Samuel F. B. Morse, His Letters and Journals - Volume I. | Page 4

voyage lasting fifty-eight days.--Extracts from his journal.--Home at last
CHAPTER X
APRIL 10, 1816--OCTOBER 5, 1818
Very little success at home.--Portrait of ex-President John Adams.-- Letter to Allston on sale of his "Dead Man restored to Life."--Also apologizes for hasty temper.--Reassured by Allston.--Humorous letter from Leslie.--Goes to New Hampshire to paint portraits.--Concord.--Meets Miss Lucretia Walker.--Letters to his parents concerning her.--His parents reply.--Engaged to Miss Walker.--His parents approve.--Many portraits painted.--Miss Walker's parents consent.--Success in Portsmouth.--Morse and his brother invent a pump.--Highly endorsed by President Day and Eli Whitney.--Miss Walker visits Charlestown.--Morse's religious convictions.--More success in New Hampshire.--Winter in Charleston, South Carolina.--John A. Alston.--Success.--Returns north.--Letter from his uncle Dr. Finley.--Marriage
CHAPTER XI
NOVEMBER 19, 1818--MARCH 31, 1821
Morse and his wife go to Charleston, South Carolina.--Hospitably entertained and many portraits painted.--Congratulates Allston on his election to the Royal Academy.--Receives commission to paint President Monroe.--Trouble in the parish at Charlestown.--Morse urges his parents to leave and come to Charleston.--Letters of John A. Alston.--Return to the North.--Birth of his first child.--Dr. Morse and his family decide to move to New Haven.--Morse goes to Washington.--Paints the President under difficulties.--Hospitalities.--Death of his grandfather.--Dr. Morse appointed Indian Commissioner.--Marriage of Morse's future mother-in-law. --Charleston again.--Continued success.--Letters to Mrs. Ball.-- Liberality of Mr. Alston.--Spends the summer in New Haven.--Returns to Charleston, but meets with poor success.--Assists in founding Academy of Arts, which has but a short life.--Goes North again
CHAPTER XII
MAY 23, 1821--DECEMBER 17, 1824
Accompanies Mr. Silliman to the Berkshires.--Takes his wife and daughter to Concord, New Hampshire.--Writes to his wife from Boston about a bonnet.--Goes to Washington, D.C.--Paints large picture of House of Representatives.--Artistic but not financial success.--Donates five hundred dollars to Yale.--Letter from Mr. De Forest.--New York "Observer."--Discouragements.--First son born.--Invents marble-carving machine.--Goes to Albany.--Stephen Van Rensselaer.--Slight encouragement in Albany.--Longing for a home.--Goes to New York.--Portrait of Chancellor Kent.--Appointed attach�� to Legation to Mexico.--High hopes.-- Takes affecting leave of his family.--Rough journey to Washington.-- Expedition to Mexico indefinitely postponed.--Returns North.--Settles in New York.--Fairly prosperous
CHAPTER XIII
JANUARY 4, 1825--NOVEMBER 18, 1825
Success in New York.--Chosen to paint portrait of Lafayette.--Hope of a permanent home with his family.--Meets Lafayette in Washington.--Mutually attracted.--Attends President's levee.--Begins portrait of Lafayette.-- Death of his wife.--Crushed by the news.--His attachment to her.--Epitaph composed by Benjamin Silliman.--Bravely takes up his work again.-- Finishes portrait of Lafayette.--Describes it in letter of a later date. --Sonnet on death of Lafayette's dog.--Rents a house in Canal Street, New York.--One of the founders of National Academy of Design.--Tactful resolutions on organization.--First thirty members.--Morse elected first president.--Re?lected every year until 1845.--Again made president in 1861.--Lectures on Art.--Popularity
