an autobiography-第13部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

h　had　her　own　individuality　of　style　and　manner；　by　which　their　several　works　were　easily　distinguished　from　each　other。　　Indeed；　whoever　works　after　Nature　will　have　a　style　of　their　own。　　They　all　continued　the　practice　of　oil　painting　until　an　advanced　age。　The　average　duration　of　their　lives　was　about　seventy…eight。

There　was　one　point　which　my　father　diligently　impressed　upon　his　pupils；　and　that　was　the　felicity　and　the　happiness　attendant　upon　pencil　drawing。　　He　was　a　master　of　the　pencil；　and　in　his　off…hand　sketches　communicated　his　ideas　to　others　in　a　way　that　mere　words　could　never　have　done。　　It　was　his　Graphic　Language。　　A　few　strokes　of　the　pencil　can　convey　ideas　which　quires　of　writing　would　fail　to　impart。　　This　is　one　of　the　most　valuable　gifts　which　a　man　who　has　to　do　with　practical　subjects　can　possess。　　〃The　language　of　the　pencil〃　is　a　truly　universal　one；　especially　in　communicating　ideas　which　have　reference　to　material　forms。　　And　yet　it　is　in　a　great　measure　neglected　in　our　modern　system　of　education。

The　language　of　the　tongue　is　often　used　to　disguise　our　thoughts；　whereas　the　language　of　the　pencil　is　clear　and　explicit。　　Who　that　possesses　this　language　can　fail　to　look　back　with　pleasure　on　the　course　of　a　journey　illustrated　by　pencil　drawings？　　They　bring　back　to　you　the　landscapes　you　have　seen；　the　old　streets；　the　pointed　gables；　the　entrances　to　the　old　churches；　even　the　bits　of　tracery；　with　a　vividness　of　association　such　as　mere　words　could　never　convey。　Thus；　looking　at　an　old　sketch…book　brings　back　to　you　the　recollection　of　a　tour；　however　varied；　and　you　virtually　make　the　journey　over　again　with　its　picturesque　and　beautiful　associations。　　On　many　a　fine　summer's　day　did　my　sisters　make　a　picnic　excursion　into　the　neighbourhood　of　Edinburgh。　　They　were　accompanied　by　their　pupils；　sketch…book　and　pencil　in　hand。　　As　I　have　already　said；　there　is　no　such　scenery　near　any　city　that　I　know　of。　　Arthur's　Seat　and　Salisbury　Crags；　Duddingston　Loch；　the　Braid　Hills；　Craigmillar　Castle；　Hawthornden；　Roslin；　Habbie's　How；　and　the　many　valleys　and　rifts　in　the　Pentlands；　with　Edinburgh　and　its　Castle　in　the　distance；　or　the　scenery　by　the　sea…shore；　all　round　the　coast　from　Newhaven　to　Gullane　and　North　Berwick　Law。

The　excursionists　came　home　laden　with　sketches。　　I　have　still　by　me　a　multitude　of　these　graphic　records　made　by　my　sisters。　　Each　sketch；　however　slight；　strikes　the　keynote；　as　it　were；　to　many　happy　recollections　of　the　circumstances；　and　the　persons　who　were　present　at　the　time　it　was　made。　　I　know　not　of　any　such　effective　stimulant　to　the　recollection　of　past　events　as　these　graphic　memoranda。　Written　words　may　be　forgotten；　but　these　slight　pencil　recollections　imprint　themselves　on　the　mind　with　a　force　that　can　never　be　effaced。　Everything　that　occurred　at　the　time　rises　up　as　fresh　in　the　memory　as　if　hours　and　not　years　had　passed　since　then。　　They　bring　to　the　mind's　eye　many　dear　ones　who　have　passed　away；　and　remind　us　that　we　too　must　follow　them。

It　is　much　to　be　regretted　that　this　valuable　art　of　graphic　memoranda　is　not　more　generally　practised。　　It　is　not　merely　a　most　valuable　help　to　the　memory；　but　it　educates　the　eye　and　the　hand；　and　enables　us　to　cultivate　the　faculty　of　definite　observation。　　This　is　one　of　the　most　valuable　accomplishments　that　I　know　of；　being　the　means　of　storing　up　ideas；　and　not　mere　words；　in　the　mental　recollection　of　both　men　and　women。

Before　I　proceed　to　record　the　recollections　of　my　own　life；　I　wish　to　say　something　about　my　eldest　brother　Patrick；　the　well…known　landscape　painter。　　He　was　twenty…one　years　older　than　myself！　　My　father　was　his　best　and　almost　his　only　instructor。　　At　a　very　early　age　he　manifested　a　decided　taste　for　drawing　and　painting。　　His　bent　was　landscape。　This　gave　my　father　great　pleasure；　as　it　was　his　own　favourite　branch　of　art。　　The　boy　acquired　great　skill　in　sketching　trees；　clouds；　plants；　and　foregrounds。　　He　studied　with　wonderful　assiduity　and　success。　　I　possess　many　of　his　graphic　memoranda；　which　show　the　care　and　industry　with　which　he　educated　his　eye　and　hand　in　rendering　with　truth　and　fidelity　the　intimate　details　of　his　art。　　The　wild　plants　which　he　introduced　into　the　foregrounds　of　his　pictures　were　his　favourite　objects　of　study。　　But　of　all　portions　of　landscape　nature；　the　Sky　was　the　one　that　most　delighted　him。　　He　studied　the　form　and　character　of　cloudsresting　cloud；　the　driving　cloud；　and　the　rain　cloudand　the　sky　portions　of　his　paintings　were　thus　rendered　so　beautifully　attractive。

