206 FOREST CREATURES. 



HOMEK A SPOETSMAN. 



" Nee sutor ultra erepidam." 



There are certain matters which no one — even he 

 who is endowed with the highest genius — can correctl}^ 

 describe, unless he have seen the thing itself with his 

 own eyes, have been an actor in the drama alluded to, 

 and have gained his knowledge of the events he would 

 picture to others from that best of all masters — expe- 

 rience. 



A picture or a poem may be admirably faithful in its 

 general delineations of particular scenery, or time, or 

 pursuit ; yet, if the artist have obtained his particular 

 knowledge at second hand, or have trusted to that 

 intuitive perception which genius gives, he will most 

 certainly commit some error which the technical man 

 will at once discover. The error may be bub in the 

 difference of a shade, in some small omission, in bring- 

 ing together at the same moment events which could not 

 possibly be collateral, but could only succeed each other ; 

 in the position of a limb, or the manner of holding an 



