of color in ptgs of Mount, want of variety and mellowness of tint in the carnations and thru out.  Shld go into hands of a competent engraver.

            JW Hill, cottage at Newbridge, N Jersey, very pleasing lscape, trees finely penciled, genl tone pleasant mellow.  Morey’s Lake of Grasmere is meritorious.  JG Chapman’s Sorrento, Bay of Naples, etc., real waters are of a more liquid blue than here, foregrd arrangement is very fine, fall tinting a rich effect.  lscape of much value, highly creditable.  View in Italy (no artist), rather red and lifeless, for the poetic and purple scenery of italy.  J Fronthingham port of a young lady, more than ordinary merit, but lacking soundness and truth.  hand finely ptd.  G Marsiglia, The Musician, harp is deserving of most praise, but rest is flat as a shingle.  GW Flagg, Savoyard Musician, quite rich in its tone of color, but faulty apart fr figure.  A. Marchant, Port of a Boy, decidedly good.

W Page “You shall and I wont” very singular tho vastly beaut pict and one variously estimated. One worships while another damns.  extravagant and somewhat offensive tone of color prevents many fr looking at it.  a lovely and simple design, genl effect of light and dark very strong, with fine contrast and truth in the expressions.  softness of the flesh, and relief and roundness of the parts are wonderful, despite its extravagant warmth, nothing in the room comparable for depth, splendor and harmony of color.

A word to the artists.  A great painter is a piece of divinity. to reach highest point, must begin with figure one, and reach canonization step by step.  Obey the ruels of art, don’t try at once to be a master, to be a god.  Be diligent, be cautious, be secure in your advances.  Never copy too much.  A mere copyist will never be a divinity.  The great painter must study every where--at the races--in Broadway--in a tavern.  Ankles, busts, forms and divine faces can be picked up in the streets any day.  The pretty Bowery girls may furnish models.  Go to the Tabernacle, and study there nature in its original forms--not the parsons alone, but the pious.  Don’t mistake the true principles of the art.  Strip nature of all her fashionable attire.  Place her before you in puris naturalibus.  A painter belongs to no age,--to no period of time--to no particular eclipse.  Invention, coloring, expression, drapery must be ardulously studied.  Try simple nature--simple forms first--a kiss before an embrace.It was only by slow degrees that Raphael and Michael Angelo reached the great composite style of emboying forms, and enrapturing posterity.  don’t flatter yourself that genius will help…you must work--early and late, as I do (and as mechanics do).  labor and study give power over ordinary forms, beauty, tenderness, grandeur and majesty, before genius gives it soul and intelligence.  Genius is divinity of the art, god shd never be invoked til necessary, art of man is exhausted, labor has been mastered.

            Hamblin drinks at Niblo’s.

            critiques democrats of the NY city council for not doing public services, cleaning streets, baths, etc.

            James Weeks a bookstore on Rose st also advertises

May 19, 1836 p.1  “Nat Acad.” continue our notices fr pithy pen of John More-Anon Esq. Broadway who is a late member of Congress, which take to be better late than never.  Company visiting the exhib increases every day, fr morning till 10 o clock at night, constant stream, taste for works of art have increased immeasurably of late years.  Formerly a few drones in a day, would only visit an exhib, now thousands.  All the fashionables of town make it their lounging place, lovely ladies. yesterday several visits found the rooms well filled with beauty, grace and fashion.

            R Peale Port of a child, a good head.  Whitehorn port, of no inconsid merit.  JE Freeman, “Poor Jacob, the last of the Yoneers.” unfortunate light, can’t be seen to advantage, but in same style of excellent color for which the artist is celebrated.  Such quaint old humanities as “Euchee Billy,” “Poor Jacob” and “id omne genus” are characters esp interesting to the ladies who are pleased with everything strange, odd or ridiculous, so shd have been better positioned.

            JG Chapman, Lake of the Dismal Swamp, VA, dismal enough, very atmosphere has shrunk away, left nothing but staleness and dismal horrors. a miserable picture. T Birch Marine Piece, very fine, Badger, miniatures, good, JE Treeman, Port of John Bryan Esq, in every respect an excellent head, penciled with softness and beauty, remarkable for mild, warm and richly blended coloring.

F Fink, Shipwrecked Mariners, compos of more than ord merit. lack of warmth perceptible, sky is disagreeable and unnatural, but approves of arrangement and expressions, very fine. blank despair of countenance of one is expressed with much felicity.  A Marchant Port of John J Astor Esq, a very good head, unfin, Marchant improves.  Frothingham, Port of Hon Danl Webster, some things in large canvass well painted and deserving of praise, but inferior as a port.  Champion of the Constitution is murdered here most horribly.

            Port by Chapman, good. Port of a Lady by CC Ingham, very light and beaut picture, some parts lack roundness, but general pleasant to look upon.  JL Morton, Family Group, drapery in this cabinet picture is managed exceedingly well, finished with much beauty, see something very undecided in the ptg of the figs, lack of mellow coloring, of freedom, of everything alm that is pleasing or inviting in a pict.

            View of the Highlands fr West Point by Lt Eastman, much commended in the ‘touching in’ of the foliage, strange resemblance to Wir’s manner, as this amateur lives in the midst of Wier’s lscapes.  Lack of warmth in foregrd and figs.  SFD Morse, Sunset View of St Peter’s at Rome, style of lscape is glowing and hi colored, many parts comport well with our preconceived ideas of Ital scenery.  blue haze of distance, attitudes and grouping of figs, appearance of vastness for cathedral, certainly meritorious.  But it is nature that we wish to see.  Does this artist remember the words of an English critic, in passing judgment upon the glare and gaudiness of Turner’s style? A lscape he remarks with candor, is a problem the solution of which consists in turning the eye fr the picture bounded by a gilt frame, to the real scenery of nature, belted by the hand of god (quote may be inaccurate) Whatever may be the character of Oriental scenery, whatever may be the splendor of an Ital sunset, in this we have but a gaudy and untrue repress of their magnificence.

            C Mayr port of a lady, moderately good, Durand Port of a Gman, excellent head.  GW Flagg, Chess, some fine color, happy management of chiaroscuro, stiffness in figs yet as a whole indicates much talent and skillfulness.  CC Ingham Port, highly finished as usual. C Ver Bryck Still life, very natural, the skull most admirably done.  Durand, The Pedlar, compos pleasing to all.  want of decision in the style, yet grouping, expression and so on overlook such little defects.  his cabinet-pieces alw to be admired.

Robinson on Courtland has produced several good political caricatures of late, jeo d’esprits, called the “card party,” the “billiard table,” etc.

p.2 notices Snowden, the lady’s man, on Wm st, May issue of Ladies’ Companion, embellished with very beaut engrav of Elysian Fields, Hoboken, in which late Ellen Jewett walks up the great avenue…under the piazza rare several young aristos who have not yet pd their tailors bills, one formerly a demo who got in debt.  the original articles in this number are flat.

p.4 poem on May by NP Willis, from the NY Mirror.

May 20 p.2 notes pop of Silliman’s lectures on geology, despite their tedium, also given in Clinton Hall. theaters are nearly abandoned by educated and refined, none but vulgar and ignorant go to playhouses, dioramas, museums, double headed calves, the exhib of the Nat Acad and the Geolog Lectures are all the go.

May 21, 1836 p.1 “Nat Acad.” The crowds still continue at this fashionable place of resort, evening exhib brilliantly attended by all the fashion and rank of the city.

            SFB Morse Port of Dr. Woodbridge, whatever this artist success in any other branch, in port he has few superiors.  Pict conspic for its ease and elegance of posit as for fine, natural and pleasing tone of color.  J Whitehorse, Girl Reading, excellent pict, best seen from this artist.  Fine effect, natural attitude, and softness of color happily combined.  Searching and discriminating eye of taste will single it out for much approbation.

            GW Flagg Match Girl, a very good picture.  The free and masterly style of handling, the beauty and excellence of its color and truth of the expression stamp it as a work of high pretensions.

            Durand port of a lady, remarkable for fine arrangement and peculiar air of elegance and dignity, but a want of force and decision in the manner.

            W Page Lady and Child, it becomes us to speak of this compos in terms of enthusiastic praise, astonishing freedom and force of manner, mildness truth and harmony, seldom so beaut blended in American works. dispositions of effect and color equal to many of finest and most popular British specimens. admire its simple yet elegant arrangement, depth and blended harmonies of color, proud of rising excellence of native genius.

            S Watson, port of a gman in Ital costume, in some respects very fine. faults a careful eye would correct.  Also his Meeting of Marmion with the Lion King, well managed compos, well characterized figs finished with much care, disposition of color fine and brilliant in effect.  So excellent a composit from Watson as unexpected to connoisseurs as flattering to him

            WR Smith, Fruit Pieces, good.  Good lscape fr Oddie.  EL Elliot, Port of a Gman, new and promising name if this is a  specimen of style, some good color, much liked by certain ones hard to please.  R Hoyle, View, of much merit but too like his others to be particularly pleasing.  C. Mayr, The Widow, good in some particulars.  Chapman, Views in the Highlands. very excellent lscapes.  spring and autumn foliage fresh and tined richness.  EF Williams, Sammy the Tailor, a new name, vast deal of latent humor, not apparent to the blurred and vulgar eye of the ordinary spectator.  subj fr one of the pleasant little melodies of Moore:  Says Sammy the tailor, to me,/At least with his spindle cross-way’,/’Tis bekase I’m a poet you see,/That I kiver my head with green baize.”  The successful poet is crowned with green bays or green garlands, but bard and artist have humorously punned.

JG Chapman, Triumph of Stoffel Brinckerhoff, Good! bundling lasses of the east give prettiest smiles to conqueror, simple ones are exulting.  Quite a little gem.  Despite the thous subjs chosen fr works of Geoffrey Crayon, remains inexhaustible.  Chapman port of a lady very mellow and pleasant toned.

            two still lifes, no artist, good.  WJ Wilgus, port of a pretty little girl, very pleasing design, united with much animation. color unsubstantial and milky, an all pervading fault, but highly beaut otherwise.  JP Harris Port Grp, v. gd in many constituent parts, much faulty in color and arrangement.

            Tone of hi impartial crit of Herald notices astonished the public press and contemporaries generally.  Among the rest the NY Times, and Evening Star, having blundered thru tedious notices remarkable for everything but candor and common sense, but the discerning public was not surprised that so spicy a little journal as the Herald shd maintain such a lofty and ingenuous stand in its crit of the pop novelties of the day.  Penny press alone true and only standard of critical taste.  Gentle readers! conducted you thru this year’s exhib, pointed to your keen and discerning eye whatever is worthy, you have sauntered with us unseen, amid the flower and innocence and beauty and grace of the city and, if you have not been improperly employed, have doubtless drank in beauty to intoxicate (from the women attending, who rival the polished symmetry of the Medician statue). Unbending critical candor.

June 1, 1836 p. 1 Robinson of Courtland issues port of Ellen Jewett and Robinson, colored and lithographed with a good deal of impudence and pretension, saucy enough to the Court, insolence.  Well done as far as workmanship, but in horrible bad taste, shocking to our delicacy, as regards the time, persons, and subject.  Don’t touch don’t look don’t buy, the thing is disgraceful.

            still critical of the Astor Hotel (but Major Noah’s Peter Simple in the Evening Star is pro?)

June 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 17, 18, 21, 24, 25, nothing

            -mostly the Jewett trial (much earlier called newsboys Wall Street shavers in embryo)

            =17^th has the Sewally story (cross dressing negro, encounter with men); not wholly opposed to a national bank

Jun 10 p. 4 poem on Marius

            (and more poems from Knickerbocker, Fitz-Greene Halleck on soirees, positive references to Mirror)

Jun 11 p. 1 see Col. mc Kenney’s collectionof Indian portraits at the Divan on Broadway, partic the ladies.  They are worth attention.

            -also ads for Plum’s sign painter, and JJ Butler Engraver on Ann St, next to the Amer museum (a regular advertiser too)

            p.2 praises NY Mirror of this week, entirely original contents, rich, racy and interesting, “A Distant view of Mt Thorn” a beaut engraving

            and on the 13^th p. 1 excerpts the Mirror on ‘Dioramas” esp theCity Saloon and Hannington’s wonders of mechanical ingenuity, repress of foreign scenery, fidelity and vivid exactness, altogether natural, young applaud vigorously, minute resemblance to the reality are very surprising

pro Texas, pro Sam Houston for Pres, pro Southern Union, anti-Harrison

Jun 14 p.2 puffs Knickerbocker issue, esp beautiful “chapter on real life’; also the Ladies Companion and its beaut engraving ‘The Bride’

Jun 15, p. 4 poem “The Venus of Canova” but weirdly doesn’t say much, just describes nature on a summer day, it’s not those noises, but the “goddess-woman” hears the whisper of her own sweet boy and starts with fear?

Jun 16 p.1 Splendid land speculations--the Garden of Eden is lithographed and sold in Wall Street. (texas)

Jun 20 p.1 the youngest daughter the beau ideal of a painter’s fancy, forehead such as Phydias would have longed

            Universalist church in Bleecker street opened yesterday, splendid bldg, orders of Greek and Roman arhitecture, temple of Athens where Theos alone was worshipped, crowded with beauty and fashion, their creed in keeping:  no hell no damnation, Christ acknowledged but also Confucius, Homer and Shapeskpeare, poetry lit hist philos music painting and the fine arts are the elements of their charming faith…most comfortable…nothing to believe…taste of the congregation.  classic taste of ancient Greece speaks from the walls

            p.2 Niblo’s an advertiser, he puffs them.  not a fan of Delmonicos

Jun 22, p.2, Robinson of Courtland sent fresh prints, one of Mary Jones, the man monster--improper, won’t see them.

            -corrects a notice about NP Willis starting his own paper, will stay connected to NY Mirror

            -puffs Horn’s (Custom House hotel advertiser); has previously published poems by LEL and advertises a new work, titled Traits and Trials of Early Life

pro Robinson’s innocence, attacks the brothel keepers/women’s testimony, supported by the Sun as typical of their liberal character

Jun 23 p.2 praises Willis more, urges him to start a weekly lit periodical, thinks he’s agreeable impudent, also likes Morris

Jun 27, p. 2 ad for engraving of View of Solomon’s temple, looking for subscribers; Bennett tho previously warned against the seller

Jun 28 p. 1 poem for the Herald by Chalkops on being a Loafer (tied to Hamblin and the Bowery)

Jun 29 p. 2 wants Astor proprietors to declare if they favor abolition!, puffs McKenny’s gallery of Indian portraits

Jun 30 p. 2 admires Napoleon’s brother, feels impulse to upset thrones, overturn dirty dynasties,set the world again on its legs as freshly as on the morning of creation

p.4 poem by E.P. on West’s picture of the Infant Samuel, a kind of stages of life, will be happy if keep faith

July 1 1836 p. 2 “Singular Facts” on a visit to Robinson’s cell in Bellevue prison, a long Doric corridor, two rooms, the sitting room sketched on the white wall with a common crayon, a v beaut miniature port of Ellen Jewett, same look and appearance as when parading Wall street and Broadway…best likeness.  below a sketch of another girl, maybe Elizabeth Salters.  Directly on the opposite white wall is passage fr Byron’s Giaour.  other parts of the wall a spirited sketch of a horse, various others, quotes.  separate article deals with Emanuel Jacobs, who also when confined in Bellevue left drawings of a man with a drawn sword, in a posture master’s position, giving the cut and thrust…told it was a correct likeness of Jacobs, drawn by himself, with the same crayon which Robinson used, and his words about ambition.  Says Bellevue has become quite a literary, scientific and romantic establishment; in another apt the walls were decorated with drawings made by a Frenchman held on a misdemeanor.

Jul 2, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 21, 22, 26, 1836 nothing

Jul 4 p.1 puffs Hannington new diorama of Houston at San Jacinto

            p.4 poem on people turning from bibles to newspapers

excerpt from Southey’s Life of Cowper on Sir Joshua Reynolds saying that two painters can’t be friends, but Romney didn’t let rivalry lead to injustice, rejected people’s verdict on his port of Siddons being better (in Eve Star first)

July 6 p. 1 more on loafer sam

Jul 7, p. 2 fig of a highlander at the store of Mrs. Newcombe n Broadway was exec by Mr. Anthony W. Jones, carver, corner of Mercer and Houston streets, and is a beaut specimen of native talent. 

            also an ad for Peale’s Museum on Broadway

Jul 9 p. 2 puff for Ladies Companion, its pictorial embellishment charming, the Brooklyn Navy Yard

Jul 11 p.2 ‘Nat Acad Des’ closed on Sat night, not surprised to see it reopened for a short season. this yr the receipts have exceeded all former ones, this exhib was the best, and the best critiques on the works are in the Herald.  trash in the Star not worth reading.

            -Niblo’s advertises a moving panorama

Jul 16 p. 2 Wm A  Colman on Broadway opens a splendid new store for books, paintings, and engravings, with a dejeuner a la fourchette.  Excellent, shall go and see him.

            -ad on same page says  ptgs modern as well as ancient artists which have merit; oils and highly colored engravings

Jul 19 p. 4 NP Willis poem the Xtian’s hope

Jul 20 p. 2 more praise for Willis, well received in England.  Also has started getting Bowery theater ads.

Jul 23^rd p. 2 criticizes Astor house for riots, says it’s the headquarters of his excellency the “Democratic Party” and so attracts the Five Points spirits; puffs Saunders & Otley as rivals to Harpers, competition good

Jul 25, p. 3 Hoffy & Bowen, 2 artists first rate abilities, Cedar st, most excellent lithographic scene of murder of Ellen Jewett. Admirable affair, capital likenesses, beautifully executed

Jul 27, p. 1 ‘Grand Expose’ young man Hiram Fay, a sign painter, of first rate abilities of Boston, drunk and with young men became a robber, prisoned, wife tried to divorce, he threatens her etc.

            -reprised on jul 28, mentioned Jul 29 surprise that a stripling of a painter could win such a luscious beauty

Jul 30 p. 2 new granite bldg for Bank of America, front presents a beaut specimen of art, Mr. Frost the ingenious architect

Aug 1 1836 p.2 story about “money diggers” on long Island, compares them to an assoc on wall st, procuring a charter and capital stock;  if he needs experienced Commissioners to distrib this stock, the gmen now engaged with the State Bank, including the mayor, will be ready to diddle him as they did Mr. Graham

            p.4 poem the apprentice’s farewell, or loafer’s debut

Aug. 2, 4, 5, 6, 12, 18, 20,  23, 24, 30, 1836 nothing

Aug. 3, p. 2 praises Dr. Beecher’s new Presbyterianism as original, indep, honest

Aug 8 Whittier poem Nahant

Aug. 9 excerpt fr Capt Back’s Arctic Exped, p. 4, ‘port of a lady’--mentions tattoes on face, the only lady whose port was sketched was so flattered and feared that I shouldn’t see every grace of her good tempered countenance, she intently watched my eye, and according to her motion of the part I was penciling, protruded it, or turned it so as to leave no excuse for not delineating it in the full proportion of its beauty…when touching in the mouth, opened it to the full extent of her jaws and thrust out her tongue.  describes the tattoos, slanted eyes.  crew thought they were bonnie creatures.  (same appears in Eve Star, but earlier)

Aug. 10 p.4 Mrs Sigourney poem on sickness

Aug 11 p.1 letter from DC on publishing expurgated account of crim con trial quotes a society matron, “I would as soon think of looking at a statue of Hercules, covered up in woman’s clothing.”

Aug 13 p. 1 bio of Edwin Forrest by HNC, a story about loafers as a new Amer type crossing classes, and a woman cross-dressing as a man

Aug 15 extract crit of Hugo (ed Fanny Butler) for immoral heroines, p. 1

p.2 more on Beecher for liberalizing the church, improving road to heaven on principles of science and good taste, faster like the rrds

Aug 16, ‘new prints’ Hoffy & Bowen of Cedar st a likeness of pretty Maria Monk, worth its price, but not the  slightest resemblance.  Brown & Redmond of Fulton St a v. fine likeness of “The Hero of the Thames.” p.2

            -p.3 Hoffy Bowen advert their litho of Helen Jewett

continues to praise Willis incessantly; critiques English and Scot radicals for undermining his business, fostering trade unionism; cabinet members staying at the Astor are political loafers

Aug 17 p. 1 publishes Joseph C Neal’s descript of a Loafer (Neal of Phila,e d of Sunday News; amiable character and raw material of  aman of genius, but in society of low drinking vagabonds will be spoiled), Peter Brush as a kind of politician w/o principles, daddy is the mayor

p.2 is invited to join the Union Club, members of which include Philip Hone, Ogden Hoffman, Throop, C.E. Anderson, etc

            ad for the Painters, Gilder’s and Varnisher’s Manual, bookseller Wm Jackson

Aug 19 p. 1 lament of a loafer, orig for herald, by H?G

p.2 Amer Monthly Mag is the gmen’s mag, vs Knickerbocker, the loafers mag, the latter patronized by the lazaroni of the Prk, Battery and Markets, to roll up clams stolen from Boyden’s

Aug. 22, p. 1, letter requesting he let somebody take your picture and put it up in the print-shop windows, says writer while standing before Colman’s in a crowd of people.  lots of women want to know how you look, have regard for posterity.  A vol. of the ‘Beauties of the NY Herald’ forthcoming, w/o a port of the Editor.  Signed Asmodeus, jr.

            -Bennett refuses, will not permit any person to put his likeness in the windows with the other loafers of the day; he’s going to estab an improved social system, but no idolatry or image worship

            p.2 gives a Long Island paper’s puff of Hanington’s, genius, saloon as a an enchanted palace, visitors most respectable, unsurpassed ingenuity, complete delusions, perfectly natural, imitating the wonderful and beautiful

Aug 25, praises So Lit Messenger again and excerpts it; offers to pay $5 for someone to write a new puff of Hanington as he’s run out of superlatives, advertises p. 2 for a lady of lit accomplishments and good taste to read new novels and light lit and review them, with compensation, no time for new fugitive publications of the day himself.  Woman’s crit far superior judge of what is natural and what is not.  Also notes Herald is driving NY Mirror from the ladies’ boudoirs

Aug 26 Wall St rumor that a house would suspend payments due to embezzlement done to pay gambling debts at places nr Astor, where gmen of that ton make their headqtrs, in conseq of its Vicksburg character

Aug 27 p.2 more on Whig loafers;  announces an Engraving--beaut engr likeness of Halleck, by Parker, fr a port by Inman, most excellent likeness, highest credit on the artist, a young man

Aug 29, p.2 ‘An Artist’ Chester L. Harris went to Livingston to pursue his prof a s aport ptr, lounged about, waiting for his trunks, decamped with $275 stolen from an old man named Whitney.

Aug. 31, p.2, ‘miniature ptg’--Frenchman named Desmarques neat tricks at New Orleans, stated a port ptr wanting to set up business, engaged board at a widow’s, ptd a family group for her beautifully executed.  Decamped after 6 mo with bill $70 unpd but the woman and two of her daught ea produced a miniature likeness of Monsieur, who had promised marriage to ea.

Sept 1, 7,  10, 13, 22, 26, 27, 1836, nothing

Sept 2, p. 2 reviews Miss Clifton at the National and Forrest elsewhere; had promised to do so as specimens of unique American acting style, which isn’t to the taste of the ‘loafers’.  Forrest is a “Herculees Farnese, with a Greek soul, turned player”  too large, too thick, too long, Clifton has a peculiar sweetness that moderates her mightiest hurricanes of passion (when she plays and plays), that gives her more natural feeling.  Forrest is highly popular with the mob, but I don’t like him…It is all physical exertion--mere steam power--with a small quantity of the delicacy and neatness of true passion.

            -but both are fair specimens of native talent, setting the conventional rules of English drama at defiance, have a similar style, appreciated where people want the worth of their money in love, passion, murder or massacre…the Luther and Calvin of the theatrical reformation…the same revolution in the drama, that I am doing in literature and the daily press.  The loafers must get out of the way…They season high…speeches which they laugh at aside…we are all quacks together…this is a voluptuoiuss city, You must reach their souls through appetite and passion.

            -will only be the rage for three years!

‘Ladies look out’--Mon. Desmarques, the Port and Miniature painter fr New Orleans is in Long Island in search of beaut girl to add to his gallery, look out that he doesn’t take one miniature too many.

Sept 3 p.2 mad at Willis for getting puffs in the Transcript; notes Tappan is advertising in the Sun

Sept 5 p. 2  Fair of the Mechanics Institute (at Castle Garden)--the most splendid specimens of carving and painting ever seen at any fair…on the beaut engine No. 1 and hose carriage fr Brooklyn…alone worth the visit  (they have several ads)

            -praises sampler work and needle work ‘equal in appearance to the finest engraving’ also velvet paintings

            -Mr. Otis has several ptgs which shall be further noticed…Mr or Master Swinton who can paint such things as he has done shouldn’t be kept longer in quarantine

            Endicott has some few tolerable lithographs

From Texas--Mr. Strange, an Amer artist some time in TX has taken busts of Almonte and Santa Anna, which are declared to be perfect likenesses

Advert for Th Bell auction--‘splendid paintings’ invites attn of amateurs and others, really choice, original, ancient and modern Paintings, no reserve, by catalogue, at the Washington Divan on Broadway

Editorial on a “picture sale” opp for amateurs to procure excellentptgs at Saunders’ roo, Broadway, including v.fine lscapes, not originals but in style of some great masters.  fine marine views by Chambers, who has a rep in that line.  Several old ptgs, undoubted orig, among others, a Vandyke and Gainsborough.  bargains.  excerpted fr the Sunday News.

‘More Miniature ptg’--a Frenchman J. Augustus Morein, office on Broadway, borrowed 10 dollars while he did some miniatures, but he decamped. Fr miniature ptrs are rather Brakefidr

Sept 6 p.2 lists circulation and length of time of the daily press

Courier and Enquirer biggest (after Herald), then the Journal of Commerce, then the Evening Star, the Evening Post, the Commercial Advertiser, the Times.  Much smaller are the American, the Gazette, the Daily Advertiser, the Express, the Mercantile Advertiser

            -the Transcript is read by loafers in villages up and down the north and east rivers, not in the city

Blood or race is every thing--locality or birth nothing.  praises Anglo-Saxon vindicates claims to superiority, shd be kept pure

Sept. 8 p.2  blurb on Saunders and Otley booksellers, recommends changing the copyright law, no restrictions on the mind

Fancy sketches--people try to fix the localities and persons of them, but are fancy only.

Sept 9 p, 4 poem to Bennett fr OPQ praising him

Sept 12, p. 2 ‘Loafer Poetry’ compares MacDonald Clark to his brother? Willis Gaylord Clark in Phila (who runs a penny paper and whom Bennett regularly attacks) and mentions a relative a Clark at the Knickerbocker too.  MacDonald’s book is published by Bell, who prints Hamblin’s Bowery bills, but it is no humbug

            -calls them droll, witty, original, loafering, eccentric, folly, insipidity, pathos, sentiment, philosophy, a puzzle, enigma, mystery,

            -beaut engrav of the author, collar open, neck displayed, hair ina  hurricane, a la Byron

            -Mac is spiritied and orig, Gaylord insipid and stolen, Mac careless,d ashing eccentric, Gaylord precise, mincing, petit maitre-ish, Mac thinks and feels for himself, Gaylord picks up what he finds in the streams or putrifying in the alleys, Mac is independent, Gaylord writes his own puffs.  Mac is the Prince of loafer poetry, superior to Bryant’s

Sept. 14, p.1 short story the miniature painter.  Mr Broan, a boarder, agreeable, handsome, but sudden facies are dangerous; no quarrelling about beauty, the engaged girl can only see with one eye.  Daughters of stylish boarding house for gmen run by widow

            -Abraham Brown, educ, Englishman, seized by passion for the fine arts and in spite of all that could be done, turned port painter.  over time, with close app, declared competent, borrowed money to come to this city, fascinating manners, advert in papers first rate abilities recently arrived, striking likeness for $25, no patrons, needed cash, offers to paint a family group, she agrees

            -plans to send it to Nat Acad when done, widow beflounced for a sitting with Limner, proposes to all three of the women, wants to exchange miniatures, widow and daught get pregnant, he decamps--leaving two miniatures of his own dear self, likely to be strong resemblances

            p.2 cites the Courier and Enquirer’s criticism of McDonald Clarke’s poems, as exhib of mental malady, infirmities, beneath criticism, pure piety, excellent precepts, not all faultless,  Courier critic is madder than Mac

            notes the city corporation will visit the Acad of Fine Arts on Barclay St, mocks them as connoisseurs

Sept 15 p.2 on Forrest’s claims to American uniqueness;  in lit,art or science, the US and Eng are the same, from the same Anglo Saxon stock, talent and genius run in races, not localities.  his appeal to democratic reformers in England is bogus, as art shd have nothing to do with politics or reform.  Forrest realizes the age of theatrical steam power. akin to Hamblin’s style of humbug, or that of the editor of the Herald.

Sept 16 p.2 promises an elegant wood cut taken from Joice Heth, an excellent likeness, in the next issue, to go with his expose--appears on 17^th p 2 and is hideous

            ad for lithographs! assortment includes Heads of Presidents, Port of Santa Anna, lscapes, sporting pieces, colored etc. James H Weeks, Pearl and Rose streets

‘Cleopatra: Just returned from the south’ Ad for Mr. Le Bert patrons of fine arts that statue of Cleopatra is now exhib 175 Broadway from 9 - 10 pm.  splendid piece is so orig and  modern production of unsurpassed merit in all its parts, beauty of proportin, contour, anatomical accuracy, expression, attitude and hi finish

Sept 19. p.2 puffs Cleopatra, one of the most exquisite statues of a beautiful woman in every point, grace, limb and lineament

            attacks loafers at Palmo’s

Sept 20 more poems re loafer, more favorable comments on blackface minstrelsy

Sept 21 p. 2  promotes The Token, pub in Boston by Chas Bowen, ed SG Goodrich, sold here, twelve engravings are superb, contribs well known, Bulwer, Inman, Mrs Sigourney, beautiful works, present for a bright-eyed Houri.

‘Statuary’ fine looking Italian sculptor on Broadway nr Wash Hotel, engaged on a statue of Venus, taken fr life, will surpass everything of the kind in the US.  a belle of the city visits his studio and exhib her charms a la nature for the benefit of the fine arts.  One day stands erect for shape of ancle, then reclines, fear the artist may forget his duty.  She emulates Princess Borghese.  Police may visit.

another puff of Cleopatra--how beaut, enchanting, angel-like; also notice of the exhib of the Declaration of Indep at the Acad

ad for a polit meeting of the Native Americans

Sept 24 p.2 (has praised bookseller and advertiser Jackson of Cedar st for revolutionizing lit with his penny mag, penny cyclopedia, etc; has also argued all lit is puffs.)

NY Weekly Mirror, pub oppos the Transcript, to amateurs and literary lights of the age.  pretty engrav of Halleck, commonplace prosy commentary on I by Bryant, and tolerably graceful sketches already puffed in the Evening Star

prevailing lit spirit of the age is melancholy character, flooded with novels, loiterings, inklings, sketches, reviews, critiques, poems, all miserable imitations, trashy, not original, new, racy or powerful, just incompetent pedantic followers of Scott

            -new age of periodical lit take the lead, power of the daily press as the great organ of mind still in embryo, need a Shakespeare of the daily press

            -those who stand high in lit now are unfit for this role, as Bryant himself, who is puffed for tolerable poetry, yet is weak, silly, dull as ed of Eve Post; literati puff and endorse ea other, like directors of a rotten bank (Bryant on Halleck)

Sept 28 p. 1 more on lit loafers who trade item in paper for free entry to entertainments

blurb on exhib of the signers of the dec of indep (Trumbull?), a lady viewer (crowds the Acad at night) contemplating a group, thought a man standing in front was part of it and shocked when he moved

            -ad on p. 3 is for a Great National Exhibition, not a painting, but 56 figures large and natural as life, in costume of the day, arranged as in Congress, modeled from fig at or about the time by artists procured at great expense, striking resemblance

p.2 excerpt fr the Evening star re a dinner at Tammany Hall for Gen Harrison, with notice of the transparencies designed by Mr. Holland

Sept 29 p. 2 Willis has fine fancy deficient in strong, original mind, but better than Willis Gaylord Clark;  more on need for a copyright law that extends to all authors, regardless of nationality

Sept 30 p. 2 ad for Elegant ptgs, beaut collection of really good ancient and modern Ptgs sold Thom Bell of Ann st, in rich gilt frames

penny lit vs loafer lit: the monthly and weekly periodicals, mags, mirrors, knickerbockers and such trashy pubs, degenerated into vehicles of sickly sentimentalism, fit for kitchen or laundry

            -daily press and cheap periodicals only strength, eloquence, nerve, talent and genius, real business, active life, so egotism and vanity rubbed out by unfanciful buffetings of the world, deal in necessaries of life rather than inventions of any partic fancy article.  Then puffs Jackson’s penny stuff

            -world is into a fit of good sense, of fact, and real science, tired of flashy sentiment, sickening poetry and loafer lit; your pencillers, sketchers, loafer poets, are quarrelling and in disrepute, dandies in lit a curse to society, without solidity or force of mind, they dazzle milliners, but no real knowl of human nature

puff for Robinson’s print of the burning of the Bowery 

Oct. 1, 3, 4, 6, 10, 14, 26, 27,  29, 1836 nothing

Oct 5. p. 2 Knickerbocker article on loafers is flat egotism but amusing; good reading at Five Points; p.4 has a poem from them

Oct. 7 Mrs. Hemans (one of their advertisers has been selling her works) “The charmed Picture” p. 4.  start of the moral war? blames Noah and Morris of the Mirror (associates them with Hamblin of the Bowery, and the New Era).  phrenology ad (had previously mentioned the arrival in town of phrenologists)

Oct. 8 p. 1 “Cleopatra” gives a poem by Mr I H Sheppard of Boston, on seeing the statue…we have called to see this beaut work of art, but it’s not Cleo, a facsimile of Eve, our great mother, as she sat before Adam on the morning of her marriage.  see if it be not.  thy statue speaks…matchless skill…elegance divine, calls sons of taste to retire fr busy throngs and patronize the beauty…the attitude…so true to nature…hard to be severe on frailty after seeing her

Oct. 11 mentions being attacked by John S Bartlett, ed of the Albion newspaper here.  praises Amer Monthly Mag as clever, likes editor Park Benjamin as uncompromising in his reviews, good Willis poems, calls sickly and insipid the Knickerbocker

Oct 12 p.2 puff for Annelli’s private gallery of ptgs, opened today in upper part of Athenaeum Bldgs, Broadway and Chambers.  hear that there are some extraordinary ptgs, will carry the whole town by storm,  we shall go see

            -long attack on Bryant and fellow poet at Evening Post for not underst banking and for dull poetry, for criticizing Morgan Smith (nominated by the Tammany party for Senate; not a loco foco) and Prosper Wetmore, wrongly worried about monopolies

Oct. 13 still a fan of Lyman Beecher

p.2 Annelli’s chief d’oeuvre in his priv gallery opening today is a Shipwreck, three principal figs (bro, husb, wife) are divested of all drapery, countences despair, forms most beaut developed

            -calls NY Quarterly review humbug

Oct. 15 p. 2 cites twaddling crit on Willis that accuses him of style, not thought, ephemeral, not durable;  Annelli’s is all the rage (I haven’t found an ad yet)

missing 16^th?

Oct 17 p. 2 notes that staple of NY newpaper was business, markets and money affairs, will expand to cover morals, philosophy, science, religion etc.

Oct 18 p. 2 associates Fanny Wright lecture in Tammany Hall with Bryant and Leggett, Noah Fitz Greene Halleck there, all concerned with philosophy and poetry, not practical life

Has bits on Coleridge, notices a robinson caricature

Oct 22 p.2 the connoisseurs of the Era (who he’s been battling with) very severe on some old ptgs sold by Del Vecchio the virtuoso at the Arcade Baths;  they drink too much gin to put faith in their knowledge.  as to ptgs and pictures, they know as much as Saltonstall does of math

Oct 24 p. 2 commentary on will of Aaron Burr, previously pubd, mentions pictures, had a great number, at his death a picture of Vanderlyn by himself, Col thought a masterpiece and it was, a likeness of his daughter enameled on a cup, Vanderlyn’s portrait of Burr is owned by a lady in Church st

Oct. 25  attacks the Ollapod writer (Willis??) in Knickerbocker as having lost his touch, but repros some of his stuff, and  adrunken loafer poem.  Bowery theater (Dinneford) ad. 

            recommends Sedgwick’s new book from Harper’s (author of Hope Leslie) for its moral sentiments

 Oct.28 recommends Annelli’s ptg of the Deluge, beauty of woman;  says to go see Cole’s paintings

Oct 31 p.2 puff for Exhib of Dec of Indep--the most perfect in execution

Nov. 1, 2, 4, 10, 11, 15, 16, 18, 23, 25,  26,  28,  29, 30, 1836 nothing

Nov. 3 p.2 “The NY Mirror’--Willis supplies Mirror w/First Impressions, Loiterings of Travel, occasional bad poetry and prose; a tolerable penciller or sketcher, nothing more of knowl of human nature, reflection, depth, all words, no ideas, receives $2000/yr.  Theodore Fay, another contrib., is not so brilliant, but truer to human nature, not a mere sketcher of manners, enters the heart; now Secy of Amer Legation at St James, and his wife has superior genius, for his pieces, he receives $2000/yr.  Cox writes letters fr London, a kind of a genius, his best sketch was abt “Old Hays.” he gets $600.  Bryant of the Post writes poetry--tolerable newspaper verses--only made famous by kindness of Irving, no comparison to Percival and Halleck, all others are loafers; Bryant gets $200 a year.  Col Morris writes little pieces, editorials, etc, maybe $1000 a year.  There is a batch of freelance contribs (loafers) of all qualities and kinds to get up theatrical notices, puff players, pick up anecdotes, be shabby genteel, witty and exquisitely fine and do public relations; this dept also $2000a yr.  Engravings cost $3000 a yr, Title $300, wood cuts, $200, music $1400, annual outlay totaling $14,500.  Gross receipts are $40,000, with 8000 subscribers at $5 a piece, nets abt $8-10,000 a yr.  Literary character is flimsy, evanescent, but has no rival; has not taken the hue and coloring of the atmosphere around it, but strives to be solely literary.  Praises Morris himself.

            urges ladies to visit Cole’s ptgs at Clinton Hall, then Annelli’s above the Athenaeum Rms, and tell us which you like best.

Nov. 5 p. 2 ‘singular fashionable catalogue’ of men whose appearance on Broadway is sponsored by madams and other older women, moving in the highest circles, passing themselves off for young men of property and wealth, virtue and fine taste in old paintings.

            also recommends Van Buren for emperor.

