Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 February 1899 — His Feet. [ARTICLE]

His Feet.

The phrase “small vanities” does seem vague until one has asked people to say what they would mednj by it. Dickens liked a red necktie, wtl| other celebrated men have been chilij|| ishly devoted to certain articles of dress; but that might only indicate] their having a sense of the beautifntJ There Is, however, a kind of preeaUrlf tion over personal detail which seem*! to proceed from vanity and from notb-i ing else. Maclise, the artist, once did a fuß|| length portrait of Sir Edward Bulwei|| Lytton, and a sorry time be had of lt|f For the author was hard to please; nowfl this was not right and now that. Thf| “complexion of the band” was to especially noted, and the painter mSH be very particular about the feet. Thf§ feet, indeed, caused no end of annoy! ance. Bnlwer insisted on having tbe»i| very small, but MacHse painted tl>e« the natural size. Then Bnlwer camel to see them, and would have thetal diminished. The artist yielded, perforce; but be| had one resource, varnishing day, wii#i| pictures can be “retouched” so long AM time will admit. Then and there b@g§ quietly painted in the feet again of ttagj| proper size, and the author had to seel them thus on the day of exhibition.