Penman's Art Journal (Volume 2) - Iampeth

half of the difTcrent jioMtionH ; and as to
ppuH and writing material, the saints de-
fend and the readers of the Joijrkal ex-
C11HG us from attempting in our limited
space to describe the various kinds of pens,
the many different colored inks, and the
various shapes and kinds of paper that
were used on that occasion ; it would be
impossible to describe it, suDice it to say
that the course of lessons was voted by all
the class of pupils a farce, and it is said
that the teacher left between two days to
avoid arrest as an impostor. How true
this may be I do not know, but I do know
that he made a most miserable failure, out
of which might have been a grand success,
had he looked more carefully to the sta-
tionery of bis pupils, and insisted on each
maintaining a proper position and
beautiful card work sent out by mijf penman."
Here is a modest assertion : "I
execute iu the mmt perfect aud artistic
manner a variety of plain and ornamental
penmanship." Another retiring young
advertises "One dozen elegantly written
cjuds, unsurjiossed for grace aud beauty,"
and "A mnst iea"/i/ij//> flourished design,
with grace and da^h unsurpassed, for 25c.
Another man makes the timid venture that
be cim make the "finest scroll ciinls in
THE PENMAN'S ARTjJOURNAL.
altogetber ftHlovt^Iy aa he Imd represented. America
On attending hi* clam that evening several
thing* which he thought altogether to:>
trifling to be thought of for a moment,
wftHJiist exactly whnt waa causing the whole
difll'-ulty. Etch pnpil took his pen and
fell to writing a» best he might, some of
thfcm doing their level beat to see how
many i>ages they could get over during the
evcoiug, while others hod that slow,
nioumfnl, Hnnil-tike luovemeiit, that was
truly mo^t painful to witncM. As to position,
Jiicfa FiilHtaflTs recruit* in tlieir palmiest
dayM could not begin to assume one-
;" while still another aspirant for unpp 'ed in the history of music in 'It > bring under th«
:
fame write*-, according to his own humble the I ^ Statea He must be heard cognizance of the human eye a hiiliou ob-
opinion, the "most beauli/tdcaxAn'm Amer- 2Ba(^:^ij." "(Send ten cents for a samjects of any kind. Let us try in imaginaii-a."
While one candidate for patronage pie an^^-scriptive circular!")
liou to a rrange this number for iuspectioii,
entreats the puhlic to "send 50c. for the In ii—^Jie advertisements for card and and for this purpose I would select a aover-
most beaiUi/ul and masterly }>iece of off-hand ornani^il work, iu the Jouhnal for the
eign as a fauiillar object. Let us put oue on
the
dourishing ever executed," another be- past y^2 there were
ground and pile upon it as many as will
but two diecover^ed
reach twenty feet lu heighr ; than let ua
seeches us to "send 50i;. for one of the that dH not savor of this catch-penny
place numbers of similar columns iu close
MOOT BEACTIFOl, AND MASTEKLX PIECBS OF style. Biese were refreshing eases in the
contact, forming a straight line, and making
arid desM't of self-laudation. I quote them
a sort of wall twenty feet high, showing only
capitals are his own. Here are two pair of in fidl, with the omission of uames.
tlie thin edge'; of the coin. Imagine two
expertB who have been impressed with uu "Visiting cards written and seut by mail
ng pi.i llel lo each ulher
identical idea. It only proves again that nt foliowiug rates. Plain Spencerian, 25c. Uon ing. reel, Wa
" Great minds run in the same channel. Twelve different designs fac-aimiles of must then keep on exteudiug the: ) walls for
What but an adamantine heart c^uld re- pen work, 40c. pen flourished, $1. Sam-
;
sist the appeal aud squander 50c. for the
most beautiful aud masterly thing ever executed—but
they are both lest, and there's
the rub— he is in a dilemma as to which he
shall order fmm. The following is really
touching in its display of unpretending re-
tirement : " , who has no equal m u
card writer in the Unifed States, a fact conceded
even by his opponents, writes 13
cards iu a style that bos made famous
for 18c."
Eighteen cents* worth of fame ought to
crush any common mortal ; but this penman
has reached the top of the ladder, (together
with the other nine) and having
overcome all enemies, he graciously receives
their willingly conceded homage aud
wears the victor's palm with unassuming
And imagine a half dozen artists (?) fly-
ing off iu the same style of selfMidorution.