Nov. 7 p. 2.  announces paying $20 for literary prizes in various categories.  Attack on Mirror coterie (Morris, Halleck, Quackenbras, Pennell, Morris, Noah, Peter Simple Townsend) for sponsoring a public benefit for Hamblin, “often been a moot point whether public and private character act and re-act on each other--whether in art, science, or literature, private morals have any connection or not with public talent…” who is an infamous libertine in private.  Anti- clubs (the Union Club is formed) as exclude women and so create a vicious society

            -endorses for election James Monroe, Van Buren, Ogden Hoffman, Gideon Lee, Talmadge (a Native American, as is Monroe, and Hoffman), Wetmore Demo)…Whig assembly ticket is miserable trash.  Ads for the Native and Demo tickets in the paper, but not the Whigs

Nov. 8 p. 2 publishes additional names of those supporting the Hamblin benefit, including many of the politicians he’s supported, also his enemy J Watson Webb, A Cozzens, Giulian Verplanck, Wm Astor, Saml Ruggles, Wm Dunlap, Geo D. Strong, Henry Inman, and so on

            reviews the issues of the Knickerbocker and Am Monthly;  Knick reviews have too much twaddle, likes Oliver H. Holmes and a crit of Orville Dewey’s travels, likes Byron article too

Nov. 9 p. 2 urges aid the Mercantile Lib Assn (which he has earlier supported) in buying Audobon’s Ornithology.

            notes a fire at NO. 383 Grand st,  upper part of bldg occupied by Mr Alvan Fisher, port painter, and his wife and two daughters, who had to jump fr window into his arms, none severely wounded, but many ptgs, finished and unfinished, were destroyed.

            puff written for the Herald says we regret that the Signers of the Dec of Indep, a spectacle the most moral, grand and interesting” is about to leave a city that ought to exclusively retain it, it’s going to the south

Nov. 12 p. 1 notes Mrs. Jameson’s arrival from London, praises Boz’s Pickwick Paper, able draughtsman of the low life (later identifies him as Chas Dickens)

p.2 ranks the poets of the day, gives Mrs. Sigourney a page and Wm Bryant tthree lines, Halleck (our fave) a whole page, and James G Percival too, McDonal Clark half and Wm Breainard a third, Willis and Willis Gaylord clark a fewlines

Nov 14 p. 2 Van Buren in town lodging at American Hotel, formerly he put up at the Astor

            seems to approve of New York American

            loafer literati--circle of Astor House, Palmo’s, Bowery/Hamblin, Mirror and Noah, New Era (run by former Sun writers)

Nov. 17, p. 2 ‘Quack Literati--NY Mirror’ Ann and Nassau streets, is the office, decorated with a few prints of literary men; conversation of editor and his ataches is coarse, vulgar, exceedingly disgusting and immoral, and only fit for the third tiers of theatres.  priv character of lit quacks deprives them of symp/aid of the good;  they want to create a school of lit w/o principles

            -Morris takes contributors work and passes it off as his own, inclu a musical drama that was really Samuel Woodworth’s…he is the general parent of all waifs and literary foundlings

            -only talents are puffery and impudence; tho some gd writers like GC Verplanck, JK Paulding or FG Halleck write, its mostly flimsy, ridiculous puffery twaddle trash

            -try to deny the right or liberty to look into private character and morals of talent

            -this clique are a mix of brute and dandy, barbarian and baboon, vulgar blackguard and dramatic patron

Nov. 21, p. 2 Revenue (net yearly, or profits) of the Daily Press:  Courier & Enquirer $25,000, Herald $14,500, J of Commerce 13,000, Commercial Advertiser, 11000, Sun 10,000, Evening Star 8500, Gazette 6500, Daily Express 6000, American 4500, Evening Post 2500, Times 1800, Mercantile Advertiser 1200, Transcript 950, New Era net yrly loss 9500.

            second notice of Mr. Catherwood’s lectures on Jerusalem and Egypt at Clinton Hall, hears they are fascinating, illustrations and drawings are of the most superb descript

            Boudet’s splendid ptgs are still exhib at 37 Courtland st

Nov 22 p. 1 Awful event and singular attachment of an artist in death, fr a London paper, re Pitcard in Hampstead, with consumption, died on his wedding day, worked as an ingenious miniature ptr, supported widowed mom

Nov. 24 p. 2 notes death of Wm McCullen, murdered by a gang on Third St, an able lithographer

Dec. 1, 3, 5, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 24, 26, 28, 29, 31, 1836 nothing

Dec. 2 p.2 praises Caleb Cushing (Hon, Mass.) lecture to mercantile asssn at Clinton Hall, compares him to Everett, exalted enthusiasm, deep intonation, strong, mellifluous voice, classic allusion

Dec. 6 p. 2 again praises Park Benjamin’s crit in the Am Monthly Mag; glad to see the knick knocking loafers in ‘the ordinary man’

Dec. 7 p. 2 ‘The Deluge’ grand exhib 74 Chamber St closes Sat, great demand fr port pg that Annelli gives up plan to tour cities and will sell the ptg

            -p.3 ad for new exhib at Amer Acad, nr Astor’s Hotel, 2 orig and sublime ptgs, Tempt and Expuls of Adam and Eve, by Duboaef, for ex-king Charles X of France, exhib during 4 years in most princip cities of US to lively gratif of 300,000 visitors, 9 am - 9pm, last exhib before Europe, room kept warm

            -ad that Hannington’s moving dioramas at the City Saloon are closed for redoing, with Talent hired:  White, Walker, Jones, Bengourh, Grain, Lehr & Sewell, Mr. Duke White, late of the Bowery theater

Dec 8 p. 2 likes of all the 1837 Annuals the Magnolia, ed by WH Herbert pub Bancroft & Holly on Brdway, splendid, beaut, mind fancy intellect wit engravings

Dec. 9 p. 2 notices a ludicrous caricature fr Robinson of Courtland st, ‘going the whole hog’ with Empire state sas the sow, harpy progeny --office holders, presidents of banks, etc suckling

Dec. 20 p. 2 argues same people made pyramids/monuments of Egypt as in Mexico

notes Mrs. Sigourney has subscr to the Weekly Herald; Forrest wants to become a politician

Johnston, the Boston caricaturist, published a work on Phrenology, illust that humbug science, Scraps No. 7, 40 etchings, most laughable. greatest genius of the kind.  Robinson has since he began issued 60-80 orig caricatures on every pop subj during the last yr, but Johnston is an artist of much higher rank

Dec. 21, p. 2, The Adam & Eve Ptgs--splendid ptgs by Dubufe, pupil of the great David…midst of many quackeries and gullibilities….Tempt in conception very sweet, in execution v beaut.  perfect loveliness of Eve, indecision of Adam, rosy light and coloring…renders it almost faultless…one drawback, Adam with moustache and whiskers trained, a sad oversight, but in some minutaie the greatest have often failed.  Once a celeb artist in a sea piece ptd a lobster red.  Second picture is faultless, conception is sublimity, appearance absolutely terrific.  terror and despair of Eve, agony of Adam, somber coloring, livid hue of flesh, contrasts of lights, master mind by a master hand, foreshortning of Eve’s knee a triumph of art

Dec 22 p. 2 puffs a new engrav of the great fire in NY by Lewis P. Glover of Brodway, hide the luster of all predecessors, aquatint $5, no parlor, library or hall w/o it

Dec. 23 p. 2 ‘La Belle Nature’--NY has 2 exhib by pupils of great immortal David, title is that of another, Msr Boudet’s, replete with grace and beauty, fine conception and excellent execution, gem treasure of the art, French school is rapidly taking its rank

Dec. 27 p. 2 letter from DC re soiree in Georgetown by a Col who imitates Euro fashion, novelty not long introd in London/Paris of Tableaux Vivants--rich and spacious frame to resemble a large picture.  rotund woman in costume of sylph, destroyed the illusion, picture tho true to life was anything but what it was intended to represent.  fortunate for some of the portraits in this frame that they are mute, for vanity within is abhorrent

            -Bennett notes he doesn’t agree with his correspondents’ condemnation of interest in euro fashions etc

Dec. 30 p. 2 port ptg--Boudet on Cortlandt st takes excellent portrait; p. 3 ad for American theatre on Bowery (Dinneford) mentions hiring Signors Guicicini, Chizzola and Alba, celeb Italian artists to do the ornamental ptg, inclu Apollo and the muses, Medusa, style of Raphael, trompe l’oeil, proscenium has port of Shakespeare, drop curtain the conflict of Horatii andCuratii, scenery by Messrs Walker, Jones, Grain etc

            p.3 also ad for La Belle Nature and Daphne, with his ad for port and miniature ptg, guarantees a faithful resemblance to the original, superior finish

Jan 2, 4, 5, 6, 7,  9, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 21, 23, 24,  25, 27, 31, 1837, nothing

(Wash Irving story, more Dickens, poems re fairies; is now willing to puff the Bowery (now the American?) under the management of Dinneford, lots on Silliman/geology revolution; is anti mob and anti-phrenology, lots of anticip of Mex War)

pop book by author of Random Recollections of the House of Lords, treatise on character and history of periodical lit and newspaper press in London, repub by Harpers, or Saunders and Otley, Grant’s the Great Metropolis

Jan 10 p. 2 puff for Boudet returned to city ptg ports and miniatures where his splendid ptgs are being exhib

Jan 14 p.1 long excerpt fr Foreign Quarterly Rev re Waldeck’s book on travels in Yucatan, and his backgrd as expert, his drawings etc;  more on tableaux vivans in DC, living pictures of fancy or hist subjects (at Mrs. Calhoun’s?):  Vernot’s Bandit’s Bride, seen in some of the annuals; Lalla Rookh, then Hagar in the Desert by G******h, an admirable grp, also the Niobe;  Minna and Brenda, death of Marmion

Jan 20 p. 2 defense of his style by their DC corresp, mere description too tame, eulogies on female beauty too vapid; spirit consists in dialogue and sarcasm…the pict to be effective must be true to life, or it would be laughed at here…’tries to give anecdotes, traits of characters, sketches, but if mere fancy, how can give correct traits? censure gives spice. but will try to avoid coloring fr party feeling.

Jan 26 p. 2 puffs a beaut engrav of Willis, no publisher named. 

Jan 27 p. 1 orig poem for Herald, Lucubrations of a Pauper, by Peter (Peter Simple?)

Jan 28 p.2 ‘trash to be seen’ see the ptgs at 18 Courtland st to be sold tonight, 100 pieces of humbug, pay 6 x what they’re worth and prove your fine taste by finer foolery.

Jan 30. p. 1 Canova’s courtship, began as an engraver in Rome, sees a girl sitting to his master (his daughter) as the muse Thalia; in a contest with fellow app for her love, he draws her fr memory vs. protean-like nature and won

Feb 1, 1837 p.2 praises Feb issue of Am Month Mag for its beaut engraving;

poem for Herald on Clerk’s Lament over rising prices at the boarding house

Feb. 2, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 28, 1837, nothing

Feb 3 p. 4pub a notice that the western monthly mag and western lit journal, formerly pub in Cinti, have merged and will be pub out of Louisville, ed Wm Gallagher and Has. B. Marshall

Feb 4 p. 1 more on the tableaux vivans, at Baltimore, S Hoffman’s, JP Kennedy helping design it, Lalla Rookh, Jeanie Dean’s interview with the queen, Byron and Scott, onrad and Gulnare in the prison scene, Don Juan, Fair Maid of Perth, Rustic Courtship--pretty young peasant girl sitting with her lover’s picture in one hand, being watched by her lover fr the doorway, Selim and Zulieka, Bandit and his bride, ‘Hesitation” from a song in the Atlantic Souvenir (Bennett has pub poems from the AS), highland maid hesitating efore her beau, then the popular print ‘Waiting for the Times’--scene at a tavern table covered with glasses, one man engrossed with the contents of the Times (the NY Courier) almost hiding him, while his impatient friend waits for it

            p.2 ‘for sale’ Several angels, flowers, codfish, eels and other delicacies called ptgs, by Levi, tonight at the auction room.  Likes D’Israeli’s new noevel, Henrietta Temple, fr the Carys of Phila.

Feb. 7 praises cheap lit (repub of standard works) as fostering a revolution, along with daily press, giving a universality to the same thought and feeling which heretofore have only occupied the higher classes of society

Feb. 8 p.4 poem to the Amer Flag fr the Token and Atl Souvenir is by Isaac C Pray Jr

Feb. 11 p. 2 “Amer Archit” for the Herald.  Much taste in bldg in last ten yrs, fine edifices of Doric and Ionic, some Corinthian, but some crude eccentricate breaks in on the regular rules, no doubt on whim of owner, destroys fine effect,  e.g. Long Island, at Brooklyn and Flatbush, private dwellings, by a shoemaker now a bank pres and by a spec in cotton.  Flatbush is Parthenon in miniature, 12 Corinth columns, both houses made of wood.  Need professional architects.  Signed Wren, an Englishman

            ‘Gross Humbug’ grp of ptgs sold this eve at Arcade Baths, sd to be ptgs 300 yrs old of the old masters, how long will these things be practiced upon our amateurs?

            --port of beaut La Comtesse Augusta is just pub, a lovely danseuse

p.3 ad ‘To Port Ptrs’ for sale, a Mannikin or Lay Fig complete, price $70, can be seen at Harris’s rooms, 327 Broadway

Feb. 14 p. 2 Amer Literati, a petition presented for change in the copyright law by authors in Grt Brit and US, Bennett sneers at the leading names listed in the US--John Neal, Henry Lonfellow, Willis Gaylord Clark, Wm Dunlap, Noah, Saml Woodworth, Saml FB Morse, Saml Jenks Smith, JW Webb, Chas King etc

            and an apology that the Am Archit article was written by someone w/personal animus; Bennett knows the owners and will visit himself

the orig poems for the Herald often treat humorously of contemp life; the devil checks out the churches on Sunday, the flour riot by J.G.; loafers by PDQ, Cold wittals a running joke, poem on kitchen cabinet, also (not orig?) an ode to cash

Feb. 23 p.4 poem Venus of Canova by Lt GW Pattan, US Army.  no cloud upon thy brow, unmoved, unscathed, loneliness of beauty, but Let change awhile be written there,/and lovelier far thy brow will seem--because will be come an emblem dear of the loved who have passed away

Feb. 25 p. 2 lists jury in his case against the Hamblin attack, inclu. Chas F. Cummings, painter, 12 Frankfort St, new ed of Lala Rookh by Wiley & Putnam on Brdway, small and neat, more Opie

Feb 27 p. 2 summarizes three parties, loco focus are riotous, anti all banks and paper money, but are ignorant of trade and commerce.  Whigs have intrigue, taste, good sense and experience, sensible discreet men with speculative spirit, some gd principles, oppose Van Buren, also violent, esp Courier and Enquirer.  demos can invent lies, changeable principles

            and from the Wash Correspondent, descr of the reception at the White House after the inauguration, and motley crowd there, gathered around the ‘big cheese’: woman fr NY asks what animal is repress on the cloth on the table, her escort smiling says ‘specimen of the fine arts that accompanied the big cheese.’ the fine arts and what’s that? never saw anything like it in NY, a hedge hot on an elephant--a likeness of Genl Jackson on the covering of the cheese by one of yr NY artists’  you jest--perhaps repres of the cow fr the milk of the cheese, and goes on  (prob by author later called Cold Wittals, who does other polit poems on Cheese in Van Buren’s kitchen etc)

March 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 21, 25, 29, 31, 1837, nothing

Mar 6, p. 2 Bell, the auctioneer in Annst, has advert a large lot of fine old ptgs for sale tomorrow.  For the trash see Courier.

            -Beaut Ellen Tree has been litho’d and is for sale at Colman’s 205 Brdway, a pretty likeness

            The ads:  Sale of ptgs:  choice coll of mod ptgs, number of fine old pictures, at the Arcade Baths, Chambers St, a number of sea pieces by Chambers, well known in this city for fidelity, force and skill in marine views.  Partic noticed frigates United States and Macedonian, the Guerriero and Constitution, the wrecks of the ships Bristol and Mexico, packet ship going into the Downs, a French lugger leaving port.  if not undoubted origs, at least best copies after Vandyke, Raffaelle, Rubens and Teniers, most fastidious connoisseurs.  to make bargains, judge for themselves. 

            Thomas Bell, Auctioneer, Valuable Sale of ptgs at the Arcade Baths, choice coll of elegant framed ptgs, inclu a number of lscapes and marine views by Chambers and other artists, some truly valuable orig ptgs by old masters. 

Mar 7 p. 2 Henry J Winslow No. 6 Little Green St has just pub a half length port of the gallant Scott. a capital likeness.

Mar 9 p. 1 Pliny the naturalist tells Nero gilded finest statues of Lysippus ‘cause it was brass, but not until deprived of this gaudy coat that it recovered its beauty and value

now equates loafers with loco focus, who live entirely on sm change and specie borrowed from acquaintances; plans a sporting journal (inclu coverage of beau monde) and praises Gideon B Smith’s Amer Sporting Mag with its excellent litho of the horse Mazeppo

Mar 16 p. 2 Webster spoke at American Hotel, not Astor, then to Niblo’s; Pearl Street House (hotel) has a beaut granite front, over great entrance fig well-proportioned female, fine bust, buxom lineaments breathing alive, repre the ‘genius of Commerce’  every man boy or woman looks up and says ‘pretty critter.’

Mar 18 p. 2 ‘valuable ptgs’ The beauties of a certain age that attend fashionable parties

Mar 20, p. 2 Washington Correspondence:  “from the appropriations made by Congress, during the last session, to ornament the Capitol w/additional ptgs and statuary, one would suppose that the members had been suddenly smitten with a love of the fine arts.  4 vacant panels of Rotunda productions most disting artists of this country, designs historical left to genius and taste.  Vanderlyn will do credit to himself and art, design in crayon on a v lrge scale by some native artist has been placed in one of these panels, spirited and orig, the discov of Amer by Columbus, great discoverer most prom standing erect calm dignified looking toward object and exulting, crew grouped eagerly gazing or bowing in attitude of adoration, compos admirable, design more original.  Persico fine colossal statues of Peace and War ornament eastern portico of capitol employed 1-2 statues on grand staircase.  model of one is fig of Columbus standing in bold fearless attitude with globe of American and other hand point to heaven, Indian standing in rear attitude of wonder and admiration, finely conceived, v expressive.  capitol soon ought richly ornamented with finest specimens of the arts, serve as models

Mar 22 p. 1 shall have my pict taken to gratify many who want to see me--no, every fellow has his and gets it stuck in the stationers’ windows at a shilling a copy, there’s willis, and van buren, and Jackson, and Nick biddle, and Webster and Jim Crow and all.  Nothing like originals, today I may or may not be in Broadway.

Mar 23^rd p. 2 attacks the National Theater now doing spectacles, humbugs, trashy comedy, burletta, licentious tiers and saloons, a fancy speculation from the jump, adds poison to the folly of the times (they do advertise with him)

Mar 24^th p.2 Wash DC correspondence “Al Raschiad” citizens of Wash have had what was intended to be a port of Jackson, ptd by a man named Earl, for some yrs a resident of the Palace, and deposited in the toy room of the Patent Office.--So wretched a daub is below criticism.”

“reply” “brink of a new age--an age to which female genius, and female talent, and female excellence will give the tone” woman permitted to develop intellectually, no longer slave or plaything of man, but companion, friend, equal, associate of man in every relation

“fire” on 3^rd floor of Acad of FA, water damage, proprietors say a Guido, Murillo, Rembrant destroyed--where did they come from?

recommends a manual of politeness pub in Phila sold by Shepperd; cites Gibson of the New Orleans Amer speaking of dancer Celester, fresh from the chisel of Praxiteles--scanty drapery

Mar 27, p. 2 splendid ptgs by Boudet are most ravishing description, beau ideal of female loveliness, statue of Cleopatra almost breathes, vivid image, ;  Dioramic Institute, 3 new pieces by Bengough and Walker, successful

Mar 28 p. 2 ‘The fine arts’ --bust of Josiah Ogden Hoffman, late Judge, by Signor Oattaviana Gori, 646 Broadway, sculptor is ready for inspection

Mar 30 p. 2 praises Amer Monthly Mag article on Vanderlyn and its theatrical chit chat

Apr 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 27, 29, 1837, nothing

Apr 3 p. 2 associates Evening Post, Plaindealer (Leggett) and New Era with the loco focos and loafers (has predicted a Whig victory in 1840, due to reaction against govt party’s 8 years of commercial legisl (tho Whig candidate for mayor is anti-mason)

Apr 4 p. 2  notes Robinson’s excellent caricature of Mayor Morgan to be (the Demo) with his black waiter prepping to quell a riot

Prince Bonaparte is at the Astor

predicts 1848 revolutions in Europe

Apr 18  Credit syst in Lit, Chas F Hoffman, gman of gd fam, some talent, no grt str of mind, tolerable taste, no vigor of soul no orig thinker, has become locum tenens of the NY Mirror and so is being puffed

proposes a female editor for his Evening Chron

Apr 26 p. 2 City Hotel for western men, Franklin for bostoners, American for gmen and counts, Horn’s for mortgages, Washington for sportsmen, Astor for loafers

            One of the best lithographic artists in the world is a Mr. Baker, in this city

            p.3  ad for ptgs at auction, collection of oil, Aaron Levy at exhib rm Arcade Baths, Chambers St, catalogues, public furnishing dwellings invited, many fine subjects by old masters, variety of pleasing modern productions, all splendidly framed

Apr 28 The Acad of Ptgs at Clinton Hall is the great rage of the day, crowds of beauties immense, take $200/dy

May 1, 1837, p. 2 a ‘friend to gd morals’ proposes reading rms and picture galleries shd be open Sundays to keep those who don’t go to church fr visiting worse places, on same principle open Museums, Zoolog exhibs, ball rooms and even Theatres, for on gd authority there are worse places than any of these

May 2, 4, 5, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 24, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 1837, nothing

May 3, p. 1 DW poem about a bank bill

            p.2 he critiques the speculative bubble of the 30s, tendency to most expensive habits in all classes, parasol, silk dress, carriages, splendeid furniture…”and statues of Cleopatra or Venus de Medicis reclining in the most luxurious attitudes…” grossest licentiousness, great men kept harems, splendid establishments, fitted with costly furniture “and gorgeous ptgs of Venus and Adonis--Ariadne in a slumber--or the beaut Queen of Egypt bathing in the cool translucent Cyndos.”

May 6. Notes Capt Marryatt (Peter Simple) is in town at the American Hotel to study Yankees; notes Audobon has returned fr his Southern exhibition

May 8, his forthcoming Evening Chron will be distinct, contain morals, relig lit fashion, fine arts and genl fam reading matter that can’t be squeezed into business columns of a morning paper, and offers premiums for contrib. (he’s in compet with the Star, Commercial, American and Post)

May 8, p.2 Nat Acad of Des--may be a want of a taste for the fine arts, but do have a taste for attending exhibs.  Clinton Hall’s two large saloons literally crowded, little chance to look at some 300 pictures as a result, but we prefer study living, moving, breathing beauties.  Not one ugly woman in the room--fear to compare w/beaut ports on walls? No need.  we think of going thru the collection by catalogue, discussing merits, shan’t use pompous technicalities of the art, nor cant of crit; we have some taste for the fine arts and are not a bad connoisseur.  many of the best have glaring faults, none perfect, ptg is in its infancy here, must be fostered, but need judicious crit.  our impressions w/o regard to reputation, fear or favor, no malice.

May 9 “a Promenade in Broadway” by R. “At Coleman’s windows I turn’d round,/And mus’d upon the painted life--/There rush’d the stag with mighty bound,/” and on, the eagle, my country, Bunker Hill, “my soul grew warm” as he gazed upon the flag, followed by him mocking the idea of poetry in the street among auctions and carts, and then the penny papers, all vent his soul?

            p.2 An Acad of FA is abt to be estab at Chicago.  Hurra for the West!

May 10 p. 2 Geo D. Strong, Pres of Commercial Bank, announced suspension of specie

May 11 p. 2 scenes in Wall St; things getting worse and worse, apprehensions of a riot, crowded, new Mayor (Aaron Clark) great--several men seen to enter crowd at diff points, bearing aloft statues of the immortal Washington.  made of plaster of Paris, some pure white, others green, effect instantly perceptible, feeling of awe and reverence pervasive, saw the noble form looking down upon them in its calm majesty, saying to them have patience, turn out Martin Van Buren, all will be well, price of meat will drop, specie payments resume.  Mayor called out military to amuse loafers in Park, appeal to patriotism of the multitude in Wall st, immortalizes his memory

May 12 p. 1 Jim Crow satire on the Eng govt

p.2 corrects list of bankruptcies, RL & A Stuart, advertised in the Herald as bankrupt, have not suspended payment, and never has overdue, all claims pd on presentation

“idle men and boys looking at the print shop windows--(dandies and auctioneers in same paragraph), the caricature corner (on Wall st) better filled and more densely crowded than any day in months

May 16, p.2 statement that he is and has been a pedlar, not of tapes and laces, but of thoughts, feelings, lofty principles, and intellectual truths.” peddling excursions to read great uahtors.  have been and am still a pedlar of the thoughts and feelings and high imaginings of the past and present ages, peddle wares as Homer Shakespeare Scott did his

May 18, p. 1 NAD--w.c. drawings by SH Gimber, tolerable specimens of that species, more freedom and force, than delicacy or finish.  Miniature of a lady by JD Gernon, free bold and faulty, artist shd do larger, scene ptg for inst.  Small ports by Geo Linen, bold execution, marked with genius, repeat that sm ports and miniatures req a very nice finish.  Let artist look at his subj in a convex mirror.

            View of Little Falls on the Mohawk, WJ Bennett, w/c lscape, stiff in foregrd, improving as pict recedes, creditable on the whole.  2 sm w.c. drawings by Miss Rosanna A Purcell, gd at a young ladies’ boarding schl, no merit here.  Pencil drwgs by JB Kidd, two of the best things in exhib; partial to its exquisite softness, the best and finest engravings are harsh in comp.   E. Purcell’s w.c. better than Rosanna’s but well enuf in a shop window.

            AT Agate, lady’s miniature, bad subj, bad ptg, no credit to artist or academy.  In name of good taste, why do they admit all offered, allow every fifth rate dauber of likenesses to hang up his sign.

            Ed Merchant, miniature sketch of boy, a gem of collection, good style.  Next (no artist given, no. 15) is stiff and so-soish.  Bogle Abbey by JB Kidd, his talent is for drwg, without any idea of colors, as is demo’d here.

            FJ Swinton, head of horse, tolerable drwg fr inexperienced, as appro here as a real horse.  W. Effie, boy fishing, bad every way (drwg, coloring, design, effect), awful homely boy, constrained position, leaving dog and basket to take care of themselves, white pantaloons tolerable.  N. Whitehorne Ldy’s Port, less said, the better.

G Harvey Lscape beaut scene on Ohio, v. indiff’y ptd. JB Beaumont, View of Indian Falls, one of most contemptible daubs in room.  hanging committee no taste? humbug the public, who can see better on any sign board for nothing.  J. Shaw, Sea coast, Wales, scene not well selected to make a gd pict.  There must be some architectural correspondence betw the diff parts to please the eye, but exec is beaut,effects of some parts unsurpassed, relief of ruin and distant mtns excellent.

H inman, grp of children, v pretty little boy, beauty of a sister. Tis all gd, partic arm and hand of girl.  AB Durand, Port, excellent.  FR Spencer, Port of Dr Somebody, gd, easy, strongly drawn, chastely colored.  WG Wall, View on the Mohawk, tolerable drwg, bad coloring, common fault not grn enough, water very transparent, sky.

May 22 p. 3 ads, American Museum exhib day and eve a splendid copy of Benj West’s celeb pict of Christ Healing the Sick in the Temple, ptd by an eminent artist, stood the crit of gd judges, a faithful copy (open til 10 am)

May 23, p. 2, Caricature--a colored litho print, pretending to be alikeness of Taglioni, now exhib for sale in Boradway and elsewhere, a disgrace to the art, the artist and all concerned

            Cleopatra, La Belle Nature, et Daphne de L’Olympe are at home at 17 Park Row (new location) no one shd see them whose taste is not sufficiently pure to allow him to contemplate naked pictures and statues merely as beaut works of art--all others shd keep away.

May 25, p. 2 NAD--Second Notice--don’t intend to hurt the tender feelings of anyone, to notice the picts, our own unprejudiced opinions, haven’t read a notice in any other paper nor listened to crit fr any other would be coniseeur.  our opinions go for what theya re worth, see if you can find fault.  rooms continue crowded, shall continue random sketches.

G Harvey Flower piece, gd of the kind, we never fancied Dutch school. GL Brown, View nr Hartford, artist won consid reput by his lscapes, ought to make him more cautious, the rough bold style so well adapted to large pieces doesn’t answer in a miniature sketch, a homely affair.

            Park Scene no. 29 no artist--You don’t say so.  Mrs. E. Unkart, Bohemian Girl, a neatness, beauty of coloring and finish, marks it as production of a lady, and ldy of no sm talent. 

            SFB Morse, Port of Rev Dr Skinner, sd to be excellent likeness, positi and fig is awkwardly stiff. Port of a Lady, SFB Morse, petty gd but for face and hands, old lady is very much to be pitied. JG Cole, port of Lietu Mudge, a gallant looking fellow, sorry artist didn’t make a better picture, port is barely passable, backgrd is all a smudge.

            J Whitehorne, Ldy’s Port, can’t tell why, have an affection; crimson velvet cannot be denominated, as the monkey called his tail when he ptd it sky blue, still it’s well done.  Countenance has a peculiar expr, familiar, where’ve we seen it?

            CC Ingham, Port of a Sportsman, one of the best things in the collection, flushed face superb, gun accurate, whole in excellent keeping, a likeness of course.  H. Inman, Dr Mott, splendid, look at that mouth!  Spencer, Port, smart old man, v. well ptd, contrasts with Morse’s Port of a lady.  Old age must be ptd very accurately, with all its wrinkles, won’t do to flatter.

            Ludlow, Wreck of the Bristol, indiff’ly gd, water fair to middling, ship in a heap, too many sails set, clouds not v. well managed.

            Cole, Florence, til we come to a better, this is the best lscape in cat, splendid, sit and look steadily, what brilliant effectsin foregrd, accurate drwg, beaut foliage, spirited figs, charming tout ensemble.  are sky and mtns in Florence quite so dep a purple and Arno so white a stream?

            Frothingham, Port of a Gman, expressive but faulty, a blurry appearance abt the face, hurts a gd effect.  J. Brennan, Lady’s Port, chalk and Span Brown.

            EB Purcell, Braddock’s Defeat, young artist to be has some idea of design, but as yet little execution, must study hd for a long time before creditable to Acad.

            Durand, full length port of a lady, some little stiffness, look at me posit, some other faults, a beaut pict.  effect is pleasing, one can’t help it with even a barely tolerable port of a lovely girl.  if feet little too flat, bust not exactly antique, artist copied stuffings of dressmaker rather than simple beauties of nature, the pict on the whole is excellent, lscape in backgrd much admired.

lots of poems on specie, crash, money

Mr. Colman is at 205 Broadway and sells almanacs too; Shepard’s bkstore sells stationary and fancy goods, 2262 Broadway opposite City Hall, engravings, oil ptgs, etc (ad p. 3 of June 17)

June 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 29, 30, 1837, nothing

Jun 27 p. 2 Truth--what I happen to believe. any endorsed absurdity.

Beauty depends upon taste.  a physician speak of a beaut amputation

p.4 parody--poem based on seeing a lithographic print of rats leaving a sinking house

Jun 28, p.2  men acquire more knowl by means of the eye…see the windows of our print shops hourly surrounded by the uninitiated, gazing at the wonders of “black lines and white” in the shape of pictures…Tennessean passing a well known print shop in Broadway was attracted by sundry awful picturings fr that thunder and lightning painter, Martin, Destr of Belshazzar, Satan in Pandemonium etc--eyebrows contracted, breathed rather more rapidly, someone crowded him away and he went on, hour later passed again, attn riveted, into the shop.  Threatens to hit shopkeeper if he doesn’t remove them, can’t scare someone who has seen the real stuff--shopkeeper says they’re for sale--he marches away.  ideas acquired by eye in more vivid and lasting manner, gazing at works of nature or art, exclaim “Man is naturally an egotist!”

July 1, 3, 6, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 1837, nothing

July 4, p.2 list of city entertainments includes Hayward’s Picture Gallery, 74 Chambers st, 70 specimens, resort for tired down lovers of the brush

            ‘Progress of the Fine arts’--Endicott is going to take us by storm…ports of all the presidents and Miss Clifton, and the full length of Miss Nelson were put into our hands.  Lists the presidents, then in execution, these lithos are all deserving of commendation, correctness of features goes, the likeneses are as good as may be.  prints are valuable in many points of view.  gazing on features of our great men, cherishes feeling of patriotism and love of our institutions, increases a love for the fine arts.  in the Dramatic Gallery, Clifton--what features, what expression of countenance.  Gambardella is the painter of this likeness, he shd be encouraged.  Miss Nelson n tip toe to show her proportioned limbs, scarce  a covering as Eve, luscious shapes of forbidden fruit, but outrages moral feeling/womanly modesty, her petticoat shd be below her knees.

Jul 7 p. 2 notices Audubon, staying at the Clinton hotel, as v. handsome

Jul 12, p. 2 weekly chronicle pub’d today contains beaut wood engrav “Belles of 1837 preping for Saratoga,” first pubd in Evening Herald of last night (formerly the Evening Chronicle) and caused a great sensation, revolution in fashion

Jul 15, p. 2 “democratic sentiment is a species of poetic fancy in common life--a kind of poetic temperament in kitchen matters” ass’d with an equally poetic banking system (earlier has tied loco-foco opposition to a national bank and credit system to the poets Bryant and Leggett at Evening Post and Plaindealer (and Transcript).

Jul 18 p. 2 tries to raise money for Sammy Woodworth, seen nr Chambers St on Broadway, worthy and industrious poet with the palsy, profits and glory of his poetry and drama others are enjoying (later says Boston printers raised $100 for him)

jul 19 p. 2 mentions Audubon again, sells his works at Mr. Colman’s in Broadway, sales will never repay his labor

Jul 20 p. 2 ‘Trotting fast horses for 1837’--a woodcut showing Van Buren on a horse, the US, with Jackson and Biddle commenting on his seat--he can’t ride, a whole long account of the jockeying skills of all the presidents

Jul 21 p. 2 notices that Catlin, the Indian artist, is lecturing in Troy, has he no more Indians to paint? Let him try Africa

Jul 22 p. 2 new caricature (like previous one, to be pub’d also in the weekly paper), Fashionables at Saratoga, 1837” (a fashionable ball at Congress Hall, with plump woman a chandler’s heiress, skinny natty Broadway swell, much in the manner of Mount’s composition, with accompanying poem and story, mocking pretensions of butcher, grocer, stable boy, to fashionable superiority; a laundress (nymph of the wash tub), bootblack

Jul 31, p. 2 Mr. Colman sent word that the notice appearing in Sunday Morning News yesterday was not his, he hadn’t wanted the Police Office to report it until conclusions were drawn; property and money missing is less than stated and person in whose possession the articles were found is a foreigner and formerly a clerk in his store

also started publishing the Herald of Fashion

Aug 1, 2, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 1837, nothing

Aug 3 p. 2 ‘impudence’ fellow in Wall st has committed theft on my countenance, stole my features, now selling it and making money out of this, impudence to advertise me and say it’s a gd likeness.  just seen it and pronounce it no likeness at all, a caricature, so novel a species of outrage, indict for libel? fellow nonchalance says took it when hat off on board a steamboat at a regatta.  recently several loafers asked if I would like to have my takeness taken; one said I want to take your head in ten minutes, going to do Webb and Noah and all the distinguished men in the nation (phrenologist, do it in plaster of Paris)

            p.3 ad for upcoming opening of the Olympic theatre on Broadway; ad for the Wrecks of the ships Mexico and Bristol (size of ea ptg 9 ft by 6) ptd by Mr. Pringle, of Brooklyn, seen free at Hat Wareroom of J. Steuart, 333 Broadway, corner of Anthony st; splendid new moving panorama at Niblo’s ptd by celebrated W. Daniells, RA London, of Wild Elephant Hunting on Ceylon, best ever shown in country

Aug 4 p. 1 gives a somewhat positive history of Geo Wash Dixon, tho suggests he is part black

Aug 5, p. 1 another wood cut, Sketches from Life (have used that phrase before)--A Scene on the battery, with description appended.  newsboy picks the pocket of a first rate swell, finds a handkerchief to be really a bundle of rags.  newsboy is a loafer of the lowest degree, dress (out of elbows, knees, crown), manners (coarse, impudent, like puppies who with a glass in their eye stare modest woman out of countenance--Boydenites), propensities (gambling, steals) proclaim it.  The swell is a foreigner of distinction, moustached, Paris boots, approved cut, monocle, exposed tho as a humbug w/the only decent corner of his hanky showing.  Moral: ladies beware of appearances esp moustaches, false fronts; newsboys don’t be corrupted by the example of the big rascals

p.2 unfavorable review of new volume fr Miss Sedgwick w/Harper’s, too bluestocking intellectual visionary, not nature truth simplicity and point as in newspapers; July Knickerbocker is looking up

Aug. 8 p. 1 account of Saratoga mentions earlier publication of a fancy sketch.

p.4 from the Western mails: Clevenger the sculptor has gone to Lexington to take a bust of Mr. Clay

Aug 14, p. 2 “To a Miniature” by L.O. ‘can ivory live’ can genius give’ with mortal art all that warms the heart; sins I idolize if thy image I adore, mouth can breathe etc until kiss the glass, and destroys the illusion

Aug 17 p. 3 ad for Cooke’s arena at Vauxhall arden on the Bowery, the Grecian Statues of Antiquity as well as History on Horseback and Seven Living Representations, the Infant representation of Chas 12 of Sweden etc.

--

notes publisher Goodrich, history with plates, portraits, views, maps

Aug 30, p. 2 seems quite close to Jim Crow, has corresp with him considers him an orig, much better than Forrest’s letters in the Plaindealer; recounts more tableaux vivans; has received a v beaut port of Jim which we shall hang up in our boudoir and write a paragraoh, also an engrav of the first London Crow Club

Aug 31, p.1, exhib of the royal acade in London closed at end of July, receipts over 7000 pounds, looks well for the fine arts

sculptor Westmacott was knighted, his son is in NY

Sept. 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 1837, nothing

Sept 5, p. 2, “don juan and Haidee by Du buffe” style is French, can’t say much of it or the coloring or effect, Don Juan is an absurdity, a Shylock, Lambro only so so, only fig of Haidee redeeming, tho has none of true Greek cast of countenance and eyes start out of her head, as if fr strangulation, as do Juan’s eyes.  Neck, bosom, waist with its et cetera are superlatively lovely, worth price of admission.  Quand au rest, the least that is said the better

Sept 6 p. 2 ‘ptg of Don juan and haidee’ a ridiculous notice of this beaut ptg was pub yesterday w/o our knowl, the ptg has many merits, partic the fig of Lambro, following is passage fr Byron

Sept 12 p. 2 on the publishers not inviting him to their dinner (Dearborn objected), he will create a new era, no more copyists of Byron and Scott, spurn all imitation, principles of truth, taste and morals, new reformation in relig lit taste and morals; several exhibs of ptgs are open in the city, more later

Sept 15, p. 2 ‘ptgs’ At Stuyvesant’s Institute is the famous ptg of Don Juan, seen it, some portions, partic repres of Lambro, is admirable.  proprietor also has gem repres a Circassian slave, exquisite, but the piety of the directors of the Inst will not permit exhib, drapery too scanty, no warrant in Bible for short petticoats.  Who are the directors? must inquire into their moral tastes?

p.3 adv for Dubufe’s ptgs, Stuyv Inst is on Broadway, opposite Bond st; his modern style bids fair to rival renowned ancient artists. One ptg, covering175 ? feet of canvas, various passions agitating chara fr Byron, other nearly as large as life, repress St John in the wilderness, in true style of David, most finished.

            adv for Clinton Hall, just arrived fr Italy, in the gallery of the NAD, coll of v. valuable Oil Ptgs, by the first ancient masters, richly framed, 25 cents

Sept 16 p.2 too good for descript, Major Joe Bunker’s last Parade, or the fix of a Senator and 700 independents, at Robinsons on Courtlandt, new caricature

Sept 19, p. 1 republishes from Plaindealer Ed Forrest’s letter to a friend, meant as an attack on Forrest who criticizes Amer audiences; Forrest mentions sending friend a portrait, and that one of him as Macbeth in dagger scene is going to be at Somerset house, also he has just received one of Garrick

Sept 29 p. 2 rec’d v handsome richly colored engrav of Van Tassel Hse, res of W Irving, fr ptg by Geo Harvey, ANA, pub by Lewis P Glover, 294 Boradway, excellent print even apart fr interest of subj;  Catlin, the wandering artist, amusing lectures at Clinton Hall, on hist, char, dress, manners, pursuits and civ of the western Indians (ad p. 3); why isn’t the beaut Circassian slave exhib at the Stuyv Inst?

praises Mechanics fair in several articles v highly, but no mention of fine arts

til Oct. 2, 1837, p. 2 notes a death mask of Napoleon sent by Ottaviano Gori, the sculptor, who has some v. fine specimens of workmanship, busts of well known ‘city worthies’ in room, a needle work port of Wash by a lady in admirable manner, 2 beaut picts by a young lady, chaste and classic designs, excellent in execution, credit on fair creature’s fairy fingers;  miniatures v beaut by Miller, in his best style, a fine copy of Inigo Jones’s head, highly finished

Oct. 3, 6, 9, 10, 12, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 28, 30, 31, 1837, nothing

Oct 4, p. 1 Catlin’s Indian lectures; we know little of Indians, and what little we know is a false notion of their character, border Indians have been degraded by arts of modern refinement and treachery of whites, call him ferocious, savage, vindictive, not reflecting on out own shameful acts that have induced it.  Catlin proves our conclusions unjust, illus by hundreds of ptgs, Indian in native state noble, hospitable, confiding, jovial, sports mad, then goes on to describe mandans

Oct 5 p.1 cont. notice of Catlin, inclu his disguise to get close to buffalo.  also a bit on newsp and new era of lit, that demands realities rather than romance, more graphic display of manners, vices, traits, humor, virtues, actual observation, statements based on truth, romance of real life

Oct. 5 p.2 beaut ptg the Circassian girl now exhib in SI, directors for once allowed taste, beauty and genius to prevail over prejudice, fanaticism and long faces; judge of beaut and nature for yrself, pure imag and refined heart are only rendered purer and finer, in proport as art approaches nature.

p.3 contrasts Forrest with Vandenhoff, locofocos passion in tatters, constitu in rags, vs conservatives smooth display classical

            ad for Catlin more extensive, promises portraits of 38 tribes he has been among, from life, picturesque prairie scenes (and other splendid specimens of costume, inclu as is later noted, a scalp)

            Grand Amer Natl Ptg, 25 ft hi, from Etex (exec under auspices of Lafayette, lately arrived) at Acad of FA

Oct. 7 reprint anecdote re Sr Thom Lawr as paying attns to ladies without following with an offer; his behavior excused by the ladies

Oct. 11, p. 4 Fine Arts Appreciated, friends and admirers of Sully the artist presented him on Sat w/splendid diamond ring, value$200

Oct 13 p. 2 puffs Mr. Edw Hulseman, the engraver of banknotes, crests, far superior, beaut cut, horses more graceful and prominent, lscape to great etent, minutiae for a seal incredibly perfect, 99 Nassau st, gems of art

p.4 compares Forrest to Miss Tree, as pure and classic statuary of ancient Greece by side of sculpture of modern days; p. 3 ad for Dubufe’s nw describes Circassian as offered for sale by an Armenian slave merchant to a high Turkish functionary

Oct 14 p. 2 ‘An hour in nY’--does a lot of hi and lo contrast, the rich and poor, then, we entered the Stuyvesant Inst, all Catlin’s apparatus was hanging round the stage in the lecture rm, a most pleasing and picturesque tout ensemble, then to a furniture auction, then back to Barclay  st called in to see mosaic picture of ruins of Paestum, six millions of stones, drank in delight, glorious picture, intoxicated woman, bookstore, then 157 Broadway to see Dubufe’s fine ptgs, Circassian girl a lovely creature, flesh looks warm, form seems leaping from the canvas breathing life, conscious of the wretchedness of her situation, look of horror and despair does not detract from features beauty; St John in wilderness an admirable companion, could scarcely be kept so far apart in real life, bright partic star is Haidee

Oct. 16 p. 2 Fair of Amer Inst, notices a Head of Christ, a miniature on one of the pillars, faux marble ptg, Lady and butterfly, a ptg finely illust Byron, Head in Pencil (done in 2 hours), 3 pencil drwgs, mare, mameluke, peasant girl, equal to any thing ever exhib, needlework, many gd pen and ink drwgs--no names for any.

