John Trumbull

I love that.

One of the most interesting stories that we got to tell, I think in the exhibition text was this story about Faith Trumbull influencing her younger brother, the very well-known and celebrated academic painter, John Trumbull.

Yeah,

I know that name.

Fisher Ames entered Harvard at 12 years old, okay? Uh, Benjamin Rush graduated Princeton at 14 years old.

John Trumbull, uh, passed Yale entrance exam at the age of seven and a half years old.

His parents held him out of college to save face on others' behalf, okay? Andrew Jackson, soldier of the American Revolution at age 12, okay? POW under the British.

Folks, he was a warrior, no doubt, got saved at the end of his life.

Sam Houston.

And the sign-in of the Declaration of Independence, that really famous, was it John Trumbull or something? Really famous painting.

That's just there.

It's a huge, beautiful painting.

Read by John Greenman.

chapter i preface from the days of yankee doodle and the frogs of wyndham two gems of early american humor written in the revolutionary period until near the close of the war of the rebellion the recognized american humorist the wit who could cause a laugh to go rippling bubbling around the world was a creation unknown to american literature however out of respect and admiration for their genius their wit and humor we must not fail in giving proper credit to francis hopkinson samuel peters john trumbull george f hopkins william t thompson seba smith joseph c neale orpheus c kerr george h derby and a host of others for bringing out in the american prints those native characteristics the drollness of the yankee and the wit of the early days but not until after the rebellion did america produce a humorist of world-wide reputation when civil strife was ended and the american began a new career almost a new existence there came to the surface a new school of native humor the names of mark twain artemus ward josh billings and one or two others became household words their funny sayings caused the englishman to smile between his bites of beef their droll humor forced our german cousin to shake his sides with laughter their witty bon mots occasioned prolonged mirth from our friends in france not until then did we become known as a nation of humorists and from that day the fame of our wits has extended throughout the entire world today a ripple of mirth starting on the banks of mud-flat creek will end in a hurricane of laughter on the thames or the seine there was something so purely american in the humor of mark twain that his work soon made for him a place in native literature as a representative of american life and character his name extended even beyond the confines of the continent of europe into all lands and among all peoples in paris one cannot purchase a bible at the bookstall but one might find roughing it at every corner in rome the innocents abroad is one of the staples in the bookmarts in hong-kong you will find mark twain everywhere they read him the career of mark twain is a romance his life is a curious medley of pathos and poverty with an occasional laugh to help along over the rough places he was a wild reckless boy a poor printer not even a good journalist an adventurer a wanderer he was a sort of human kaleidoscope he then became a wit a scholar a public speaker a man of family and a millionaire all this is but typical of america of american life and american character mark twain is more than a mere punch and judy show with his droll humor there comes information he gives the reader a full dinner not merely dessert he tells you more about the mississippi river than an old steamboatman he gives you a world of information about germany and switzerland he is better than a guide-book for the holy land what that greater genius charles dickens has done for fiction mark twain does for humor he is an ideal reporter he minutely tells us all about a thing tells us what he sees and hears describes a man a mule or a monarchy in excellent form and makes one laugh at the same time some years ago i was prompted to write the genial mr clemens for an introduction or preface to a little volume of mine long since buried by the sands of time his reply was this hartford connecticut november eighteenth will m clemens my dear friend your letter received god bless your heart I would like ever so much to comply with your request, but I am thrashing away at my new book, and am afraid that I should not find time to write my own epitaph, in case I was suddenly called for.

Wishing you and your book well, believe me, yours truly, Samuel L. Clemens.

not long ago the gifted humorist sent me a printed slip of his career taken from men of the time upon the margin of this he wrote the following my dear clemens i haven't any humorous biography the facts don't admit of it i had this sketch from men of the time printed on slips to enable me to study my history at my leisure s l clemens By nature, a serious, thoughtful man, he is deeply in earnest at times, yet seldom has he ventured to deal with the pathetic in his writings.

If I had a spare 30 minutes between classes or meetings, I could be found in communion with some of the great works of art in the gallery.

As part of the 250th celebrations, the exhibition, Keeping Alive the Remembrance, commemorates America's founding The hopes, dreams, dedication of those pioneering days are captured so poignantly and powerfully through portraits and key events of the day by these incredible artists, including John Trumbull, whose special relationship with Yale allowed him and his wife to be buried underneath the gallery.

The exhibition closes on the 18th of October, so hurry if you haven't seen it yet.

Following this What's On section, we're starting a new series called The Composer Speaks.

It's a breaking pitch high.

John Trumbull on the left hand and Don Carruthers on the right hand are working on a giant bullpen.

Here in the bottom half of the first inning.

Baseball excitement at Shea Stadium.