Father Connell: A Tale

Excerpt from Father Connell

In my judgment, the picture we love to look upon the longest, is that which is the most faithful to nature and the book we carry about with us in our pocket, and relax the mind with the oftenest, is that which gives us the truest reflex of our experiences; the experiences of what we have ourselves seen and felt, not noticed perhaps distinctly, as we thought at the time, but yet impressed (as we now find) so firmly on us, as to produce lively pleasure by the truthfulness of the aroused remem brance. High imaginative character, drawn with pen or pencil, brilliancy of color, mastery of touch, will astonish; but these will not succeed in producing quiet, smiling pleasure; while nature, truly represented, if the subject be not in itself repulsive, will attract and gratify.