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

Samuel F. B. Morse
Dr.
Romeyn and Mr. Van Schaick.--The father regrets reproof of son for
political views.--Death of Mrs. Allston.--Disagreeable experience in
Bristol.--More economies.--Napoleon I.--Peace
CHAPTER IX
MAY 8, 1815--OCTOBER 18, 1816
Decides to return home in the fall.--Hopes to return to Europe in a
year.--Ambitions.--Paints "Judgment of Jupiter."--Not allowed to
compete for premium.--Mr. Russell's portrait.--Reproof of his
parents.--Battle of Waterloo.--Wilberforce.--Painting of "Dying
Hercules" received by parents.--Much admired.--Sails for
home.--Dreadful 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
attaché 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.--Reëlected 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 Hôtel 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.--Soirée 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
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