Мхи старої садиби
Drowne's Wooden Image
"
"Drowne,"saidthetrueartist,graspingthecarverferventlybythehand,"youareamanofgenius!"
AsCopleydeparted,happeningtoglancebackwardfromthethreshold,hebeheldDrownebendingoverthehalf-createdshape,andstretchingforthhisarmsasifhewouldhaveembracedanddrawnittohisheart;while,hadsuchamiraclebeenpossible,hiscountenanceexpressedpassionenoughtocommunicatewarmthandsensibilitytothelifelessoak.
"Strangeenough!"saidtheartisttohimself."WhowouldhavelookedforamodernPygmalioninthepersonofaYankeemechanic!"
Asyet,theimagewasbutvagueinitsoutwardpresentment;sothat,asinthecloudshapesaroundthewesternsun,theobserverratherfelt,orwasledtoimagine,thanreallysawwhatwasintendedbyit.Daybyday,however,theworkassumedgreaterprecision,andsettleditsirregularandmistyoutlineintodistinctergraceandbeauty.Thegeneraldesignwasnowobvioustothecommoneye.Itwasafemalefigure,inwhatappearedtobeaforeigndress;thegownbeinglacedoverthebosom,andopeninginfrontsoastodiscloseaskirtorpetticoat,thefoldsandinequalitiesofwhichwereadmirablyrepresentedintheoakensubstance.Sheworeahatofsingulargracefulness,andabundantlyladenwithflowers,suchasnevergrewintherudesoilofNewEngland,butwhich,withalltheirfancifulluxuriance,hadanaturaltruththatitseemedimpossibleforthemostfertileimaginationtohaveattainedwithoutcopyingfromrealprototypes.