Oct. 19 p. 4 a woodcut caricature, The Board of Brokers--Description--A Scene--The brokers playing the Devil, etc. shows Wall St, Devil bowling toward brokers, signs for the banks on the Wall, also specie wanted.  Describes a day in the Board of Brokers, public not allowed.  kind of funny--lots of fines for bad ehavior

Oct. 26 p. 1 has had other ongoing references to Catlin, today notes visits of Iowas (staying at the Natl and City hotels) to the Stuyv Inst where he was lecturing on them, they recognized the men in his portraits, including themselves, they also confirmed the truth of his other accounts, of their horses, the hunt, manners, etc

Oct. 27, p. 2 news from Europe, priv gallery of M. Aguado contains 363 choice works of Span and Ital schools, Murillos most prized, partic the Madonna and Saviour

Oct 28, Progress of the Revolution--A New School in Lit and Morals.  traveled dandies of Euro have denied us all originality, all indigenous tastes, slander.  last 2 yrs new class of society here, outstrips all.  Social system developed singular drama of Ellen Jewett,  unparalleled, its peculiar tone evidenced in Joseph Hoxie’s nomination by the Broadway club. letters to editor further specimens of it--promises to beat him up.  Classes Chas King ed of NY American with this group, Col Webb only follower of him in this clique

Nov 1 p.2 go to 157 Broadway and see Dubufe’s ptgs and the Indians at one and the same moment

November 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 29, 30, 1837, nothing

Nov 9 p.2 a sort of satire of tableau vivans as frivolous

---

contrasts victorious Whigs banquets w/plight of the poor in winter

Nov. 25, p.2 Auction of Ptgs--Humbugs.  Tues night auction of oil ptgs in Acad of FA, catalog of abt 100 in number, mostly chef douevres of celeb masters of the Dutch and Ital schools, 2 Van Dyck’s, 3 Guido Renis, 3 Caracci’s, 2 Paul Veroneses, 2 Rubens, 2 poussins, 3 Breughels, 2 Titians, 2 Teniers, 1 Salvator Rosa, etc., Credat Judaeus Apella!  Can you believe the Jew?

            -Van Dycks Entombment wasn’t sold, not disposed of  under 500 dollars, but his Virgin and the Infant and Christ in the arms of the Virgin went at 21 and 11 dollars.  Highest price pd was 100 for a pict by Proecacinni, a sea view by Rosa 672, Christ bearing the cross and pendant by Le Brun, ea 50, bust of Magdalen by Titian 25, Samson and Delilah by Reubens 20, 2 flower pieces at 41 and 31 dollars ea.  Orpheus (catalog title Orphans) was pd with 30 dollars;  auctioneer sd there you have a big picture, and a very valuable one too by Guido Reni, poor little boy, no shirt or pants as an orphan.  Madonna by Guido 15, his Magdalen 24. 

            Mary anointing feet of Savior offered for 65, but not sold; orig ptg by Carr (caricature sd a voice) by Carracci, can give security almost to that effect. But Carracci’s bust of infant Jesus and taking down from the cross sold at 82 and 30.  Rinaldo and Armida fr Tasso’s poem, hist pict by Poussin--brigand, his wife and babies all around his hat, offered for 10 dollars, sold at 7.  An Armenian Merchant by Tischbein, but subj is Isaac’s servant mtg Rebecca, but this is not so bad a mistake as a certain Wall st editor lately saying the Circassian Slave was sold by her own father, an Armenian Merchant.

            -whole is a humbug.  In Euro, whole lots of old ptgs are bought, furnished with an anagram, and sent here.  If really origs, wouldn’t leave Europe to be sold here at a loss of 93%, as per invoice supplied by Aaron Levy:  invoice prices for four ptgs $760 and auction price, $52.  old ptgs and old clothes.

            (part of his attack on Jews?)

Nov. 28, p. 2 Catlin’s Indian Gallery, notes erection of Crow Foot Lodge in center, portraits, lscapes, splendid display, all recognized by visiting Indians, who entered the lodge and sang, catlin in the midst;  spectator could see the savages “at home”

            who is Catlin? a student of human nature, enriched the field of the fine arts with study of the savage face and equally savage lscape.  Every ptg is fresh fr nature, taken on the spot with a bold and daring hand.  The Audubon of the Indians.  In Europe his collection will adorn scientific halls, friends of science and antiquity.

            -Catlin’s ad the day before called the lodge a work of art, his lscapes beaut

Dec. 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1837, nothing

Dec. 5, p.1 ‘robbery at mr catlin’s gallery’ of a bow and calumet; compares it to a visitor who stole Byron’s vase from the home of Scott; would just as well rob a church; on p. 2 a story of Indian women’s modesty when someone is attempting to take their ‘bust’

Dec 11 p. 1 corresp fr Washington notes ornamentation of Senate chamber, new chandelier in gd taste, v splendid, and the portrait of GW by Peale, which has been stuck, at diff times, in various parts of the chamber, now is on edge of Eastern gallery, above head of Vice Pres and seems to be starting into life at the indignity put on his beloved country by the election of such a man (Richard M Johnson)

Dec 13 p. 4 excerpts fr recent Foreign Quarterly Review the Recollections of Mdme Lebrun, most celeb port ptr in F during latter part of last century, still alive.  Review says heard of a port ptd by her of Marie Antoinette, dexcription of a skilful artist may be relied on, her own words convey a just idea.  then a descript of the queen.  brilliancy of her complexion skin so transparent it took no shade, couldn’t render its effect, lacked colors to represent that freshness, delicate tones.

Dec 16 p. 2 Dr Stillman celeb lecturer on Magnetic Philos presented us most beaut miniature engrav of Queen of England, taken from a miniature owned by Duchess of Kent of 1837.

Dec 18 p. 2 announces have engaged four splendid theatrical writers and will begin a regular crit on ea of the theatres of this city on the 19^th notices that theat crit in NY has become mere puffery, no indep, no mind, no taste.  C&E pretends to review, but is vapid and ignorant, as critic is a mere stipendary attached to one or two of the theaters, gets pd by them according to length of the puff.  a private printing contract betw theaters and Courier, so puffs are traded for jobs.  theatre sunk into neglect and contempt for want of regular and intellig crit.  on the 20^th p. 2 long columns, critical of Forrest as all external figure and gesture (striking) but no inward spirit, no mind, no music, vehemence hides finer more spiritual qualifications, nice touches and elab finishings of consummate master.  favored cause he’s American, plays to the gallery of the Park.  Cushman gd.

Bowery audience Indian-ified, whoop yell indispensable to theatre goers, has a purely scenic piece, a spectacle, heavy acting, but Duke White and Hillyard’s labors (on scenery) enough toattract public attn, if only to see the diff of style betw these two artists. On the 22^nd, notes Wallack’s (Natl Theat) forte is comedy, likes him generally.  Dancer Lecomte at the park doesn’t compare to Celeste, etc

Dec 25 p. 2 a modern Knox at Baltimore tried to destroy a splendid ptg of Coreggio called the Nativity. give him lobelia.  Notices Catlin’s exhib.

p.4 argues that Amer actors can’t replace British, because british actors get longer training, vs the self taught. Take the self taught ptr and bring a judge to view his production, and he satys, probably with reason, that this fig is gd and expressive but wants proportion.  studied anatomy? no.  The prominent portions of lscape are faithful, but perspective not correct, coloring not inkeeping, detached beauties but no genl harmony.  more than a taste for drwg necessary, must study all branches of the art.

Employs 150 boys, is considering a scheme for helping educate them.

Dec 28 p. 1 hates Metamora, anti natural dialogue, poor characterization

Dec 30 p. 2 odd story abt a party in Battery Place, to hoor a fair Philadelphian miss who the writer praises at length, she shares lofty imagination characteristic of her family in lit and the arts, her brother an eminent contributor to a quarterly review of lit.   An exclusive set gathered there, not dashers upon whom they look down, but proud and conceited.  Host a wall st banker and broker, connected with a statesman/ambassador to England, has money agency for Canada,  When this “prince” was tossed out of politics, they were supported by this financier, and together they control a newspaper the NY ----, respectable paper that nobody reads.  Boston parvenus circle around this eastern clique.  Ladies are stiff.  On p. 2 notes that Niblo’s Assemblies are attended by Hebrew society.  In NY, there is the New England clique, the English clique, the Knickerbocker clique, the French clique, the Hebrew clique, the German clique, the financial, importing, manufacutirn, flour cliques etc

Evening Chronicle NYHS May 22 1837 is vol 1 no 1

will be on cash system, avoid being rickety organ of particular cliques, purchase editors by giving them loans, endorsements or facilities, dedic to imprvoement of female sex. has a satire by James Gordon Bennett on giving ladies specie for paper notes fr Manhattan bank. Nope, it’s real, it’s Bennett’s paper. 2 cents.

May 29 saw a large port of Van Buren hanging in a barber shop with black lines drawn around it and Expunged written across the face. Jun 10 writing editors of Courier and Enquirer, New Era and Transcript are all cockneys Jun 13 tells ladies to visit the Nat Gallery, Countess of Besson’s coll at Am Acad and observe foreshortening of guitar and violin in beaut pic at left of the door then on 14th puffs coll again, hasn't been well attended Jun 15 Papers that want to nomiante Webster: J of Commerce, American, Commercial and Mercantile; noncommittal are Courier, Star and Express. set ofold polit hacks an incubus on whig party, corrupt rotten insolent and avaricious. Why won’t NP Willis send his port to the Nat Acad. Twould be such a fine amusement fo rhim to stand by andhear what people said about it. 23 will reserve all our vigor for a presidential campaign until lovely and talented Woman to occupy that hi office. Chron is with the hard money Whigs.

Jun 29 1837 A Picture Gallery Drawn fr Nature, loafer etc Jul 8 1837 descr of large caricature by Robinson Jul 11 engr of Belles prepping for Saratoga Jul 15 Mr Hayward invited me and my family to visit his Pic Gallery up Broadway, shall take my forty or fifty news boys, they are fond of the fine arts Jul 20 caricature Van Buren 22 caricature of fashionables of Saratoga, dancing a la Mount 26 story Sketch of a Portrait Gall 28 calls Geo Morris the hero of namby pamby parlor lit and says he exploited Woodworth Aug 1 1837 newsboy steals bandana fr dandy foreigner

Aug 10 Transcript subsidized by weekly Whig $50 (penny paper) Aug 26 Wash corresp: Rotundo looks quite dingy, there are the four picters, and the basso relievos above them, with the black statue of the sage of Monticello on his black pedestal, looking as natural as wwhen they were first put there. What a people we are! We hire the worst artists the world can produce, pay them stingily, and then point to their works as the chef d’ouevres of art. Demo is a great enemy of the fine arts unless we cultivate them religiously. In the house, the prettyf emale seated on the car of time over the speaker’s chair looks as interesting as ever. In senate, port ofWash over the chair looks rather squeamish abt the corners of the mouth (chair to be occupied by hero of the Thames, renowned Colonel, another advocate of slavery, hope Col Johnson will have W’s independence.

has changed name to Evening Herald, so stopped reading. Nov 16 1837 describes Geo P Morris putting Joseph Price and Robt Smith of Hoe & Coin conjunction with RA Locke and Jared Bell to start New Era to tear down Herald, sponsored Hamblin too. volume finishes out the year 1837.

Jan 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 1838 nothing

(likes Wallack, tho his theater isn’t as fashionable as the Park;  the Park has the Bowery contingent now who do Indian yells of approval; likes Forrest as Tell and Metamora, not in Shakespeare, force and declamation rather than intellect, rarely natural; and on Jan. 3 gives a description of all the theaters, including Catlin’s exhibition! generally much more freq theater crit than before)

            -like Wallack for his greater scenic propriety, bringing it near to nature, get exact descriptions of costumes fr records of antiquity, accoutrements as borne by orig actors on life’s stage, despite great expense (Nov 31 p. 4)

Jan 5, 1838 p. 2 v. beaut wood engraving of the Seat of War (with Canada) prep by Childs, one of the first artists of this city.

Jan 11, p. 1 Sale at the Albion Club (now defunct, as is Union; he doesn’t think club life suited for US), auction not much ostentatious stuff, love of comfort and convenience rather than desire for display.  Choicest ornaments were 3 ptgs by Sir Peter Lily, one of the Battle of Naesby $31, another of one of the beauties of Charles’ Court $27, and the third Christoph Columbus $52.50, last bought by Mr. Buchanan Jr, a fine speciment of art, worth three times what it sold at

            p.4 the Sporting Mag (London) has some fine engrav, among which the Bespoke Pigeon is excellent, lying on its back, fiery hawk ready to pounce

Feb 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 15, 16, 21, 22, 24, 27, 1838, nothing

Feb 2. Catlin returns fr Charleston, where he took port of Osceola and companions; Feb. 3 p. 4 more of this encounter, Feb. 23, more puffs, Catlin’s enthusiasm, skill, generosity; has some sympathies with Indians

Feb. 5 p.1 praises Mrs. Ellett of So Carolina, a native of NY, brilliant and talented women, young, beautiful, beaut sketch of Joanna, Queen of Sicily in Monthly Mag.

Feb. 10 p. 4, New Orleans Fire Comp have an engine built here, painted in panels representing the principal incidents in the tragedy of Virginius;  letter to the editor, “what’s become of old Amer Acad of FA, of the beaut statues, splendid ptgs presented it by Napoleon.  Some time ago we visited and found in most deplorable, fragments of statues, busts etc strewed abt the floor, valuable ptgs thrown upon another, utmost confusion.  who are stockholders?  will sink into oblivion.  many young artists in the city who desire to study its works, but can’t obtain access.  what happened to the numberless presents fr individs in Amer and Europe for forwarding the arts here? drawing school? exhibition? no admittance is allowed, has been stripped of its most valuable works.

Feb 13 p. 4 likes Charlotte Cushman, ‘ptgs’ the oldest known Ptg is a Madonna and Child, 886, and in Engl are portraits of Chaucer, ptd in panel abt 1390, and Henry IV, in 1405

Feb 14 p. 2 Robinson is making a fortune on caricatures of Bennett, sign of greatness; Feb. 17p. 4  he is prepping a characteristic engraving of Noah as selling old clothes (pawnbroker?) for Mr Simpson of the Park theatre--a rich and racy treat.

Feb 19 p.2 puffs Catlin, the most original, enthusiastic and remarkable men of the day. He isin ptg what I am in lit, a perfect sui generis, beyond imitation and beyond belief.  Feb. 26 p.2 predicts Catlin will make hundred thousand dollars in London and paris and Europe, his gallery the rage, as nothing is known and people enthus re Indians; country shd be proud, genius, spirit, enterprise and excellence of character, enthusiasm like Audubon, inimitable collection, earned good fortune; Feb 28, 1838, his receipts on last day in NYC abt $200 which he gave to charity

March 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12,  15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 28, 30, 31, 1838, nothing

Mar 3, p. 2 police report, man in bar room at the York House is complaining abt Webb’s recent duel/murder of Cilley, Webb’s friend tries to fight with him, then sends an emissary, little Jerome Thompson, 575 Broadway, the portrait painter, with challenge to his hotel (Pacific), both are arrested.  p. 4 notes proceeds of Peale’s museum for the day to be given to firemen’s charity

Mar 6 p. 4 description of the ruins of the Royal Exchange after fire in London mentions that a couple of statues remain, inclu that of Chas 1 coolly surveying the destruction

Mar 13 p, 3 someone sent him a most beaut litho of Celeste (a dancer he has often puffed)--charming; Mar. 14 p. 2, Hooper, 126 Nassau st, has pub a most beaut miniature port of Osceola

Mar 22 p.2 describes the impact of the revulsion on the rich, now instead of invites to soirees they pay for ads for sale of 4 busts of Italian poets, cut in Italy, verde antique marble, marble bust of Byron taken while young, two companion landscapes signed Swagers, with 2 others

Mar 23 p. 2, new caricature, a genius, scene at DC certain chivalric man walked Penn ave twice in one day (Webb the duelist???);  Mar 24, p. 2 Caricaturists, at length we have got a caricaturist who will do honor to his art, produce ample amusement, NY has wanted a satirist to seize the manners living as they raise, hold to view the Cynthia of the minute, theAstor House, the Carlton and Washington Hotel were in ecstasies at a recent circumstance in Penn ave, field is absolutely open to caricaturist, as nothing properly called that has yet appeared, uniting wit and whim with accuracy of portraiture, pungency of satire and elegance of execution, caustic and vigorous pencil

            -ad for it eg Mar 26 p 2says it was drawn from life by an eye witness of the Colonel’s daring exploit, for sale at office of the New Era and Matsell’s Bookstore on Pearl St, discount to newsboy distributors; on the 27^th p. 2 notes that it is exhib on the Custom House fence in Wall St last two days to crowds of spectators; ingenious author is ohn Smith, son of Peter Smith, of long Island, bids to be Hogarth of NY, a taste, delicacy, finish and gmanly humor re his caricatures that make them exquisite

Mar 29, p.2 puffs a splendid wood cut from the Franklin Print Co of Boston, Last Supper, 18 x 36 in, fr Leonardo’s famous ptg, engrav by A Hartwell

increasingly has reversed his opinion of Martineau, likes her Retrospect; her publisher/bookseller advertises

April 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 30, 1838, nothing

Apr 9 p. 2, “A Mean Transaction” plagiarizing the Herald, Sunday Morning News/Courier and Enquirer promise an engraving, with the artist imparting additional spirit, correctness and finish, a very graphic representation of the late mtg of the locofocos in addition to previous print; Mr. JJ Butler is the artist who executes these illus.

            -week ago we designed and pubd a descry of the Loafer and Locofoco Mtg in the Park, a young gman w/remarkable originality of genius in the art of design so amused seized his common pen and sketched off a design of the mtg, spirit and humor remind of the power of Hogarth.  Mr. JR Bleecker, son of James W Bleecker, Esq, a genius for arts of ptg and des of highest order.  father’s office in Wall st, saw the sketch, most spirited, humorous and picturesque designs, presented it to Bennett, who hired artist named JJ Butler to execute the woodcut, for next Weekly Herald (that had carried the orig description), Butler took my property and sold it to the Sunday News, with meanness to put his own name on it, concealing the highly ingenous artist who drew/designed it.  When I remonstrated, the fellow said “do you take me to be a boot maker” I do replied Bennett, all men ought to be boot makers in fulfilling their contracts.

p.4 ‘The Serenade’ readers must remember a colored engrav displayed in Colman’s window a week or two ago in which a girl descending steps of palace sees her lover weltering in his gore, while a fig steals away; lines fr Blackwood’s Mag for Feb are a graphic illus of scene

Apr 10, p. 4 ‘Western Artists” Cinti quite prolific in sculptors, works of Clavenger, a mechanic and self taught, are spoken of everywhere, now the western papers high laudation of chisel of Whitstone and Brown in the same line

Apr 11 p. 1 reruns the cartoon of Van Buren on horse, with Jackson and Biddle; p.2 critical of Geo Morris’s poetry, has taste, gentle and kind, but little fire, poetry of Saratoga, Catskill, young ladies’ albums and watering places.  A Persian Critique on the Fine Arts:  the party admired the masterpiece carved wood pulpit, this style of ornament suits their fancy, as did the beaut painted windows;  the Rubens altarpiece impossible to paint God;  how was the Canadian frontier dispute pacified?  a lot of loafers on the frontier, 2-300 lithos of Queen Victoria struck off and circulated, with a line under the effigy, stating that Canada belonged to her in this portrait, the age of chivalry; new tell-all novel (a la Harriet Wilson!) of the 1830s set in Courtlandt, Pearl and Wall streets, including one editor who so seduced that he had her portrait ptd in a particular costume and attitude, sat by her side while his own swarthy features were introd on the canvas

Apr 12, “Humors of the Election” p.1 reruns cartoon of bad dancers at the ball, this time explained as a correct representation of the great ball given by the locofocos if Dick Riker is elected, the gem’en cutting the pigeon-wing recently grad’d at Sing Sing, lady with short petticoats has picked oakum on Blackwell’s Island.  What fun we shall have if he’s elected!  Paired with a cartoon “preparing for victory” of prettiest locofoco girls prepping for a ball in the Sixth Ward, here are two fine, fat, bouncing Irish girls washing their frocks; not a plumper pair of fair ones in Washington square than these two fine looking girls, Betty and Sukey, Sukey will dance only with the Pink of the American.  Hard to see, seem to be hanging wash inside a room, tub on chair with both in underclothes at work.

Apr 13 p.1 Humors of the Election, recycles another cartoon, now titled ‘Removing the Deposits’ of knockkneed boy with a fish and gman walking away, latter the upright gait of the locofoco Sub Treasurer (probably from the fashionable fifteenth award) contrasted with the amount of the deposits, at which he turns up his nose, a scene nr Washington Square. Second cartoon is ‘conservative electioneering’, the Conservatives are realized in the following scene repress a leading politician in favor of Riker, sending a letter to wake up the Sixth Ward., Here he says, take dis to Zecretary Wigilance Committee.  A Mynheer, a scribe at his desk, old fashioned clothes.  “The Prize” Van Buren if wins intends to send Amos Kendall to ask Victoria to marry, she replies let your master pay his washerwoman’s bill, inclu needle work and the et ceteras first.  Kendall in an exaggerated obsequious bow; Vic looks like she has Whig plumes.

Apr 14 p. 2’from Wash’ A Mr. Fisher, an artist fr Boston, has brought some beaut specimens of his pencil to Wash for sale, and exhib them for free in the rooms of the District Comm, one comm. member, a fellow of exquisite taste, whose cue indicates the extent of his head, told the artist if he didn’t take away the damned duabings, he would complain to the speaker, whose taste and his accorded.  What patrons of the arts our members are! wld rather pay to see a fat bullock than visit the works of Raphael and Corregio for free

Apr 16, 1838 p. 2 ‘late from England’ new Bristol-NY steam ship, the Great Western, herald of a new era in the fine arts as well as steam, ornamented w/50 splendid ptgs prepared by Mr. Paris in light gay style of Watteau or Boucher, the larger ones repress parties in graceful sports/amuseuments, smaller personifications by Cupids of arts and sciences.  Brother Jonathan will be pretty considerably nonplussed.

Apr 21, p. 1 woodcut recycled, of the devil bowling on Wall St, ‘Wall St Sports--locofoco Celeb’, passage of Genl Bank Law, creating a revolution in money affairs by giving us a Locofoco currency, has thrown them into delight, chief locofoco went into Wall St and began to play ninepins with the bankers;  the great regulator of finance and politics, leader of fashions in Broadway, the preux chevalier of all politicians and financiers, the prince and chief of the locofocos knocking down all the old gouty bankers, in order to set up new ones, echoed by the Comptroller Azariah in Albany, bow wow says big bull dog of Manhattan bank…’from Washington’ Mr Fisher, the artist, finding it impossible to sell his beaut ptgs, 16 in number, which he brought to the city, raffled them off, 4-5 members won one ea $20, will have opp to ornament their parlors with two fine specimens of the arts on v cheap terms.  Clay and Preston were unsuccessful.

p.2 triumph of locofoco principles complete, even Satan rejoicing and was seen distinctly in Wall St playing at nine pins with old financiers overthrown, new superintendent is Azariah Flagg; cognoscenti have real treat at 565 Broadway (corner of Prince st), where there are a choice coll of oil ptgs fr the churches and palaces of Italy, sale on Monday; ad for them (Apr 23 p. 3) Valuable oil ptgs by old masters fr Italy and Rome, also choice line Engrav w/the Furniture of the room, at the Gallery no. 565 Broadway, and in a later ad, Paul B. Lloyd, auctioneer, elegant oil ptgs, WM McCormick will sell large valuable coll of fine orig ptgs imported fr Rome, of undoubted merit, some in handsome frames

Apr 24, p. 2, From Wash, Catlin’s fine gallery insuff to attract city’s loungers; ‘triumph of steam’ arrival of Great Western, costly and elegant fittings in the Grand Saloon, Mr. Parris, dec in style of Loius XIV

Apr 27 p. 2 describes the auction of his furn, simplicity, neatness ands entiment, graceful, neat, above the mantel a common French engraving of fair Heloise, mirrors, as Buffon wrote his Nat Hist w/an ord print of Newton b4 his desk; notes the 13^th exhib of NAD is now open, will inspect performances en connoisseur; p. 3 ad for 3^rd proof of M. Laugler’s full length port o Washington, has just arrived by the Ville de Lyon, Subscribers, artists and amateurs exam proof at Enterprise Library, 399 Broadway, ltd impressions

Apr 28 p. 2 more on saloon of Great Western, splendor, bower of bliss, garden of Armida, gilded trellice work, exquisite ptgs descry scenes of romantic and pastoral life, exect by first artists of Europ under Mr Parris RA

May 1, 3, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 21, 22, 28, 29, 31, 1838, nothing

May 2, p. 1, Annuals--books and designs are the same as last year, dismissive “books of beauty” “flowers of loveliness”, a large weak plate, in the stipple style of engraving, woman badly drawn, with enormous eyes, a tear perhaps on ea cheek, low cut dress, pats a greyhound, weeps into a flower pot, delivers letter to curly headed page, immense train of white satin fills one corner, an urn, a stone railing,a  ftn, hollyhocks adorn the other, pict is signed Sharpe, Parris, Cotbould, Corbaux, Jenkins, Brown, as the case may be, entitled The Pearl, La Dolorosa, La Biondian, Le Gage d’Amour, The forsaken one of Florence, The water-lily or some such name.  a Female author writes a song on oppos page, trite rhymes, love lost, true love token, etc, poetry worthy of the picture, sham sentiment illus sham art

May 4 p.2 New Orleans Fire Engine No. 2 $4000 spent ornamenting her, 204 oz silver plate, back and front beaut embellished w/figs in relief and sm exquis finished ptg of the “Struggle of the Count” bronzed carved figs, faultless carving, reflects credit on artists:  Henry M Ludlum (made the engine) carving Anthony W Jones, plain ptg Edw Weir, bronzing/gilding S Pitou, heraldic ptg Lewis Ryer, ptg on back JH Shegogne, silver Jon Boardman, hose cover, signal lanthorn

May 5, p. 2 (Bennett in England), a puff for Welsh’s and Hanington’s Diorama.  Also the ‘NAD”--persona of an old gman to a young lady, delightful charmig exhib, pity ptrs are so poor, rely on catalogue:

            No, 1 Fisherman of the Abrusia mtns, Inskeep, well handled and clearly colored, but merely intended for a sketch.  How like Mr. Marchant’s picts? inferior to last year’s still some merit, genl appearance slaty, want transparency.

            No 3 Port of a child, FB Ladd; we’d advise Mr Ladd to persevere in drwg.  No 4, Smugglers, J Burford, cant conceive how was smuggled into exhib.  Not too severe, truthful. 

            No 5 Ld Ullen’s Daughter by G Oakley.  consid feeling, tells the story, lacks clearness in coloring, sky is v faulty.  No 6 full length ports of 2 children by E Mooney.  we don’t admire pict as a whole; lscape too cold, but yellow drapery admirable.  No 9, girl with grapes, JH Shegogue.  The head of this girl is flat.  It appears to stick to the canvas.  want of rotundity is fault with all his pcits.

            No 11 JE Freeman, Head of St John, a well ptd head, brilliant coloring.  Who is gman who enters with moustaches and cloak and strong cologne?  Mr ---- the artist just returned from Euro to cultiv the arts and huge pair of moustaches.

            No 15 Port of Dr. F Forester, by S Gambardella, effect of this pict is bad, but well drawn and well ptd for the style (Ital) far inferior to English.  However, doctors differ.

            No 19 Port of HC Flagg, Mayor of New Haven, by CB Flagg.  A plain, simple, unaffected head, no sm degr of merit, esp as artist is 17

            No 20, View of Schroon Mtn after a storm, S. Cole.  don’t consider this one of his best picts, tho it is v gd.

            No 21, Port of a Lady, F fink, well drwn and colored, except shadow on neck too warm;  F fink No 23 Port of an Old Gman inferior to his other heads.  J Frothingham, Port of a gman, excellent likeness, other of his heads here much superior.

            No 24 Still life, J Crawley, artist ptd w/o nature before him

            No 25, Port of a Lady, CC Ingham, ranks w/generality of Ingham’s heads, v hard.  No 27, The Last Interview, W Page, pict many striking beauties and defects.  well ptd, firmly touched, brilliantly colored, yet idea of placing a lady on the knees of a gman is not chaste.  flesh is too waxy, hand of jailer and prisoner too close, appear to belong to the prisoner, still the pict is gd.

May 10, p. 2

Bufford, Nassau and Beekman, just pub some excellent lithos; r Heideman, well known as a litho’r, returned fr West Indies,pub capital port of Mayor Clark, in his best style, subscribe at 129 Wm St.  Mr. eale of 6 John st pub likeness of Dick Riker, the best likeness of any style we ever saw of any human being, expression and charcter of his countenance, cheap

“NAD” old gman in specs, puffing and blowing like a porpoise, is our guide again, with lovely creature on his arm, capital subj for a pict, sd a woebegone melancholy looking personage, whose appearance bespoke him to be one of the profession.  wears rags, a historical artist, writes his address on my catalog (his card):  Don Jerome Barbarasso, Society bldgs, 4^th story back rm.  Humbug--a ptr who begs as a favor that a young lady will sit for her port and then sends a bill for $125.

            No 28 WH Powell, Port of Mr John Kane, increasing the depth of the shadows wld improve the pict; his Port no 48 is admirable likeness, admirably ptd, one of his best; Port no 63 a clear head, in the Inman style.  No 29 CG Thompson Port of a Gman, too opaque, partic shadows of eyes and nose.  C Codman, view of Diamond Cove, wants effect and color, too chalky, correct as a view.

            No 31, D Huntington, Port of Old gman reading, likeness of artist’s father, admirable pict, well drawn and colored, one of best in exhib.  No 32 Rustic Scene, SA Mount, effect of light and shade v gd.  No 33, Dream of Arcadia, G Cole, reput is consid increased by this pict, the best he exhibits this yr, surprised it hasn’t sold

            No 34, F Fink Portrait, excellent head, except the mouth, out of drwg.  J Stearns, Port of a Mackmack Indian, backgrd wants light to relieve the fig.  WC Sanders, Port of a Lady, head well drawn and handled, deficient in color, glazing would improve it.  W Swain, Ports, advance on last yr, look to your draperies.

            Ports by F Boyle, who is young, bids fair.  Mr Fowler, Port of Aaron Clark (Whig mayor), firm, well managed head, ranks with our first artists.  AB Durand, Twilight, pleasing effect of sunlight; his port no 53, by far his best male port, superior in color to most of his.

            No 39 Brigand, JE Freeman, should not imagine this to be a brigand, if not for name, but Mr Pickwick’s fat boy, Joe.  beaut colored (brigand a pop subj for tableaux vivans).  C C Ingham Port, w/o equal in style of ptg, port lacks expression.  Portraits by H Bryant, advancing rapidly, promises to be one of our best port ptrs.  W Page Port inferior to his generality;  D Huntington Port, vg, CB King Indians, heads possess much of the Indian character and are in many respects meritorious.

            TT Fowler, Port of a child, rather hi to be seen to advantage, judge it gd.  CG Thompson, Ports of Gman and Lady, first a v g head, latter inferior.  Lieut Eastman, Ft Snelling on the Mississippi R, lscape consid merit, grass in foregrd well touched a la Weir, greater variety of color and more effect wld improve it.  Port of Col Trumbull by J Frothingham, clear, pearly tone to pict that we admire, soft silky appearance of hair is beaut.  J Whitehead two Ports, go ahead, as David Crockett sd. 

May 14, p.2 sale of ptgs at Snow’s Rooms, 204 Broadway, on Sat, great éclat, drew an excellent company, more than $1000.  A sale v fine engravings tonight.

May 15, p.2, Fr Wash, Horace urges Congress to buy Catlin’s coll and deposit it in an edifice erected for it, not let him go to Euro, but finish the beaut sketches of the far west

May 16, p. 2 “NAD”  Scene: interior of council rm, night, thunder, one corner stands a colossal bust of McDonald Clark (the writer?), on table an unfinished plate of Charleston (Herald pub’d a map of the recent fire it Charleston); utmost confusion, 8 pm president in a fine effect of light and shade addresses council of seven and gentlemen academicians, to elect officers, gratified that present officers promote welfare (the little deaf sculptor winks at the big port ptr), Europe and this country will be familiar with us, beholdour professors, Vice P, prof of Historical Composit, behold his head of Wash now exhib, his Coeur de Lion, have we not reason to feel proud.

            “put the Recording Secretary out,he’s got too many picts on the line, whispered a genius of the palette.  So we will, sd the man with military buttons.  “Put out the Vice Pres, he’s too old, and two of the council, too small too large. 

            Pres speaks again, do away with your black ball law, next year elect young H and P associates, make D, the former Sec, Vice Pres.”  Mum is the word.

Scene changes to Interior of Exhib rm, girls in abundance, our guide the old gman with cane and catalog, takes snuff, finger to his nose, gives a knowing laugh, and looks at P Cole’s two lscapes, saying he stands alone, sit and gaze, purses the dim and misty objects lost in gorgeous hue, ruined palaces, lofty mounds, mantle of setting sun, pause for quiet stream bounds fr rock to rock, warble in its course.  His companion sylph Julia dances up, he’s too poetical, shd be left to girls, look at beaut miniatures by Geo Liner, cabinet ports by him are perfect gems of ptg and likeness, superior to anything we’ve seen here or Euro, can recognize Miss Phelps, Mr McEvers, Mr Kyle, others

            Then lists fr catalog: 2Ports and lscape by Jesse Talbot, destined to ‘stand high’ in his prof;  Mr Chapman port of a youth in time of James I and Friar Puck, coloring clear and transparent, but not done himself justice this year. hands too small.

            No 78 Mr Durand, has rapidly advanced, most prominent picts, “Rip van winkle’s intro to crew of Hendrick Hudson,” “ the dance on the Battery,” and the Port of a lady.  First is very characteristic, face of Rip maybe yellow, second has clearer color, fig of girl dancing is admirable, port in some respects best in Exhib, bust v soft and fleshy, cool and pleasing tone of color, v agreeable, hand has no equal.

            No 66 Full length port of lady and child by Fowler, succeeds better in 25 x 30 ports, some sm picts also v gd, we quoted with pleasure his “intercepted letter” exhib last yer;  his No 288 is v clear in color, fine effect and his best; 67 Port  by Marsiglia, pretty well ptd, yet appears dwarfish, his No 87 better proportions and composit, 98 is one of Marsiglia’s best lscapes, no 214, his port of a child, his best except for no good foreshortening of the arm.

            No 76, Wreck of the steam packet Home, J Pringle, lone dismal horror of this pict speaks for the feeling of the artist, but mechanical parts are poor, wanting more color and deeper shadows, but in drwg of ship he has no equal;  105 and 190 are by him too.

“Do you see little fig neatly buttoned in brn overcoat, with clean shirtcollar (rare thing for an artist) tastily turned down, prominent corners, that is Mr P the talented young ptr from ----.  Julia: so small, yet paint so beautifully.  his picts rank with the first?  I don’t think you did his full length justice in our last observations. Papa:  yes, I had a wrong impression of the pict, breadth of light was wanting inst of depth of shadow, but an ease and grace v pleasing.

            no 74 Port of Mrs Pelf, and no 104, by same artist, both v brilliant in color, well drawn

Julia:  who is speaking to him? dressed in black, wears spectacles, fine looking Pa: never marry a ptr, v poor.  That is MR -----, no sm share of genius, we will call agn and look at his picts

May 17, p.2, notes that the excel woodcut of the Charleston Fire was carved by Elton, next door to our office, best wood engraver in the city

May 18, p. 2, an account of an editor’s day, Providence steamer at the wharf, doz ragged hatless urchins srround him, offer  the Morning Herald, w/”all the particulars of the pictures in the ‘Cademy” “I’m no painter, boy, and don’t care a cent for pictures.” But maybe you’d give two cents for an account on em” “I don’t care about pictures boy” Bill, he says he don’t care for pictures--he’s a picter himself, aint he”  and then further on, when he’s casting about for copy, “Young Bleecker has ptd some beaut picts, now in the Academy.” “Everyone knows that.” “So has Neagle.” “Ditto.”

