Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1888 edition. Excerpt: ... No. IX.--A Talk In The Billiard-room. I PROMISED I would give you something like a report of one of the discussions that take place at night in the billiard-room during our annual visit to Wales. I fear I shall not be able to recall any particular night, therefore you must be content with a "blot" or "impressionist memory" of several. A smoking chat, well mixed with chaff, is not easily reportable or profitably readable, so I will omit a good deal that may not be interesting or teach you anything. White: Our photographer was painting today; how did he get on? Black: I was much complimented by the miller, who takes an acute interest in art. His great desire is, he says, to go to London to see all the pictures in the Tower. He had never seen me painting before, and it gave him great satisfaction. He said in his best AngloCambrian, "Ah! you do do them by hand, too. It is well when a man can turn his hand to anything. You do yours by machine mostly, and can make many, but it takes the other gentleman a long time to do them by hand!" White: Ante up the product. Black: There is the interesting and valuable result. Speak your mind, Brown, you are a great painter; but as is often the case with great painters, now-a-days, you don't know much about art, but we will take your opinion on the smudgery part of it. Brown: Oh! I can't be bothered with such juvenile efforts. You ought never to waste good oil-colors. Turn it upside down and begin another if--and only if--you can't find something better to do. But why do you bother yourself with paint? Black: Eliger Goff says, "When a man forgets his first mother it's time for him to be born again," and this is not the first time I have painted. Gray: The Renaissance was a healthy time for art. Black: The...
