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
"Either of these subjects is of a sort that might add
I think very much to the text, while the ballroom scene
would have the danger of weakening the story.
"Perhaps the best subj ect of all, however, is one which
you have barely touched upon, and that is some gyeneral
incident of the bitter and savage warfare of the frontier
settlers in Kentucky when the Indians were let loose upon
them. There are hundreds of tragic 'incidents in this in
which the pencil can produce an infinitely better result than
the pen, and it seems to me that the possibility of some such
picture as that might fill out and complete the circle of your
history far more than the exact illustration of a text which
you give me. In other words our two arts might thus round
the circle instead of advancing in parallel lines upon which
it is almost impossible to keep them perfectly abreast. I
feel, for instance, that my drawing of the single figure of
Jefferson, as I described it to you, added far more to your
fine text than a more elaborate illustration of some definite
point might have done.
"If you do not agree with me in this I hope that you will
understand that I am perfectly open to advice, for I am much
interested in your series of papers and my prime desire is
to carry out what I believe to be a very noble and admirable
work that you are doing.. 00)
These pictures for Senator Lodge's history, after their
completion and before their publication, were exhibited in
various cities throughout the country, where they were enthusiastically received by critics and public. Many of them
were sold, but one, "Clark on his Way to Kankaskia," was
presented by the artist to Senator Lodge. He, in turn,
gave it to President Roosevelt, who had taken a decided
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