May 19, p. 2 ‘Superior Ptgs’ Snow sells tonite 204 Broadway some finest ptgs ever seen in city, greatest bargains ever bought were sold last Sat.  There is a Daune?, a Madonna, a Magdalen and a St John seldom surpassed; p. 4 another puff for Hanington’s dioramas (have also puffed that he’s doing a benefit for the Charleston victims)

May 23, p. 4, ‘quick work’ Baker of Wall st got out this morning a well exec litho of Miss Davenport in the tent scene of Rich III

May 24, p. 2 We can’t publish the letter abusing Coleman the printseller; some new pictures by Dubufe have arrived in Philly; p. 4 Woodworth’s old oaken bucket

May 25, p. 2, Female corresp, our readers remember excitement of publicat of love letters of Mrs Mary Gaul to sweetie Geo Barnard, the painter, during the trial brought by him against her for a breach of promise of marriage

May 26, p. 4 recommends Cong buy Catlin’s Indian gallery, at 100-150,000 dollars

May 30, p.3, ad for print coloring establishment, no 119 Fulton st, John Childs, experience coloring mezzotint, aquatinto and litho prints, superior style

June 1, 1838, p.2 “NAD”

“You can, sir, if you please,” sd the doorkeeper as I sauntered leisurely into the saloon, musing over strange things, picts unpd for, etc and heartily sorry that I’d made the pres wear such a long face and the other old gman look so angry, but let’s make up, you are both clever fellows in your way, have done a great deal to build up the NA, both will go down to posterity.  Speaking of posterity, what has become of our foreign correspondent, Count Peter Funk? And its professors, where are they?  Where asks the Commercial, is Robt W Weir, prof of prospective? resting on laurels twined round his immortal Santa Claus.  Mr Weir thinks prob that it’s necess to let excitement created by one grt work die away, before another.  Ye illust prof of anatomy, mythology, history, wood engrav, chem., natural philos, where are ye> Spirit whispers, reform and lecture, be careful or the public will set you all down for Counts Peter Funk.  While your names are in the cat as profs to give us lectures and prove yourselves worthy, not let years pass w/o an appearance.  Come Mr Edwards, another lecture on the antique statues.

            No 95 Fortune Telling, Wm S Mount. figs well drawn, tell story at once.  face has all the natural  pleasing expression imagine an innocent country girl would in the situation, light drapery also tinged with warm reflections, evidentl a close copy of nature, v beaut.  So much for detail, but as a whole, crude and sharp in outline, wanting roundness and depth of shadow, coloring in his cabinet pictures is forgotten in his correct drawing and character, but here displayed to disadvantage.  But best picture in the exhib is Mount’s The Tough Story, equal to many of Wilkie’s second to none in this country but Washington Alston.

            J Neagle’s port of Thom Birch, well known marine painter.  those who’ve seen the orig vouch for its correctness, the ptg there is one opinion.  Neagle’s Port of Mrs Wood is much too gaudy for the eye of an artist, still in character (she’s an acress)

            313, C Deas, Turkey Shooting, groping of the figs, design and expr of this pict are very creditable, wants decision in effect to make it pleasing.

            LP Clover, View nr Bergen Hill, genl effect too warm, bldgs v g.  J Whitehorne Port and Port of Eliza, he’s advancing rapidly, head does him credit, Eliza an excellent likeness and well ptd.

Julia: neglect beaut drdwg of Dr Follen’s head by a young lady--who?  Papa: Miss Elliott, forgot to scratch name off back, lovely creature, Pease, for an artist, etc.

            HS Mount, Flower Pieces237 and 250, free masterly in touch, brilliant in color, on whole well worth possessing. Port of JW Porter esq is Mr. Shegogue’s best head, a v g likeness of much esteemed orig.  D Huntington 2 landscapes, both rich and silvery, sky of 263 clear and pearly towards horizon, reflecting in a cool limpid sheet of water, a pictque and natural composit.

            Mr Inman exhib many picts this yr, some vg and some v bad.  Among the gd is the head of Forrest, clear, spirited and masterly, decide in touch and fine in effect, can paint as well as he’s ever done.  Inman’s the Sisters, backgrd effect is beaut, light of moon, figs we won’t speak, except that bright light on knee of small er girl is unpleasant; backgrd of port 103 is disagreeably cold, arms appr large.  Port of a Child, v g rich and effective; port 256 but for inky neck, an uncommon deal of beauty, head admirable in attitude and expression

            F Alexander, Port of a Gman, greet Boston friend cordially, excel head, then a description of man in the picture? wrapped in cloak, etc. stalks into room, paces around with ne’er a word, then out he jogs.

            J Frothingham, Port of a Lady, he excels in ptg old heads, one of his happiest productions,d evoid of anything approaching gaudiness, one of best ports in exhib.  His port of a gman, don’t like arrangment of hair, gives head a popinjay appearance, detracts from simplicity, but well colored.  No 116 his Port of Lady is admirable likeness of Miss Townsend, rich in color and pleasing expression

            J Harris, best pict by this artist, who has rapidly improved since last exhib is 109, port of a lady, his? no 115 would be better if head higher on canvass. 

Miniatures have fallen off this yr; Carl Weinedel’s port of our venerable friend Dr Milnor, we recognized it, but his wife wouldn’t be pleased, not gd looking enough;  HC Shumways miniatures 121 and 122 are best in exhib; ES Dodge 135 much superior to  any he’s previously exhib, JW Dodge 142 and 128 v g.

Engravings:  on wood, JA Adams, v beaut, manner printed makes more attractive, he’s at head of this branch of art.  on steel, J Smillie, all v fine, esp evening view on Roundout hill, sunny effect is preserved.  Chalk Engraving, JEF Prudhomme, two heads fr Stuart and Chapman, clever, clearness seldom scene in this country.  TH Cushman engrav fr a ptg by W Page, classical in design, well engraved.

            “what a big pict Mr Montgomery Clermont Livingston has got!” yes but by any other name would paint as well.  possesses extraord talent, as no 92 proves, yet attend to the minutiae, my boy, and tell your brother to cut his moustaches.

            No 277 Orig Port of Genl Wash, ptd in 1783 by W Dunlap< WPNA, when he was 17 years old, arts in this country infancy, merits of no common order, shows enthusiastic love for his profession

            No 286, F Williams, The Epicure, first work we saw by him was Sammy the Tailor, exhib yr before last, tho small, universally admired and caused genl inquiry Who is Williams.  Next year is Dominie Sampson appeared, raised same inquiry.  Epicure is a well conceived and exec work, our guide discovers that F Williams is FW Edmonds, cashier of the Leather Manufacturers Bank.

June 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 1838, nothing

Jun 4 p. 2 pious Jour of Commerce complaining of the immodesty of vignettes on bank notes

Jun 12 p.2 ‘poor old paff’ Michael Paff of this city, known as a pict dealer died on Sun age 65, attends St Peter’s Church, a native of Germ, first to put a curbstone into a st, a plate glass into a window, or a granite front into a bldg.  occupied lower part of the City Hotel as a music store, which he relinq for picts, quick eyed and sagacious, visitors amused by shrewd remarks, eccentricity of manner.  amassed a consid fortune, in private life despite some assumed cynicism of manner, sd to be kind hearted, obliging and charitable

June 14, p. 2 “NAD--concluded”.  long description of calm after a storm, to evoke the mysterious council room of the NAD after the election of new officers, the round table bore piles of old catalogs, resolutions, manuscript opinions, intrigue.

            SA Mount, Port of a Lady, like the composit, displays knowl of effect, and ----What, not taken a wife? we wish you joy.  PP Rositer, Group of Children, merit of being firmly ptd, tolerably well colored, dark outline of boy’s dress too sharp; his port of a girl, shadow cast from her hand on her face is too dark.  I Brennan, Small Lscape, pretty little sketch, ptd with much spirit

            AB Durand, Lscape Compos, genl management, feeling, effect, composition, etc places it the first in exhib, and if it had the richness of Cole, would be best lscape ever pted in this country.  fault is his coloring is mealy and not the fresh limpedness for which English ptrs justly admired.  Durand’s Lscape Shower is effective, v beaut in management of light and shade, intro of white horse startled by clap of thunder, like it servers to carry light in foregrd, a harmonious effect.  His Sunset Compos, not to be compared to his other works, but land on left distance lit by sun is capital.

            E Mooney, Port, he’s young, a clever fellow, a pupil of Inman’s, will make a gd artist, this head a credit to an older master.  R Lannitz, Bas relief in marble, port of a lady, first work of this kind we have seen, a beaut manner to preserve features

            D Huntington, Sm Port, Decidedly touched, powerful in effect, graceful easy air, pleasing.  W Page, Port of a Lady, shows lack of effect, in exhib, drwg is v correct and beaut and if more force, wd be best head in Acad.  His Port of a Gman deserves better light, hope new council will do justice not only to those who are the partic favorites of the Acad, but all whose works are worthy

            J Cranch, 3 Witches in Macbeth, expressions quite poetical, he has proper feeling for an artist, yet careless in dwg, trusting to his ideas of the sublime rather than matter of fact nature, draperies and even most minute parts shd be ptd direct fr the objects themselves

            CG Thompson, Port of Prof Ingraham, spirited and masterly, among the best heads; his Prof Wayland as a likeness and artwork equal to many by our oldest artists

            W Brown, two lscapes w/figs in imit of Moralnd, ptd with a full pencil, which gives an air of freedom but lack clearness.  CC Ingham, Port of a Lady, never seen draperies more beaut ptd than in his ports, dress exquist as is drwg of head, backgrd more pleasantly managed than in most of his

            S Watson Small Pictures, creditably ptd and well designed, but drunken scene more calculated to disgust than gratify senses.  334, 335.  G Oakley, 242, autumnal sunset on Hudson, rich sunny glare pervades, whole effect too hot, blue in the foregrd wld improve it.  GA Ludlow, Marine View, no young artist who bade fairer to succeed than Ludlow, enthusiastic, devotedly attached, gave up his business as merchant, but died. masterly spirit, admirable effect of wind.  WM Oddie, Lscape, clever and correct copy of nature as most inexperienced eye can discover right away, unassuming little pict of merit.

Crave pardon for any offense in our remarks, gratified if amused or instructed. Incognito.  C******’s the dog, lash him!

Jun 18 p.2 Bennett’s letters fr London, coronation, singular to say an Amer ptr has been permitted to take her likeness in pref to any other, Mr Sully of Phila and his accomp daughter arrived here last year, brought letters fr Fanny Kemble and others to some of the nobility, letters highly serviceable to him, thru influ of some person of hi rank he was selected and finished the last sitting a few days ago.  during the 4 sittings, at the Palace, manner of the Queen sprightly and animated, sd to Mr Sully, after looking at her full length outline on the canvas, won’t Amer think I cam little?  Sully smiled, courtiers looked grave, another time she told sully if he was fatigued he shd sit down. He replied my prof accustoms me to stand.  gave him and his daught ea her autograph

Forrest will speak to locofocos on 4^th of July; Whittier poem on Henry Clay, Coleridge earlier

Jun 23, p. 2 ‘charity’ ptr who wld make himself admired, counts less on brilliancy of his colors than their distrib; the rich merit our esteem not by splendor of fortune but by uses he makes of it

Jun 28 p. 2 have rec’d v handsome pict of the Neptune passing Governor’s Island, also fitted on canvass and rollers for public offices.  well got up by Baker of Wall st and deserves extensive sale

July 2, 3, 6, 9, 13, 16, 18, 19, 20, 24, 26, 31, 1838, nothing

Jul 4 p. 2 list of amusements include besides Hanington’s (with full band), Panoramas of Jerusalem and Niagara, corner of Prince and Mercer, splendid ptgs, covering surface of 10,000 ft of canvass;  Exhibs of Pictures at the Stuyvesant Inst and at the Acad of Fine arts in Barclay st

            ads p. 3 note that Jerusalem is ptd fr drawings by Mr Catherwood taken in 1834, books of description sold at the door; Hanington’s artists inclu Leba and P Grain; ad for sale by Aaron Levy, Liberty st, 2 doors ea of Broadway, auction this eve of oil ptgs fr Antwerp, just rec’d, new consignment never before exhib, many ptgs after the old masters worthy attn of connoisseurs and dealers

Jul 7 p. 4 Robinson’s port of “the man of the Globe,” his pict of Miss Nelson by young Napoleon, his plate of the Giraffes, of the steamboats Neptune et al, are best of kind in country

Jul 10, p. 2 In music, or dancing, or politics, or ptg, or elocution, we see professors practicing and teaching who are under 20, but rare to find a good cook under 30.;  ‘Fine Arts’ a v beaut’ly engraved print fr West’s noble pict of Christ healing the sick has been pub by subscript in this city by Thoma C Story, line engrav by late Mr Kearney, who promised to attain great excellence, and is a capital engrav fr so large a ptg.  hope to see it encouraged.

Jul 11 p. 2 lovers of lit and fine arts, Mrs Sigourney’s relig souvenir for 1839 fothcoming, engraves of highest finish, fr entirely new designs, Scofield & Voorhies pubs

Jul 12 p.2 ad for exhib of Thom’s Stat of Wash, cat in Little Falls Stone, NJ, at Roche’s Garden, 367 Broadwy

Jul 14 p. 4, best hist of times are Robinson’s caricatures, best gall of ports are his lithos of living characters, all excellent productions, a mine exhaustable for anecdotes, wit, laughter and info of every kind. has made up with Dearnborne the publisher.

Jul 16 p. 2 promise an excellent port of an English maniac in the evening edition, it appears p.1 of July 17, morning, Elton C engraver of Division st, the best on wood now in this country, Tudor dress? ran for govt seat in 1832

praises Cooper’s new novel, pubd thru Harpers; Jul 21 p. 2 puffs Robinson’s splendid litho of Miss Davenport as  Young N?al at the Park last week

Jul 23 p. 2 (earlier had mentioned that Stevens’ Incidents of Travel had gone into a 6^th edition), now on Mexicans, attacks their character as by blood and birth brutal, a mix of Indian, negro and Spaniard, with negro blood predominates, treachery of Spaniard, revengefulness of Indians, vice of negro.

            Bennett’s journal tells of his being a constant visitor to the National Gallery, a public institution w/vast number of choice ptgs by old masters of ital, Flem, Span and French schools, free, crowded with middling and lower classes, even many of the higher.  Few collections in London superior.  have stood before masterpieces in state of rapture, Claude, Poussin, Carraccis, Rubens, Rembrndt, Corregio, JulioRomano, Guido, Tintoretto, Titian, Teniers, Vandyck, Vandervelde etc…hardly knew I had a taste for ptgs till I entered (as my taste for music awakened by Ital opera the Garcias in NY).  In NY our collections are meager, occas a doubtful work of the grt masters, here for hours and hourse splendid pieces discovering every five min some new beauty, extraord natural feature, powerful stroke of genius.  Claude and Titian.  female figs naked, but surrounded with so much genius, taste and beauty, seem covered with a drapery fr heaven.  singular at first to see females attended by men all of the highest classes, gazing w/deep attn on these nudes, apparently w/o exciting any incorrect emotion.  But will not the popular study of old ptgs, unscreened in attitudes and draperies, cause in time a change of manners in the higher classes? future will tell

p.3 Aaron Levy ad, has fitted a large rm for exhib ptgs and works of art, 71 Liberty st, fine coll of ancient and mod ptg undoubted merit now on exhib, attn of ladies, strangers, and lovers of fine arts; ladies assured nothing presented to their view that they could object to, only chaste, pleasing and instructive

p.4 NP Willis poem titled “On the Picture of a Child tired of Play”; Ladies Companion is experimenting with new steel plates in ea number

Jul 25 p. 1 the biggest set of illus I’ve seen, depicting Victoria’s coronation, the chair, the crown, the abbey, the order of the procession, all in a somewhat heraldic/Renaissance looking style; no description of the pictures per se, but of the events; on p.2 explains the steamship has brought only the Herald 5 splendid plates illust the prominent features of the Coronation, Bennett’s letters describes it like a play or pageant, a day’s revival of the manners of the Gothic, in contrast to present democratic commercial age, so may be the last we’ll see.  suggests morality of theater crowd isn’t much, but that talent will mean morality by and bye.  Says he’s a tory in England.

July 27, p. 2 Bennett’s letter, explains that the engraving of the Abbey repress the crowning of a king, mistake by a drunken vagabond of an engraver, tho a genius, by altering in the mind’s eye that figure, the rascal told me as an excuse that he was a democrat and opposed she kings, into a little girl, and putting robes and petticoats about her, a tolerably accurate idea of the grandeur of the interior/ceremony; compares it to self willed coronation of Napoleon, a repress of which he has sent for public, in effect

Jul 28, p. 2, friends perceive that the artist engrav coronation inserted George the Fourth for Victoria, Mr Elton of Division st ingeniously cut out old dissipated King and nicely dovetailed the young Queen so the cut of her is now what it shd be; ‘Auctions of all kinds’ as profits are small, obliged to cheat, partic buy/sell pictures, more roguery in this business than any other, one great humbug.  Levy and Snow are exceptions.  Apropos, Levy has 4 flower pieces worth $500 in eleg priv room, Snow has 2 ptgs worth $500.  Both small ment with large brains, keen as razors, deep as Garrick.

Jul 30, p. 2, Bennett’s letter, while hanging out on balustrade of Nat Gall in Trafalgar Square, met a guy who offered to lead him to choice ptgs in auctions sales in the city, so went to St James’s square, 2 collections of ptgs, some v choice and v beaut, then attended the sale at Christie & Manson’s Room, King St, a number of gmen, a few noblemen, most elderly like all connoisseurs.Several pict dealers, few ladies, only two huge creatures, gaudily dressed, one with a modst looking young girl, prices fr 10 to 120 guineas.  Adam Pyncker v beaut lscape of cattle and ruins brought 123 guineas, tho measured only 27 x 21 inches; would never have got the price in America.  Taste for fine arts, esp ptgs, is not at its full height yet, even in England, but growing every day, and hi prices for old masters an earnest of what public taste will be.  A choice coll by Ld Northwick sold one ptg by Wilson for 630 guineas, greeted with applause.  Ptgs and picts form great topic of conversation in cultivated and fashionable society, makes laughable the pretended fashionables of NY.  Succeed better here if down home Amer style.

August 1, 1838 p. 2 Bennett’s letter, visit to Richmond, view doesn’t compare to Mount Thom in CT in rich poetry of lscape, nor view fr Catskill Mtns down Hudson valley, sublime and unrivalled,b ut the historical, poetical or literary assns that create interest.  In natural beauty of wood and wild, we outstrip the old world, in gazing at old masters here, the life and nature of their scenery evoke US, Benetian bright skies are brilliant skies of NY Phila Charleston at certain seasons, tints of Cuyp are our Indian summer (later in Scotland says he sees some ‘fine ptgs’ in a library)

August 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 28, 30, 1838, nothing

Aug 3, p. 4 Don’t stop to look in at Coleman’s window, the pictures are pretty, bt you’ll have yr pocket picked

puffs Willy & Putnam’s public of Newell’s Hist of TX

Aug 11, p. 2 will publish a v beaut cut of theGiraffe;  Bennett’s letter praises a splendid statue of Burns, exec by the greatest artist of his age, mentions at same place (Calton Hill) an exhib of v remarkable statuary in granite w/extraord spirit by Forrest, a self-taught artist of Edinburgh. astonished, larger than life some fr scenes of Burns and Byron, the orig of Thom’s Tammy Shanter, for a long time exhib in the US

Aug 14, p. 1 cut appears, and shows an action scene, where Mr Clayton, the keeper, capturing it (in the attitude of throwing his lass over the head), against a backdrop of palm trees, another rider, the herd of giraffes fleeing.  Definitely not a natural history picture, tho giraffe is seen in profile, but the heroic Clayton centered and his feat celebrated.  He killed 50 in trying to obtain 2.

Aug 17 p. 1 v beaut plate sent by Mr Bennett fr Engl to illus the mode of Bonaparte’s crowning himself, contrary to all acknowledged forms and ceremonies (is it a detail from David? it shows Josephine being crowned). hard to see.

Aug 22 p.2 mentions “one Stephens, who calls himself an Amer” is humbugging the natives with a book of trash, which he entitles “Incidents of travel” (in Russia)

Aug 23, p. 1, Coleman retires from business.  He has made a fortune.

            p.2 praises auctioneer Ezra Snow 204 Broadway, best for books and pictures, former right hand of Mr. Levy, the picture seller.  Puff not pd for (tho he has an ad p.4).  Mentions Mr. Putnam’s love interests (the pub)

Aug 27, p. 2 notices Fanny Osgood, the Young American Poetess, sweet and amiable, now in London, wife of distinguished young artist, Osgood, of Boston, have repub some of her pieces, she also pub in NY Mirror, pure sentiment, refined feeling, deep thought, vivid iimagery

p.4 advert with a cut of the giraffe, still exhibiting, in its natural lscape (other animals also being exhib also depicted), same ad repeats on p. 1 the next day

Aug 29 p. 1, Puffs Robinson of Courtland st’s v handsome litho print of Miss Clifton as Eustace in new play “Woman’s Wit.” The figure is the most correct we ever saw, face a little too intellectual, tout ensemble is admirable, worthy an excellent frame and a handsome parlor ornament

another brief mention of Stephens’ Incidents of travel

Aug 31, p. 2, wd engrav of Marshall Soult, sent by Bennett, who calls it a very good engraved likeness, tho it portrays him much younger than he must be

Sept. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 17, 20, 21, 24, 28, 29, 1838, nothing

Sept 8 p. 2 ‘engraving’a puff for an advertiser, James Clark No 167 Broadway, beauty and excellence of craftsmanship;  a copy of a quarto card, w/a v beaut engraved repress of the large ptg by Trumbull of the Signers, under this is the Dec itself, signatures, and key to the likenesses.  v handsomely engrav border w/the emblematical devices of all the states, ports of all the Presidents. D Kimberley and JB BUlton the engravers, lasting benefit on the country, pub’d by Geo Endicott 204 Broadway (who they’ve puffed before, for music)

Sept 10, p. 2 have been supporting the Mechanics Fair nonstop (also the lovely young ladies with stalls selling their handcrafts), and the splendid specimens of pictures varnished and restored by Mrs Tyler, talent, industry and ingenuity; also to Pringle’s beaut pict of the departure of the Grt Western

Sept 11 p. 3 Madam Sanguinetti’s Splendid Coll of Ptgs at Auction, The public sale of this precious coll of ancient and Ital ptgs and valuable engravings is to begin…persons visited that beaut gallery, composed of 267 ptgs, alm all origs, and 6000 engravs and orig drwgs, best judges have pronounced it the best and richest ever exhib;

Sept 12 p. 2 Snow’s sale of engravings, abt 3000 superb English engrav sold last night, 204 Broadway, extraord low prices, one-tenth their value, immense bargains

Sept 13 p. 2, ‘Puffing’ game of presenting you with a picture worth one shilling and want a notice worth five dollars, these humbugs shd pay up, a hint, partic to a Courtlandt street picture shop.  We want none of your pictures.  p. 4 ‘Hayward’s Picture Gall” at risk of being condemned for want of taste, yest for first time we visited Mr Hayward’s superb coll at corner of Broadway and Chambers, most admirable in city, lasting thanks of community.  tolerable judges of works of art will have their judg improved, those who know nothing will derive pleasure and valuable instr.  Mr. H is an excellent cit, a scholar and man of taste, deserves a fortune, victim of a scandalous persecution, patronage of all gd citizens, sold at Snow’s a valuable lot of prints.

Sept 15, p. 1, woodcut of the great eclipse, with description and explanation; p. 4 notes Snowden of Ladies Companion has pub a Life of Mdme Vestris (ongoing controversy over whether she is married or not to Chas Mathews), the dancer often mentioned in the Herald, and that the brothers Langley of Chatham street library (advertisers) have pub a beaut print of her, excellent likeness, reflects grt credit on publishers

Sept 18, p. 2, Ball at West Point, ball room dec with several ports of officers who died in the Florida wars, among the women were Miss S of Phila, one of the daught of an illustrious artist, an ornament to his country at present in London, Miss S is rather small in stature, black hair, large black eyes, deep eyelashes, a v proud look and v intellectual ‘her life is love and tenderness.” And also, Miss S., author of the Artist’s Daughter, a tall maidenish young lady, wears silver specks and in the sere of life, drinks water with loaf sugar dissolved in it, v fond of reading, constantly in Kosciusko’s Garden perusing some novel, for all is v sentimental, loves to be gallanted

Sept 19 p. 2 New Invention The Whig speaks highly of Mr Cohen’s art of drwg on zinc, by which a pink color is given to the paper, and a deep black to the drwg; marble of a quality comparable to Carrara and suited for sculpture has been found in Cherokee country, specimens at bookstore of Mr Adlard, 46 Broadway; Sale of Maelzel’s Coll at Phila, among which a Panorama of Moscow sold for 900; poem by Fanny Osgood; p.4 more details on Vestris’s popularity, orig name Bartolozzi, dad was bro of celeb engraver of that name; her port pub by Langley is most admirable likeness, work of Heidemans, he has drawn several beaut things, features possess all the softness and delicate tinting of a pencil drwg, yet exquis finish to face does not take anything fr the fine rich outline nature has given her features

Sept 22 p. 1 Religious Souvenier for 1839, have seen set of plates for it, all exceedingly neat, variety of subj, then gives a list of the engravings, inclu Infant St John ptd by Miss Ann Hall, then a ptg of a Cottage in the Marquesas by John G Chapman fr a sketch by Rev CS Stewart in the Navy, a ptg by another navy officer of an island in Greece, Chas Ingham port of Mrs Stewart, late Missionary to the Sandwichs, Ancient Athens ptd by SFB Morse, Agriculture ptd by Wm S Mount, Lady Arabella Johnson, ptd by CR Leslie, and DW Coit ptd view of Norwich CT

Sept 26, p. 2 beaut port of Celeste by Chalon in her pop drama St Mary’s Eve is now exhib at Colman’s, 205 Broadway, frame at Celeste’s own desire has Amer eagle carved

Sept 27, p. 4, ‘sale of mr Dearborn’s effects” furn, bks, ptgs, prints etc sold by Bleecker, Esq, publisher has left the city, books and prints sold well.  Atwill’s music store puffed, Miller at corner of Maiden Lane and Brdwy, ptgs the best miniature of any man in the city, Robinson has just issued v gd likenesses of Power and Vestris, Geo Endicott’s Broadway has best pianos and abundance of beautiful picts, Mr Levy continues sale of Sanguinetti’s valuable ptgs and prints tonite; ad p. 3 for Levy notes that the collection is now exhib at the Acad of FA on Barclay st

            ad for Simpson benefit (Simpson of the Park has been attacked lately for allowing prostitutes to mingle with respectable women, they use the same entry) chaired by Hone, CF Hoffman, Gel DC Colden, Genl Wetmore, Danl Kingsland, and signing it are JJ Astor, John Inman, William L Morris, a Tappan, Epes Sargent, FG Halleck, Ogden Hoffman, Henry Inman,Prosper Wetmore, TS Cummings, RC Wetmore, Henry Stebbins, Wm Snowden, Stephen Brush, George P Morris, MM Noah, Robt B Weir, AM Cozzens, Wm Astor, JW Webb, Chas Stetson, many others; on Oct 1 has a letter critical of the affair

Oct 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 13, 16, 18, 1838, nothing

Oct 2, p.2 Bennett’s letters, all the higher classes, lit scientif and educ in France and Germany and perhaps elsewhere are a species of Unitarians, such as in Boston, Dr Channing of Boston is wellknown in Eng as the modern Bossuet of new species of Xtianity

Oct 5, p.1, such was desire to see beaut port of Celeste by Chalon that Colman departed fr his estab rule and changed the picts in his window in the middle of the week, to subst her port for something else, but a more pleasing arrangement at Fennel, Horn & Co in Brdway, choicest books and prints, rare works of art interesting to the bibliomanist and virtuoso

Oct 9 p.1 puffs Miller’s miniatures again; says cheapest full length port in NY is by Reynolds, in Broadway, nr Peale’s M; Johnson the painter of imitation wood, is unrivalled--exhib at Mech Fair to univ admir.

p.4 Panorama of Jersalem in Prince st, beaut pict daily vis by the fashionable, Stephens in his new works says, Catherwood’s large panoramas were visited by more than 140,000 in London, a regularly educated artist, vivid pict, correctness of detail

Oct 10 p. 1 puffs The Gift, beaut annual ed Miss Leslie, fr Carey and Hart of Phila, 9 exquis engravings.  Helen, by AE Chalon, engrav John Cheney, Vignette Title and Brother and Sister ptd by T Sully and engr  JB Forrestm Rufus Civility ptd by W Collins, engr JP Pease, Sunrise among the Alps ptd T Doughty, engr AW Graham, Miranda by F Sully, engr RU Dodson, Goldfinch ptd ET Parris, engr JB Forrest, Snare and the Farmer’s Boy.  splendid manner, gilt and embossed morocco.  Also puffs Catherwood again as interesting.

p.2 Bennett’s letter, has taken pencil sketches of every scene of interest and on return shall have them all engraved and pub in Herlad, with descriptions and incidents picked up on the spot;  the statue of Cleopatra is going to New Orleans

p.4 puffs Snow’s sale of engravings, Xtian keepsake for 1839, ten beaut engrav, a port of Bishop Griswold by Inman, the Missionary and the Indian King, Sunday Morning, Goting to Battle, etc.

Oct 11 p. 3 Mr Hanington exhib at fair stained glass and sev’l illus of classical hist; ad for first exhib of ptgs and sculpt, works of modern Artists, at the Apollo, 410 Broadway.  Artists in chief cities of US, boston to New Orleans, contrib., with a catalog

Oct 15 p. 2 Bennett’s letter, visit to Louvre: gallery is as long as Wall St, 1500 ptgs of schools, went again and again, ancient statuary Egyptian antiquities, but gallery of ptgs most interesting.  every open day are 40-50 young persons there copying, many beaut young girls, following practice as a profession, or pursuing taste.  One girl selected Poussin’s exquis Holy Family, 15, bonnet off, gloves fallen on floor, touching off cheek of Virgin, dressed v simply, light colored chintz frock, beaut foot in neat French shoe, tastefully arranged hair, smooth; sympathy betw the fair artist and her work, a fair, classical face, placid experience Poussin gave his Virgin. describes her process, praises it, artists silent.  The young men wear hair parted in front a la Raphael, with long republican locks, among them saw a young girl copying a Flemish interior of a kitchen, light and shade most exquis effect, little girl in window sewing, every utensil as distinctly marked as possible, older fair artist, beaut braided hair, dashed along at her work.  16-18 young ladies, interesting and beaut, engaged at this work; gallery officers attentive, polite.

            -In London acq taste for Italian school, upper gall, only look at catalog when a pict has attracted my attn; sees a port of a young man, peculiarly fine, looked again and again, diff effect fr any port he’d seen, expre of young man breathe fr his face, gazed as deeply as on a varied lscape of Claude’s, soul beaming;  ordinarily, can see all that a port contains in a couple of glances, but here it smiles more freshly as I gaze.  Found it was Raphael, first orig ptg he’d seen, speaks the power of that divine master over every mind and eye, then was able to recognize other Raphaels fr their resemblance in coloring and gen’l effect, depth and mellowness of coloring so eye cant disting where one tint begins and other ends, design and expr have poetical freedom and beauty idea of grandeur to imag.

            All other schools are inferior.  Fr and Eng too formal, elaboration, w/o poetry or genius.  But complete revolution here in arts of design may restore bold, poetic simplicity of Ital masters.  Prof Morse has purchased a series of casts, conceived on new school, for NAD;  the new system in France resembles the mode Prof Morse orig used himself, the art of ptg what generalization is in philos or inspiration in poetry, pupil does not waste time drwg a head, fotot, etc, but a whole obje is placed and he attempts genl outline at once.  Aim is a few bold strokes, a nerve, strength, tone to his hand, Raphael’s mode of instr.

Oct. 17, p. 2 Fair of Amer Inst, fire engines, taste and elegant ingenuity, beaut embellishments carving ptg, proof of advance in fine arts

Oct 18 p. 2 possible to publish his letters fr Euro as a bk, hears that one of them has already become the subj of a ptg by an artist of NY

Oct 24 p. 2 critical of the Wall st Whig Astor Hse orgy clique for whom the NY American is the organ, will ruin the whig party, e.g. are opposing James Monroe’s nomination, want to divide the Union, parvenus and pretenders.  Generally he’s afraid of the locofocos (radicals) allying with the abolitionists, as the Irish do in England.?

Oct 25 p. 4 celeb Danish sculptor Thorwaldsen came to? left? England in a ship chartered by King of Denmark

Nov 2 p. 2 attacks the NY Mirror, indecent twaddle, Simms the novelist Pelayo, no trashy novels, gave it to a female, likes Wallack at the National but not Price at the Park

Nov 5 p. 1 woodcut re used of abolitionist mtg, to feed fears of amalgamation, but some of the speech balloons attack Bradish (Seward’s lieut gov?) and shinplasters.  The cut “exactly represents” what went on in their recent meeting.

            p.2 notes death of Am Monthly, conducted by Walsh of Philly and Park Benjamin, who says politics killed it.  Says Knickerbocker and Mirror will follow.

Nov 9 p. 2 for election patted himself on back for hiring 100 newsboys to distribute xtras, now says he’s going to try to break up that system of vending, conduct too riotous and offensive, blackguards.  must improve their morals to sell the Herald.

            notes that the Weekly Herald will contain a beaut engraving illustrative of the birth ofAbolition, its design by a young gman of remarkable genius and originality in the fine arts, NY native, with practice and study, bids to rise to highest rank, amateur now merely amuses himself with pencil and crayon.  the engraving is executed by one of our first artists.  Arranging a similar series of wood engrav, by same artist, illus the scenes society and manners of our Euro tour, first a beaut view of Windsor castle, Queen Vic walking or riding, or reviewing troops

Nov 13 p. 2 Henri Heidmans pub v pretty litho of Ellen Tree as Hero, in Woman’s Wit, ripeness of fig enchanting, curvature of neck, fullness of bust, rotundity of arm,, general contour of whole

Nov 15 p. 2 at the Franklin scenery is new, some beaut, a moving panorama excellent, ptd by a native artist, does him grt credit

Nov 17 p.2 disagrees with Knick re nothingness of Amer poetry.  more real poetry in action in this country.  cites Mrs KA Ware’s capital piece in the Knick

            notes that nearly half a doz exhibs of Ptgs will soon be opened in NY, refers reader to ads, a grand exhib at Acad of FA in Barclay st, represented as works of v superior merit, subjects attractive.  Ad p. 3 lists artists Wheihelo Destr of Jerusalem, Giraud Revolt in Paris, and Dubule, the celeb ptr of Adam and Eve, Don Juan Haidee and Lambro, Circassian Slave, St John, Princess of Capra.  immense size

Nov 20 p. 2 Combe lectures on phrenology as a science, akin to Silliman, soul understandable, will overturn all revealed religion.

            at the National praises the scenery by Bengough, part new altogether beaut, Wallack secured this truly grt artist

            corresp fr Horace in Washington, Van Buren rode to capitol with youngest son to examine historical ptgs of Trumbull, which he’d seen a hundred times before, began to analize the various beauties, youth held a card of explanation.  They then toured the Hall of Reps, recently redon, dusted plaster figure of Liberty, Genl Wash looking at Lafayette, who is ready for orders, genius of history has head turned towards Cambrelung ready to record his disaster (defalcation; Bennett sympathetic to Cambrelung!)

Nov 21 p.2 Taylor at Park Row and Spruce pub sm vol for cheap xmas presents Moral Lessons illust by series beaut wood engravings by Adams.  For beauty of exec and delicacy of expression, seen nothing, equal to London, even famous new ed of Arabian Nights illust w/most elegant woodcuts we ever saw

Nov 22 p. 2  Mdme Vestris failed because of how she was promoted (her marriage), her appearing in local plays, but local to England or Europe, and not adapted; and she didn’t play the pieces (where she dresses as a man) that made her famous.

Paulding uses C & E to blow up Fenimore Cooper and other competitors.  NY Times is the arm of the Conservative wing of Tammany?  Talmadge (a whig?), Riker, others.  They are a Whig clique, but they once ruled at Tammany and being kicked out by the locofocos, came over.

            -Wall st whigs support Clay; he will be corrupted by them

Dec 5 p.2 puffs Richardson’s latest Lscape Gallery, in Broadway, oppos Washington Hotel, v talented artist v beaut coll.  2 yrs ago he went to Europe, made copies, esp fr Louvre, these are exhib, faithful, merit, admirably exec; 3 Claudes: Landing of Cleo, superb, chief beauties aerial persp, magnify coloring, truth to nature, refinement of composit, strikingly displayed.  facsimiles in drwg and coloring.  4^th picture is after Berghem, v large, v faithful, magnificent, clearness and silvery tone the whole, celeb cattle pieces, beaut grouped, freshness of effect, distinctness, naturalness. 5^th after Cuyp, celeb for his coloring, his chef douvre Cavaliers watering their horseness, sweet effect, masterly grouping, richness.  Copies after lscapes by brothers Both, rich warmth and mellowness, clearness, accurate trees, magnificent conception and execution.  Copy of Rysdale Gale on Dutch Coast, sweet effect, grand composition of sky, wonderful fidelity to nature (this and his water lay Rysdale’s excellence), beaut effect, tone of orig. 

            Some originals too, some v fine ones by Danby who ptd opening of Sixth Seal, some masterpieces by Rev John Thomson of Edinburgh.  A copy of grop of Sheep after Brascass wonderful effect shade color, full of nature and beauty.  Gem and best of exhib is orig by Raeburn, Port of Lady, harmony, grace, color, simplicity, tone and fidelity to nature, exquis work of art.  Rigidly correct drwg, so natural forget ptd. shd be seen by every artist/connoisseur

Values originality, raciness, energy/spirit, genius, force vs English finish, insipidity, polish, repose, grace, ease.  Fenimore Cooper only real, natural, energetic original literary Amer genius of the age.

Notes that when he went to England he left Price in charge of paper on recommendation of Geo P Morris, absconded with $100, is now in London writing for the Metropolitan and letters in the NY Mirror

Dec 13 p. 2 Exhibs of Dubufe’s and Dunlap’s ptgs at Stuyvesant and at Barclay st are v beaut, attract beaut ladies, delightful lounge. promises to review Dunlap’s exhibition of paintings too, but doesn’t

Dec 15 p.1 long review of the theaters in French, maybe will do it regularly! notes Catlin.

Dec 20 p. 2 Epes Sergeant, ed of Mirror, tonite at Park theatre tragedy of Velasco.  litterateurs of NY new era in drama.  trash, poetic twaddle, refined verbiage of popular album poetry, no natural language.  need original elements of nature as foundation for charcters, language--not creeds

Dec 27 p. 2 blurb for new weekly proposed by Willis, Porter & Co, apply at large Lamp Post in front of Astor Hse, recommend title be NY Catch-penny or Glen-Mary Lit Register

repeatedly puffs the French paper L’estaffette, pub by HD Robinson, 64 Cedar st (Apr 25 p2 says L’Estafette and Courrier are quarrreling over Mayor Clark et al; De Behr, the Courrier charges Robinson with being an atheist and Fanny Wright, while De Behr takes boys into private backroom to show them beaut bijous of French prints); Jan 12 p. 2 puffs the exhib of ptgs in Barclay st, admission reduced; magnificent, unrivalled excellence, worth seeing.  Nov 14 p. 2 Franklin renovated, fronts of dress boxes finely exec pictures of Amer history, after manner of Drury Lane theatre; Jan 14 praises Bengough’s scenery at the Natl, Jan 16 p.1 Bennett’s letter describes his visit to Van Buren in the White Hse, notes a model for equestrian sculpture of GW, a portrait of Bolivar near his seat

Jan 24 p.4 anecdote of Nollekens the sculptor modeling bust  v modest lady high rank, lower her neckerchief, better view of bosom, declined, general knowl shd be sufficient for any ideas that he might want. He agrees, no bosom worth looking after 18.

Feb 1 p. 2 Bennett’s letters fr DC, has seen v splendid cabinet port of Henry Clay, ptd by Mr Linen, artist fr NYC, sd best likeness of any of him, he agrees.  anecdote re this port, at a dinner with Van Buren, teasing him re their polit ambitions, expression in port is the same, mischevious, half smile, with and dignity and gd humor.  Mr Clover of NY intends engrav fr this port, a gd artist must make a capital hit

Feb 2 p. 2’Fine Arts’ in order to do away with the monopoly amongst ptrs in this city, all the young artists formed a society at the Apollo, exhib and dispose of their picts, obtain better prices than competitors with half their talents and twice their pretensions.  A gem ptd by one of these young men, pict of infinite merit, equal to any in city, now at Sweeny’s 144 Fulton st.

Bennett no admirer of Fire Eater Henry Wise of VA; but approves the pure classicism of the White House, better than all in Euro in point of taste of simple grandeur.  Likes the Nat’l Intelligencer.

