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A \VEEKLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO THE HISTORY, PHENOMENA, PHILOSOPHY, AND TEACHINGS OF SPIRITUALISM. [REGISTERED AS A Nawsrarsa ron TRANSMISSION IN run UNITED KINGDOM AND Antwan] W .il ‘if r No. 502.4101. XIL] LONDON, JANUARY 7, 1881. ‘1* T‘ “a [PRICE 1%(1. THE MYSTIC ARTIST. BY Miss CHANDOS LEIGH HUNT. IN Lovn, arr wrru Wnoar? “The Beeches” was a fine old family mansion, ap- proached by many winding paths from various quarters of a picturesque village in Gloucestershire, like unto a monster cobweb, with Squire Granville for the spider ; and “ I’m the poor little fly" often sighed his neice and protegé, Nelly Trevor. She looks very pretty now, as she stands outside the gate of one of these most secluded of paths, abstractedly stroking the gracefully arched neck of Frederick Milton’s steed. Frederick Milton was twirling his hat on his whip handle, exposing thick masses of closely cut chesnut curls to the strong rays of the midday sun, regardless of the dangers of sunstroke. His large blue eyes were as intently watching the vagaries of his hat, as if the future welfare of his being depended upon the exact regularity of its gyrations. Presently he gazed intently at his fair companion. She was draped in a delicate sun-tinted texture, which was flowing and waving with the caresses of every gentle breeze, losing its outlines as if woven from the fond air; her black rin lets were rippling far below the bend of her symmetrica figure, and her eyes had a look of far-off longing, half sorrowful, half peaceful, resting in their beautcous light. Verily might she vie with an Egyptian goddess. “ Yes,” said Frederick Milton, evidently in reply to a remark of hers made some minutes ago, “your fortune is a. large one now, and when it is' doubled by, our marriage with that artist cousin of yours, it wil be great indeed.” ’ . - I “ It will be a long time before THAT takes place. I must be twenty-one years of ago before he makes the slightest advances to me, so I’ve at least three years before me of happy freedom,” she replied. “ I suppose you have every confidence in the stability ' of his love?” i. , “ He has no love for me. I believe he views me with utter indifference," (and here her voice grew sorrowful) “such indifference, indeed, that he apparently neither rejoices at, nor regrets our inconsiderate unele’s decree. I don't think he ever considers the affair. He is too much absorbed in his arts and mysticisms; for when he ' subject. pays his prescribed visits here, his_ behaviour to me is exactly the same as to any other ladies to whom he may happen to be introduced.” _ _ _ “ This must be a great trial to you. I fear it gives you that look of sadness which I have observed for many weeks past.” _ As he said this he viewed her with a gaze as search— ing as it was intent. She raised her eyes tohis with a glance, the meaning of which none but its receiver could interpret to its fullest extent, and then her head drooped upon the neck of his horse, and her whole frame was shaken by deep, quick, involuntary, convulsive sobs. Soon after this little scene “ The Beeches " luncheon Generated for John Patrick Deveney (University of Chicago) on 2015-03-05 15:08 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/umn.31951000850624p Public Domain in the United States, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-us-google bell rang out its welcome reminder, and Nellie Trevor occupied her accustomed place of honour, as brightly and gaily as a summer butterfly. Ax Am" TREASURE Fouxn. Beech Clarendon was an artist, occupying a studio and resident chambers in Fitzroy Street. \Ve say he was an artist, because he called himself one. Certainly he could dilate, by the hour together u on the perfec- tions and im erfections of nearly all t e ancient and modern, l‘in ish and foreign, artists who had ever made themselves a public reputation. lie intently loved and gloried in the art of exhibiting the beauties of nature upon canvas, but he rarely, if ever, completed a. work; and when he did, he was so fond of it that it was hung in the studio for his daily admiration, but his organ of ideality being large, it was not long before he found so many faults with it that it was consigned, un- reservedly, to one of Christie and Manson’s sale-rooms to fetch what it might. Anything of an occult, mystical nature fascinated him beyond description, and now he was steeped in the fulness of a desire to portray “ The Somnambulist.” But he wanted a model, and wondered where he could obtain a faithful description of the appearance of a person in the somnambulic state. Being a reader