DOI Heft:
No. 37 (April, 1896)
DOI Artikel:Reviews of recent publications
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17296#0204
Reviews of Recent P^lblications
its own. There are some, however, to whom such Edition.)—The popular estimate of a man is by no
considerations will not appeal, and by them Mr. means always a comprehending one. The most
Gibson's work will be judged on its more purely salient characteristics of a strong personality are
artistic merits. We make no scruple in saying that perhaps seldom the deepest or the most enduring,
these are of a very high order. We know none of What Mr. Stuart Reid's monograph has done for
the younger illustrators of our own country from his readers in the case of Lord John Russell, is to
whose published work could be gathered a volume add to the individuality and force of the popular
of the same varied degree of excellence as this, memory of the man, and, at the same time, to
especially when the correct and soften,
fact is taken into by a series of firm,
consideration that accurate, delicate
the work herein touches, the some-
displayed covers a ' what hard outline
period of more of the picture as it
years than a decade. figures in the mind
One can note the of the public,
steady growth in The great Whig
technical skill, the -a^tt liBHL statesman was a
surer insight into man of letters, ami
character, and the kj&f :<Pjr ' ' a man of sympa-
greater confidence thies as deep and
and precision of faithful as they were
touch ; but even illPl^'''• reticent. His pluck
the very earliest ' 'xflH and magnanimity
examples can hold ^''^^^V ^SS^"**'' were too obvious to
their own with much vjlp>- be> overlooked; but
of the best English the sensitiveness
work of the present '^jfc%^- and unselfishness
day. Towards the f which lay hidden
last, indeed, a re- under so cold a
grettable tendency manner, and which
towards mannerism , f jSkt breathe in every
is observable, and line of the beautiful
this is perhaps the portrait by Mr.
rock which in his Watts that we are
future course Mr. here permitted to
Gibson must take reproduce, were best
especial pains to I°SSr£S?by known in closest
avoid, unless he o. f. watts, r.a. intimacy, though so
would bring his well divined by the
craft to irremediable ruin. It is that rock indeed genius and the admiring affection of the great
which, with all deference it might be said, has come painter, and so ably indicated by the eclectic
near to shatter the reputation of his English proto- labours and discerning literary skill of Mr. Stuart
type. However, this is as it may be. It is surely Reid.
enough for us to say that to every student of illus- It was in virtue of these qualities, among others,
tration, and of black and white work in particular, that he was adored by his servants, and reverenced
this beautifully and worthily made volume will pos- with a rare and unforgetting love by his nearest
sess the very highest interest, while to the ordinary kindred. The present writer once asked a question
public it must appeal as one of the most beautiful, of Mr. Watts, which led the painter to say of Lord
amusing, and entertaining collections of character John Russell, that to him the memory of the man
studies that has been produced for several years was mainly summed up in the one word "noble-
past, minded," surely as fine an epithet as any truthful
Lord John Russell. By Stuart J. Reid. man might desire from any other equally veracious.
(London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Second The reproduction from the portrait by Mr. G. F
189
its own. There are some, however, to whom such Edition.)—The popular estimate of a man is by no
considerations will not appeal, and by them Mr. means always a comprehending one. The most
Gibson's work will be judged on its more purely salient characteristics of a strong personality are
artistic merits. We make no scruple in saying that perhaps seldom the deepest or the most enduring,
these are of a very high order. We know none of What Mr. Stuart Reid's monograph has done for
the younger illustrators of our own country from his readers in the case of Lord John Russell, is to
whose published work could be gathered a volume add to the individuality and force of the popular
of the same varied degree of excellence as this, memory of the man, and, at the same time, to
especially when the correct and soften,
fact is taken into by a series of firm,
consideration that accurate, delicate
the work herein touches, the some-
displayed covers a ' what hard outline
period of more of the picture as it
years than a decade. figures in the mind
One can note the of the public,
steady growth in The great Whig
technical skill, the -a^tt liBHL statesman was a
surer insight into man of letters, ami
character, and the kj&f :<Pjr ' ' a man of sympa-
greater confidence thies as deep and
and precision of faithful as they were
touch ; but even illPl^'''• reticent. His pluck
the very earliest ' 'xflH and magnanimity
examples can hold ^''^^^V ^SS^"**'' were too obvious to
their own with much vjlp>- be> overlooked; but
of the best English the sensitiveness
work of the present '^jfc%^- and unselfishness
day. Towards the f which lay hidden
last, indeed, a re- under so cold a
grettable tendency manner, and which
towards mannerism , f jSkt breathe in every
is observable, and line of the beautiful
this is perhaps the portrait by Mr.
rock which in his Watts that we are
future course Mr. here permitted to
Gibson must take reproduce, were best
especial pains to I°SSr£S?by known in closest
avoid, unless he o. f. watts, r.a. intimacy, though so
would bring his well divined by the
craft to irremediable ruin. It is that rock indeed genius and the admiring affection of the great
which, with all deference it might be said, has come painter, and so ably indicated by the eclectic
near to shatter the reputation of his English proto- labours and discerning literary skill of Mr. Stuart
type. However, this is as it may be. It is surely Reid.
enough for us to say that to every student of illus- It was in virtue of these qualities, among others,
tration, and of black and white work in particular, that he was adored by his servants, and reverenced
this beautifully and worthily made volume will pos- with a rare and unforgetting love by his nearest
sess the very highest interest, while to the ordinary kindred. The present writer once asked a question
public it must appeal as one of the most beautiful, of Mr. Watts, which led the painter to say of Lord
amusing, and entertaining collections of character John Russell, that to him the memory of the man
studies that has been produced for several years was mainly summed up in the one word "noble-
past, minded," surely as fine an epithet as any truthful
Lord John Russell. By Stuart J. Reid. man might desire from any other equally veracious.
(London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Second The reproduction from the portrait by Mr. G. F
189