Feb 8 p. 2 Firemen’s Ball, engine backs placed around proscenium, most beaut, esp the Death Struggle, Lady Washington, others skill of NY artists.  handsomely ptd portraits too.

Feb 18 p. 2 Chantrey is making a bust of Queen Vic

Notes John Inman after abusing Morris is writing agn for the Mirror. Feb 22 p. 2 notes Elton (the engrav) is now turned industrious ingenious publisher; Childs of Fulton st excellent caricature of JQ Adams presenting a black ambassador to ladies of Lynn, admirable design execution. all in Lynn will buy.

Feb 23 p2 bennet’s letter recounts tableaux vivants at Mdme Calderoni, not as tasteful and accurate as in NY, but Miss H of Baltimore, daught of locofoco member of that city, as Circassian Slave, made impression (petite fig en bon point) and diplomats assembled offered thousands.  notes Audubon.  p. 4 a poem is authored by ‘the sketcher’

March 5 p. 2 The Apollo, The Fine Arts, pleased success young artists gratify public, assn at Apolo encouraged, praiseworthy, no of v fine ptgs, amongst other young artists of talent Brower, Brown and Ames, know gmen personally, praiseworthy in private as in public life, have also reopened Acad at Barclay st, love ptg and drwg shd go.  generous rivalry and emulation men of talent

Mar 7 p. 4  bill introd legislat of Mississ authorizing Gov to purchase for $25,000 a marble statue of GW for rotunda of capitol

Mar 8 p. 2 already rival Engl in lithog branch of fa, pub a grt deal of trash, yet admirable head of Boz drawn by young Mr Brown of this city is equal or superior to Eng copy; Firemen’s ball has portraits hung of firemen at Niblo’s

Mar 9 p. 4 puffs Catherwood’s panorama, pleasing, most instructive, fidelity.  Likes Sweeney’s on Fulton st more than Delmonicos or Astor hse.  Seems to favor the Maine war?; no, critical of Whig leaders who want war, counter to interests of merchants,

Mar 14 p. 2 fr the English Bijou Almanac at WA Colman’s store 205 Broadway, 6 portraits of the princess, Beethoven, Thom Lawrence, Duke of Wellington, Ldy Blessington, latter subj of poem here by LELandon, haunted canvass dwells, beauty of that face, art’s departed master held it the sweetest task to trace, all are imprisoned by its grace

Mar 15 p. 2 a son of Mr Morse, an artist, in Canal st was run over.

Mar 18 p. 2Gd review of Mrs Ellis’s Women of England, p. 3 Fine Arts: What is the Apollo Assn, which has been got up by a few persons of questionable taste? Next month NAD opens, some most exquis new ptgs of young artists will be exhib.  more true and rare genius in art of ptg than any sim city out of Italy, only want taste and patrons.  Doesn’t think much of the Mirror’s rival in dandy lit, Corsair puffs, fashionable loafer on Broadway; NY Lit Gaz run by Aldrich has taste and industry and less pretension than Willis and Porter

Mar 20 p. 3Puffs Catlin, original geniuses in country, left for Phila, seen his gall, choice treasures obj of singular curiosity in art, science, resemblance betw his style as an artist and that of the ancient Egyptians

April 3, 4, 17, 29, 30, 1839, nothing

April 5 p.2 ‘Apollo Assn’ obj promote fine arts, principles excellent, if judgment and impartiality, will succeed, but too much haste in organiz, no discretion in choice of managers, patrons need enuf acquantance with art to bestow patronage with discrimination.  Men ignorant of ht e principles of taste in ptg can’t purchase good picts, and the purch of indiff picts by inferior artists wld discourage true genius.  If the list of those already purchased with the $1000 raised is correct, with 1 or 2 exceptions, they lack intrinsic merit as artworks.  ill natured or unjust?  give examples:  Joshua Shaw, Shipwreck, poorest work from him in some years, coloring defective, monotonous no transparency, no originality or effect of light and shade.  same subj better handled in Stanfield’s drawings in the English annuals.  touch is mannered, the tea tray style of the Chinese school.

            First Ship by JG Chapman, similar objections, one of his feeblest works, for sale for 1-2 yrs with no purchaser.  His forte is sm cabinet picts, exec with minuteness and delicacy of touch all admire, but enlarged as here tame and unartistlike.  except a tolerably clear sky, extrav attitude of fig is far fr pleasing or natural, coloring so monotonous all objects fr one tint.  Another picture is a sketch by Browere of the headless horseman, in mostly blue and white, in such sharp and harsh spots looks like embossed silver  not oil; better works by this young artist.  Also find ones by Richardson, Ashton and Cook, neither of whom posess talents.  recommend Committee think again.

April 6 p. 1 woodcut cartoon of the Abolitionist Meeting/movements of 1839, preparatory to the Election, a very correct representation, promiscuous,  encouraging them to vote for the Demos (Varian) rather than the Whigs (who Bennett supports for Mayor).  Looks a little like an auctioneer.  black man embracing a white woman.   Tappan assails the Whigs. Mtg breaks up in a fight.

            disapproves of Mrs Gove’s lectures on female anatomy; cites Catlin that evebn savages don’t try to understand mysteries of physical creation.  Col Webb lives at Astor Hse; Bennett still critical of it.  Likes So Lit Messenger, inclu sarcastic review of novelist Cooper, poems superior to namby pamby things known as mag poetry, has nerve stamina instead.  Colman publishes London As it Is. 

Apr 9 p. 2 puffs Anelli’s private gallery (advert says are historical ptgs, portraits) as one of finest in city, free to amateur, 74 Chambers st

Apr 12 p. 4 Announces pub of Life in NY by Saunders 357 Broadway, satire on the times, after manner of Pickwick papers, modern Junius ports fr life, fr Da Costa, leader of ton, to celeb Jim Crow of artistic notoriety

            -lots of Eliza Cook poems

April 15  p.2, ‘Exhib of the NA’

choicest orig ptgs exhib, NY more talent and genius for ptg, at least 80 artists, one half of them technically called “pot boilers” one fourth of consid talent, and abt a doz of higher order of genius and originality.

            -critical and historical analysis of them, do justice and injustice.  Our newsp critics on ptgs are v generally ignorant, flippant, w/o love for beaut, pictque, grand, orig.  in Euro studied splendid galleries, 10-20,000 orig ptgs of every school, corrected formed by these models, have my own ideas, tastes, views;  principles at foundation of every art have a common link.  the intellectual process that creates an orig, great and profound writer is alm identical to a ptr.  Shall illust, and estab curious principles common to all genius, not even Sir J Reynolds discussed.  NY will soon contain body of orig artists unsurpassed, leae vulgar tastes and passions behind

            also:  we’re requested to announce first number of ‘Life in NY’ pub Sanders

p.3 poem ‘on portraits of the children of the earl of durham’ by countess of blessington, who’s been mentioned by Bennett before, poet traces a character on the brow

Apr 18 1839 p. 2 covers the Ladies’ Fair at the Lyceum, notes only one oil ptg in the room, implies not good.  “Arts in Paris” morning lounge in exhib of modern artists at the Louvre, crowded, Horace Vernet leads in size and assumed importance if not merit, 3 grand pictures of taking Constantine are loose and washy but contain much of his acknowl genius, a rapid artist.  Delaroche absent, Delacroix but 2, jury accused of party spirit, envy, Ary Scheffer varied but powerful style, richly poetical, Decamps brilliant in coloring and bold, Gudin admirable, Biard amusing and well painted scenes fr comic life

Apr 19 p.2 Dr Brownlee’s port (an advertiser) by Brown, a youg ptr in Broadway, is a capital work of art; From late English papers, ‘Dubufe’s Ptgs’ grateful Edinburgh for donating some proceeds to charity

Apr 20, 1839, p.2 Stout’s statue of Queen Victoria, Extraord Work of Genius, Era of Amer art; Bennett is tired of theatres and shows and mediocrity, stopt at Stuyvesant Inst met James V Stout fine figure expressive face not much over 25 never heard of before, exquis and orig full length statues of QV that genius conceive or chisel elaborate.  sublime conception.   In Europe studied ancient and mod orig and copies of all statuary, nothing in Louvre by a modern to compare, must go to antique, leading features exquis beauty of outline, grace of form, perfect union of phys developments of the antique with the moral envelopements of the modern, disposit of the drapery natural and orig, attitude almost gives motion, general air forget mere statue.  Striking resemblance to Queen, tho never saw her, copied form and features fr usual prints.  face is somewhat too classical in outline, but natural benevolence, bust and neck exquis rounded off, beaut small foot, whole etc is the precise being.   More light, airy, graceful than the females of Euro artists, resembles a beaut Amer female, animated, sensibility, exceeds Venus de Medicis.  Stout is equal to the antique in attitude, status is instinct with life, soft bosom half revealed by gossamer but simple draper, seems to heave, act of raising a scepter, robe reveals every lineament of her form, bosom exquisite, but no Ital voluptuousness of effect, floats atmosphere of purity that grosser passions flee only highest devotion animate, divinity itself brought from heaven in shape of a pure and beaut young Amer woman, who resembles Queen of England.  Artists is a New York native, a republican, yet a genius of highest order and extraord orig; statue in London would make his fortune.  He is competent to express a deliberate opinion.

Apr 22, p. 2, Statue of Victoria, lots of carriages called on chef d’oeuvre, any pretensions to taste impression most remarkable, some Englishmen anxious to purchase it, press has said little as they are ignorant and timid and incapable of appreciating genius of highest order

apr 23 p. 2 Opening of the Acad, nearly 300 works, every variety of style, coloring, composit, all by Amer artists, many young, first order of excellence.  Ariel, the society reporter likes 50-60, including specimens fr Mount, Cole, Edwards, Huntington, Inman and other yet unknown.  New era in progress, the artists of this country/NY will beat Europe, compare Nat Acad to modern exhibs in London and Paris.  Why? mind here is emancip fr all artificial rules in relig, politics, lit and art, no cold school rules repress natural enthusiasm, soul of higher order of art (our lit, crit, philos want the orig thus far in Amer school of art).  opinions of the public too much influenced by emasculated pretenders who conduct lit and other periodicals, no relish for the broad, bold, original, striking traits that mark our artists.  miserable imbeciles preseide over Knickerbocker, Mirror and Corsair, can’t appreciate writer who came from the low, include in this category the organizers of the Apollo Assn on same principle as a furniture wareroom or auction store on Pearl st.

            also puffs a sale of fine prints at Snow’s, bargains as no reserve; also praises the caricatures fr life and severe hits in Life in New York, by “oHum & Co.

Apr 24, p. 2, The Exhibitions, powerful current fashionable intellectual circles towards study/taste Fine Arts, Stout’s unrivalled statues, crowds of most refined and intelligent, even Apoolo exhib, meager and emasculated as it is has drawn, and the Nat Acad will too.  Taste for theater declining, mediocre, Fine Arts broad and expanded existence, ptg and statuare fr our orig and enthusiastic artists not liable to pious objections, a lounge in a gallery of art invigorates mind and morals

Apr 25 p. 2, The “Devil and Tom Walker” may be seen at the Nat Acad, Mr Ballou must look in on them.  NA opened, large company, brief and accurate notices, some beaut some potboilers, some trash, tell the truth to the old and hardened sinner.  ‘Review of New Books,’ mentions the April issue of the Southern Literary Messenger, praises many female contributors, notes a biographical memoir of Shobel Vail Clevenger, with a notice of his latest works, perused by all admirers of native artists

Apr 26, p.1, The Daguerrotipe, fr priv letter of Prof SFB Morse of March, fr Paris to ed of Observer, experiments Morse did when his ptg room was next to Professor Silliman’s have now been realized.  Daguerre’s rooms are in the Diorama.  exquisite minuteness, simple chiaro scuro, no ptg or engraving approach it, amazing if studied with a powerful magnifying lens, more detail than naked eye.  Interiors like Rembrandt.

p.2, Acad well attended in day, great rush, have taken several looks, tho some v fine lscapes and fancy pieces, yet proportion of mere potboilers is greater. our old ptrs have lost their power, taste or industry, most promising among the unknown, the geniuses lazy.  won’t puff.

Apr 27, p. 2 ‘American Statuary’ copy fr the Phila Natl Gazette, one of few Philly papers that expresses an orig or generous idea, they recommend that Bennett’s judgment be corroborated by other accomplished judges, but no reason country might not have prod’d a genius, striking orig has shown itself several times, Cinti claims the most, and then cites the So Lit Mess on Powers, modeled heads of leading statesmen, accuracy and talent; Clevenger cut directly fr stone, w/o clay model, with living form before him, learned only from cemeteries, but struck out a likeness in all respects the counterpart.  Bennett adds that first judges, foreign and native, and confirm his opinion of high rank, beauty, originality, St George’s Society may send him to England, as they sent Sully last year, the best port and best statue will have been taken by Americans

            NA fashionable, proportion of gd ptgs is small, hardly over 20 or 30 of 300, as many artists are young and poor, patronage for cheap portraits is better than for gems and bijouse.  variety among the good ptgs; genl character of our ptrs is not yet formed, lots of experiments

May 1, 2, 6, 9, 13, 15, 20, 23, 27, 31, 1839, nothing

May 3, p. 2, Stout’s Statue of the Queen, outrage for a native of NY to dare rival antiquity, Epes Sargeant has caught an influenze in conseq of speaking his natural sentiments, before he knew what the critics thought; NP Willis thinks her foot is too large, the National Intelligencer’s correspondent, a literary loafer at Astor, says it is a very pretty thing and well executed but her foot is gigantic, drapery bad, Bennett says foot has been measured.  More from a clique of artists afraid of Stout, that he is a man of genius but this first effort is no perfect thing, the form is not one as nature ever produced in an individ, nor in any number of individs, neither entirely unnatural, but nature and art blended to present a  deformity rather than perfect and faultless form in statuary of beaut proportions borrowed fr many and combined.  Separately, many parts are well proportioned and beaut, but relative proportions are bad, the whole has want of harmony, form too attenuated, waist too thin, incompatible with free healthful action of lungs, position graceful but not perfect ease

            Bennett retorts as an abstract work of art, it is the beau ideal of a young Amer woman, unique, more fragile, fairy, intellectual, than in other countries, doesn’t fit English beefsteak expectations, but catchs model from a living race.  faults yes, but original genius, boldness design, originality of conception, begin a new school as every person of taste, travel and feeling agrees, then genl effect surpasses exceptions

            -statue is result of a nation where every woman is a queen

May 4, p. 2, NA: visit to be amused, instructed, applaud talent and skill, laugh at folly, ignorance, presumption.  Exhib has more trash than ever seen in space.  best pros been idle.  296 picts by 112 artists, 13 excellent, 20 gd, 75 passable, 84 indiff, 91 potboilers, 12 potboilers, xtra

            ladies first obj of attraction no 57, immed opp door in lrg saloon, masterly half length sketch of beaut child, coloring nature itself, ringlets glisten, defect in mouth but sweet expression of whole ac. Ladies shd proceed to sm inner saloon no 185, two children by Inman, all the beauties of this artist and most of his faults, posit of one child badly managed but faces superbly ptd, draw you nearer and nearer; compare to no 256 by Ingham for curious contrast, flatness of his head

            Other ports, 94 by Mr Durand, wretched affair pity artist and sitter, badly ptd or a bad man, eyes are cunning, alicious, roguish, no relief to arms, body an indistinct black mass, left eye squints, hair powdered dust, face effeiminate and foolish, unworthy of Durand, but fault with the weather.

            Then for fun to no 117 port of Col Stone, ridic picts in exhib, eyes turned all way, belly lined, face as handsome as a baboon’s and body well proport as a pine log.  appears to gaze upon Miss Bracket, seated on a pinnacle above him, while writing in Chaldaic characters.  No intellect in countenance, a selfish beast.

No 20 nr door deserves attn, The Great Adirondick Pass, ptd on the spot, lots of pomp and parade for it, by C Ingham NA and a pot boiler extra, defective in drwg, coloring, shading, persp and arrangement, a mass of incongruities.  Compare to no 230 (Bleecker), sm lscape by an amateur most exquis masterly in style of Cuyp with his warmth of coloring and poetic beauty of design, a few rough dashes of pencil produce most pleasing effect imaginable, persp of 20 miles delineated accurately in space of one eighth inch, a gem.

            Exhib enriched w/beaut lscapes by Richardson (9) and Selous (3), all accurate in drwg, diff in style.  No 50 51 are superb, warm, rich, masterly, clouds midway admirab managed, water in shade surpasses anthign here; 98 and 103 beaut but want warmth of modern Amer schl of ptg

            No 103 port of lady and child, parts are v pleasing, some limbs v stiff, many tints beaut, drapery indicates artist capable of higher thing.  v sm and simple pict in a corner no 116 the Lone Indian w/motto (he sits and views his doom in the setting sun), by no means a bad pict, wants boldness and relief, but superior to most of greater pretensions.

            no 112 brother and child unworthy of SA Mount, but better than wretched daub by WS Mount of Mayor of Brooklyn. No 113 Village Toper is a gd pict, of a distinct class, The Idle Man, the Wood Sawyer, the Sleeping Lion (Bleecker), Walking the Chalk, The Rejected picture (Clover), and three or four others all belong to this class, purely Amer in matter and manner, design, humor, incidents, tout ensemble are all Amer and have great merit of originality.

Lit Gazette today has a beaut engraving of the Game of Life, quite a curiosity in its way

May 7 p. 2 ‘Galleries of Art’ took a second tho an accidental peep at the Adirondick Pass by Ingham, at distance of length of large room, diagonally, brilliant light at noon, better and a little tolerable.  milliner-like and minute finish of every herb and shrub melts away in that distance, assumes more healthy natural character, but cold and tame, a misconception in principle

May 8, p. 2 ‘Romantic Expedition across the Rocky Mtns”--Apollo Gallery reopens, with number of orig sketches and views by a young artist of Baltimore, during a romantic journey.  Mr Miller. ptgs of Mr Miller will place before spectator the very form and pressure of the romantic and dangerous life led by these travelers.

May 10, p.1 Coronation of the Queen, Mr Parris ptd a beaut pict, selected happy moment, Archibishop putting crown on head, composit skillfully managed, strongest light on throne and illust persons in foregrd, bur warm reflections relieve every part of the assemblage, even those in lofty galleries.  77 portraits in key, but not the strict fidelity of a port ptr, hardly desired, just an historical resemblance, but can recognize Duke of Wellington etc. linear/aerial persp is perf, sunmy rays brilliant effect, clever production, great research, a commission by Mr Moon the publisher of 1500 guineas for engrav.

May 11, p. 2, ‘meanness’ Major Noah of the Star last evening enumer sculptors of this country forgets young Stout, who has equaled all hist contemp in orig, genius and talen.  because he is a native of NY?

            Review of new books: Corsair under Willis, Narcissus school of lit, tinsel, ornaments pass for gold, Lit Gazette has more taste and scholarship; puffs Millers beaut lscapes at the Apollo Gall

May 14, p. 2, Amusing:  lamentation fr Mr Inman, the artist, with a ditto to Mr Burke by Col Stone in the Commercial last evening, complaining of the press, try to shelter behind the petticoat saying criticism offends them

May 16 p. 2 enumerates the press:  the cash (or penny?) press: Herald, Sun, Transcript, Whig, New Era, Despatch.  Wall street press: Courier and Enquirer, J of Commerce, Daily Express, Times and Gazette, also 4 evening papers, the Star, the American, The Post, andCommercial Advertiser.

            Apollo gallery: Alfred J miller, scenes, portraits, illust, enumerates them in detail.  splendid. beaut bustle and animation in foregrd. spirit and vivacity nearly equal to anything we eer saw, drwg and persp v fine, anatomy of horses superb, coloring; warm and Claude like, more harmony in coloring; somber (the subj), scenery superb and romantic execut v gd, spirited, energetic, very capital portraits, full of Indian character, life, vivacity, beaut gem, fewer abrupt contrasts, soft.  Principal merit is their originality, boldness and accuracy of drwg and persp, some raw coloring.

            Stout’s statue to Boston.  Stanzas written to it by an English Traveller: we have her to the life

May 17, p. 2 Nat Acad: no 63 Selous, Lake of Lucerne, genl effect gd, bldgs chalky, water too grassy, mid distance excellent, mtns admirable relieved, backgrd managed masterly manner; best seen fr 10 feet away, a v beaut little piece of the bridge at 12 ft lookslike reality.

            no 69 full length of Mrs Wood, as Amina (an actress Bennett likes) by Sully, hand of a master, but too sketchy, stay 5 ft away. mouth v defective, partic upper lip, drawn with harsh straight line, forehead too low, drapery stiff and cold, more like Russia duck toweling than muslin, look fr a side view, arms are not natural, solecism in position (face looks up, body angled down), right arm as stiff as a gun barrel, elongated, copied fr Dubufe’s beaut pict La Mesange, but no equals, yet fr distance a v beaut effect.  Sully’s Lady Macbeth, gd but not pleasing, many of Sully’s beauties, all his faults

            71 (HP Gray), 76 (Whitehorne), 77 (Whitehorne), 78 unworthy of crit, not one head stands out fr canvas.  75, D Bronson a (self) Portrait, ‘puppy unknown.’  comments of two beaut girls:  quizzical, man or woman?, as if he had corsets on, bustle, stuffed buson, pattern of gown a gd sofa cover, cap for a fancy ball, a curiosity”

            83 Powell, Family grp (SB Ruggles, also had a portrait belonging to a Van Buren), too stiff and square, legs of lrg girl v bad, hands of all defective, oldest boy a self portr has not flattered himself

            74 Doughty Lscape, Returning fr School, not a bad pict, but too sketchy, figs not well drawn, tho wood in distance and hills excellent, light admirably thrown on v fine foliage, brook natural, old tree in foregrd masterly manner.  Oddie Lscape, too glassy, in a side light looks in camera obscura style, drwg fine, defect in management of shading, keel boat is upright despite being high and dry, rippling waves well managed but main body of water unnatural.  part of sand shore superbly, but rest generally uneven style.  one part excellent, meadow, wood and hill, small distance this part v beaut but close only 3 indisintct masses of color discerned, w/o form or shape, similar to effect by Bleecker in exquis little pg 230

            225 Boys Trapping, Mount, not his best, too much sign painter style, tints on snow not natural, nor trees, clothes meant to be tattered, but resemble best broadcloth

            264 Huntington Lover’s Surprise, much merit in parts, but v glaring faults

            279 Saturday Afternoon, genl tone too cold for rich sunlight thrown thru trees, figs in dance all same size, all short, motion and positions not natural nor graceful.  His Lady no 274 is unnatural..

            288 Pringle, Schooner Herald, gd pict on whole, hull might improve, sails not well ptd, but genl effect gd.

            87 and 289, Butter Hill, The Highlands, Lieut Eastman, gman might employ time better, protest against perfect pot boilers extra in conspic place, no art nor nature, drwg incorrect, coloring unnatural

            268 Deas, Walking the Chalk, design admirableludicrous exertions admirably delineated, drunken gravity irresistible  negro and grp around bar are not well drawn, two principas are not sufficiently in relief

            240 Lscape Bleecker, beaut little pict, 3-4 strokes of brush produces masterly effect, persp equal to all, lscape admirable, color harmonious.

May 21, p. 2, American Mus is going to host a statuary repres of hell, orig by Mr Hield, a genius of Cinti, which next to NY is one of most curious cities in US, births more orig talent and genius, two eminent artists there getting up statuary of Heaven

            -criticisms this yr on Acad exhib most amusing, there is a perfect thaw, complete freedom of discussion, Inman’s foolish letter stirred it up

May 22, p. 2 Robinson has at last got an artist genius style, just pub port of Miss Clifton v beaut

Nat Acad, The Tee-Total Depravity School of Painting (the penny press was called this, Benentt noted previous day, p. 2).  fever into which Mr Henry Inman, port ptr, pres of Nat Acad, bro of sub editor of Commercial Advertiser, lashes himself over indep crit of miserable daubs.  Inman moderate ability, takes credit for role estab Acad, he doesn’t deserve, it’s Morse, educ genius improve elevate enlarged liberal, if followed exhib wld be superior and less bitterness in talented native artists who will not subject themselves to insulting surveillance of clique in control.

            A clique in the Acad of H Inman, Chas Ingham, Tommy Cummings and Durand, control institu, afraid of rivalry.  Duranmd of mediocre talent, dabbling, miserable head of Joe Hoxie ptd to produce a sensation, unlike Hoxie and best he ever ptd.  Little Tommy Cummings never aspired to more than miniature ptg, the v lowest grade of the art, and he caricatures.  Chas Ingham will go down as ptr of Great Adirondack Pass and child with catfish face, now exhib.  Inamn won’t be rememberd as a ptr, his ports are perishable, many pretty and pleasing but out of drwg, and won’t last, turns a quick penny.

            how elevated? met in solemn conclave for a juggle to put Morse out and elect Inman, create a monopoly, effect is seen in exhib.  constrained agst their will to admit beaut picts of Richardson , without which and those by Selous and one or two amateurs, the exhib wld be worthless.  puffs in Commercial Advertiser, got a sitter at the paper (Stone?) to call fair crit a gross insult on ptr and his subj, but miserable port ptrs almost filled both rooms with daubs of unmeaning, stupid senseless heads, bad enuf in real life.  Works belong to none of the old master styles or any school but this; last yr Durand had 16 picts all on the line, to exclude many infinitely better.  Some 30 - 40 talented artists intend to found new acad on most honorable and liberal principles, pres for Richardson.

May 24, p. 2 ‘the new art’ gives long technical explanation of the Daguerr process (taken fr a London paper)

May 25, p. 2, Cooper our best writer.  Inman Clique of Acad stung at truth told of their exhib, came out in Commercial last eve w/genl charge of licentiousness, and pretends to give a criticism of their daubs.  will show them up

May 28, p. 2 Sully’s Celeb ptg of QV, letter from Phila, he’s settled q of whether he or St George’s society had right to exhibit it, he will show it in NYC next wk.  Saw it in a house in Pall Mall in London, magnificent pict, fine likeness, he has the rep of having taken the best likeness of her, she agreed, Sully’s daughter sat for drapery and portions not involving a likeness. every demo and locofoco can form a v accurate opinon of the Queen. are we becoming loyalists? it’s the pretty little woman, not the queen, that takes here.

May 29, p. 2 ‘four nat’ ptgs’ Mr Weir, Mr Chapman, Mr Vanderlyn and Mr Inman engaged, $10,000 ea. gives their subjects (Inman planning a camping scene in western prairies), predicts Weir paints the best and Inman the worst

p.3 Apollo gallery 410 Broadway does advertise, choice coll of gems by eminent old masters too. Ad for Infernal Regions at the City Saloon

May 30 p. 2, Nat Acad, its history one of arrogance, folly, ignorance and insolence, the Clique (adds Morton) schemed to get reins, reduced rank of several academicians to associates (Remb Peale, ithiel Town, WG Wall, J Frazee, ME Thompson, N Rogers, CC Wright, ML Danforth), no more academicians, rejected the following as associates:  Catherwood, Doughty, J Beaumont, JH Shegogue, Gambardella, WH Powell, LP Clover, G Hite), despite superiority.  Hite’s miniatures is before Cummings, whose style is inferior, and miniatures incorrect.  Associates elected were Huntingdon, Harris, Mooney and Weinedel, Huntington alone talent sufficient for rank.

            system of this clique the same as bankers, politicians, lawyers, doctors, same spirit of arrogance, empty pride, ignorance, to monopolize the best business etc, thus Inman’s censorship. further have rejected statuary fr the exhib. (Stout, etc)

June 1, 1839, movement of the artists, mtg in the Rooms, 410 Broadway next Monday evening, to consider best method of advancing genius and talent now overborn by NAD clique

Jun 3 p. 2 notes an academy in London of water colors has been founded; attacks the Corsair again for criticizing Genl Morris as author of Life in New York, while Porter (the ed?) knew it was a lie, tells him to and birch little boys; notes that Wilkie’s earliest ptg, the pinch of snuff, sold for 50 pounds, Matsys’ Misers sold for $525; at the Queen’s ball, twas hung with portraits, inclu one by Wilkie

Jun 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 1839, nothing

June 6, a 8 page edition so he can publish entire series of six woodcuts of Life in NY, tho some are repeats, e.g. p. 2 Tappan Holding forth in the Tabernacle is a rerun of his anti slavery cartoon, with the explanation that this convention of 1839 is where the doctrines of amalgamation were first openly promulgated bya black preacher, Sports in Wall Street (the devil bowling), explained as the arrival of news on the Great Western steamer of a tight money market in London; p. 3 more reruns, titled a Wall Street Editor Promenading, leading ed and litterateurs of Broadway, on the battery, lost his pocket hanky, emblem of his condition, picked up by a newsboy who swears taint worth a dem., and A Wall Street Broker a Hundred Years Ago, sending a letter to the post office and taking the world calmly and coolly;  p. 6 reruns, now titled Reception of a Fair Millionaire at Saratoga by the charges and other foreign legations fr DC; oney makes the mare go;  paried with Fashionable Irish Washerwomen preparing for Saratoga, Five Points washing second hand finery to start a fashionable excursion (everyone goes to Saratoga now), fine bouncing girls; p. 7, more reruns, now Fashion at Saratoga, with a couple dancing at a quadrille party made up of hot ton of NY, retired tailors and dealers in train oil with fat daughters and boney sons.  The fellow in the corner is a card in the street. Paired with the one of Van Buren on Horseback, now titled the President Setting out to Review the Camp at Trenton.

Jun 11 p.2 a society lady excludes flat poets and potboiler artists fr her recherché assemblies;  Clavenger, the young sculpt fr Cinti arrived, take head of Philip Hone Esq, none can take an accurate likeness of the inside of this head but us

Jun 14 p. 2 Mysterious Impulse, loafing at foot of Beekman st, watching a pretty strawberry girl, enters a vessel, saw in cabin a most beaut ptg of Queen V on glass, vivid and sparkling colors, sitting negligently, carelessly hanging, benign expr happy face, entranced by brilliant coloring, delicacy tints, fine expr of face, exquis moulding of fig, artist of Liverpool; Sully’s port is most beaut, resemblance betw her proport and those of Stout’s statue is astonishing, present exhib rm too small, shd be with catlin’s Gallery and Stout in the Stuyvesant

p.3 ads for Alex Lowe, Repository of Fine Arts, on Canal st nr Broadway, just fr London, immense assort ofEngrav and LIthos by most eminent artists, every descript, fr inch square to largest, 12 ½ cents per doz to several dollars ea, ones not before in this country. Sully’s Victoria is at 155 Broadway; ad for Catlin, emphasis on Indian portraits

Jun 16, p. 2 Stout’s Statue, the American calls perfect except right foot, so Bennett measured it, only 8 ¼ inches, statue five feet hi, half an inch off,  foot to large in proportion to height?  every lady to measure her foot, a beaut slipper sent by a Span lady Victoria’s size, exactly 8 ¼ inches; praises Harry Franco, a tale of the great Panic, publd by Saunders, amusing trifle, graphic not overcolored scenes of life in NY

Jun 20, p. 4, now gets Dorfeuille’s name correct as inventor of exhib of Hell at city saloon, mentions he has drwgs of mounds of Ohio, vessels, idols, resemble ntiquities of Egypt etc; says the Blacklegs are all in Cinti, and the Astor House attracts the species of custom the Washington Hall once did

Jun 25 p 2 Criticizes Soc of St Geo for not letting Sully exhib Queen V, suggests that rather than being benefactors of the arts, it was a kind of commercial enterprise for them;  also notes Clavenger busts at the Apollo, like townsman Powers and Stout a self taught genius, promises a hist of the Amer school of art (sculpt)

Jun 27, p.2 notes that NAD has offered their room to Sully, but asks why not to Stout

Jun 28, p.1 Works of Art Robinson pub’d v elegant litho Bowery theatre and adjoining hotels, ‘from nature’ novel since man made the town, but theatres may now grow as trees once did; his Hamblin as Richard Darvil is gd sketch of costume, but not likeness

Jun 29, p. 2 print of Queen Victoria pubd by the (NY) Albion in several shop windows w/elegant frames, unworthy of it, badly exec, coarse and vulgar in appearance, no resemblance 

Jul 1, 1839, p. 1 Amer Statuary, bust of Phil Hone by Clavenger at Apollo is marked, peculiar and striking likeness, extraord merit as artwork, thrown into his feature smore intellectual expr than we ever saw, every lineament of face is perfect.  Compared to bust by Stout, high, ideal, heroic, orig, boldness vs Clavenger chaste, correct, finished, both full of enthusiasm. p. 2 Lines written impromptu on seeing the picture of Washington’s villa at Mt Vernon, by Rev Wm Jay, Bath England, no reference to the pict; more on St George compet with Sully, they try to monopolize

Jul 2 p.2 reuses old Van Buren cartoon to suggest his lords in waiting Mayor Varian and Mr Edmonds (an orator) attend him

July 3, 8, 10, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 29, 30, 31, 1839, nothing

Jul 4, p. 2 ‘sitting for my miniature’ for several days to Mr Southworth, a young artist of Boston now at 10 Park place, first time ever, but friend showed so exquis little miniatures of  Southwick that couldn’t resist.  Process is a droll affair.  Ptr first throws off a few rude sketches of forehd, nose, hair and outlines, while sitter fidgets, next ptr puts light into the eye, hangs exp on cheek, pins firmness on the lip, sitter relaxes and begins to talk of his past life.  3^rd day ptr breathes broad expr of the soul over the face, eyes lighten with something intellectual, gives feeling to the lips, and brings out of a few colors the whole inward man.  List of amusements for the 4^th doesn’t include NAD? ‘cause they don’t advertise? [Star doesn’t like Sully’s portrait? thinks QV is squat in real life]

Jul 9, p. 2 seen a print of the “old North” battleship--no sailor drew this [Aug 1 says Robinson of Courtlandt St has pub a most beaut print of noble ship Brit Queen litho’d by Napoleon Saroney, most admirable repres, worth money]

Jul 12, p.2, Van Buren visits Senator Hunter’s mansion on an island, Hunter’s splendid coll of ptgs cost him abt 180,000, princely mansion, parlor and drwg rms open into ea other, entire walls of both covered superb picts coll by his agent in Europe, undoubted origs by Salvator Rosa, Snyder, Rubens, Rafaelle, Carlo Dolci, Andrea del Sarto, Leonardo, Pompeio Battoni, Mengs, Tibaldi, Andrea Sacchi, Paolo Vereonese, Titian, Rembrandt Vandyke etc, grand hall also contains picts.  Mr Hunter’s daughter in law, amiable and accomplished, excellent judgment, fine taste, criticisms on the ptgs, some gmen couldn’t disting a Carlo Dolci fr a Rembrandt, a Rubens fr a Cuyp, a Snyder fr an Annibal Carracci, a Rosa fr a Raphael, a Titian fr a Claude.  A v fine ptg of the Graces admired, tho coloring like most picts by same master is too cold.  Ptg of Cromwell and Mrs. Claypole by Vandyck is in his happiest style.  2 large ptgs by Snyder in the hall, appear as if like Remb he took advant of accident and used pallet knife; a Magdalen v beaut ptd so much exquis softness of C Dolci to be deficient in strength of tone; a Judith w/Head of Holofernes superb, defect of Titian, form of models not corrected by genl idea of beauty in mind of artist, tho parts are in style of Carlo Maratti, and have his defect of overlayin with artificially dispersed drapery.  Holy Family by Andrea del Sarto has rich tinting of that master, pict by Rubens below among the best in coll.  He won’t criticize the remarks made on the ptgs.

            Description is in context of his presenting Van Buren as His Republican Highness, Demo Majesty, amongst old noblesse, the Schuylers, Livingstons, Clintons

Jul 13 p. 2 Trial of Ezra White for murder, DA examines Wm Hale, a ptr at 22 Laurens st, went to school with prisoner, went to Gaffney’s together, saw there Stout (the sculptor?, Timpson and another)

Jul 16, p. 2 describing van buren’s travels, notes Mayor of NY came to Sing sing with Hallett, cleark of supreme court, and host of loafers and locofocos, then reuses cartoon of dandy and newsboy; Bennett went to Boston to see Clavenger’s studio and Allston’s gallery; continues Jul 19, p. 2 reruns cartoon of bad dancers as if it represents the ball at Cold Springs VB attended, a complete hodge podge of old noblesse, common place, locofocs of lower order etc., His Majesty is repress in foregrd of above pict on right, fat  young daught of wealthy store keeper danced with a disting militia officer in kneebreeches, the man with hi shirt collar and military coat behind the fat lady is a fair repress of Dicky Major Delafield, Prince Van Buren in backgrd to right, talking to influential blue stocking

Jul 24 p. 2 and previous day notes destruction of Stout’s statue when it was being loaded for shipment to boston, where a finer taste for ptg and statuary than in any other city. first full length statue ever modeled by a native artists, value est $3-10,000

Jul 26 p. 2 extract fr Capt Marryatt’s diary of NY, Bennett doesn’t think it v gd… not many fine bldgs, Astor House simple but the grandest.  In city Hall’s lrge rm some interesting pictures and busts, some v fair speciments of art, spirited is of Commodore Perry, Decatur’s port also v fine

Jul 27 p. 2, urges subscript for Stout, compares him to fuss re Powers, Stout’s beauty finish boldness of concept orig of design exceeds; p. 3 puffs Niblo’s revolving statues (feats of strength and agility by the Ravel family), caused a furor among artistes, amateurs, connoisseurs and whole class of visitors

August 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 16, 17, 19, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31,1839, nothing

Aug 3, p. 2, Monsieur Edouard, 411 Broadway, v curious exhib of likenesses cut r paper by common scissors, invited him to have a likeness; doesn’t think Brother jonathan amounts to anything, dislikes old Knickerbocker crowd as part of past era, present day lit too namby pamby, Literary Gazette that he’d promoted has died, thinks Corsair will follow, other weeklies are humbugs too.

Apr 6 p. 2 Discovery in the Arts is of a new way of reprinting bks, or reproducing engravings

Apr 12, p. 3 ads for Grand Attraction, Public exhib of Ptg of Boissy D’Anglos, scene of French Rev, magnify, by celeb Vinchon, most dramatical and vivid interest, expressed in most animated style, anger, fury, thirst of blood vs coolness of mind, passive courage and dignity; 200 persons of life size inclu James Monroe, masterpiece successful Euro, at Clinton Hall, 25 cents.  Also still ad for new Catherwood panorama coming

Aug 13 p.1 woodcut of Croton Aquaduct bridge; “an exact picture” fig. of a fisherman intro’d at left for scale (I don’t see him), the longest in the world; (another view in the continuing series on the aquaduct Aug 15 p. 1, and on Aug 27 p.2 of the Appian aquaduct, the first Roman one, part of his comparison of ancient and modern. Sept 4 p. 2); p. 2 covers the new issues of monthlies, praises an excell’y engrav view in England in Ladies Comp, an admirable illus in Colman’s Monthly Miscellany, a v excel engrav of the gamekeeper’s Fireside in Burton’s Mag and mentions the ‘cut direct’ a litho sketch of the late scene at Saratoga byRobinson of Courtlandt, the likeness of Van Buren excel, position inimitable (on the 15^th p. 2 describes it a little more, Mrs. Clinton cutting Van Buren)

Aug 20, p. 2 “miniature painters” subj to innovation and assumption of pretenders and novices, sitters oft disappointed w/quacks; one who can paint is Mr. DF Ames, 152 Broadway pre-eminent, seen a strking mini likeness of celeb character excellent w/o a sitting

Aug 21, p. 2, searching for the picturesque, 2 pretty girls complained of a young man kissing them at 2 am, saying he was searching for the picturesque, name was Butter Phillips, and an artist.

Sept 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 1839, nothing

Sept 7, p. 2 notes Childs, Lithog of Fulton St nr Brodway pub 2 prints of slave schooner L’Amistad, repres interesting scenes important movements v well executed. 

Bennett’s seemed to support the slaves, but now is turning against them.

