Howard Pyle, a chronicle by Charles D. Abbott, with an introduction by N. C. Wyeth and many illustrations from Howard Pyle's works.

THE SPIRIT OF AMERICA
first article; but I cannot help adding Mrs. Wilson's comment on the third one, that it reminds one, in its subtle
touches of character, of Gerome."
Howard Pyle was so absorbingly interested in the production of these pictures, and was so determined to have
every detail correct, that he did not hesitate to question
some of Professor Wilson's facts. His own knowledge of
the subject was so immense that he could do this with
authority. Professor Wilson wrote him, "I can say with all
sincerity that the more you test my details the more I shall
like it. I am not in the least sensitive on that point." 1
Owing to this co-operation on the part of the artist a number
of changes were made in the text. Professor Wilson was
impressed, and praised him in saying "you understand the
objects I have in view quite as sympathetically as I do
myself."2 The last of the Washington articles was published in November, i1896, but their success had been so
colossal that many magazines were begging Howard Pyle
to do similar series for them.
The Washington pictures were exhibited, first at the
Drexel Institute in Philadelphia, where Howard Pyle was
teaching at the time, and then at the St. Botolph Club in
Boston. For each of these exhibitions he himself published
a catalog, printed with old black-letter type, imitating in
form and content the publications of the Revolutionary days.
In the preface he claims for his muse that "she is extremely
American in her Inclinations, and for this Reason he amuses
himself with the Hope that the Publick may find some Entertainment in those simple and rural Scenes with which he
has endeavoured to surround the characters he has depicted
'Letter to Howard Pyle from Woodrow Wilson, January iz, 1896.
"Letter to Howard Pyle from Woodrow Wilson, February za, x896.
[ s59]