[Illustration: 159]
The battle between the “big and little-endians” in Gulliver, was nothing
to the fight between the Destructives and Conservatives of the Irish Art
Union. A few months since the former party deciding that the engraved
plate of Mr. Burton's picture should be broken up; the latter protesting
against the Vandalism of destroying a first-rate work of art, and
preventing the full triumph of the artist's genius, in the circulation
of a print so credit' able to himself and to his country.
The great argument of the Destructives was this:--We are the devoted
friends of art--we love it--we glory in it--we cherish it: yea, we
even give a guinea a-year a-piece for the encouragement of a society
established for its protection and promotion;--this society pledging
themselves that we shall have in return--what think ye?--the immortal
honour of raising a school of painting in our native country?--the
conscientious sense of a high-souled patriotism?--the prospect of
future estimation at the hands of a posterity who are to benefit by
our labours? Not at all: nothing of all this. We are far too great
materialists for such shadowy pleasures; we are to receive a plate,
whose value is in the direct ratio of its rarity, “which shall certainly
be of more than the amount of our subscription,” and, maybe, of five
times that sum. The fewer the copies issued, the rarer (i. e., the
dearer) each impression. We are the friends of art--therefore, we say,
smash the copper-plate, destroy every vestige of the graver's art, we
are supplied, and heaven knows to what price these engravings may not
subsequently rise!
Now, I like these people. There is something bold, something masterly,
something decided, in their coming forward and fighting the battle on
its true grounds. There is no absurd affectation about the circulation
of a clever picture disseminating in remote and scarce-visited districts
the knowledge of a great man and a great work; there is no prosy
nonsense about encouraging the genius of our own country, and showing
with pride to her prouder sister, that we are not unworthy to contend in
the race with her. Nothing of this.--They resolve themselves, by an open
and candid admission, into a committee of printsellers, and they cry
with one voice--“No free trade in 'The Blind Girl'--no sliding scale--no
fixed duty--nothing save absolute, actual prohibition!” It is with pride
I confess myself of this party: perish art! down with painting! to the
ground with every effort of native genius! but keep up the price of our
engraving, which, with the rapid development of Mr. Burton's talent, may
yet reach ten, nay, twenty guineas for an impression. But in the
midst of my enthusiasm, a still small voice of fear is whispering
ever:--Mayhap this gifted man may live to eclipse the triumphs of his
youthful genius: it may be, that, as he advances in life, his talents,
matured by study and cultivation, may ascend to still higher flights,
and this, his early work, be merely the beacon-light that attracted men
in the outset of his career, and only be esteemed as the first throes
of his intellect. What is to be done in this case? It is true we have
suppressed “The Blind Girl;” we have smashed _that_ plate; but how shall
we prevent him from prosecuting those studies that already are leading
him to the first rank of his profession? Disgust at our treatment _may_
do much; but yet, his mission may suggest higher thoughts than are
assailable by us and our measures. I fear, now, that but one course is
open; and it is with sorrow I confess, that, however indisposed to the
shedding of blood, however unsuited by my nature and habits to murderous
deeds, I see nothing for us but--to smash Mr. Burton.
By accepting this suggestion, not only will the engravings, but
the picture itself, attain an increased value. If dead men are not
novelists, neither are they painters; and Mr. Burton, it is expected,
will prove no exception to the rule. Get rid of him, then, at once, and
by all means. Let this resolution be brought forward at the next general
meeting, by any leader of the Destructive party, and I pledge myself
to second and defend it, by every argument, used with such force and
eloquence for the obstruction of the copperplate. I am sure the talented
gentleman himself will, when he is put in possession of our motives,
offer no opposition to so natural a desire on our part, but will afford
every facility in his power for being, as the war-cry of the party has
it, “broken up and destroyed.”