Sept 10, p.2, ‘greater than the Louvre for sale’, the Gallery of Ptgs at the Academy is to be sold today by auction, connoisseurs had better attend; ads p.3 for Exhib at Fraser’s Gall 322 Brodway, v beaut and valuable Ancient and Mod Ptgs of various schls, rich frames, consigned fr London during this yr, never before exhib, on private sale, 25 cents admission; Masonic Hall on Brdway Battle of Bunker Hill Nat’l Moving Diorama, presented by Lewis, Bartholomew & Co, combo of mechanism and scenery, not just a ptg

Sept 11 p.1 a two part map of the battle betw the Turks and the Egyptians; fr England Queen V has been sitting to Wilkie for her port, to be part of a grand hist pict

Sept 12 p. 1 woodcut of a Methodist Camp Mtg;  writer has sent a sketch of scene, the preacher’s platform does look like  a puppet box at a fair, benches for pews in front, mostly women, tents for the various districts, all done with order, regularity,neatness and care

Sept 17, praises Arlington Hse on Long island, New Utrecht, v classical taste, beauty simplicity elegance, our engraver prepping, only private country hse of true Grecian proportions

Sept 20, p. 2 suggests Audobon shd sketch lively bulls and bears of wall st; p.3 ad for Boissy ptg, splendid, amplifies what event is depicted

Sept 21, p. 1Map of Asia, illus milit movements of fighting in the East (Crimean?)

Sept 25, p. 2 v beaut engravings of the Church du Saint Esprit, which burnt on the 23^rd, corner of Franklin and Church, a Greek prostyle temple, with tetrastyle Ionic portico, pronaos, double range of columns, dome nave transept, egg and dart, lantern, lots of comparisons to Athenian architecture; on the 26^th p.2 is engrav of their organ, chaste simplicity, plainness, etc. (Episcopal)

-- likes Southern Lit Messenger and their attack on the Willis clique

Oct. 1, 1839 p. 4 puffs Audobon drwgs at the Lyceum of Natural Hist in Brdway, collection not seen since the flood.  Engrav of Arlington Hse, new order of columns, the Columbian, v simple and chaste, elegance and comfort; p. 6 the new art, at Chilton’s in Broadway v curious speciment of new mode, Daguerre, copper exact resemblances, describes the process as done by Mr. Segur.  most remarkable gem, looks like fairy work, changes colors; p. 7 reprints engravings of the French church that burnt, plus a new one of the Conflagration that took the National theatre, 3 churches and many houses, shows firemen

Oct 2, p.2 notes Ladies Fair at the Apollo is pretty, elegant and recherché, and lists pictorial tapestry work, beaut framed, inclu landing of Columbus, repres of GW;  puffs Audubon’s drwgs, beauty and splendor, truly great man, in Lyceum in Broadway (an even longer puff on p.2 of Oct 5, with bio); letter fr Baltimore describes visit to studio of Alfred J Miller, universally admired, large and highly-wrought pict to be exhib at Apollo Gallery, immense labor

Oct 3 p. 2 notes of a murder of a pastry shop girl by her dad that he has sent a miniature painter and draftsman and reporter to get full accurate particulars, with sketches of the scene, port of the beaut but ill fated girl; also promises a splendid engrav of Cinque and the abolitionists kissing, faithful repres of eyewitness; promises to notice the Exhib of the battle of Bunker hill at Masonic hall by a young artist

Oct 4, p. 2, engraving of the Captured Africans of the Amistad Teaching Philosophy to Lewis Tappen & Co in the Prison at Hartford.  Shows Cinque kneeling, woman lifting whit girl to be kissed, watched by other fashionable, pious, learned and gay whites (one of whom is an excellent likeness of Tappan), other blacks sitting on ground, doing somersaults (their acme of civiliz), all barefoot, watched by a crowd of people.  Eleg engrav designed by Peter Quaint fr NY, a distinguished young artist of great genius, engraved by Elton, near mom is celeb phrenologist Mr Pierce, other negroes are scratching themselves, worthy pencil of Hogarth; lots of mocking of their language

Oct 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 1839, nothing

Oct 10 p.2 letter fr Phila praises his woodcut of the burnt district, also his excellent repres of Cinque et al sold lots of papers, crowd of merchants roared with laughter, even the Quakers;  notes an auction of furn fr a bordello, include parlors crowded w/connoiss of fine arts exam costly ptgs superb engraves and exquis speciments of sculpt; picts in the bedrooms too, only 2 ports, one a fine line engrav fr Lawrence’s pict of Geo IV, other  of Thom S Hamblin as Hamlet, thick bids.  A puff for Audobon, fash ladies and savans go.  Criticizes Amer Inst Fair for partial distrib of prizes, agrees with the ad in today’s paper by Wm Gibson, a respectable and ingenious artist, p. 3, who writes on behalf of all artists and mechanics, art and workmanship

--likes Prosper Wetmore (locofoco?), dislikes Philip Hone (part of Wall St clique, Whig)

Oct. 22, p.2, woodcut is a correct copy of a miniature of the murdered girl, taken at 17, then describes her face, portr represents the peculiar look she usually had in her dad’s store, tho woodcut can’t give occasional animated expr of countenance.  describes hubby too.  Puff for Sully’s port of Victoria, crowds, magnify, splendid specimen

Oct 25 p. 2 woodcut for ongoing story of murdered Philly girl, engr by Elton, titled Miss Wood was shot by her father, shows her bedroom with fancy drapes on bed, a man who looks black, her on the floor, a picture (or two?) on the wall, rug, drapes, another man looking shocked at the door.  According to description, depicts the moment the negro waiter entered and found her father in the doorway, confessing, having dropped his pistols.  Accurate view of the rm and incidents.  (weird, though, to choose moment--looks like black man killed her)

Nov. 1, 1839, p. 2  Woodcut of Great Demo Meeting in Tammany Hall of Buttenders, Pointenders, Huge Paws, Ring tails, Locofocos, Ninth ward roarers, Ball Rollers, etc etc, oct 1839.  Shows a crowd scene, no walls, but chandelier suggests ballroom, a kind of satanic bat figure hovering overhead with banner, men call out various slogans, Demosthanes hides his d--d head, down with the postage, working men forever, the men themsvles chaotic, one rides another’s shoulders, a boy pickpocket, climb wall to seats, a fife and drum, comic fat, bespectacled, etc, Gen Ward Will Speak.  Peter Quaint is artist.  Verbal descript says coll of motley types, rags, crowds of every age size character and condition, respectable and rascals, all wanted to speak, all very excited

Nov. 2, p.1 Reviews the Literary Souvenir, ed WE Burton, Carey & Hart, Wiley & Putnam, pub, doesn’t admire the annuals, too pretty, vehicles for maudlin trashy sentimentalism, but of grt service to fine arts, impr public taste, raised engraver alm to rank of painter, tho he does not originate, he circulates the unsaleable productions of the unknown and the famed, raised engraver fr mere mechanic to artist, walls of farmer and peasant now dec w/pictorial representations once seen only in villas of our merchant princes; illust are beaut, compare to finest fr burin of Heath or Finden, frontispiece loveable port of a gypsy woman fr pict by Rocharchard, sweet face and v characteristic, title page mermaid hands well shapen, ‘my boyhood’s love” fr a sketch by Sully, sort of prettiness a mere boy might be thought to love; sweet and truly aristo ports of female by Whalen, La Jeunne Ja?uette, a gem, also Leopold Roberts Peasant Girl, mentions a couple of scenic engravings

Nov 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 30, 1839, nothing

Nov 5, p.2, Humors of the Election, woodcut, a chaotic crowd scene (the hydra-headed locofoco party) in front of Tammany Hall, view down the street behind

Nov 8 p. 2 Eglington Tournament woodcut, copied fr an English paper; calls it a humbug, one of the literary characters in the audience is NP Willis

Nov. 9 p. 2 woodcut illust of knives given to Amistad men by abolit;  Alexandre (Vattemare) the celeb ventriloquist Acad of Des his unique coll of orig drwgs, nrly 1000 (700), view of art in 27 countries…private view of these gems remarkable coll, opinion of every artist, wants to assist prog of art.  Ad p. 3, notes it’s by Living artists, cosmopolite owner

Nov 18 p. 2 puffs James Turpin’s v handsomely engrav map of Battle of St Chas, correctly drwn, faithful pict, well exec, handsome pict;  Apollo Gall exhib is last before distrib, the best displayed in our city for some time;  full length port of Gov Marcy by Page, ptd for city, is alone worth a visit, also fine specimens by Sully, Cole, Inman and others

Nov 25, p. 6, woodcut Procession of Buttenders thru Penn Ave to Capitol on org of congress, with signs, a band, deep recession of street (reused previous street scene woodcut, Tammany Hall sign still in place); p. 7 re run scene of Amistad men in prison

Nov 28 p. 2 puffs West’s pict of Christ rejected, advertised in paper, celeb ptg in Old Country

Dec 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 21, 24, 27, 28, 31, 1839, nothing

Dec 5, p. 1 reruns two woodcuts, the same street scene (now with Tammany sign removed and new wording on the banners) called Commencement of a Row in Washington, as model for how the House of Reps shd organize themselves, after the manner of the NYC locofocos; then a woodcut that was perhaps of a trial? chandeliers, more banners, now to repress the assembly house’s (lack of) order

Dec 12 p.2 Ladies charitable fair at Almack’s on Broadway, doz tables, ea w/some beaut ptg or ottoman, beaut sm ptg of finding of Jesus

Dec 14 p. 3 ad for Sunday Morning Atlas’ woodcut extraordy, superb, review of Grand Army in the Park, w/ports of disting officers, orig drama of events

Dec 16 p.1 woodcut by Peter Quaint of Insurrection in Helderbarrack (the patron war against Rensselaer), shows forces lined up, plump dutchmen firing chickens and pigs, soldiers fleeing in terror  (no narrative, but accompanied by fake ‘border ballads’)

Dec 17 p. 2 puffs the English annual the Forget Me Not pub by Appleton, particularly mentions the 10 superb engravings, in detail, inclu port of Queen V, likeness, beaut figure faultless, etc.;  loves So Lit Mess

Dec 20 p.2  Greenough’s Stat of GW is beg to attract penny critics, one says it shd be standing, another sitting, one quotes Jupiter Tonans and the Laocoon, others common sense for the former

Dec 23 p. 4, more puffs of all the annuals, esp the costly engravings; blurb on lady in New Orleans too modest to undress before a port of Genl Jackson, unless turned to wall

Dec 25 p.2 pleased veteran Trumbull ag 84 finished copies of Transfiguration and St Jerome fr Vatican, fine arts making rapid prog, puffs Alexandre Vattemore, Weir Cole Durand and Johnson all sent him beaut drwgs for an Amer Album if gets support of Congress

Dec 30 p 1 item abt Horace Vernet discussing ptg with Pasha of Egypt

Jan 1, 1840 p. 2 notice of Lost ptgs, calls attn to ad, p. 3 lost betw 12 and 1 pm on Murray thru Church st, a paper rolled up with one drwg and one engrav, finder rewarded at No 2 Murray st

Jan 4 p.2 lives of recently deceased businessmen, inclu Samuel Ward, a gmen of easy manners, good address, liberal educ, industrious, remarkable for Wall st, no mean taste for the fine arts. von vivant early life, temperance society.  His coll of ptgs supposed worth $20,000, finest priv gallery in country, excellent productions of Flemish school, Cuyp, Ostade, Teniers and others, but v badly arranged

Jan 10 p. 2, money diggers, capt kidd treasure on plumb island, all loafers idlers shld go

Jan 17 p. 2 Sir MA Shee has been relected Pres of RA

Jan 18 p.2 Letter fr Bennett in Phila, saw a curiosity in ptg at a private residence in Chestnut st, the first port ptd by Henry Inman of NY, where we know his ambitious, florid, gaudy style.  This ptg modest as a cowslip, w/all defects and beauties run thru his picts of the present time.  Opposite was port of beaut young lady by young Ital d yellow fever in Havana, interesting, attitude air spirit expr reminds self port of Raphael in Louvre. highest arts, to give speaking countenance, coloring drapery belong to ambitious florid schl, but attitude grace air naïve and antique.  additional interes is orig is young daught of celeb Mr Swain of Phila, medical inventor, sensation for her neclace of $50,000 pearls at ball at US hotel.

            -review of Godey’s Jan 1840, repeatedly calls it pretty.  Ladies Companion eleg tasty, well exec plate of GW home.

Jan 21 p. 2, asks what is the bluster and rhodomontade betw Gourand and Seager respecting the Daguerreotype

Jan 22 p. 3 ad for L Frank arrived in city splend coll Oil Ptgs celeb artists, Euro lscapes, peasantry, fruit flower madonnas etc, porcelains, glass, soap, purses etc 240 Grand st

Jan 23 p. 2, regarding a late fashionable elopement of Catherine D----y, one of her former suitors was a talented young ptr who sketched delicious lscapes she presiding goddess of sylvan scene

Jan 24 p. 2 Bennett’s letter, now fr DC, re President living exclusively like proud English lord in castle, with withered old dandies as companions, play whist look at French prints of beaut young women in pict attitudes

Jan 27 p. 2 Evening Star is organ of Albany clique, while American is organ of Webster clique.  Has an ongoing controversy with Jacob and Capt Vanderbilt (over the explosion of one of their steamboats). blames whigs and col webb for series of riots in the past.

            J Inman of the Commercial under cover of bio of Jarvis, whom he abuses, gives his bro Henry a tremendous puff.  Impudence!

Jan 28 ‘Jarvis and his Traducer’ impudent libel on the memory of poor Jarvis, the ptr, by J Inman to puff his bro Henry is met by son of deceased artist in letter:  C Jarvis 140 Canal ST, Mr. Editor, noticed in Comm Advert an article re my deceased father, John Westly Jarvis, many things entirely devoid of truth, had better ascertain the real facts.  If Inmans imagine can build up a reputation in lit or ptg by such calumnies on dead, will be mistaken in the end.

Jan 29 p. 2 re-uses woodcut of dancing, now titled Blair’s (editor of the admin official paper, the Globe) Grand Loco Foco Ball and Cotillion Prty at Washington given to elect a printer, 1840

            -long notice of a fancy ball to be given by the Brevoorts on 5^th Ave, father a peer of Astor, made money in real estate.  Mansion furnished in most eleg French style, Mr B went to Columbia with Irving and Verplanck, accomplished, grt patron of fine arts, priv gall most unique and select in city, first works of modern Fr and Engl ptrs collected during his residence there, also a grt part of Amer art inclu Mount’s celeb gem The Raffle, not political.

p.3 puff for Europ ptgs, on second exhib, splendid, Boradway and Chamber strs, part of same large priv coll, superior in beauty and value to previous, considered the finest in the city, splendidly framed for drwg rm, beaut gems, 10,000 visited before

Jan 30 p.2 praises Mitchell’s Olympic, cheap, attracted all the bowery boys, Hamblin must put on a spectacle to compete

            Old Ital ptgs, Mr John Clark opened 281 Broadway splendid exhib eminent artists during high palmy day, Rosa guido dolce Poussin Corregio Leonardo, Wouvermans Carraccis, etc. originals? We affirm every one is a copy, many of them bad.  Carlo Dolci, Annunciation, sd in catalog to be orig, is in a priv gallery nr London.  impudence and charlatanism.

Feb 1 1840 p. 2 portraits of Queen and Albert in lids of gold snuff boxes gifts to foreign ambass; p. 3 Gov Seward appts John Inman Commissioner of Deeds

Feb 5 p. 2 gives gd review to Poets of Amer, illus by one of her ptrs, tact descrimination, choicest specimens, Mr Keese editor, assumes ladies are readers.

            Old ptgs old humbug: trashes exhib in granite bldgs in Broadway by Mr Clarke, mock auction shop.  5-6 pretty gd picts out of nearly 400, many old, most daubed over.  Some of the principal:

no. 6 Judith and Holofernes, sd Forini, $8,000, puffed in catalog, v bad design, proportions out, posit v bad, face unnatural, posture ungraceful, tone coloring whole wants harmony. No 51 Madonna and Child Luca Pigni, $2500, wretched daub w/o taste, harmony or skill.

            19 Rape of Sabines, sd Poussin, impudent forgery, drwg of limbs in foregrd out of proportion, coloring flesh cold, marbly, unnatural, persp in orig admirably managed, beneath crit in this miserable daub copy.  No 13 marine view sd S Rosa but not, no touch of immortal hand.  tolerably gd pict, tho tower in foregrd out of drwg, fetch at Levy’s abt $16, priced $10,000.

            No 101 crayon sketch, well exec, tolerable freedom effect, gd, worth abt #20, priced $500.  No 133 sea view Naples, common, badly drwn, miserable coloring, touched up, persp poorly managed, $1,300.

            No 7 Narcissus at Ftn, sd Bellivert, valued $10,000.  better have sold at Snow’s for $20, miserably daubed up, sm part of drapery well drawn and colored, rest beneath crit

            No 34 Susanna and Elders sd Pignoni, valued $2500. v poor affair, attitude countenance most unnatural, inviting.  No 113 Holy Family, unpretending pretty gd pict old Roman schl, fair illust happy effect blending masses of brite colors harmony tone

            Nos 50, 51, miserable daubes (Seasons) priced $4000.  No 41 Patience of Job, most contemptible pieces of trash ever exhib, coloring drwg awfully bad.  No 45 Madonna enthroned, villainous, out of drwg. 

            No 3 Annunciation, impudently orig Carlo Dolci $5000. Infamous daub, no order, harmony keeping, not worth $5.

Fair sample whole, except few well exec statues in a priv rm, some half doz Venuses, Dianas, Cleopatras and Lucretias. foreign trash.  p. 3 great sale of splendid Euro ptgs takes place tomorrow at corner Chambers and Broadway; also an ad for Gourand’s daguerreotype exhib

Feb 7 p. 2, [uffs Audobon’s cheap octavo form of Birds, to bring it within means, all drwgs, admirably reduced.  Notes quarrel in Courier betw Geo P Morris, songwriter for loafers, and a Capt? Morgan

Feb 12 p. 2 reuses woodcut of devil bowling in Wall st, knocking down assets and securities

Feb 13 p. 2 The Times is going to become the Morning Chronicle; the Dispatch (Day and Weld) merged w/Mr Wilson’s paper (the Tattler?), and the Whig, Tattler, Dispatch and Brother Jonathan welded together

Feb 14 p. 2 Apollo Gallery: delightful places of resort in city, ptgs gen v g, grt no by our native artists, are really surprising; honor to city and country.  present exhib v superior to wretched humbug of old daubs shown by Clark and which Noah puffs w/o knowing abt them; ad for the New World; Feb 17. p. 2 repeats puff for Apollo (some gd pictures) and slam at Clarke’s Imposture oppos Washington hotel

Feb 18 p. 2 sarcastic re Fancy Ball of an Irish Washerwoman, our engraver now on a splendid drwg, debutantes at washing tub, in prep for ball, will become leaders of fash society, natural progress of rank in republican city. Feb 19 p. 2 reuses old woodcut, suggests Irish are black, Indians and jim crow will attend, long mean story.  Also notes Prof Morse has done a photogenic drwg or sun ptg, as well as Gouraud, pupil of Daguerre (his ad p. 1 for his practical demonstrations in the new granite bldg, Chambers and Broadway, takes views of City Hall and Amer Institue, one hour lecture, in French,  Spanish as well as English, $1); Feb 28 p. 2 puffs Morse again, slight slam at Garraud

Feb 19 “Impudence” Inman the ptr visit Louisvile to pt scene for his large pict, employs bro of Comm to write prep puffs, send them there, solicting jobs to paint heads as a beggar solicits alms, which appear in Louisville J several days in succession, reminding us of the mountebank.  His ptgs will perish sooner than those of any living artist on account of his manner of ptg, a port is valuable when it can be preserved, as such, Inman’s are worthless in our opinion.

Feb 20 p.2 ad for a gd racy indep quick theatrical reporter to cut up theatrical humbugs and do justice to gd acting, will also be required to review ptgs and lit

Feb 21, p. 2 reruns devil bowling woodcut, more on Manhattan bank

Feb 27 p. 2 new? engrav by Elton of Grand Musical Soiree, crowd of beauty and fashion and folly and plebeians, system of fash educ.  actual party, Mrs. Okill, no 8 Clinton place, finishing school, all accomplished.  Sugests it was Ariel who sketched the interesting scene of a sweet girl playing scientifically at the piano, with other young ladies listening, and an exquisite shedding tears fr force of sympathy.  Skilful  artist engrav caught true enthusiasm and spirit of scene, only objectionable feature, manner of lovely singer of opening her mouth too wide. faithful representation, doesn’t do justice to charms and graces.  Such is a fashionable soiree, growing out of fashionable boarding schl syst of educ in vogue, part of progress of present syst of fash society, working toward complete revulsion of whole community.  Never learn one useful thing, drive husband to devil faster.  Notice of a fancy ball at Earl of Essex, formed picturesque tableaux, inclu Leslie’s Picture of Ldy Jane Grey, recommend it to Brevoorts

Feb 29, p. 2, promises in Weekly Herald of today to give woodcuts of Brevoort fancy ball

Mar 2 1840 p. 1 gives engraving of floor plan of first and second floors of Brevoort mansion (notes furniture is in Renaissance style), then describes the arrangements for the ball in detail, inclu Red Room:  lscape with sheep etc Ommagang, large capital works of grt Antwerp artist, the sunny warmth and depth of Claude or Both, breathein g animals, ptr of present age, d 1829.  Pict by Bellanger perfect fidelity vet Napoleon’s guard crossing Seine toward his native village;  Teniers moonlight, others by Terburg, Vandervelde, Page and maids of honor by Fraugelir.  Green Rm:  Raphael Virgin and child, a pict brought fr So Amer, scene transferred fr print to canvass, all the ideality, loveliness and grace.  2 capital productions of Boucher, 2 by Frauguelir, l’abandonner, grisette reading a love letter, see Paul de Kock’s novels for this species of the sex.  Blue Rm: Coiguy’s admirable Swiss views, fine pict of Tribute Money by Jordans,. Yellow Rm: Pine’s port of GW, w/orig letter of Gen 1785 addressed to F Hopkinson Esq humor descry sittings to English ptrs.  resembles port of Reynolds, Pine’s rival; Gen in uniform, hands on cane, 53, no artificial teeth, masterly port, features in perfect harmony, firmness dignity benevolence.  Library, coll. of Dantan charges (modeled caricatures) of eminent of Europe, artist hardly known in US, a Hogarth in clay.  These were the main rooms or saloons for dancing and sitting. 

            keeps promising engraving etc for the Irish Grand Fancy Ball.

Mar 5 p. 2:  Brilliant Bal Costume, at O’Dogherty Hse, doings of dustmen, hackmen in high life, soapsuds looking up,  great sensation among the clear starchers, the ‘has beens’ and the ‘are to bes’

            -dining table runs parallel to picture plane (Elton), a jester of sorts with bottle in backgrd,, leering men, simpering women, drinking, a band in backgrd too, man w/whip? mouths open, one under the table.

            -description emphasizes mixed company, 3000 instead of the Brevoort 500, blacks, natives, Indians, convicts, Chinese, Moors, every nation under the sun, unlike Brevoorts restricted to old dutch society.  the tableaux was of Donnybrook fair.  attendees included Col Stone as Calvin Edson, James W Webb as Capt Bobardil, Peter Townsend (whig politician as Peter Simple), David Hale as the Pope, Levi Tappan as the Devil, Philip Hone as a Pie Baker, Noah as Olc clothes man, and other of his enemies, hackmen as dukes, parodies of the Amistad men.

            supper rm in cellar where devil made appearance, as seen in cut above, man dressed as waterman with badge beside devil, most intimate friend, oopposite is old clothes man in convers with Col Stone as a hog, on either side of them are Col Webb horsewhipping Duff Green, dressed as clown, Gen Moonshine in rev war costume astonished, leader of fashion at head of table asking devil for champagne, hostesses at either side of him.  a changeable politician as Harlequin, two in foregrd, Dustman and Nun, well known here too.

Mar 6 p. 2 Noah in Eve Star, of Clarke’s coll of ptgs 281 Broadway, says never an exhib more worthy; these daubs mess of greatest rubbish.

Mar 7 p. 2 Rev Mr Dewey to lecture on fine arts at Apollo tonight, will be superior to Reynolds.  (ad p. 1; also ad for Daguerre and Sabron’s Grt Pict of ancient Jerusalem, etc at Lyceum 363 Broadway, largest most splendid illust of Script)  Mr Edmunds, Secy of Manhattan Investigating Committee, unearthed humbug of New Hope Co.  a good ptr and as gd a financier.  will he come out of the Manhattan?  Bennett likes the Tippecanoe clubs.

Mar 9 p. 1 two big woodcuts of marriage of Vict in Westminster and of Prince Albert on horse, by Elton (promises weekly herald will have 5 beaut engravings)

Mar 12 p. 2 reviews Whig candidates for mayor, says Geo D Strong is champion of the news boys,b ut too literary like Verplanck.  suggests Olympic and Herald succeed because local incidents dramatized in clever manner, pungent,wit, no taste for artificiality of legit drama at such places as the Bowery/Courier who can’t do it right anyways

Mar 13 p. 2 promo for Elssler, coming in April.  Slams New World for humbugging readers with pretended reprints of English works by Boz et al, Spirit of the Times copied it, New World confesses a hoax, trap.  Bryant and King (of American) attacking O’Dogherty Ball.

Mar 14 p. 2 puffs Mirror, a portrait of Gen Harrison as a capital litho for his partisans; and a port of a race horse fr editor of Spirit of the Times, splendid

Mar 16 p. 2 Fine Arts: getting up a series of orig engraves to astonish the ‘natyves’ during the summer

Mar 17 p.2, fine Arts:  Since the Herald has devoted its attn to them, have taken an immense start, no of talented young artists greatly increased, productions superior to trashy daubs fr abroad.  Apollo successful experiment, talk of reopening Barclay St Aad, NAD begins grand exhib mid next mo.  No of new ptgs unus large, some v gd, some v bad, early criticize the whole, exhibs increase in interest as young artists improve, gradually changing the public taste, diverting it fr bad theatrical exhibs, and foreign trash in pictures and books.  NAD only wants a little more liberality in its govt.

            Albion and Corsair merged

Mar 18 p. 2 corresp fr Philly promises beaut female portraits, likenesses of Sully order, need a gd satirist;  map of Canton where fighting betw Brit and Chin, Mar 19 p. 1 map of British India, where also fighting

Mar 19 p. 1 notes Catlin’s exhib in Egyptian Hall, London, visitors inclu Duke of Saxe Coburg, Landsdowne, Sutherland, Palmerston, Sandwich, various bishops, ld Byron, Chantreys, Fox, Chesterfield, etc.  Notes Death of Oldham, the grt bank engraver.

Mar 20 p. 2, publishes the Whig campaign songs.  Attacks New World for plagiarizing Providence Journal’s poetic account of the Fancy Ball, says Wall st papers are relations and friends of the editors.  NY Signal does it too, stealing fr NY Transcript.  Notes death of NY Whig, protégé of clique of Courier & Enquirer

Mar 23 p. 2 another map of Canton

Mar 24 p. 2 Exhib of ptgs, oasis gd coll ptgs in midst of trash daily exhib, partic at Clark’s gallery.  v excel coll at granite bldgs, Brdway and Chambers.  some v indiff.

            no 230 Finding of Moses, miserable daub sd by Mompert and Brughle, dress is bad, water unlike Nile.  180 Fave Bird, gd pict in drwg and coloring.  195-204, 20 excell sketches, effect of a few touches and breadth of coloring astonishing. 54 Triumph of Amphitrite, perfect trash, sd by Rubens.  31 v g pict coloring, drwg indiff.  25 v fine head, sd by Rubens, too modern.  219 Ecce Homo by Civoli Ludivico, belonged to old Paff, $1000 refused for it, drwg v bad, coloring somber, unlike flesh, gd preservation.  24 view in Rome, $225, v gd pict Panini.  61 Virgin and Child, name Del Sarto, trash.  74 Still life, v fine pict, drwg coloring excel. 85 v well drawn, parts rather cold, whold gd tone. 123 masterly sketch. 75 v fine pict, compos exceedingly rich.  212 contemptible daub, water like marble, bldgs like boards, figs v much out of drwg, whole stiff, deficient in tone.

            218 v gd pict possib by Velasquez, color excel, drwg unexceptionable. 23 indiff, out of drwg, head a mere daub, pict conspicuous, not worth $5. 209 masterly, owned by Paff.  few better here.  143 too somber, dark, too many straight lines, arrangement v bad. 144 distance v fine, so much magilp used that like Inman’s ptgs, a mass of yellowish brwn. 183 a Goat, excellent.  17 v fine, worthy close inspect. 210 Cost $150, superior to other copies of St John, beneath the orig.  161 v masterly sketch, full of interst. 156 light managed admirably, v excellent pict. 206 sd Carlo Maratti, ptg v fine 216 masses of color effect beaut, no tyro.  226 miserable affair, badly drwn subj badly chosen, badly managed, coloring unnatural. 178 excellent. 205 miserable daub, like anything but horses. 160 v beaut 89 wretched, whole grp out fo drwg, coloring unnatural. 87 cost $200, several fine pts, possib genuine del Sarto.  183 most scientific pict, chasteness of effect diff for any but master. 21 prob best ptd head in rm 207 most superb head. 102 beaut, sold by Paff $100, in style of young Bleecker’s lscapes. 107 v badly drwn, figs unnat, want of love and harmony, not Polemburgh. 94 stiff but gd.  93 excell, varnish worsens tone. 

            167 beaut moonlight, effect well managed. 141 superb, drwg, arrangement, color. 72 one of best, $600. 41 v fine whole arrangement, undoubt by Solomon Rungsdale.  33 first rate, possib genuine Murillo, cleaner injured tone, fine order, drwg most excel. 86 v gd but not by Ribera. 59 passable. 32 wretched daub, perfect trash, name of Correggio a humbug. 162 and 236 excell by Cuyps.

            ad p. 3 valuable by old masters, priv coll of two gmen, Aaron Levy, richest most interesting

Mar 25 p. 2 sm woodcut of woman being dunked in water, baptism, silly looking

Mar 26 p. 2 reruns woodcuts from Wood murder in phila, to accompany trial, also on Mar 27 p. 3

Mar 30 p. 2 The O.K. Club, O.K. Literature, gang of loafers and litterateurs(locofoco club ass’d with New Era) who broke in on the Whigs at Masonic Hall, the name fr Genl Jackson

Weds Apr 1 1840 loong excerpt from W Irving; p. 6 reruns another engraving fr Wood’s trial; p. 7 has map of Brit fortifications in Maine

Apr 2 p. 1 covers trial betw James B Stout vs Francis Wells, plaintiff young Amer sculptor whose statue of Q Victoria created excitement among cognoscenti last year, defendant is owner of schooner that dropped the statue, damages $10,000.  statue composed of plaster of paris, ochre and water, materials cost $330-350, took ten months to construct and after finished destroyed model, a gman had offered $3,000 to take statue to Euro.  defendant argued statue had no intrinsic value, damage cld be repaired at trifling cost, didn’t owe plaintiff more than that (eg no lost income fr exhib)

            -3 young Amer artists called, Frazee, Brackett and Leonitz, who seemed to set a low value on it, a mere plaster of Paris affair, reparable cheaply by any tyro in the art.  To rebut them, defense called Rev. Mr Schroeder, Mr Fowler the phrenologist, and some other critics, who sd statue only comparable to Phidias, Praxilites, Nollekis, Chantry, Westmacott etc, who wld charge 1000 pounds for such a work and plaintiff shd recover such.

p.2 Johnson, celeb caricaturist, his 8^th number, sold at Carvill’s 109 Broadway, rich treat

Apr 3 p. 1 engrav by Elton of Life at North bend, Oh, (home of Harrison)--basically a whig campaign image, with log cabin prominent, cider barrel, two soldiers visiting, he as the Farmer with hand on plow, mansion in distance obcured by trees.

p.2 reruns baptism engrav with a fake vernacular account fr the minister; p. 3 ad for ‘wanted, a Print or Ptg of Battle of new Orelans, liberal price, Edward Dunigan’s Bookstore, Fulton st. Also ad for Sully’s Grt Ptg of GW crossing Delaware, exhib New Bldg Chambers and Broadway.  Ad for Paul Lloyd auctioneer, of elegant ptgs, furniture, etc, Wm McCormick selling it, orig Oil Ptgs coll, celeb connoisseur, some direct fr celeb gallery in Rome, cognoscenti.

Apr 4 p. 2, Ariel at Wash DC most excellent pencil port of Russian minister, shall engr and pub, w/descript of wedding fete.

            Rivalry of Genius:  Frazee, Brackett and Launitz, all sculptors, sd publicly as witnesses, that the famous statue of Victoria by Stout was no grt affair.  Did they ever make such a one? says if you ask one of his rivals if Bennett runs a gd paper, they will say he’s ignorant.  Genius is to be valued, except when it undervalues its rivals--then it is contemptible.

Apr 7 p. 2 reruns Croton Aquaduct woodcuts (also on 9^th), in connection w/story abt strike, he thinks is an insurrection.  Critics and Ptgs:  alluded to miserable trash importers pass off on fashionable innocents of NY for “gems of beauty” first masters, etc, richest of humbugs in impudence and misery, is coll. exhib Clark in Broadway, gives a letter to him (Bennit) fr Jude,  a frind of merit and the finer arts, you be not gd cretic--joke letter?  observes Clarke doesn’t advertise with him.  Letter also fr “I” present at trial of Stout v Wells, says done injustice to Mr Brackett, who declined to give any opinion as to its merits, only sd thought a plaster statue cld be repaired.  Mr B peculiarly exempt fr any feelings except those of most generous and honorable rivalry.  Notes a sale of ptgs, some v choice, today 25 Mercer st, see ad.  Notes Mr Colman, 205 Brdway, received Engl Bijou Almanack, w/port of Prince Albert, his window also v fine picts correct likenesses of Albert and most amusing picts

Apr 8 p. 5 reruns log cabin engrav.

Apr 9 p. 2 pufs NAD exhib, over 100 orig ptgs sent in, 300 shown, many ordinary, consid real merit, pretty keen investing, criticisms repress pretension encourage genius, taste increasing

Apr 11 p. 2 Herald’s engrav of Log Cabin served Whigs for transparency at Masonic Hall (rerun on the 13^th, on the 14^th notes a cider manufacturer wanted to purchase it for labels, but are going to make stereotype casts of the woodcut to supply demand, universally popular), puffs Audubon

Apr 14 p, 2 new engraving, Locofoco Life at GW, barbaric splendor of Van Buren riding past Capitol w/Engl coach and bloods

Apr 15 p. 5 woodcut of Howard’s hotel, part of ad.

Apr 17 p. 2, rec’d v admirably engrav port of Geo P Morris, grt defect in ptg by Inman, but engrav by G Parker is capital, he also engrav Halleck, best of the day.  excellent whiskers

Apr 21 p. 2, NAD: 268 ptgs deposited, hanging committee arranging them according to best ideas of favoritism.  300 ptgs sent in, 200 pot boilers, 80 tolerable, 20 gd.  Last yr 292 ptgs, 200 pot boilers, 90 tolerable, 2 gd.  examined those now in exhib, some out of it, crit w/o favor or partiality when public admitted.  At present no Weir nor Doughty, Page 3-4, one which will prob be gem of exhib, a Roman soldier wife and child, soldier amusing infant, superb 4 x 5 ft, also 2 ports of 2 sisters beaut heads.

            Deas 2-3 comic picts, one a 4 th of July, fun and humor seen here.  Clover a phrenology exam boys head, boys face organ of credulity.  Brothers Mount several ptgs, so has Edmonds, some by latter grt merit.  W Brown jr 1-2 gd heads.  Huntington 2-3 pieces, interior forest Ramapo, viewof Ramapo, ports of Russell Nevins and Mr Townsend.  recommend Huntingdon pt view of scenery Judg Hagarman’s place,s unset May, prettiest young woman there, would be rich.  Young Bleecker (auction house?), amateur, several ptgs, Farmer’s boy returning home, misty lscape, Childhood little girl by roadside, waiting for her pitcher to fill.

            following also ought to be included in exhib, Inman 4 ports, C Ingham 3, Brothers Mount 5, Ingham 1 lscape, Marsylia 2, Cole 3, Frothingham 2, Richardson several, Brown 1, Powell 3, Cummins several, Sully 2, Neagle 1.

            Stone and Inman his sub editor will be invited to little supper at opening, to publish puff prelim of a few faves, but of little avail.  We will have long, keen, cutting, impartial, shrewd, sharp look.

            NY can furnish orig schl ptg greater fresher more natural fuller of true genius than London in 1769 when Reynolds began lecturing; 100 enthus young men in city devoted to ptg as passion and pursuit.  Local trad’s and superstitions of schls of Euro not here, only true rule of genius to produced highest effect on imag and sensibility by nearest and simplest means.  golden rule in early schl Italy, only rule to estab originality.  In city coteries and cliques of half dozens, who try to monopolize public attn and patronage by sheer mannerism in art and intrigue in soc, we break and cut them up.

Apr 22 p.2 notes Greeley founding Log Cabin paper, thinks he cld do it better.  Some fine ptgs to be sold at granite bldg, Broadway and Chambers, owned by a locofoco, speak well for his taste.  ad next day p. 3 J Bleecker, celeb connoisseur, coll in Europe and here, rare op for genuine old masters.  (has had a couple of puffs for NAD this wk)

            --on april 25 p. 2 has another notice of this coll, no charge for admission to excellent ptgs coll by first rate judge, no reserve, more roguery in ptg dealers except banking and politics

Apr 25 p. 2 criticizes Amer Inst for being run by a clique, disgraceful annual exhibs, shameful award of medals in return for bribes.  NAD opens Monday, tonight petit souper, Pres Morse, Harry Inman, ingham, Cummins, Whithorne, Morton, Frothingham and several others present at private showing.

            Mention few more ptgs struck us on hasty tour:  large saloon, 2 ports by Sully, 2 lrge lscapes by Durand, Sully fancy sketch of Gipsy Girl, v exquis gem, tinty, warm, full of life, an Indian girl also warm beaut.  Cole v fine lscape Notch in White Mtns in Autumn, coloring warm, another ptg by Cole, the Architects, talent and brilliant coloring.

            sm saloon: plenty potboilers, few fine ptgs, here Frothingham fine head, but gems 2 by Edmonds and 2 by Mount; “2 Beaux”country beau manly form, city beau with whiskers like Morris, dandy air fr Broadway.  match is Sparking in Connecticut, or Making Love in land of steady habits, v interesting attitude, red glare thrown, backgrd old woman going to bed, young couple kiss till lmoon rise.  Mount’s 2 match picts also taken fr Amer life and scenery.  young fellow melancholy posture in ruins old hse, a locofoco, office holder, or Prince John of Kinderhook, sitting ruined log cabin next Nov.  other a country lad, real Tippecanoe, hoeing corn, true Amer style, couldn’t find new log cabin. cold, but agreeable coloring, classic as we call it.

            many other lscapes, fancy sketches, heads and tails, one lscape by Ingham, ptr of Adirondack Pass.  will be fash morning lounge for gay, witty, pretty, beaut, rich, learned, women. 

Apr 27 p. 1 Bank of England realizes best prevention for forgery is to hire artists first abilities for its notes; ad for NAD, notice of deaths of Thom Daniel, FRA, celeb ptr of Oriental Scenery and Blumenbach, the grt naturalist

p.6 Opening of NAD, most interesting in some yrs, grt deal amusement, folly, emulation, intrigue, fun. public taste singular change, thirst for amusement, novelty, gratification, tired of balls, patronize fine arts.  elite NY belles visited, mostly artists and friends and a few connoisseurs at opening.  Priv exhib Sat to some v clever men and 2-3 miserable blockheads.  mix of wit, folly, gd eating, bad wine, worse speeches, miserable puns, sensible and nonsensical remarks.  40-50 artists, 6 invited guests, then gives a diagram of the seating order (like a hi society event).  Philip Hone came in v late, Morse proposed health of Alston grt enthusiasm, Deas sang comic song, Morse proposed health of Dauerre despite curtailing profits of profession, he has regards of lovers of science.  Song fr Harris, poor speech fr Bryant of the Post, an amateur v poor ptr.  Rev Orville Dewy short but excel speech, had seen splendid picts in Euro, honorable comparison.  Toast was Amer genius and its bannermen, motto Onward.  Phil Hone, grt patron, toasted Amer Scenery gd Cole capital Mounts.  Newcombe sang a song, Deas another, Henry Inman attempted a verse or two but broke down, pres Duer made approp remarks.  V tame.

