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Drowne's Wooden Image
ItmustbeconfessedthatafamilylikenesspervadedtheserespectableprogenyofDrowne’sskill;thatthebenigncountenanceofthekingresembledthoseofhissubjects,andthatMissPeggyHobart,themerchant’sdaughter,borearemarkablesimilitudetoBritannia,Victory,andotherladiesoftheallegoricsisterhood;and,finally,thattheyallhadakindofwoodenaspectwhichprovedanintimaterelationshipwiththeunshapedblocksoftimberinthecarver’sworkshop.Butatleasttherewasnoinconsiderableskillofhand,noradeficiencyofanyattributetorenderthemreallyworksofart,exceptthatdeepquality,beitofsoulorintellect,whichbestowslifeuponthelifelessandwarmthuponthecold,andwhich,haditbeenpresent,wouldhavemadeDrowne’swoodenimageinstinctwithspirit.
ThecaptainoftheCynosurehadnowfinishedhisinstructions.
"AndDrowne,"saidhe,impressively,"youmustlayasideallotherbusinessandsetaboutthisforthwith.Andastotheprice,onlydothejobinfirst-ratestyle,andyoushallsettlethatpointyourself."
"Verywell,captain,"answeredthecarver,wholookedgraveandsomewhatperplexed,yethadasortofsmileuponhisvisage;"dependuponit,I’lldomyutmosttosatisfyyou."
FromthatmomentthemenoftasteaboutLongWharfandtheTownDockwhowerewonttoshowtheirlovefortheartsbyfrequentvisitstoDrowne’sworkshop,andadmirationofhiswoodenimages,begantobesensibleofamysteryinthecarver’sconduct.Oftenhewasabsentinthedaytime.