at the British Museum he repaired there early one morning, and hunted the old and new catalogues for all the books he could obtain upon the Daily he found fresh works, and reference from one to another caused him to study observations ‘upon natural sleep-walkers, and at length the wondrous science and rt of producing artificial somnambulism THE MEDIUM AND DAYBREAK. JANUAUY 77 1881. broke, like the light of a new sun, upon his intellect. accumulation of dresses and drees-stuft'e, jewellery and He soon discovered that it wu believed by the sto• plate, All well as arranging for the payment of my 'rent 2 THE MEDIUM AND DAYBREAK. _ 1lcnts of this fascinating subject, that the secret of the llQ long 1\8 I require it, which I suppose I alwav~ extreme beauty of ancient sculpturings and paintings ab all." ' JANUARY 7, 1881. was, that the npparently inspired artists had for their "Of course," he remarked, hesitatingly, in an en­ broke, like the light of a new sun, upon his intellect. models, so1nnambulists, who exhibited all the surpass­ <1uiring tone," you never thought of trying any other He soon discovered that itwas believed by the stu- ingly beauteous phenomena specially displayed during employment, such, for instance, as sitting aa portrait dents of this fascinating subject, that the secret of the that entranced condition. He then read of the priests model to an artist ? " extreme beauty of ancient sculpturings and paintings of the Temples study in~ the phenomena, and eventually " Dear me, no! " she replied, evideDtly much 8Ur­ succeeding in artificially proaucing it, by means known priscd and amused, "I never knew there were such was, that the apparently inspired artists had for their in thi8 age as Animal l\lagnetism. Uh, how he longed people as• models.' I thought pictures were portl'llits models, somnambulists, who exhibited all the surpass- to practically im·cstigate its mysteries ; nnd Beech of people who wanted their portr.its taken, and paid ingly beauteous phenomena specially displayed during Clarendon, with his pcculinrly well udnpted mental or­ the art1St for his time ; or elie were the ideal concep­ that entranced condition. He then read of the priests g1misntion nml innate love of the mystical was the man tions of the a1tists tlicmseh·ca, correcdy proportioned of the Temples studying the henomena, and eventually to become an ndcpt, indeed, in the 8cience.* by certain rules of anatomy." He closely continued his studiCt!, daily, for over a And so they chatted on till she 11"118 near her resi­ succeeding in artificially pro ucing it, by means known month, purchasing every volume on the subject he dence, situated in one of the Islington equaree. But in this age as Animal Magnetism. Oh, how he longed could find, in the repositories of old and rare collections before they pnrtcd, Beech (;brendon had toltl her of to practically investigate its mysteries ; and Beech of books-. He wanted them in his own library, but he his desire to l'icturc a somnambulist, and she had ar­ Clarendon, with his peculiarly well ada ted mental or~ found that he could purchnsc few indeed, compared to rnngcd to bl'comc his model for a certain pecuniary iganisation and innate love of the mystical was the man the i111111ense nu111bcr 1nittcn, as they were mo,tly too cousideration. rare, being EO long out of print. His thick quarto Edith Denton was nnturally delighted, because cwry to become an adept, indeed, in the seience.* manu~cript book was crammed with excerpts from the sitting of two hour8 would pay her as much as a week's He closely continued his studies, daily, for over a various w"rks he had pcrused.t drudgery at copying, though she was greatly puzzled month, purchasing every volume on the subject he ~ One evening, whoo le11Ving the .Museum Rending as to how she should ho.ve to deport hcrst1lf, to look like could find, in the repositories of old and rare collections Hoom, his eye fell mcchnnically upon the graceful a somnambulist. What a relief thew sittings would be of books: He wanted them in his own library, but he figure of a· girl, lightly tripping down the long pasrnge to seven, eight, or nine hours daily copying that which leading from the Heading Hoom to the new Lysmn col­ was often, to her, the most uninteresting 1110.ttcr. The found that he could purchase few indeed, compared to lection in the Great Hull, and he wondered where he novelty of the event wns exciting, and she took a the immense number written, as they were mostly too had seen that figure before, and why its outlines so eolitary moonlight walk to Highbury and back, on rare, being so long out of print.

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