ar for the best
performance in painting, sculpture, and architecture and is a _gold
medal_).

"Yesterday I received the note accompanying this, by which you will see
that it is adjudged to me in sculpture this year. It will be delivered to
me in public on the 13th of May or June, I don't know which, but I shall
give you a particular account of the whole process as soon as I have
received it.... I cannot close this letter without telling you how much I
am indebted to that excellent man Mr. Allston. He is extremely partial to
me and has often told me that he is proud of calling me his pupil. He
visits me every evening and our conversation is generally upon the
inexhaustible subject of our divine art, and upon _home_ which is next in
our thoughts.

"I know not in what terms to speak of Mr. Allston. I can truly say I do
not know the slightest imperfection in him. He is amiable, affectionate,
learned, possessed of the greatest powers of mind and genius, modest,
unassuming, and, above all, a religious man.... I could write a quire of
paper in his praise, but all I could say of him would give you but a very
imperfect idea of him....

"You must recollect, when you tell friends that I am studying in England,
that I am a pupil of Allston and not Mr. West. They will not long ask who
Mr. Allston is; he will very soon astonish the world. He claims me as his
pupil, and told me a day or two since, in a jocose manner, that he should
have a battle with Mr. West unless he gave up all pretension to me."

We gain further information concerning Morse's first triumphs, his
painting and his statuette from the following reminiscences of a friend,
Mr. Dunlap:--

"It was about the year 1812 that Allston commenced his celebrated picture
of the 'Dead Man restored to Life by touching the Bones of Elisha,' which
is now in the Pennsylvania Academy of Arts. In the study of this picture
he made a model in clay of the head of the dead man to assist him in
painting the expression. This was the practice of the most eminent old
masters. Morse had begun a large picture to come out before the British
public at the Royal Academy Exhibition. The subject was the 'Dying
Hercules,' and, in order to paint it with the more effect, he followed
the example of Allston and determined to model the figure in clay. It was
his first attempt at modelling.

"His original intention was simply to complete such parts of the figure
as were useful in the single view necess