            -at head table Dr Nelson next to WC Bryant, Rev O Dewey, Pres Duer, Pres Morse, Judge Oakley, Chancellor McCown, Pres Mercantile Library.  On two ends, Ingham and JL Morton.  across from Nelson et al, J Inman, P Hone and Dr Morton.

            -at main table, Verbyck, Whitehorne, Havey, Adams, Paradise, Grain, Lauriet, Shumway, Tylee, Richardson, SA Mount, Harris, Deas, at foot, H Inman.  On opposite side, across from Deas and going back up, WS Mount, Marsiglia, Thompson, Clonney, Smith, GW Newcomb, Briant, Frothingham, Cole, Cummings, Durand.

p.7, letter to editor from Ariel in Phila Apr 23 1840, with us the cliques governing business of artists are formed by amateurs, ride into notice on backs of artists. those with genuine love for arts, don’t meddle with their affairs.

            an artist here who neglected to study fr nature, often violated her, made a bold push at monopoly, formed a society, Artists’ and Amateurs’ Assoc of Phila, yearly subscript $5, each subscriber a patron, an amateur.  Artist collected arranged picts for exhib, comm. of gmen amateurs include gd sprinkling editors, took over.  This new society (one on same principle in NY is the Apollo) misnamed, shd be Artists and Amateurs’ Patent Expander and Safety Valve, for creating and diffusing mediocrity in the Fine Arts,’ or the Transforming Amateurian, man pays $5 and w no prev study or knowl, is gd judge of Art.  plan will foster mediocrity, for all artists of taste, tho young,  who labor to improve, will get suff employment, while lazy/idle will like it. 

            may write again, am publishibng a work on the possibilitiy of getting up pictures and concerts by steam, and the advantage of erecting manufacturies of the old masters in this country on the principles adopted in Euro, dedic to the amateurs of the US.  immense enterprise of the Amer people must be employed. 

Apr 29 p. 2, excel woodcut event a few days since, parties well known, drove out to widows, raced, ran into ox cart.  image meant to be humorous, bodies flying.

NY Gazette merging with J of Commerce

May 1 1840 p. 4 NAD: over 300 orig ptgs native artists never before been exhib by Acad, variety talent and orig not surpassed.   our would be critics in the public journals labor under fatal malady cacoethes scribendi show crit acumen by indiscrim censure and praise.  younger artists astonishing advance, Mr Nims, Mr Mooney, Mr Edmonds, equal now to many of oldest artists.  But regret judgment in disposition of ptgs, inferior merit upon the line, excluding highly meritorious works, arrangement more by uniformity of size than relative merit.  Also regret partiality towards certain artists, best lights.  more indulgence shd be shown to younger artists, already known ought to give them equal advantage.  Many fine picts wld appear greater advantage if hung lower, eg 113, 28, 54, the latter esp in correct drwg fine coloring not surpassed by any port.  preferable style of coloring true to nature to those highly finished ptgs, pleasing but grtr resemblance to wax than flesh, fine enamel ptgs on a French snuff box, but that style getting out of vogue and more true forcible style replacing.

p.8, a sonnet, on seeing a Port of James Varick Stout, the Sculptor, by Jacob D Blondell, xhib at NA: genius, rapture, skill, teach the ptr’s hand a wanton grace, gifted. Delta Phi.

May 5 p. 2 splendid engraving of gen Harrison sortie agst British Ft Meigs.  In ten minutes after Elssler’s arrival on Sunday, litho work on likeness, several will be pub’d

            May 8 p. 1 letter to editor fr Croome, Meignelle & Co, 60 Walnut st, large wood engrav of Harrison copied fr short life of Harrison, our copyright, imposed on by engrav or designer selling stolen orig.  Look at sheet life sold by Turner & Disturnell in NYC, nearly all the pict copied fr one entitled Battle of Tippecanoe.  Answer:  design was conceived by myself, never saw Sheet Life of Harrison.  Got idea fr a western paper w/whole view of fort, but not battle, took it to my engraver, descreibed sort of a scene, including Indians, troops, English batteries, eagle, killing, horses.

            May 9 p. 2 letter fr Chas P Huestis, engrav, at Elton’s, to Bennett, Croome’s design hawked by ragged boys, unfit for paper.  Theirs is principally copied fr old US hist engraves drawn by Doctor Anderson ten years ago.

May 7 p. 2 Letter to Bennett fr Phila from Prism, address Dr Bethune opening of Artists’ Fund Hall, fash crowded audience, eloq manly rich sallies humor, best manner.  liberality of Penn academy.  necessity of encouraging mod ptrs and native talent in pref to expensive trashy things daily imported as orig.  utility of fine arts refining taste relish for sublime beaut in nature, disting artsts already prod’d as Newton, leslie, Copley and others, genius of ptg dwells here, nation of Franklin, Fulton and Bowditch will give greatest sculptors and ptrs.

May 8 p. 2 reruns Log Cabin cartoon; p. 4 Notices 2 young sculptors here in rival to Paris in FA, ea a genius in his line Clevenger and Brackett.  C orig fr Cinti, lately fr Boston, is on way to Italy, took busts in Boston of Webster, Otis, Appleton  etc we saw in his studio, perfect repress of sou and mind.  Brackett bids fair fruits true genius.

May 12 p. 3 Exchange of F Arts, lovers of art public meeting Clinton Hall, M Alexandre de Vettemare a v interesting view in Europe, eminent literary men there too.

            May 14 p. 2 repeats it, estab syst of int’l exchange of works of art and lit, as in Louisiana; May 21 p. 2 Phil Hone called to order, Pres Duer to chair, Maj Delafield Dr Wainwright as VPs.  Memorial written by Vattemare to Congress, circulate ideas free of natl antipathies, duplicate books in exchange for pictures etc, Rev Dewey recommended adoption

Bro Jonathan adverts it’s hired Willis; has been puffing Elssler, May 18 p. 4 notes Hervio Nano of penny Signal says she’s a stupendous humbug” he’s a brutel  Public Ledger objects, May 25 p.2, but any man whose mind goes to improper thoughts on seeing her is a libertine, brute, beast barbarian, malformation, dancing leads to fine taste, refined sentiments, elegance, grace, virtue, exquis delicate beauty

            May 29 p. 2 penny critics now abuse Herald for praising her instead of her; Hervio Nano of the Signal still mad she shows her legs

May 27 p. 4 One Otis, a penny a liner dismissed fr the Tattler is criticizing the exhib of Academy in the Star, greater mass of trash never pub’d.  For example, Cut up:  Cole, Page, Durand, Huntington, Spencer, Frothingham, Mooney.  Puffed up:  Eastman, John Smith, Funck, P Dobbs, Jones, Ingraham, Clover.

            Politics and Art: letter fr Edw Brackett in Cinti to friend here, found Gen much out of health, afflicted by artists fr all parts of country, had just refused to sit to an artist of talents, w/much difficulty obtained his consent to sit to me for a bust.  printsellers et wending to North Bend, but glad meritorious a genius as Brackett access, will do him justice.

May 30 p. 2 NAD: public favor diverted by Elssler, not attentive enuf.  hereafter have much to say abt organiz of institu, its business concerns managed by a clique, dissatisfy with how picts sent in with fictitious names as the pttrs thereof, movement for a rival Acad.  nothing would do more gd to arts and enterprising young artists.  Barclay st bldg is half full of splendid sculptures, ought to be reopened.  What clique keeps it shut up? old trash from Euro sold here shows taste for ptgs, young native artists ought to benefit

            Winchester of the World advertises that it contains all the abuse uttered pon the Herald.  The New World, the Log Cabin, the Signal and the New Yorker all ground out of same office and material

            The Athenaeum splendid bldg nrly completed, fine large rm for exhib of ptgs, rms for lectures, libraries.

Jun 1 1840 p. 4 Baker’s print shop 8 Wall st, and as curiosities at the Baths in Chambers st, series of caricatures atrocious infamous stamp, highly respectable private families, libelous, public men legit, but not innocent young females, bring downt he law

Jun 2 p. 2 mocks Union Club as on Euro plan, assumes members are elite, noblesse, better born, their business is politics, lit relig beauty, fine arts, adepts, every pretty woman on Broadway noted.

            Baker arrested for libel, revenge put a caricature of Bennett as Satan doing blackmail.  Attacks Park Benjamin too.

p.3 ad for Pavilion at Saratoga springs, with woodcut

Jun 3 p. 1 notes that Eldridge, the forger, was a editor and writer for the New Yorker, at abt time Park Benjamin was.

Jun 4 p. 2 Park Theater, Elssler danced. betw acts Chapman sings song in character of newsboy, introduces names of several papers, Herald was hissed, audience reacted with shouts; shall do the same tonight

            NA: many daubs despite lots of rejections, a few fine ptgs.  No longer names the artists!!  but prefers Ingham to Inman and Page.  Xeroxed it.

Jun 6 p. 1 woodcut of Murder of Ld Wm Russell, stagey

notices of theatres etc in the Courier are written by Dr.Hart, who receives pay fr the Park, and tok proceeds fr Blakes benefit (from Paul Pry)

Jun 8   -papers giving Herald some support are Planet, New Era, Mercury, Atlas, Corsair, Paul Pry, Albany Argus

            -papers attacking are Star, Signal, Brooks’ Express, Webb’s Courier, NY Morning Chron (soon dead), Weed’s Evening Journal, Bowery theater, Park Benjamin, Noah, Epes Sargeant.; Otis, King (of the American), Hale, Inman, Stone, the Sun, p. 3 McCloud, a penny a liner and pimp pander to Robinson, the print shop man, is trying to indict Herald for ads of Mrs Restell

            -Park and Chatham continue to advertise, Niblos, Peale’s.  Blames Snowden & Hoskins printers for Courier and Enquirer, for joining the blackmail (suggests Applegate in Ann st instead).  Olympic won’t advertise in any paper

[marries Henrietta Agnes Crean at Cath church; til 1838 he wrote the money column, then another took over the dept)

Jun 11 p. 2  NA resumes (has promised to notice every pict in exhib!),  numbers 81-121.  Likes Frothingham, critical of both Inman and Ingham drwg. 93 says Cole has not been happy in this picture (architect’s dream? doesn’t seem to understand it)

            81, 82 are portraits, first oflittle merit, flesh well done, dress defective, beaut and interesting boy, and a lovely woman, features unus well done for this artist, tho tone is objectionable and much drwg v bad, no reason why backgrd, hair, necklace, frock, neck and mantle all one tint

            83, 84 lscapes? poor affair, cows in foregrd preposterous, rather trashy; flat, wants depth, effect, shade, trees miserably done, part of child’s face gd but too broad, whole lks raw, unfinished, subj capital but handled to much better advantage.

            85 too dark, some skill, all that’s distinguishable is gd, except steel clad arms of knight, clumsy, out of proportion, his position unnatural and forced for effect of throwing light on face. something gd in coloring, but strange that men who can paint a gd pict will elave backgrds generally dark, disagreeable mass of indistinctness.

            86, ridiculous affair, practice of artists ptg own portraits and placing conspicuously on line to exclusion of much better ptgs shd be avoided;  affair of this kind last yr, obtained title of “puppy unknown”.  What has the ptr put on besides spectacles? a girl’s frock, or gaberdine, or robe de chamber, or smock frock, or Dutch tunic or an English wagoner’s overall? whole affair in v bad taste, some touches show artist can do much better

            87, poor disagreeable subj, alm repulsive in appearance, one of most homely faces in rm, but one of the best ptd ones, artist will soon equal Frothingham in strength of his touch and truth and beauty of color.  likeness most excellent faithful, never pts an incorrect one, and alw draws well; in which Inman and Ingham often so deficient.

            88 too high to bwe seen well, but of young girl gd ripe plump, features v pretty fresh rich, genl expression gd, light not well managed, no reflected light, grouping not gd.  89 a poor affair, alm a silly expression. 90 is stiff formal, flesh badly done, dress much worse, a little merit in the head.

            91 flesh some fine clear touches, an intelligent pleasing face, whole has a clearness others want. hair v natural, dress pretty well done, hand clmsy, wrist thick badly drwn, ends of fingers large, red and vulgar.  strange when artists know diff of drwg or ptg a gd lady’s hand and are fully aware that they can’t paint one, that they shd alw threust a large, unmeaning lump of flesh in the foregrd. drwg of bust and shoulder defective.

            92 affected, foolish affair, too gd looking and hardy in appearance for the original.  ground and water of same hue, reel too near the butt of the rod, backgrd v badly done, yellow light arises fr water in corner, who’d stand so composed under a thundercloud?

            93 design stiff and forma, more serial persp than usual for this artist, drapery hard as tin, Gothic bldg too sm for foregrd, too full of straight lines, pyramid and foregrd? bldgs monstrous in size, curtain, bks, pillar v large, man v small, how did he get there? objects in foregrd veryt cutting on distance, Mr Cole has not been happy in this picture.

            94 better than a great many around it, but still no grt things. 95 is vile. 96 is shocking trash.  Burns wld have gone into fits had seen this caricature of Tam O shanter and Souter Johnny.  If ptd on a higher key wld attract more attn.

            97 rare curiously concocted port, presumed by far famed Flemish ptr, Daub.  98 some gd pts, too high up to be correctly criticized.  99 an anomaly, a roue looking parson, expression improper, more resembling Mr Kirk than the original.

            100 a sweet face, body stiff, bust badly drwn, hair gd, much beauty and clearness in the face. 101 some merit, but not worthy the subj. 

            102 v beaut little lscape, but too much ultramarine and yellow. 103 not highly finished in detail, but v capital lscape, sky too dirty.  104 curious muddled up affair, in v bad light, no reason why all figs shd be so stiff and formal, tho at their devotions, coloring v dingy

            105 an unfortunate subj, sorry this truly gd artist chose it or didn’t treat it differently.  He can drw, but this is no proof of it, little babe slipping out of bed or crawling up a white slope? no neck, left knee lks like knucklebone of leg of veal.  still touches show hand of master.

            106 bad, head buried in shoulders. 107 a gd likeness, and v gd pict, tells for itself, without aid of criticism. 108 pict of v beaut girl, but neck too thick, tints of flesh too dark for a lady, harsh, not delicacy enuf.  109 too high to be seen/speak of it correctly, a little better than 74.

            110 grt merit in this pict, v highly finished, face beaut done, parts of dress excellent, but legs stiff and many parts of drwg as usual miserably defective. hair is genlly admired

            111 middling sketch, sea badly done.  112 “Cross roads, by Grain.” Trash.  Shd be called cross-grained.  113 a gd head.  114 blue, blue and all bluew, dress lks stained with ink.  this artist labors terribly in his drwg, has an eye for color, but has worked and touched, and retouched and colored at this face til it lks scabby.

            115 v gd lscape, drawg unus gd, but might be improved by a little more finish and attn to detail.  foregrd fine, rich warm tone re the whole is well managed.  This artist can do better.

            116 frightful thing.  limbs awfully out of drwg, disproportionate, child larger limbed than Reynolds’ infant Hercules.  man looks like a Neapolitan Lazzaroni.  attitudes unpleasant and yet unnatural, grouping of whole is v bad.  shd think it was composed fr some of the old trash sold at auction.   figs and masonry all tumbling diff ways, clouds are botched on, has some of sharp, clear touches of the artist.

            117 apples and oranges pretty gd, but falling forward, grapes shd be relieved with leaves, backgrd v ill chosen.  118 bad subj, badly managed; stuck in a corner, no loss if not stuck anywhere.  119 removed, or never was.  120 feebleness of touch in all the portraits by this artist, and a defect in drwg, tho fine finish.  This is one of his best productions.  121 usual glaring faults of all by this ptr.  No outline, no attn to drwg, blurry.  dog is a copy of a print, and boy is also a copy.  backgrd vile and indistinct and tho by attn to and taste for color, genl effect is rather pleasing, still on close inspection the miserable daubing manner in which this is produced disgusts.  In kindness and charity to this artist we say attend drwg schl incessantly, in a few yrs may become a gd ptr, as is, you are a poor copyist and possess a poor style of ptg.

Jun 12 notes that Durand, Casilear, Rossiter and Kensett sailed for Europe to study in Engl, France, Italy andGerm, spending less than $10,000 betw them in two years.

Jun 13 describes the Wall st cliques as being King & Ruggles, American their organ; Webb Sargeant of the Courier; Blatchford, Draper, Bowen & Co who lack an organ, Bennett thinks to take them;  Willis Hall, Brooks, Townsend and sometimes Genl Wetmore, Drinker, Minturn & Co,; Noah and his set; Stone & Co.

Jun 15 p.2 Baker the caricaturist, miserable, indicted, risen fr insignif in last three yrs as tool fo set wretched unprincipled foreigners who meet at Delmonico’s and sketch caricatures that he lithographs, connected with swindlers and shams of gold watches, pieces of cloth

Note:  Missing Tuesday, June 16^th,  Saturday, June 20^th, 1840

Jun 17 p. 2 reruns woodcuts, the Smash on third avenue, and on the Bloomingdale Rd (the latter the more recent)

            Wanted: designs on paper for engravings on wood illustrative of recent moral war under command of Webb, Noah, Hamblin, etc, highly virtuous and moral characters must be repress to life, ea a gd likeness and characteristic.  Col Webb must be surrounded with guns, Noah old clothes for sale, etc, prize $20.

            -puffs litho portr of Rev Mr Power (who married him) byGimbler, v correct and beaut, finest likeness.

Jun 18 p. 2 cartoon of Amos Kendall carrying the Globe in a swamp with Matty? at road sign, choosing the wrong road?

Jun 19 p. 1 Grand Dejeuner a la Fouchette at Oaklands (home of Mr H)in Baltimore, view of ladies, ea given a number.  parties are given between 12 am and 4 pm, rule out business men of the city.  Drwg and engrav is by Adams, most eminent artist in his line in this country.  describes costume of ea in detail

Jun 22 p. 2 reruns controversial engrav of celeb of Siege of Ft Miegs

Jun 25 p.2 NA continues, now with names (!).  179 Rossiter, Duenna, gd subj, needs better style, coloring gd but shd be subdued, drwg v bad, needs to study the antique, light not artistically arranged.  stupid expression. genl effect tone pleasing rich good but crudeness, amateur, color drwg.  180 Port by Bogle sadly bogled, stiff potboiler, blue corpselike, prim.  181 Flagg Pike Fishing, Shocking, some say he hasn’t flagged, but he hasn’t improved. 182 Whitehorne Portrait, botch stiff, no neck, bad drapery, drwg coloring shocking, keen expression, trash. 187 Whitehorne Child, doll in a toy shop, no harmony, miserably done hands, no spread of light.

            183 WS Mount, Disappointed Bachelor, Sold, one of only abt six.  Subj unclear, could’ve een called the Ruined Gambler in Low Life or other titles, genl effect not striking, wants breadth of light, fig v gd, but hard lines/finish. air of newness (common fault for him( abt every article, tho it shows a decaying cottage), also deficient in soft mellow light, horizon too high, composition appears slipping.  188 WS Mount, Boy Hoeing Corn, pretty gd drwg, but pretty hard finish, wants mass of shadow, corn not natural, fig of boy and drapery clear, no accident of nature visible.  He promised uncommonly fair, but dierted by potboiling, but more talent than mass of trash portraits.

            184 Bleecker Rustic Childhood, excellent effect, beaut little lscape fr v few touches, girl disproport not gd drwg, tout ensemble pleasing.  truly talented artist like Inman uses too many diff colors, so shadows dingy.  202 Farmer’s Boy, better than Rustic Childhood, some v fine touches, boy out of drwg but fine face, reminds of Reynolds’ Shepherd Boy, lscape beaut

            185 Capuchin Friars, Havell, gd and v bad, spotted with broken lights. figs bad, fruit vines beaut. cramped execut, unfinished woolly indefinite manner, evinces timidity,  186 Thompson Port, v fair, many faults, but better than most, stiff, hard, crowded in w/o taste, flesh too yellow, shadows unclear, too much of the Inman school, confusion on the palette.  189 Hunt Portrait, Trash.

            190 Anonymous, Parental Instruction, heads too large, persp off, not enuf attn to lights and grouping, backgrd too black, hand badly drwn.  expr admirable and coloring natural.  191 Port of a Lady, Frothingham, flesh too chalky, gd drwg and coloring in rest.  194 Port Frothingham, don’t like the mouth, and nose too angular, a prevalent fault with this artist, but capital head, gd tone more finished than most.

            192 Powers, Scene on Hudson, unfinished, badly drwn.  193 Portrait, Fanshaw, shocking daub, drwg v bad, flesh like brick dust, potboiler. 

            195 Ingham’s port of Dunlap, first rate likeness, but flesh too smooth parchment, too much black, arrangement excellent hides eye defect, a gd mpict, production of first rate mechanic, wants free daring touch of artist, all is labor, labor, labor.

            196 and 201 Fruit, Oliver, rule of persp not attended to.  197 New Story Book, Morton, taste in grpg, but male fig too large, shd be placed betw mom and child to give more pyramidal compos and better spread of light, flesh tints coloring dirty. 198 Harris, leap Year Serenade, proportions wrong, dress/features slovenly, drwg miserable, face positively disgusting.  why such a frightful grinning subject?

            199 Deas Fourth of July in Country, might be called Tin pedlar halting or Militia Training, color of ground/sky bad, figs merit humor, but too scattered spotty effect.  Need mass of light on principal grp, rest kept down middle tint and shadow.  has “smeddum” but not true knowledge of art, wants aerial persp and generalizing, objects too distinct, defects in drwg, genl chara and xpr pretty gd.  200 Deas, Writ of Foreclosure, horse tolerably natural but out of drwg, all too sharp hard, (shows too much work to look natural).  Idea of the horse kicking away the raven as “not ready yet” is barely expressed, and plenty of minutiae but does not tell, wants breadth.

Jun 27 p. 2 NA: 203 Port of Himself, Moorehouse, self port assumes he has studied fr nature, ea defect admits want of capacity.  self ports invariably worst in exhib, attempt too much.  Head too large, lights kill face; shd receive principal light, all colors subservient, backgrd horrible, ground/wood like dirty leather coloring dirty throughout, messed, muddled, no attn to persp, limbs elong (out of drwg)

            204 Lscape by Oddie, where does light on water come from, distance has warm sunny effect, but colors sadly muddled, not artistic manner, trees queer, sky yellow, drwg gd except persp in places. 210 Lscape, Oddie, well at distance, trees not gd, mtns blurry, but relief among mass of trashy heads, foregrd sadly smirched up.

            205 Lscape, Lariman, poor dingy, out of drwg, all on same plane, no persp, deer riciculous.

            206 Inman, Port of Master Wetmore, feeble imit of Lawrence’s Master Lambton.  Genl appearance rich and juicy, but too brown, shadows unclear, face too lage, out of drwg, rock messed up with megelp in most trashy style, fig has no relief,no clearness, water and lscape beneath crit.

            207 Port of Capt Stokes, by Agate, not gd, v stiff, face too tame, no bold touches like Raeburn, only small piece of one cheek is in dirty shadow, unpleas smirking self conceit, hand bad, rest mess of blue, red yellow.

            208 Eastman, West Point, same fault as 169, all brown, dauber, dirty. 209, Highlander, Linen, middling coloring but in tea tray style, out of drwg, no strong bold touches, instead rigged up in Ingham style, pretty effect, but not artist like.  Shd see engraving of Highlander ptd by Hayes in Friendship’s Offering for 1833.  a gd likeness.

            211 Lscape SA Mount, v poor, sign painter’s first attempt. 216 Port SA Mount, orig must be beaut, hands badly done, fine bust, pict has something gd about it, too much megely in working up, countenance fine intellectual, but only one angle to see it to advantrage

            212 Port by Fink, much merit, genl tone gd, flesh natural, lgiths and reflections in lower face shd be less strong, looks like smallpox, boy homely and ill tempered, bird on fingers ridiculous. 213 Port by Hamilton, drwn well, but hard, lacks rotundity, shadows inky, gd likeness fine intellectual amiable determined expression.  Subj is artist of much eminence v extraord talent and like Pat Lyons gd sense to be taken in working attire, color of vest does nto relieve therest, but many fine strong artist-like touches in the pictures.

            214 Bishop Brownell, by Flagg, stiff, dirty tints, badlydone. 215 Portrait by Bryant, gd likeness, bad hands, parchement flesh, better than majority.

            217 Bridge over Ramapo, Huntington, young man promise gd artist distant day, proper studies, don’t like this pict, all such sm objcts, too petite a scale, faulty coloring, no strong lights or shades, sparkle, breath of light, use fewer colors, more generalizing  222 Port by Huntington, hand gd at distance, but poor stiff, dirty, rouged.

            218 Beach Scene by Thompson, some gd drwg, too flat tame, wants mass    of shadow, hard, crude, nothing bright, three figs out of drwg, wants strong bold touches, too new too like tea tray work

            219 Petzel, Otho at Athens.  Beaut. Grand pic, but too clearly made out, ea fig forms pict, eye confused by distinctness, runs over grp of glorious figs, but some most beaut pieces of ptg and well drawn. coloring too gaudy, but glorious scene, too great a family likeness in females, sea sky too ultra marine like China ptg, some out of proportion.  Mentions Stephens blunder in respect to Tomb of Lysicrates, geographical error here too.  glorious creature with babe, gorgeous neck bosom, clear and bright foregrd touches, Greek man not swarthy enough, group on beach admirably managed.  Allston shd glaze down part of foregrd, much improved thereby.

            220 Frothingham, Alexander Hamilton, keeping excellent, nothing hard raw, but some likeness lost, chin sticks out, coloring fine, head small.

            221 Portrait by Sawyer, Shocking Trash. 223 Port by Nims, inferior to 269 by same artist, stiff, trashy manner, horrible drwg, filthy color, simper disgusts, poor subj.

Jun 30 p. 2 NA: pupils of Deaf and Dumb Asylum visited, delighted, Ahmet Ben Hamen and his staff of Arab officers visits, has a score of v fine picts among 307 hung, shall conclud only thorough and impartial crit on exhib for 15 yrs, dissect nonsense in Amer Rep on this subj

            -really likes Mitchell’s “local pieces” after the Paris mode

Jul 2 1840 p. 2NA: 224 Huntington, Woodland scene, too dingy not clear bright, genl hard wants generalizing, horrible confusion of color, lights miserably managed, too much minutiae. 

            225 Agate, Lady and Child, flesh corpse like, miserably drawn, parchment flesh, out of drwg, unnatural hair, tea tray.

            226 Nims Port, handsome, laughing devil, original injustice, out of proportion, brown, lights well managed, out of drwg persp.  229 Port, Nims, improving, too much megelp, not solid, flesh badly done and drwg, orig must be handsome.

            227 Flagg, Port, shocking burlesque of lady.  235 Flagg, port, stiff, hard, unnatural, mummy, badly done, a libel.

            238 Eastman, Lscape, worse, unfit for fireboard, orange.  231 Whitley, Lscape, great trash, dirty, muddled.  233 Peele, Lscape, match for 231, indistinct, muddled up affair, badly drwn, worse in coloring.  239 Whitley, Mythological Piece, curious but disagreeable.  238 Morton, Nr New Windsor, curde, unartist like, not gd persp, color dirty manner, cows stiff unnatural  255 Lscape Whitley, raw, v bad backgrd, foregrd worse, a botch

            239 Edmonds City and Country Beaux, capital, astonishing for amateur, v superior to many daubs by names with A or NA.  contrast is fine,says independent at ease farmer will win, contemptible piece of conceit and affectation from city, natural grace of girl admirable keeping, tho is she presenting the cit, or expressing preference for other.  open door too new and stiff, country swain shd have clearer shadows, less red tips to ear and finger, such a man carries no stick. Her face is too braod and red a Blowsabella, but beaut ankle, eyes defective, neck unclear, dress like leather in Catlin squaw, fop’s legs cut v  hard on table cover (out of keeping with a country home), features too large and manly for a puppy, tho expression ridiculous enough. his hat fashionable when? floor monotonous.  Better than Inman or Ingham could begin to paint.

            234 Sparking, Edmonds.  grt originality, character, expression, correctly drawn, cleverly ptd, story well told, wants a cool tint in flesh, hands not carefully finished.  genl effect rich yet chaste.  attitude of spark is capital, beaut ptg big of scullery and old lady, capital conception, admirable execut, chimney well managed, how diff from that in 183? by Mount.  apples not well done, petticoat too raw like parchment, cape too leathery for a lady with pretty foot.  draperies may be too stiff. light superbly managed, one of best picts in room.

            232 Mooney, Mooney, effect rich, hue bad bilious, wants freshness, tone of Page’s flesh, stiff, broad unpleasant expr. 243 Dead Game, Winsler, too flat, same tone, not naturally done, glazed down too much. 244 Portrait by Creighton, poor thing, out fo drwg, color of face like sole leather.  248 Oliver, Fruit, not natural. 253, Fruit, Oliver, v bad.  256 Port by Dickenson, head of a dead man, vile daub.

            236 Portrait by (Rembrandt) Peale, of Mr Leggett, gman with claims agst Mex govt, gd likeness at time it was ptd, 14 years ago, still excellent.

            237 Port by SA Mount, not at all gd, drwg coloring bad, no passable children in acad tho subj admirable.  legs raw, no skin, out of drwg, carpet unfinished, mouth queer, drapery stiff.

            240 No name given, Dutch Sentinel, humor, colors dirty monotonous, uncommonly clever young artist capable of grt things if attends drawing school and like old artists uses only prismatic colors.

            241 Pringle, Greenwood Lake, tone hues not natural, water not transparent, branches not well managed in foregrd.

            242 WS Mount, Blackberry Girls, v natural easy pict, beaut ptd faces, needs mass shadow at bottom, dress rather ahrd, large features.

            245 Thompson, The Battery, gaudy staring thing, most unartist like, figs horrible, badly done, persp shocking, whole looks like scene ptg.

            246 Powell, Portrait, in a sailor’s dress, but a disguise? animal strongly marked on upper lip, head full of affectation, loose trashy style with megelp, raw and unfinished.  avoid ptg distinct outlines to conceal defects in drawg, common fault with this artist, coloring miserably managed.  251 Portrait, we suppose this a playactor fr costume and style, out of drwg, flesh raw, artist must disregard fulsome praises of pretended friends, ignorant of art, study antique, and paint finished pictures.

            247 Renton, Old Lady Reading, face/body long frightful harsh unnatural, drapery stiff, dingy whole.

            249 Lscape by Bingham, v poor pict, drwg and persp v bad, coloring dirty, wanter not transparent, deer worse.

            250 Clover, Phrenologist, capital little pict, much well ptd, genl appearance gd but not v striking, wants more light, stiff drwg, gd coloring, some excellent effects, touches on carpet and bookcase truly artist-like.  boys broad grin not quite natural, phrenologist’s gesture incorrect, expr gd, backgrd subdued and whole mellowed in artist like manner.

            252, Rossiter, Ophelia, near a beaut pict, light and shade well managed, coloring beaut, drwg v bad wants grace, face too broad, bust indecorous, whole fig too robust, but distant genl effect gd, needs study grammar of art.

            254 Philip, Boy struck dead, old man well ptd, splendid head, misnomer for boys legs ot be crossed, flesh too dark for dead, artist like toned down manner, but too dark

Jul  4 p. 2 NA: 257 Bingham Tam O’Shanter, poor thing, not strong enuf light, out of drwg, position bad.  293 Bingham, Pennsylvania Farmer, not well done, bad persp, man cramped, tumbling forward, out of proportion, coloring dingy

            258 Marchant, Portrait, hair v gd, flesh leathery, blurry, tone bad. 260 Lscape Ver Bryck, poor, badly colored worse drawn.  273 Lscape Ver Bryck, not gd, defective drwg, coloring v bad.  261 Sunset, Havell, pretty, shadows not well managed, looks like China ptg.  291 View in Cumberland by Havell, pretty gd, light badly managed as in most of his picts, shadows defective, persp not managed. 264 Brenan, NY, poor affair.  265 Williams, Genl Scott, wretched, not like, out of drwg, varnished in trashy manner 268 Broman, Portrait, frightful, out of proportion, drwg, miserable color. 270, Baker, Hill Lake, Miserable thing, unnatural.  271 Portrait by Harris, out of drwg, infamous, dirty, repulsive. 282 Portrait, Harris, likeness, no character as in excellent 87, coloring messed up with megelp and sweet varnish, flies eat it.

            259 SA Mount, Appointment, greener than nature, chalky, light not well managed but much better than many of WA Mount’s pictures in regard to shadow, sketch of backgrd v clever, foregrd v defective, wood around spring raw, water not natural, girl stiff, elongated, miserably done, out of drwg, too hard.  Miss Brown, the exquisite painter of flowers wld have drawn a better picture.

            262 Zimmerman, Holy Fam, some gd coloring, bad drwg.

            263 Ingham, Portrait, intended for Gulian C Verplanck, but silly simpering look not intellectual head, tone not gd, Ingham not happy with male heads. 266 Portrait, Ingham exquis finished, too cold, too stiff, out of drwg.  fault arises from method, instead of sketching in genl outline and working up whole, he finishes ea feature and object singly, by patchwork. 292 Mrs Lorillard by Ingham, as usual, beaut ptd, drwg v stiff, out of proportion in persp.

            267 Bleecker, lscape, too low on wall, v clever pict, more clearness in coloring.  276 Whitley, Paterson NJ, trash. 280, Whitley, Thomson’s Seasons, shocking Trash.

            269 Nims, Martin van Buren, head too large but character expression most admirable, better as likeness than Inman’s, details deficient in artistical finish, needs lesson fr W Brown jur in coloring and drwg.

            272 Diana by Francia, worked up with megelp to produce pretty effect, but not artist like, light badly managed, bust out of drwg.  274 Portrait no artist named, gd keeping but too dark, lacks rotundity, greater mass of light.  275 Portrait by Fink, some little merit, a likeness, features too brandyfied. 279 Portrait by Hager, unnatural snow, boy not decorum, out of proportion.  286, Fishermen, Hager, few gd little pieces of ptg, but not a gd pict

            277 Veaux, Portrait of Shegogue, a likeness v miserably ptd.  278 Spencer, The Little Muff, gd bits of coloring, but stiff, not well drawn, backgrd trashy in exreme.

            281 Durand, Sunday Morning, v gd pict, foliage well touched, foregrd wants strength, trees too green, fist too strong, man in road too small.

            283 Catskill Mtns, Eastman, miserable trash

            284 Port by Dickerson, v bad, out of ddrwg, sickly flesh,vilely done; 285 Whitehorne, Port, cute boy, something gd, hair badly done, flesh not gd tone, whole raw unfinished. 289 Port by Alexander, soft mellow woman like, delicate touches of Miss MA Brown, but shadows dirty, body stiff, low tone.

            287 Hicks, Youth and Age, presumably a copy, poor thing, drwg very bad, coloring a little better.  288 Port by Leslie, RA, presume it’s celeb ptr’s earliest works, well drawn but hard and dry.  Not an American by birth, came here age 10.

            291 Trooper by Deas, dying before shot, ptd too hard, opaque, wants juiciness and generalizing.  296 Farewell, Deas, wooden hobbyhorse, impossible stance, coloring v dry, air gd.  297 Evening, Deas, effect rather rich, figs not well drwn, too dark.

            294 Portr by Bryant, v fair, is improving, too brown. 295 Lscape, no name, pleasing at distance, but not well done

            298 Cobbler in Turkey, Pelzl, painter of beaut No 219. v well drwn, weak in light and shade, variety of colors

            299 Davis, Seven Villas, v well done, next to unrivalled Adams, best engraves in city.  300 Gimber, Rev CG Somers, orig wasn’t gd, but clever artist made capital engrav, his beaut plate of Mrs Austin as Ariel best ever done here.

            301 Lscape, v poor affair. 302 Falstaff in River, horrible, too intellectual, drwg persp defective, copy of a print.  303 Sleeping Infant, body stiff, not well drawn, shades opaque, out of drwg, sweet face.  304 Port, gd finish, whole wants ease, stiff, unclear shadows, out of drwg, parchment skin. 305 Portrait, pretty gd, out of drwg, leathery flesh. 307 and 307, Portraits by Wilkins & Jenkins, most miserable trash, disgraces walls

July 6, p. 2 wood engrav by first artist of Fourth of July, Scenes around the Park (men fighting, orators, women selling food, children, booths mostly selling alcohol, flag, fireworks, cheerful.  Whig booth in backgrd “ok” with hard cider bottle?

            -Description emphasizes drinking and drunks, guns going off, but says were impressed by how free it was from riot, disorder, confusion

Jul 9 p. 1 troop plan for battle of thames, 1813, Harrison commanding.   p. 2 puffs M Sarony’s new lithos of Elssler, as Sylphide is beaut and gd likeness, grace of charming orig.  Also his print of Prophet of Tippecanoe, Tecumseh’s bro.  (this is later corrected, it was painted and publ’d by JO Lewis, Esq) Notes Audobon’s return to town, 86 White st, 750 subscribers to new public.  Last no of No Amer Rev has elab crit of Willis, gman injured more by extrav praise of friends than his enemies

July 10 p. 1 map of south pole, newly discov land

Jul 13 p. 2 Fine Arts in City: NA closed for season, after indiff exhib.  This Institution wants a reorganiz instanter, we hope before next summer.  Council spends all funds eating and drinking.  all the ptgs, casts, statues etc at Barclay St Acad are to be sold? gross mismanagement.  Tom Dick and Harry have borrowed property to decorate their onw houses, fine ptg of Benj West by Thom Lawrence covered w/dirt in a lumber room.  Artists shd investigate.

Jul 14 p. 2 letter fr correspondent in Philly, 6 July, Fine Arts.  gmen of taste estab Acad of FA, rented lot on Chestnut st, built elegant bldg for study and exhib, sold shares of stock, and collected engravings, boks, ptgs, casts for artists to use.  Artists cut off fr management disgusted them, deserted patrons (who sustained Acad thru annual exhibs of these artists, tho they rarely sold a pict), resulting financial derangement.  So managers of Penn Acad 7 yrs ago exposed affairs, raised money to cover mortgage, and built 2 stores in front of Acad to supply income.  Also bought West’s Death on the Pale Horse to exhibit, so could survive without artists’ “faction.”  Artists incorporated themselves 1835 as Artist’s Fund Society.  But Penn Acad of FA has been a dead letter, public sentiment favored Artist’s Fund, so they gave them in 1839 permission to build an exhib hall in place? over? of stores.  Stockjobbing in fine arts won’t succeed, genius can’t be nursed by cliques.  Signed by Asmodeus among the Artists

missing july 15.

puff on Catlin doing well in London

Jul 28 p. 2 urges Washington Monument Committee say what they did with money collected; notes that Thom has a statue of Washington here for $2000, need one for the city, recommends they buy

Jul 29 p. 2 woodcut reused for Immense Mtg of Lcoofocos at Castle Garden, fill the st, look silly; description of wood cut says dressed in all sorts of clothes, exhib all sorts of characters, castes and complexions, carrying all manner of banners

p.3 Mr Parker who engrav ports of Halleck, Bryant and others for Mirror, has engr for his own book Van Buren in half line, half chalk and stipple style in which he can’t be excelled. Port was by Inman, engrav a far better likeness, all the disagreeable peculiarities of VB’s smirking face, as well as cunning double meaning displayed by the two sides.  Likes Hunt’s Merchant Mag.

Jul 31 p. 2 NA: nearly 14 yrs ago founded.  First 8-10 yrs, grew in favor, strength, usefulness, fellowship to talented taste in arts w/o reference to age, rank, sex.  Ptgs increased in number and value.  But notice and patronage made managers arrogant and slothful, wealth contentious; they persecute rather than assist young men, a new candidate for professional honors is subject to genl hue in-cry.

            It’s younger artists’ works that make exhibs attractive or popular, w/o, the Academy would have the form, but no life or motion.  Exhibs of last two years compared to former years immeasurably inferior, except young artists.

            Portraits plentiful, but portraits w/o grace, animation or expression, Acad a grand sign market where nature is outraged in rush for more sitters.  Public wades thru multitude of trash for a few works of merit fr some younger hand.