CHAPTER XIV
JANUARY 1, 1826--DECEMBER 5, 1829
Success of his lectures, the first of the kind in the United States.-- Difficulties of his position as leader.--Still longing for a home.--Very busy but in good health.--Death of his father.--Estimates of Dr. Morse.-- Letters to his mother.--Wishes to go to Europe again.--Delivers address at first anniversary of National Academy of Design.--Professor Dana lectures on electricity.--Morse's study of the subject.--Moves to No. 13 Murray Street.--Too busy to visit his family.--Death of his mother.--A remarkable woman.--Goes to central New York.--A serious accident.--Moral reflections.--Prepares to go to Europe.--Letter of John A. Dix.--Sails for Liverpool.--Rough voyage.--Liverpool
CHAPTER XV
DECEMBER 6. 1829--FEBRUARY 6, 1830
Journey from Liverpool to London by coach.--Neatness of the cottages.-- Trentham Hall.--Stratford-on-Avon.--Oxford.--London.--Charles R. Leslie. --Samuel Rogers.--Seated with Academicians at Royal Academy lecture.-- Washington Irving.--Turner.--Leaves London for Dover.--Canterbury Cathedral.--Detained at Dover by bad weather.--Incident of a former visit.--Channel steamer.--Boulogne-sur-Mer.--First impressions of France.--Paris.--The Louvre.--Lafayette.--Cold in Paris.--Continental Sunday.--Leaves Paris for Marseilles in diligence.--Intense cold.-- Dijon.--French funeral.--Lyons.--The H?tel Dieu.--Avignon.--Catholic church services.--Marseilles.--Toulon.--The navy yard and the galley slaves.--Disagreeable experience at an inn.--The Riviera.--Genoa
CHAPTER XVI
FEBRUARY 6, 1830--JUNE 15, 1830
Serra Palace in Genoa.--Starts for Rome.--Rain in the mountains.--A brigand.--Carrara.--First mention of a railroad.--Pisa.--The leaning tower.--Rome at last.--Begins copying at once.--Notebooks.--Ceremonies at the Vatican.--Pope Pius VIII.--Academy of St. Luke's.--St. Peter's.-- Chiesa Nuova.--Painting at the Vatican.--Beggar monks.--Festa of the Annunciation.--Soir��e at Palazzo Sunbaldi.--Passion Sunday.--Horace Vernet.--Lying in state of a cardinal.--Miserere at Sistine Chapel.-- Holy Thursday at St. Peter's.--Third cardinal dies.--Meets Thorwaldsen at Signor Persianis's.--Manners of English, French, and Americans.--Landi's pictures.--Funeral of a young girl.--Trip to Tivoli, Subiaco.--Procession of the Corpus Domini.--Disagreeable experience
CHAPTER XVII
JUNE 17, 1830--FEBRUARY 2, 1831
Working hard.--Trip to Genzano.--Lake of Nemi.--Beggars.--Curious festival of flowers at Genzano.--Night on the Campagna.--Heat in Rome.-- Illumination of St. Peter's.--St. Peter's Day.--Vaults of the Church.-- Feebleness of Pope.--Morse and companions visit Naples, Capri, and Amalfi.--Charms of Amalfi.--Terrible accident.--Flippancy at funerals.-- Campo Santo at Naples.--Gruesome conditions.--Ubiquity of beggars.-- Convent of St. Martino.--Masterpiece of Spagnoletto.--Returns to Rome.-- Paints portrait of Thorwaldsen.--Presented to him in after years by John Taylor Johnston.--Given to King of Denmark.--Reflections on the social evil and the theatre.--Death of the Pope.--An assassination.--The Honorable Mr. Spencer and Catholicism.--Election of Pope Gregory XVI
CHAPTER XVIII
FEBRUARY 10, 1831--SEPTEMBER 12, 1831
Historic events witnessed by Morse.--Rumors of revolution.--Danger to foreigners.--Coronation of the new Pope.--Pleasant experience.--Cause of the revolution a mystery.--Bloody plot foiled.--Plans to leave for Florence.--Sends casts, etc., to National