Imagine a singer advertising himself
thus : "Those wishing the services of an
excellent singer should apply immediately
to Signor Bombosto. He has a must brilliant
aud exceedingly melodious voice, and
the grace and brilliancy of his execution is of time.
ples. 25c."
" A rare offer. To penmen and learners.
For tfl.OD I shall send, post-paid and care-
fully rolled, eight diftereut designs of offhand
flourish iu|,'. These specimens are
executed on sheets 10x16 in. large."
If we Were going to order some penmanship,
iu entire ignorance of the merits
of all the advertisers, we would undoubtedly
order of one of these gentleman.
Perhaps we would uot get first-class
work, but what of that ?
We are not disappointed, for they did
uot advertise their work as the best, and
there was no reason for expecting it, except
the confidence imparled by their unpre-
tendiug and modest manner of advertising.
Let us couaider for a momeut the evils
in every day just HC,400 aecouds of tims.
Hence, in returuing in thought back again
to this year of grace 1878. one might hav*
supposed that a billion of seconds had loug
siuue elapsed ; but this is not so. We bavs
not eveu passed one-sixteenth of that number
in all these long eventful years, for it
takes just ^U.IJH" years, ssventeen davs,
twenty-two hours, forty-five minutes, and
five seoonds to oonstitnte a billion of seconds
mileu— nay, hundreds of miles, aud still we
shall he fur short of the rtquired number.
And it is uot until we have extended our
imaginary street to a distance of 2,380^
miles that we shall have presented for in-
spection our oue billion of coins.
"Or in lieu of this arrangement we may
place them flat upon the ground, forming
oue continuous liz.e like a long golden chain,
with every link in close contact. But to do
this we must p.iss over land and sea, moun-
tain and valley, desert and plain, crossing
the equator, and returning around the
southern hemisphere through tie trackless
way again thii
equator, thun still on and on, until we again
arrive at uur starting point; and when we
have thus passed a golden chain around tha
huge bulk of the earth, wo bhall be but at
i
i
given them the proper instructions in the grace, aud—condescends to write 13 cards attending the first style of advertising.
the beginning of our task. W© must drag
this imaginary chain no less than 'G'i times
movements, and also of keeping good for 18c.
The prime evil is the injury that it inflicts around the globe. If we can further imag-
order. These things seemed to him, so To drop sarcasm, however, we venture upon the piofessiou of Penmanship at ine all these rowa of links laid closely side
he told me. altogether too trifling to occu- to opiue that some of these individuals large, by degrading it in the eyes of the by side and every one in contact with its
py his attention for a moment, hence the never eaw the first-class pen-work of the public to a mere quack business and giving neit;hbor, we shall have formed a golden
result ; and who bIhiII say that some one or ablest men in our profession, but have them a chance to look down upon it, while band around the globe just fifty-two feet
more kindred faults is not what causes the talent that should be developed by expe- the siucere friends and workers of the six inches wide ; and this will represent our
failure of a great many of our best penmen, rienced professors before it is brought be- profession are striviug to advance its oue billion of coins. Such a chain, if laid
when they attempt to impart their skill to fore the public.
staudaid to a higher grade. As a second-
others. Forewarned is forearmed, then They are "cock o' the lull" in their own ary cousideratiou, they injure themselves
let all remember, as all desire that success town, and are led, by the well-meant, but and do uot, after all, attain the object
should crown their efTorts that nothing, ignorant praises of their friends, to believe aimed at.
seum it to be ever so trifling, if it can con- they are the best card-writers and flouiish- First, because their manner of advertistribute
to your hucoess, be not overlooked, ers in the United States.
ing does not command respect, nor inspire
for, like poor Warner, you may fail by ig- We give them all due credit for what confidence, and seuMble people avoid tiiem.
noring that which you need above all other talent they possess, aud judge their work Second, because they injure what trade
tilings to give you success.
according to the knowledge they have ac- tliey may have started by not being able
quired, but would condemn their bi-agga- to fulfill their promises.
docia as something entirely uncalled for.
ModoBty among Penmen.
All of these men cannot send out the
We admit, also, that some of these penmen best work, either theoretically or practically.
Is there any tangible rcnson why penmen
may execute really fine work, but that does If a man is humbugged once, he
should be
learns a
more conceited than other i)eo-
not excuse the^n from conceited and self- lesson by experience ; but
plo?
he is foolish if
glorviug advertisements.
he allows Inmself to
None
be
is apparent,
dui^ed iu the
and
same
yet (here are
Their praises, if ever sung, should be way again.
those in the pr