            Matters arise fr managers’ misconduct, as disinterested will agree.  Gmen having charge of Acad have provided against appointment of other better men.  Strong symptoms of reorganizing appeared last year, but scheme silenced opposition, left same proscriptive and arbitrary rules in full force.

            why retain as Pres one who abandoned arts in silly pursuit of an impracticable object, who left the country for a year, with no one to fill his place?  they are afraid of him.  those who hesitate in the past were not afraid to remove an aged veteran in his sick bed fr a responsible position w/o the notice decency and decorum dictate.    This act so eminent for its magnanimity and gratitude, illustr of the fable of the ass and the dead lion, recommend committee of NAs be appointed to compose a grand historical pict of it.

            NA originally emphasized schools they’d establish, outshining old Academy.  Where now are these professors, committees of visiation and schools? who visits studios? where the lecturersthat used to figure pompously in annual catalogues?  With a bulging treasury, why exact $5 fr the young penniless student as initiation fee allowing him to draw fr casts in a poorly lit room?

            Funds fr annual exhibs expended on objects advancing arts, rare valuable picts by eminent masters, or a library and schools with free admission to students and members, but funds are hoarded or spent on 6 dinners per annum.  At recent election, new council, two of old removed, 6 associates admitted, but blackballed all candidates for academicianship in order to avoid creating new votes, buy over active opponents, retain a majority. 

            Writer seems to be objecting to the creation of a hanging committee.  propose another plan.

Aug 3 1840 p. 2 reviews Rutger’s Female Institute Examination, room of ptg and needlework, ptg under instruction of Miss B, grt taste and skill in oil ptgs, tho drawings far superior in truth and taste.  flowers faithfully ptd, could smell

Aug 6 p. 2 notes a Miss MA Browne had a beaut thing in the Aug Knickerbocker called Life’s Lessons.  Also approves of article “Asinine Connoisseurs in the art,” and woodcut inimitable

Aug 7 p. 2 ‘twaddle’ letter of Mr Fisher, historical painter (Heaven save the mark) in a penny paper signed “pericles” with another plan for a new Acad.  gman is person of grt pretensions but a poor ptr, full of new systems.  better leave off writing.

missing Aug 13, Aug 17

Aug 14 p. 2 splendid woodcut by first engraver Adams of Fanny Elssler in La Cachacha, sketch her career.  Praises Brother Jonathan, implicitly compares it to Mirror, likes the editor

Aug 20 p 2 notes Wilkie, the painter, is going on tour to Europe.  Bennett’s letters from Niagara on his honeymoon very enthusiastic about brilliant poetical picturesque etc

Aug 24 p. 2 notes death of Timothy Flint. Rave review of a Webster speech.

Aug 25 p. 2 says C&E and NY Planet, a locofoco paper, gave Elssler serenade riot a politial cast, against foreigners, rioters maybe allied with Bowery theatre. (germans will be locofoco voters?) Also notes the merger of the Times into the Star. and Noah to retire. Later notes appearance of a new daily morning penny paper, the Democratic Press, to be devoted to Harrison, J Phillips Phoenix, Aaron Clark, Robt Smith, Geo s Doughty, Joseph Weed, will attack locofocos

Aug 28 p. 2 describes the President steamship, massive, doesn’t describe décor.

His banker? is Cornelius W Lawrence.  Like the Sun, favors the Federalists over the Centralists in Mexico

Notes death of 5 of 8 large morning papers, Daily Advertiser, Standard, Mercantile Advertiser, Gazette (merged with the Whig before dying, and maybe merged after that with the Journal ofCommerce), the Times (merged with Evening Star).  Only remaining are J of Commerce, Express and Courier.  Of the 4 large afternoon papers, the Star has just expired.  New Era and NY Planet supports Herald agst moral war allies.

Puffs moving panorama of Waterloo at Frnaklin.  Supports Mitchell at the Olympic.  Big ad for the Ladies Companion, contribs inclu Seba Smith, TS Arthur, Fanny Osgood, Sigourney, EF Ellet, Ann Stephens, JH Ingraham, Longfellow, Park Benjamin, Isaac Pray, Henry Tuckerman, George Morris, John Neal of Down Easters, etc, gorgeous engravings by Mr A Dick, most finished manner, American lscape and a fanciful subject alternate.  Critical of the President;  its managers withdrew their ads.

Sept 7 1840 p. 1 sorry to see Harper Bros publish this History of the Fine Arts, all dispatched in 320 pages.  The woodcuts, partic those of Rubens, Poussin, and Girl pouring wine, etc are miserable caricatures, and engrav of Benj West an infamous libel on the features of that intellectual man.  Not well proofed.  so glorious a subj deserves a better bk than this miserable trash fr Elmes and others.

            p.2 notes Robinson’s caricature of a large cock crowing titled “Tell Chapman to Crow” it’s not good, and if neither can crow better than that, shouldn’t try

Sept 9 p. 2 long description of the Greek revival archit of the Merchants Exchange, brief mention that the blocking is to be richly ornamented with sculpture, represe the arts and sciences in detail, on top in centre a fig of genius of Liberty recumbent with cap, rod, cornucopia, etc

Sept 10 p. 2, Bennett’s letter fr Boston describes Faneuil Hall, portraits and busts, of John Hancock, old Mr Fanueil, JQ Adams and his dad, but most splendid object in hall and one of finest on continent is Gilbert Stewart’s orig port of GW.  magnif work of art, just mounting his white war horse after having crossed the Delaware, lscape in hazy backgrd, expression magnificent, marked compression of lips, formed his purpose.  Mrs B think it better than whole Ladies Fair, splendid man, no trifling with him, the chef d’ouvre of Amer port ptg, numerous copies fr it have lineaments and proportions, but none the soul, mind and genius which distinguish the orig.    Opposite end of hall port of Gen Harrison recently ptd by Heyward who went to North Bend, compared with Stewart’s, hardly removed fr a mere daub, gives the mild and benevolent expression of Harrison such a quantity of fierte as to make him look like a madman, eyes are perfectly insane, genl outline and coloring tame meaningless

Sept 14 p.2 Prince Albert has fitted up a regular atelier in Buckingham Palace, colors, canvasses, models, a true artistic style, a v capital ptr (fr Cheltenham Looker-On)

            more of Bennett’s letters fr Boston, sees Webster speak in Faneuil Hall, western wall various splendid ports of venerable men of past, looked forth smilingly.  port of GW by Stuart was conspicuous and striking, am in raptures with it
Sept 17 p.2 London corresp mentions Amer inventors in London, noble Catlin, a man trying to improve daguerrotypes, others coming up with better methods for steel engravings.  p. 3 a poem by Mrs Katharine A Ware, on viewing a port of the Ldy of Hon Mr Stevenson in RA ptd by F Rand, an Amer artist, she recognizes a fellow American, native clime is where germs of true wisdom and genius unite

Sept 18 p. 2 Wall st caricatures, Alfred E Baker pled guilty to first four counts, not guilty to three last.  plea accepted.  Baker said insinuations in the prints were false

Sept 21 p. 2 puffs Lockwood’s Dioramas, Daguerre’s,  master pieces of art, optical effects of light, 411 Broadway

Sept 23 p. 2 notes the Apollo Assn is now open at Clinton Hall; Sept 26 p. 2 notices that the NY Society Liberary is in new bldg Leonard st and Broadway, Ionic style, third story Nat Acad capitally accommodated

            ad p. 4 for Drawing and Ptg  Schl taught by architect Theodore Voelckers, 2 Wall st

Sept 28 p. 2 Apollo Assn gave an exhib and supper Saturday night, artists and literateurs, we were invited, but assn has done so little for the arts and so generally unknown, we forgot abt it. 

            Notices that the NY Mirror was sold to D Fanshaw, the Bible Printer in Nassau st, Morris continues as editor (last issue has engraving of actress Vandenhoff, chaste, fastidious,delicate, agreeable to ladies).  C&E was sold to Morrel.

            NY American is the organ of the Wall st stockjobbers clique, old whig aristocratic clique; Whigs will be successful w/Harrison thanks to defection of Jacksonian conservatives opposed to Van Buren’s subtreasury system, but themselves not aristocratical and attached to public liberty

            Park Benjamin attacks James Fenimore Cooper in New World, Chas Delavan who Herald likes, as editor at C & E

Oct 8  1840 p.2 Elssler donates proceeds to Bunker Hill Monument fundraiser, attacked for indelicacy by Wm Snelling of NY Sunday News, Park Benjamin or Epes Sargeant of NY Signal, Geo W Dixon, NY Polyanthus, David Hale or Gerard Halleck, NY J of Commerce.  Daily Express is clique of bankrupt speculators, call Herald locofoco, Wm b Townsend and James G Brooks

Oct 10 p. 2 v splendid exhib of ptgs of Battles of N Orleans and Lake Erie now open in granite bldg, Broadway and Chambers st, brilliant productions of French artists.  Notes complaints abt the management of the Amer Institute, partiality and favoritism, tho he generally supports them, means exhib is ltd and meagre

            -notes that George H Yankee Hill has taken over the Franklin, abolishing third tier system, no woman unless attended by a gman, praises this, says third tier brought Bowery down.  Bennett not so supportive of the new National Theater, but they reconcile.

Oct 17 p. 2 reruns woodcut of gathering of women, calls it The Fete, a picnic given by Mr JC Stevens on his yacht, describes the fittings and fashions

Oct 23 p. 2 Am Inst a failure, Ptgs specimens bad enuf, mere daubs, a miniature of a friend, most admirable likeness and a very tolerable ptg, but exceptions, most are shocking

Oct 26 p.1 reruns devil bowling in wall st cartoon, this time ninepins are office seekers

Skips from Oct 28, 1840 to Oct 28, 1844 (in which there is a notice of Wm Seward’s speech to PBK at Union College Elements of Empire in America, able address; heretofore not much liked Seward.  Also notes the Whig party’s American Review, pub by Wiley & Putnam, promises v successful.  Puffs JF Smith’s panoramic view of Boston at Palmo’s, and Annellis Grt Picture of the End of the World at the Apollo Saloon, Broadway

Then goes back to Oct 29, 1840.  Bennett supports Whig Moses Grinnell (and Minturn’s) denial of involvement in Whig election fraud.  Seward is tool of Wall St clique (Blatchford, Wetmore, Draper, Chas King, JW Webb, Wm Stone)

Nov 11 1840 p.2 attacks Sun for attacking Mrs Sutton’s singing of the Italian Opera, says same critics broke down the Park theatre last year (Elssler?) and who are now supporting the National Theatre operas.  Puffs W Wilson 96 Duane St, v excellent portraits.

Nov 14 p. 2 praises Brother Jonathan.  Notes an affair of honor yesterday morning betw Mr J--S--- a walking gentleman and WWB, an artist, quarreled in oyster cellar, exchanged two shots, on second JS winged. both ought to have gotten a ducking.  (promises more details but I never saw them)

Nov 16 p. 2 Valentine the engraver 100 Wm st or 50 John st beaut Harrison badge for button hole; doesn’t like Willis Gaylord Clarke still

            ad for Artault & Co  46 Broad st, sell French Daguerre plates and views of monuments of Paris

Nov 23 p. 2 reviews candidates for offices, says Philip Hone is gmanly, intellig, native, he’s ok.  Robt C Wetmore, respectable but involved in voter fraud, orig a carriage ptr in N Haven, ok too.  Chas Delavan, ok.  JN Reynolds, Joe Hoxie, all the guys he doesn’t like

Nov 24 p. 2 “NY as it is” at the Chatham great éclat, one of the best local things ever got up for the stage here

Nov 25 p. 1 all the French print shops in Paris display likenesses of Mehemet Ali and his son Ibrahim (just defeated); striking resemblance betw likenesses of Mdme Laffrage (a murderess) and Mdmselle Rachel the actress

Nov 26 p. 2 reviews Mr Dawes lecture, one of a series, on sublime and beaut, advertised in show bills, associated with portion of press affects to be literary, one time editor or contributor to an obscure and short lived paper, wrote unsuccessful tragedy and novel, so sublime as to be unintelligible.  cited Dugald Stewart, Adenside’s Pleasures of the Imagination, Burke, Plaot, Byron, Longinus, Coleridge, Wolfe on burial of Sir John Moore, Campbell.  Coleridge, delicacy, beaut.  Wolfe, boldness, force, pathetic beaut.  Campbell’s Hohenlinden, indefiniteness of emotion striking, delightful, glorious to die for one’s country, sublime.  science of correspondences, a dictionary being pub by Saml Coleman of Gold st.

            -puffs jewish singer Braham repeatedly, notes immense audience at Chatham for new local drama NY as it is, Thorne bears palm of popularity.  Local scenery is most excellent, artist Duke White (puffed again later for his marine views), esp most splendid view of City Hall and Park on night of 4^th of July

Nov 27 p. 2, Notes Fernando Wood, the locofoco Congressman, is attacked by Wall st prints.  Humbug in Ptg, see it announced in some papers that orig ptgs of grt masters of Euro, Michael Angelo, Raphael, Guido, Corregio, Rubens, Salvator Rosa, Titian, Domenichenio and others on exhib at 333 Broadway.  too late to humbug the public.  not in this coll or even in this country, an orig pict of one of these, possibly excepting Corregio or Rubens.  No ptg of Michael Angelo, Raphel or Guido on this side of the Atlantic, scandalous imposition, miserable daus of inferior artists who couldn’t be sold in Euro

            puffs Chatham, NY as it is aboundswith specimens of real fashion, fun and frolic, characteristic

p.1 ad for Gallery of the Apollo Assn, Clinton Hall, exhib of Ptgs etc, best artists of this country and some choice specimens of old masaters, superior in merit to any other in city, best judges, 25 cents, catalogs, can join the Assn $5 per annum

Dec 2 p. 1 McDonald Clarke’s poem “The Arabic Prince” on observing Edw Mooney’s port of Achmet Ben Amen in a room in City Hall, no reference to artist

Dec 3 1840 p. 2 correspondence fr Washington, beaut ptg of baptism of Pocahontas by Chapman displayed in rotunda of Capitol, fills one of long vacant panels.  2 yrs ago Congress authorized 4 ptgs by Amer artists $8000ea, selection of artists made by Committee on Library, first offer to Washington Allsotn, privilege of choosing his own subj, declined, in following letter (1837).  thanks them for honor of doing a National Picture, circumstances over which he has no control prevents him.  Selection then given to Inman, Weir, Vanderlyn and Chapman, who finished in advance of the rest, creditable and masterly, citizens thronged, delighted.  In execution, governed by best authorities, as to facts and details, all the research in his power in England and here. sublime spectacle of heathen converted girl, moment is a movement of momentary excitement before being rec’d.  Chapman rtist of grt celebrity, worthy of prominent place.

            Promises a Herald picture gallery, an extra ith all the engravings and scenes in black and white in our columns during last five yrs, with brief description, capital for New Year’s gifts.

Dec 10 p. 1 McDonald Clarke’s poem on the bust of Thomas Addis Emmett, in Court Room of City Hall.  enduring memory.  p.2 defends Braham agst an attack in the Sun? , that is typical of clique of miserable critics blackmailing all visiting actors and vocalists, and if don’t submit, assail them thru penny,Wall st and Sunday papers--Elssler, Mr and Mrs Wood, Mrs Sutton, e.g..  Clique frequents the National.

Dec 12 p. 2 notice that Mr Stout, the celeb sculptor, took drwgs and models of Elssler’s form and fig, intends to make a statue of her large as life, judging by Queen Victoria, Stout will make a chef d’ouvre.  Notices that the Atlas Picture Gallery, a sheet containing 42 woodcuts, chiefly Portraits of the People pub’d in the Atlas during the yr, has sold over 10,000, cheap and amusing, six cents.  heads contain much humor, exec in spirited manner equal celeb picture gallery of Bell’s Life in London, poetical illustrations even superior to the cuts, cure the blues, suited for scrapbooks.  Puffs Arcturus, agrees shd be severe on Bryant’s anthology

            ad p. 4 for Aaron Levy auction of valuable framed oil ptgs, 151 Broadway, mostly after the old masters, many superb Pictures, rarely offered, admirers of fine arts in higher branches invited.  Ad also for Cole’s Pictures of the Voyage of Life at New Bldg, Broadway and Leonard st.  public Exhib by permission, for few weeks only, 9-9, season tickets 50 cents

Dec 15 p.2 seems to like RA Locke, covers and puffs his lecture on magnetism; Dec 16 p. 2 covers a lecture on Swedenborg, which he thought was a charlatan and enthusiast, but emerges well.  not in favor of public money going to Catholic schools.

Dec 17 p.2 puffs American art--Cole’s ptgs at gallery of the Academy, Leonard and Broadway, 4 pts fr pencil of Cole the Amer artist equal to anything in same class in any country.  allegorical, highly poetical idea, execution brilliant indeed, chefs d’oeuvre ptd for late John Ward at $5000 and are exhib for benefit of the artist.  Have too long seen imposters and charlatans impose merest daubs for works of Raphael, Correggio, Guido and others, but with such works fr easel of a native artist, such things no longer tolerated.

            -Prof Bancroft’s lecture on universal history, the progress of man toward virtue, summarized

Dec 21 p.2 reviews Bryant’s selections fr Amer poetry fr Harper’s, spirit of favoritism, several of best poets appear, but so do dozen obscure, while some of talent are omitted.  too much middling poetry, of the Rosa Matilda and Della Cruscan schl.  Likes Mrs Norton.  Sunday Atlas one of those papers whose critics attack those who don’t pay him off

            -correspondence of Cold Wittals for the Herald fr Cinti, Old Tip is sitting everyday for his portrait in the ladies’ parlour of Cromwell’s (Broadway) Hotel, surrounded by officeseekers

Dec 22 p.2 reviews Fitz Greene Halleck’s selections fr British poets fr Harpers, left out Chaucer, Watts etc mostly ones I haven’t heard of, not Tennyson’s best, no Lamb, some typos, but overall gd selections.  Likes Godey’s, likes Dick’s engraving style, after a drwg by T Uwins, RA. Likes Graham’s, illus by Sartain after fine pict by Lucas, the Playmates, pleasing, admirable.  Puffs Cole again, truly wonderful, beaut in extreme, one a perfect Claude.  Puffs Levy’s sale of splendid pictures and toys

Dec 24 p. 2 McDonald Clarke splendid picturesque original witty sarcastic poetic, more real genius than half the newspaper poetry ever pubd.  rare genius, healthy vigor and consistency, at head of Amer poetry, only true poet that the democratic age of lit has yet, read de Tocqueville.  Bryant has some poetry, but it is the poetry of cliques, the poetry of books, the poetry of narrow localities, the poetry of certain schls, not the poetry of nature, either social, physical or civilized, in all its variety and grandeur.

            still regularly puffs the dioramas

Dec 25 p. 2 publishes the Night before Xmas

Dec 28 p.1 woodcut portrait of Mrs Kinney of Boston, charged and acquitted of poisoning her hubby, also pubd in an extra, by one of the artists in Borson, fr a portrait of her, shows her exact features

            p.2 more correspondence fr Cinti, came up fr No Bend on Indiana at 11 am, a market basket in one hand and a carpet bag in the other, carried both himself to the Henry Hse, then went to market, bought celery and a beefsteak and took it on board the boat to be sent home.  Then went to Cromwell’s Hotel, had a sitting for his likeness.  4 artists are taking it, Mr Sully of Phila is one.  The one he is sitting for now is the best likeness.  Puts his letters in his hat.

Dec 29 p. 1 woodcut of Dick Dropsy, an Office Beggar (Harrison’s name for them), to accompany McDonald Clarke’s poem on the same, formerly a dandy at Delmonico’s and the Astor, lived on credit, one of the kitchen cabinet.  editorial p 2 says specimens can be seen any pleasant day in Broadway, hanging round the doors of the Astor Hse or other hotels, some editors, writers, critics, secretaries, some 5000 in this city.

            -puffs Appleton’s on Broadway and J &HG Langley for annuals.  Wm Attree is reporting for the Herald?

puffs Bentley’s miscellany, a Longfellow poem, Colman’s as beautiful, intellectual, sight of engravings in his windows worth a dollar a week

1841

January

1 has Fanny Elssler engr dancing on front page. Praise Recorder Morris. 4 Hamblin closing, immoral. Nichols, savant fr west, an original. Attree still a reporter for him 5 supports opposition ticket for Merc Lib (anti Butler), anti-‘meat monopoly’. Hiram Ketchum for circuit judge.  Evening Star clique is NT Eldridge, Old Demo Repub Party, Ned Sandford 6 likes Genl Gaines, takes Mrs Wood’s side agst St George Society clique headed by lawyer Edwards 7 Seward’s msg ill written unwiedldy, the worst he has ever issued, miserable, complicated without meaning, egotistical, may mean anything 8 Seward helping out Chas King. Fred A Tallmadge ok, but mean to remove Morris as Recorder, Glentworth clique is doing it

 12 worried abt McDonald Clarke. Chas King is out agst FA Talmadge, Noah is corrupt and degrade. Herald says he’s as bad as either of them, they didn’t justify the murder of a member of congress, clique of stockjobbers. Noah better and kindlier than Chas King. Merc Lib a farce. Covers Swedenborgian lectures. Tappan scandalous re Amistad. 14 James Gore King Chas King’s bro, dictate financial measures of Seward, prefer Webster or Scott to Clay who didn’t give Chas a consulship. Talmadge and Noah are Clay men 15 hacks at Am Inst try to expel Dr Price

20 McDonald Clarke poem to Brackett, the Sculptor, you’re the almighty’s agent upon earth, baptised in lightning at your birth, will wake Yankee Doodle

22 front page female and male standard of fashion, specimens of supreme bon ton, best blood on Broadway satirical, mocks would be exclusiveness of aristo. Atwill’s music saloon has big ad. 29 McDonald Clarke poem to Gordon Bennett. Booby  James Brooks a loafer of lit, lazzaroni of politics, wants the Surveyorship, Wm B Townsend known as Rat among printers wants a contract, all the Wall street Press a candidate for office, Snowden of Courier wants a contract, Jack O’Sargeant and Epes his brother, JF Otis, JN Reynolds, J Inman, host of others. City Hotel Assembly organized by James W Otis Chas C King and others, exclusive, fabulous

Feb 1841

2 Dollar mag best for the price. poem by a literary lounger. backs Wise agst Clay and Webster 6 already critical of Fry who fries paragraphs for the Nat Gazette, thinks he’s authority on music 8 poem on the Devil’s Lounge in Wall st, mocks David Hale. Crit of Am Inst managers 13 “itchings by the way” fr Baltimore corresp Cosmopolite 19 David Hale attacking fred A Tallmadge 20 accuse Bryant of plagiarism, Robt C Wetmore shouldn’t be collector 25 contest for Colelctor of NY, Wetmore is supported by Clay, Curtis by those friendly to Webster

March 1841

circ. is 26,000. 5 graphic representation of the inauguration, have been promoting it, first time ever. Praise Bro Jon. Inaugural address uneven, too wordy. 8 equiv priase of Atlas 17 approve of Whig candidate for mayor Phoenix  20 WP Gray port ptr 192 Fulton street fire n his room, statue of a female in sitting posture made firemen think a real woman had smothered. notices Sunday Mercury 26 ,ocks New World and Signal; Benj H Day wanted a search warrant for Winchester and Co, New World stealing fr Bro Jon, Greeley had to go Winchester’s bail. Matsell gave Day the warrant. Restell’s arrest will help bring down fashionable society, never mind malignant attacks of J of Commerce 31 Wash corresp says Nat Intellig by Gales & Seaton receive immense sums fr govt, trashy inefficient milk diluted concern

April 1841

2 Combe shrewd humbug 3 parody of Willis. Galleries of ptgs open soon, will praise and cut up 7 French poem on death of Pres. 10,12 black borders. 21 Fine arts-ptg, season of exhibitions. Apollo open, Acad preparing. Heretofore miserable puffing has ruined the public ? and destroyed all right minded emulation, will correct this in ptg as have done in music. So look out. 23 dislike Hone, but he’s better than Hoxie 24 p1 Apollo Gallery, won’t speak in trifling spirit of light gossip, need sincerity, won’t mislead public taste. common admire the fine, not the natural, prefer vulgar to noble. 8 is first tolerable picture, H Inman, bad drwg leaden repose, pretty innocents in dirty cloud. NAD has honor of instructing artists in NY, pity didn’t teach drwg better. Avoid imitating all except his freedom of brush.  9 Lawrence port of Benj West should be studied. 10 and 11 too cold and too warm. CG Thompson Dar Thula, a waggish joke, to see if vilest thing might get in. Moritz Retzsch Chess players fine in design and compos, but color deficient. 17 Boon Companions Stuart Watson, vile. E White portrait, stop imitating Inman, feebleness follow manner of others. Havell capable. Lamqua, a credit to Chinese, looks like human nature. Brown milk maid not gd. Marchant port of Kendall of Pic, jolly. Leutze study for Namouna is false, brickdusty, Sullyish but some merit. Rothermel boyish, Assoc buys his bad pics. Geo Linen admirable small ports. Alvan Fisher lscap consid merit. Huntington Ital lazaroni boy artistical, freedom and breadth, not niggling, his portrait not good. Port gman Page, is of Robt Morris, Mayor elect, miserable thing fr Page, artist is heedless of fame. Doughty Squam lake, near perfection, long praise. Whitley, passable, rural, pleasing. Lady amateur is an artist. JJ Audubon persevering. Thos Sully can’t admire deformed. Marchant JHJ Astor don’t recog him.

26 no more yearly ads 27 p2 Apollo review continues, love Doughty more and more; Allston masterly sketch, Beaumont leathery, Leutze flower girl good, Hoyt of Gen harrison sober but deficient in spirit, not fr Life. J Thompson port, should find another profession. J Fisher portrait, no one living has such a complexion. Marchant and Jarvis port of artists sammy looking. Petzl not fine. Lang Indian Woman great merit, his other works are trash. Cole falls of Niagara, an early pic, shouldn’t be exhib. Sully dream, ptd in his sleep. Gray gd copy. Ashton bad lscape. Shane violent humility. Bonfield and Birch passable. CG Thompson below crit. GG Ross good. De Franca one of his best. Alvan Fisher capital. Ashton bad. Lots of fake old masters. JK Fisher contemptible trash. E White evidence of future power. Alvan Fisher corn crib, one of his best, may be a copy. Burnham young artist, rustic, no ptg. Shaw, alw the same. H Inman tolerable. Weir Indian Captives v excellent. Geo Harvey threatens to do more. Spencer Southwick port could do better. Powell creditable, derivative. Powell Inman Spencer brick dusty crudities.

29 Apollo g continues: Nydia by Leutze, Cole has beyellowed lscapes in NY, who was befouled by Turner and Martin. Warren sweet. Ward curious. Connoisseurs, ricdiculous Holy Family. Pannine, interesting and instructive. Meunier imported trash. Birch good. E White port tame insipid. Harrisdefamation. Marsiglia, takes liberties. Rolfe knows what he’s abt, Nedzyskin so so, McDougal gd likeness of superintendent of Apollo

29 recommends seeing Brackett’s Archangel binding satan, bold and sublime, in granite bldgs, and Reed’s port of Gen Harrison reading the newspapers, bold dashing orig style, young men fr Cinti.

May 1841

1 p.2 Curious Criticism in the FA: Col Stone nearly as great a genius in FA as in animal magnetism, visited Brackett’s famous group, settled q of genius, sublimity beauty and originality on the principles of animal magnetism. That eminently wonderful effort is s et down as a poor affair—the archangel is floated as a young man, and Satan insulted as a strong man laying down, just because one hasn’t wings and the other tail. disgrace to character of the press to see such crit in what are called respectable papers, Comm Advert can’t see merit in any young genuis struggling for fame, only space for John Inman’s puffs on Henry Inman’s portraits, all else are damned. Fine arts in this city, like politics, finance and relig, are too much in the power of cliques of miserable pretenders. genius hunted down by these packs of blockheads, Stout’s splendid statue of Vic damned with faint praise and now Brackett’s extraord first effort at a sublime group destined to same fate. Young Read’s port of Genl Harrison, the best and boldest likeness of revered old man we have, passed over in silence. City shld purchase port for coll, worth $1000 at least.

            Willis Gaylord Clarke severe on cash newspapers, empty breeches, friends say he makes $5000/year with his Gazette.

3 Mdme Restell publishes card, attacks Courier for lying. 4 opening of Nad, annual supper, eat drank and made fools of themselves in the usual way. Unusual number of portraits, but pretty good. A few members  of the Acad form themselves into a small clique and regulate whole affair to subserve port ptg as a potboiling business, neglect higher branches, discourage young men of genius, pretend to monpolise all anrt and patronage.

5 Signal is John O Sargeant, Epes Sargeant, and Park Benjamin.  Locofoco officer in Express attacking Hoyt, the Customs officer 6 p1 letter fr Alvan Fisher in Boston, re crit of 27th in Herald of Apollo Gallery, noticed two pics complimentary, but in 107 Corn Crib said seen it before by The Lazy Scheldt, or Wandering Po, suggesting it is a copy or recollection, and it is not. Composed in Richmond VA, subj suggested by a political election there, in analyzing the motives of active politicians of the diff parties, seemed they were more selfish than patriotic, their great wish was to get at Uncle Sam’s corn crib, a disposition hcaracteristic of the times, and which I tried to illus in a v common scene of rustic life. Orig called Uncle Sam’s Corn Crib, but changed it for Apollo. Objects in it I sketched fr nature, old horse, hungry goat, interior, etc. 6

Watson Webb and Epes Sargeant of New World both in Washington looking for offices, took parlor in common, extracted private papers that use words Webster Dynasty to prove Sargeant is in the Clay interest, Sargeant hears about it at ball given by Mgrinnell King et al. King family attacking Noah wrongly. 7 p1 letter fr Corinna that is a fashionable necessity to visit eteranlly talked about group, Binding of Satan by Brackett 8 Catherwood a better lecturer than Stephens, tho still not too good, gives report of lectures with illustrations 12 Bishop Hughes of See of Blarneyopolis, publishes in corupt and rotten Wall st paper, fawning sycophants to power, wants manliness and independence 15 John Jones of the War office their Wash corresp 19 C&E and Eve Star anti-Tyler already. 20 p2 Has caricature of Biddy Brooks of the Express (Booby Brooks) sneaking into female reform society in a dress 22 Webb is hostile to Webster 24 Forbes their engraver 25 Clay adherents disaffected toward Webster: Phenix the Mayoral candidate, John L Lawrence, Noah, Benj Drake, Stone. Will derail Genl Scott and the abolitionists, inclu Kings 26 have a long article in French on front page  29 likes Simpson of the Park

June 1 1841 Robt Sutton one of their shorthand reporters. 4 Herald reporters not permitted into Congress 8 lots on Vattemare, Album Cosmpolite, Herald carriers can’t take Sun or Wallst papers on their routes. gmen at NAD should let ladies have seats. 10 p1 New Historical ptgs by French Lami Isabey and Bellange, Am victories, scale magnif interest, press release.AG Hoit’s port of Harrison a heavy, stupid thing, young Read’s is best. One by Peele is classic but not a likeness, by Harding fiery overstrained affair, Fendrick is heavy, not enough mind 16 Noah tries to bar Attree fr the court 17 notices the French ptgs of Am victories, masterpieces. Beaut coll of mod Euro ptgs Chambers and Broadway attract attn, cheerful and agreeable pictures, sun shines, daylight, not black and chaotic like the old pics sold weekly in this city. 18  ultra locofocos and Wall st against Tyler, Webb King Stone and Cullen Bryant 22 p2 Theo Sedgwick now polit writer for Eve Post/ Horace Greeley, Freeman Hunt and others wrong to try to ban drinking, poor people shld be able to obtain refreshments, capable of conducting themselves as properly as impudent charlatans trying to fetter them. “Our Lady Artists in miniature ptg”: miniatures superior to oil ptgs in NAD this year evident to even desultory inspections, women have improved, distinguished, more appropriate hands and minds, requires vivd perception of subtile peculiarities. Miss Hall, Mdme Guillet, compared to eminent expensive male artists, masculine mind canit infuse ineffable graces, elab finish, micro light and shade. Mrs Washburn too. We admire Shumway, Cummings, Hite, Weindel, Fanshaw Baker and others, applaud lady rivals. Dags are not likenesses, never can give true expression, glaring and frightful eyes, not an art but a process 25 several pages on Catherwood and Stevens, with illus, praises it, but thinks they are wrong about Mayans 28 Clay is backed by financiers. Curtis the Collector is principal patron of John Mumford, wants him to praise Webster thru Standard 29 p1 Fine ptgs, new coll of Euro ptgs, abt 300 beaut finished, every variety of subj, free

NY Herald, June 22 1841 Our Lady Artists in Miniature ptg, exceed the men, miniatures exceed the oil ptgs at NAD, Miss Hall, Mdme Guillet, Mrs Washburn, ascendancy over Shumway, Cummings, Hite, Weindel, Fanshaw, Baker. Dags no competition. (July 16, notes Guillet has an ad)

July 5 1841go see historical ptgs of Am battle victories 8 letter fr a corresp mocks Willis 13 Seward clique is old anti-masonic clique. NY American says only paper in city identified with Boston men and Boston interests 16 Mdme Guillet advertises 17 PPP On a Portrait of Miss Poole ptd by Frankenstein, poet-painter 19 Sunday News also ed by Jew 20 approves of Edw Everett 21 Stoppani taking over Wash hotel. 22 more fr Stephens and Catherwood 24 Grenville Mellen poem 27 Beach in Sun is attacking Charlotte Cushman and Fanny Elssler, alluding to a statue which Stout has been modelling for six months 31 Gales and Seaton allwo their silly NY corresp to call our report of the speeches at the Clay mtg a caricature, a gross falsehood, should correct

Aug 2 1841 Greenough’s statue expected 5 Arcturus able. Demo Review plate by Gimber good, justly severe on Anthon, bitter review of Stephens. Planet and Trib better penny papers than Sun. 6 doesn’t really support clerks shorter days 9 Beach intimated that for $100 would contradict libel about Stout and Elssler, Sun only circulates among negroes, quacks, jews abortionists and brokers. Trib supported by JP Phenix, Aaron Clark, Philip Hone 13 C&E disgraceful attack on new NYU Med school, which Herald has been reporting on lectures and clinics (Dr Mott an dDr Pattison). Atlas, Sun Mercury, Sun Times and Bro Jon all advert. 19 puffs ptgs of gman fr Germ 20 Stout’s Elssler nearly ready for exhib, beatu design concept exec. New World advertises. 23 Morse, a wood engraver  who was accused in Mary Rogers murder, bailed out by Adams, the engraver, and Redfield the stereotyper, and all the papers have been very involved in offering a reward 24 obit for Henry Brevoort, the millionaire, of the Bowery, held on to land he bought, son Henry built a mansion on 5th ave, Fitz Green Halleck at his funeral 30 critical of Aug Belmont’s taste for fashionable society

Sept 1841: Jemima Mason publishes the Metropolitan (advert). US Bank in Phila (Geo Griswold) is suing J of Commerce for $100,000. Jack Swifter writing for New World is JK Duer of the Navy, recently court martialed. 8 Audubon. 10 likes new Penny Press. 13 hostile to Henry Clay 14 Nat Intellig conducted by Silky, Milky & Co, claim Herald broke up Whig Party whose head is in Wall st and tail in lower regions 15 critical of John A Stevens of Wall st and 412 other saints trying to stop sale of Sunday papers on Sundays, destroy newsboy livelihoods 17 romantic engr of Nick Moore’s tavern where Mary Rogers seen last. 21 Whig papers that are attacking Tyler: C&E, American, Trib, while Express and Commercial do not; Seward clique and Willis Hall behind it. Mdme Guillet’s new academy for girls. Engr of view of Weehawken (part of series of eng connected with Mary Rogers) Halleck poem about it. 27 McDonald Clarke poem

Oct 1 1841: Yankee Nation advert 5 TL Nichols poem 14 Am Inst coverage—lots of it, ongoing. Lardner fan. 16 Park Benjamin attacked Charlotte Cushman for writing agst fellow actresses in Herald, wants to hiss her 18 runs Devil playing 9 pins in Wall st to mark another defaulter 30 weird notice of New World, has made peace with Park B

Nov 1 crit of Bishop Hughes’Carroll hall speech, caused a division in Demo party 2 HC Watson music crit for New World is bad 6 praises CE Lester’s glory and shame 8 v full report of Sparks lectures on Am Rev at NYHS. hiring 6 or 7 reporters 9 good review of Cooper’s naval history. article inserted under our theatrical head re litho by Heideman of Inman’s ptg of Elssler, surreptitious, don’t know that drawing deserves praise 13 poetry in Nov Dem Rev bad. 15 crit of Mrs Mowatt, loves Sparks. 16 praise Planet 17 dislikes Flash, Geo Wilkes arrested for it. Catholic church has two influences, French and Irish, French more influential in Rome, backed Hughes over Powers. 18 praises Trumbull’s book 19 p1 Washington corresp notes Madisonian has long puff of New World and Park Benjamin, attacks Tyler. Colossal statue of Washington in rotunda, boxed up till Pettrich eminent sculptor completes pedestal with alleg figs in hi relief, designs for which are well conceived and beaut. Articles by Everett ably set forth merits of statue, wish it wore costume of Wash, half dressed will never go with the people. Persico for his execrable War and Peace pd $30,000 shld after the exhib of his artistical feats never been employed to cut a death’s head will soon be grinning along with others, for $25,000 more. All sorts of humbugs, foreign and domestic, fed feasted and fuddled. fr One of the Club. 20 Wm Page friends with McDonald Clarke 26 declares himself the Napoleon of the press 27 Thos L Nichols Dollar Weekly ad. David R Lee no longer a reporter for Herald 29 fan of Prince de Joinville (thanks to alliance with Dr Mott, invited to big reception dinner). 30 Morpeth dinner excluded reporters fr Herald, J of Commerce, Sun and Trib; decorated by Geo Platt with statues of Queen and Wash, busts of Diana and Minerva, view of Castle Howard, more gods, busts of brit writers and chief justice Marshall, more ptgs of views, shields statues

Dec 1 Congressional reports managed by Robt Sutton. Plan to issue Sunday Herald, won’t be cried. Herrick West and Ropes Atlas error in trying to revive Flash, public will prefer us. 6 Sparks an annalist, not a philosopher, doesn’t understand economics. p3 Washington corresp complains against Greenough’s statue, proportions of Goliath of Gath, artist distrusts Am char and Am taste metamorphosed the Am sage intoa haughty half naked Roman barbarian, like some Roman despot just risen fr his coffin sits on an uncouth throne with his winding sheet about him, , a dagger for a sword, contemptible weapon for an Ital brigand, sandals, surrendered every thing to the people, even his clothes. Everett in Intelligencer, intended to prepare repub taste of our cits agst disappointment has failed. Expected something Am, something like Wash as he lived, but assaults pride of Am by debasing Am hero to miserable empire of barbarians, nothing in Am char expressive of a superior man, uniform too outlandish, Roman tyrant. Head portrays sublime features in all their divinity, execution thru out a master, but conception is that of an idiot. No char superior to Am cit. The thing is false, a caricature.

            Two collateral figs erected, a scared little Indian and shade of Columbus in rear of Repub Throne, a great relief to eye, heavy chilling nakedness impress wondering plebeian is insufficient, even bronze statue of Jefferson looked unusually black and frowning. Signed Georgy Porgy.

Dec 8 Greenough, objections to its nudity, drapery, attitude, last is worst, shd alw be represented full height and breadth like Apollo Belvidere. 9 Schoolcraft’s lecture just commonplaces 17 don’t want to unite TX with US, it’s the proposal of speculators, policy and principle oppose it. Standard is organ of Webster, New Era is for Van Buren. litho port of Elssler being puffed by several city papers, judges say could write this is cerito, or taglioni, or anybody or nobody, neither ptg nor litho are a likenessm just an attitude of La Tarantule 20 praises Mcdonald Clarke’s genius 21 praises Sunday Mercury, and Robt Tyler’s Ahaeserus 26 Dr Peter S Townsend a subeditor for Evening Star has turgid inflated style, shouldn’t work with Dr Mott, would be like a man milliner in Chatham st arraying Greenough’s statue of Wash with a dress of sixpenny calico 27 Wash corresp for Sun and C&E is same clerk 31 Langleys of Dem Rev have big ad