He　was　so　earnest　in　his　devotion　to　the　study　of　landscape　that　in　some　respects　he　neglected　the　ordinary　routine　of　school　education。　He　successfully　accomplished　the　three　R。's；　but　after　that　his　school　was　the　fields；　in　the　face　of　Nature。　　He　was　by　no　means　a　Romantic　painter。　　His　taste　was　essentially　for　Home　subjects。　　In　his　landscapes　he　introduced　picturesque　farm…houses　and　cottages；　with　their　rural　surroundings；　and　his　advancement　and　success　were　commensurate　with　his　devotion　to　this　fine　branch　of　art。　　The　perfect　truth　with　which　he　represented　English　scenery；　associated　as　it　is　with　so　many　home…loving　feelings；　forms　the　special　attractiveness　of　his　works。　　This　has　caused　them　to　be　eagerly　sought　after；　and　purchased　at　high　prices。

Patrick　had　a　keen　sense　of　humour；　though　in　other　respects　he　was　simple　and　unpretending。　　He　was　a　great　reader　of　old…fashioned　novels；　which　indeed　in　those　days　were　the　only　works　of　the　kind　to　be　met　with。　　The　Arabian　Nights；　Robinson　crusoe；　The　Mysteries　of　Udolpho；　and　such　like；　were　his　favourites；　and　gave　a　healthy　filip　to　his　imagination。　　He　had　also　a　keen　relish　for　music；　and　used　to　whistle　melodies　and　overtures　as　he　went　along　with　his　work。　He　acquired　a　fair　skill　in　violin　playing。　　While　tired　with　sitting　or　standing　he　would　take　up　his　violin；　play　a　few　passages；　and　then　go　to　work　again。

Patrick　removed　to　London　in　1808；　and　exhibited　at　the　Royal　Academy　in　the　following　year。　　He　made　excursions　to　various　parts　of　England；　where　he　found　subjects　congenial　to　his　ideas　of　rural　beauty。　The　immediate　neighbourhood　of　London；　however；　a　bounded　with　the　most　charming　and　appropriate　subjects　for　his　pencil。　　These　consisted　of　rural　〃bits〃　of　the　most　picturesque　but　homely　descriptiondecayed　pollard　trees　and　old　moss…grown　orchards；　combined　with　cottages　and　farm…houses　in　the　most　paintable　state　of　decay；　with　tangled　hedges　and　neglected　fences；　overrun　with　vegetation　clinging　to　them　with　all　〃the　careless　grace　of　Nature。〃　　However　neglected　these　might　be　by　the　farmer；　they　were　always　tit…bits　for　Patrick。　　When　sketching　such　subjects　he　was　in　his　glory；　and　he　returned　to　his　easel　loaded　with　sketch…book　treasures；　which　when　painted　form　the　gems　of　many　a　collection。

In　some　of　these　charming　subjects　glimpses　of　the　distant　capital　may　be　observed；　with　the　dome　of　St。　Paul's　in　the　distance；　but　they　are　introduced　with　such　skill　and　correctness　as　in　no　way　to　interfere　with　the　rural　character　of　his　subject。　　When　he　went　farther　afield　to　Windsor　Forest；　Hampshire；　the　New　Forest；　or　the　Isle　of　Wight　he　was　equally　diligent　with　his　pencil；　and　came　home　laden　with　sketches　of　the　old　monarchs　of　the　forest。　　When　in　a　state　of　partial　decay　his　skilful　touch　brought　them　to　life　again；　laden　with　branches　and　lichen；　with　leaves　and　twigs　and　bark；　and　with　every　feature　that　gives　such　a　charm　to　these　important　elements　in　true　English　landscape　scenery。　　On　my　brother's　first　visit　to　London；　accompanied　by　my　father；　he　visited　many　collections　where　the　old　Dutch　masters　were　to　be　seen；　and　he　doubtless　derived　much　advantage　from　his　careful　studies；　more　particularly　from　the　works　of　Hobbema；　Ruysdael；　and　Wynants。　　These　came　home　to　him　as　representations　of　Nature　as　she　is。　　They　were　more　free　from　the　traditional　modes　of　representing　her。　　The　works　of　Claude　Lorraine　and　Richard　Wilson　were　also　the　objects　of　his　admiration；　though　the　influence　of　the　time　for　classicality　of　treatment　to　a　certain　extent　vitiated　these　noble　works。　　When　a　glorious　sunset　was　observed；　the　usual　expression　among　the　lovers　of　art　was；　〃What　a　magnificent　Claudish　effect！〃　　thus　setting　up　the　result　of　man's　feeble　attempt　at　representation　as　the　standard　of　comparison；　in　place　of　the　far　grander　original！

My　brother　carefully　studied　Nature　herself。　　His　works；　following　those　of　my　father；　led　back　the　public　taste　to　a　more　healthy　and　true　condition；　and　by　the　aid　of　a　noble　army　of　modern　British　landscape　painters；　this　department　of　art　has　been　elevated　to　a　very　high　standard　of　truth　and　excellence。

I　find　some　letters　from　Patrick　to　my　father；　after　his　settlement　as　an　artist　in　London。　　My　father　seems　to　have　supplied　him　with　money　during　the　early　part　of　his　career；　and　afterwards　until　he　had　received　the　amount　of　his　commissions　for　pictures。　　In　one　of　his　letters　he　says：　〃That　was　an　unlucky　business；　the　loss　of　that　order　which　you　were　so　good　as　send　me　on　my　account。〃　　It　turned　out　that　the　order　had