Felix O. C Darley, an American artist, born in Philadelphia, June 23,1822. He was placed in a mercantile house at the age of 14, but spent his leisure hours in drawing. Some of his sketches having attracted attention, he was offered a handsome sum for them, which encouraged him to rely entirely on his pencil for support. After several years' labor in Philadelphia, during which he produced the series of drawings for the "Library of Humorous American Works," he removed in 1848 to New York, where he occupied himself in illustrating Irving's humorous writings. His elaborate outline drawings devoted to the "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle" led to his recognition both at home and abroad as a worthy successor of Retzsch and Fuseli. He declined an advantageous offer to settle in London, and applied himself assiduously to his art. In 1856 his illustrations of Judd's "Margaret" were published, and gave him rank as one of the most original, graceful, and sympathetic artists of the day. Illustrations of Cooper's works, 500 in number, of Dickens's works, and of Simms's novels followed in quick succession.

In 1859 appeared his drawing of the wedding procession in Longfellow's " Courtship of Miles Standish." Since then he has executed many large works, among which are four ordered by Prince Napoleon when in this country, viz.: "Emigrants Attacked by Indians on the Prairie," "The Village Blacksmith," "The Unwilling Laborer," and "The Repose." During the civil war he delineated many dramatic and characteristic scenes, including one representing Dahlgren's charge at Fredericksburg. Some of the most elaborate figures and scenes on the government bonds and legal-tender notes, and on the notes of the national banks, were designed by him. Toward the close of the war he visited Europe for the first time. He studied models in Rome, and made a large number of pencil sketches, many of which appeared in current periodicals. On his return he published "Sketches Abroad with Pen and Pencil" (New York, 1868), for which he furnished both letterpress and illustrations. He has also illustrated several other works, which he has almost made his own by the felicity of his drawings.