[William George Shrubsole, Victorian artist.] Autograph Manuscript of lecture titled 'The Ideal in Art', 'delivered at Bangor, N. Wales in Dec. 1886, in connection with the Menai Society of Science and Literature'. With signed drawing of W. E. Bacon.

The lecture, which is unpublished, is an interesting personal statement by a neglected Victorian painter who died tragically young. (A rather impressive example of his work, in Turneresque style, titled 'The Heart of the Hills', is in the Maidstone Museum.) The lecture is 30pp., 8vo, in a ruled notebook with embossed black wraps. In good condition, on aged paper with some wear and discoloration. Ownership inscription of 'W. G. Shrubsole | Bangor Decr. 1886' inside the front wrap. The first page is headed 'The Ideal in Art. | by W. G. Shrubsole Dec. 1886.' Following the lecture is a later note by Shrubsole, stating 'This lecture was delivered at Bangor, N. Wales in Dec. 1886, in connection with the Menai Society of Science and Literature. | W.G.S.' The text carries a number of deletions and emendations. Shrubsole begins by asking his audience to make allowance for the 'difficulties besetting this treatment' of his 'vast subject', 'owing to the complexity of the various considerations involved, which renders brevity, the greatest difficulty to be encountered in such an undertaking'. His aim has been 'to direct attention and to induce reflection, rather than to be didactic, but if I have failed to imbue this discourse with that character - if I appear somewhat dogmatic here and there, my apology must be that my dogmatism is the result of earnest conviction, that the subject of Art is one on which I feel deeply - one which I have more practical knowledge of than of any other, and one to which I have from childhood given the most earnest and unremitting attention, endeavoured to grasp the principles of, and the relation of those principles to the other emerging streams of knowledge and thought, which commingling, form, and feed, the fount of higher life. The vital importance of Art as a tributary to the higher-life, is yet to be recognized in this country; the few spasmodic attempts made hitherto have failed to pierce the adamantine husk of ignorance and indifference which enshrouds the subject in the minds of those towards whom we turn in vain'. Loosely inserted in the notebook is a pen drawing on 17.5 x 12.5cm paper, titled 'W. E. Bacon | Sept 10th. 1880' and signed 'W. G. Shrubsole'. It shows the head and shoulders of a bearded man smoking a pipe, in artist's broad-brimmed hat, buttoned coat and muffler. On the reverse is a pencil sketch of a street of Tudor buildings. Another loosely-inserted item is a 'Synopsis' (1p., 12mo) in Shrubsole's hand, under the headings 'Colour faculty comparatively modern' and 'Colour as a physical Science'. A third loosely inserted item is a cutting of a magazine article by Shrubsole under his initials 'W. G. S.', titled 'KITTLES', and concerning his pet cat.