Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1815-10-11
For 1flE ENQUIRER

FOR TIE ENQUIRER.
Moiover, 20M Ssbssnbsi. 1915.
In Is with sensations OF minsied pride and morti-
heatlon, that contemplate the United States, and
Virginia in particular. When I glance retrospeci-
vely on the Unparalleled CELEBRITY with which as
Il Nation, we have arrived at that enneuee l., ly
gislation-that brillancy IN war; which tie iniabi.
tan,S Oi the oil world often yanIy Imagined they
mad attained, and from winch they have "a often
setroSsaded, tie glow OF patriot exuitaon man,les
my cheek; but, that suluson quioely dsgpatetl
aud plrdo finds antdote III the reluctant c.nowl-
edgneo- that we scarcely resscss station in the
vesti5ltc Of that Temple from whose tic beiDl,t
the European votares of Taste, have spresd her
glories the rising day" L. transferring my at
tenuon from the whole TO part, fix my regard
On this, my native State, iay heart beats high at
witnessing the unrivaed Improvement, tie increas-
ing opulenee OF the City of Richmond, at once Viz.
gina's ornament and pr",e - again myentbusias,n
is repressed, by observing the endness, the nearly
total Indifference manifested 10y its inhabitants on
every subject connected with the cultivation Of The
Fine Arts.
Several Of cur Sister States have Academies ded
icated to Taste and arn conscious it only requires
an enterprisire individual and that patronage from
the public, Go which an institution that would give
Improvement and practical HNa.yiedge 20 p05,th
add dignity and hoHor 60 oar State, is enti,lcd to
mia.
Philosophers and Critics are still so little agreed
about tie properties and principle of Taste, (Which
. mere easily personihed than eSplaned,) that the
Toet and he Painter 'usabe, If, having cres-
ted an Imaginary personsee important to their
functions, they invest her with such attributes rs
arc cOngenial with her general character and pre-
r to invoke, rather than investigate her powers
here IS, perhaps, no civilized people of modern
cate, amongst whom the principles of Taste have
beeh less generally difused, o: less paiiusopbicay
investigated tl.an amongst those Of the Z. States
yet surely there is where that invesi ipation is
more inperiously prompted by every principle ss
national pride Although the requirements o. ia.
dviiuals have been amply sufficient to Gsprove the
ABSURD impuations which foreign theorists have
presumed to east upon our genius aud intellect that
usensibllty towards the productions of art and the
little vau- attached to studies witt, which they are
connected, (apParent even in the most enehtered
orders of socity,) cosgns those talents ITO foster
which should he regarded as public dutv.) TO an
Obvious security. We must be sensible of our
detects, before We can wish To remove them; an
they who neither feel nor regret the want osIast
are not likely TO take much trouble to acquire ;r
The pride Of eruGition may DOS bly start at fIs :
dea, but IT may DE questioned whether an acq,a;n-
lance with the Taste oithe Greeks, would not be
as useful as with their literature: whether stu
dent would not be as benefc;sly employed in earn.
ing the principles oftheir design as the rudiI..cnts
OF their grammar: ia short. whether ri 81 which
was considered as essential part of fei, polte ed
ncation, might no. be acknowledgements introduced IN
to o1H'S ami literary gentleman derive as much
crcit irom an intercourse with their Arts as TIER
Language. It's indeed, extraordinary, that Paint
Ing, g whose tablet Of thousand hues the mirror
oi creation seems" should eve. have been exc,uded
lfom establishments IN which the sister arts Of no
etcy and music are received with honor, and invest
ed with the robes OF acsdeDicai dignity
IL we consider the arts of design with resneef IN
their influence on the manners the morals the Mt E.
lities, and the ornaments Ollie, they viii be found
To possess inferior claim 60 distinction; and should
tAe Judgment OF The ancienis an authority seldom
Questioned by the learned be admitted in their "a
yor, the dignity Of erudition wOuld nat he ,n,naisd
by their association. If that 'artculsr class of stu
dents, whose pride and occupation it is to explore
the languages at ancient tines, and whon we bar
emtneace, call scholars, had been familiar to the
Greek, it NAV be doubted, whether in the cs,ima-
ton OF tiIat polished and discriminating p-ople an
Apellcs and a Zeuxis Phi Tvs, AMI a Preferences
would rot have been fnrni liable rivals TO the Gun
Ulnghams and the Scas rs, the Gr.cvii and Grono-
VII Of their day. An acquaintance with the litera-
uiie oil The aneicnts has caused the works Of their
best writer's 20 be known, aud estimated At their
lust value, no base coin elimination cav c,re1;aie an
der their stamp, and the poet who, like the painter
must instiuet himself by studying the wnrSs oftbos
who have eXcelled in his art, drawsi si.a;on from
the teTvid pages Of AoaereOn, The luftcr strains
ct Homer. The too prevalent apathy relative tn
works taste, dsprives the American artist OF SINH
lar resDurceg the finest productions Of The ancient
pencil bear no small mark IF authenticity 20 nm nm
tutorcd observer, and, scqneuty, the most curn-
~ hiif' tieS may win iacI tY be imposed UDou
those who are less qualified 20 Judge, than anxious
10 admire. Thus eircumstancsh, q Young p,inter
frequently eXhausts those precious hours which he
Will revert to with pangs Of unayaii.ng regret in
pursuing Of study which dos rot define his
"bj ct, or inpar; to him ust ida of dat peri eli
on ia his art which oGglt be the guide oil his in
dustry, and the goal Of his ambition.
~ co sequence of this limited acquaintanc
with ths arts the paitr, in laying his produc o,s
before the public, has certainly but t reason To
expect either enlightened praise or instructive rem
hcpaion. Anew COnnosseurs and Arti,ts n,sv
perhaps eel and acknowledge, his claims but in the
general perver ion and mcompetcncy Of criticism
ne is doom - u blush beneath the plneaygis of some
inlude'0us friend, suffer under he wholesale cen,
sure, and unremitted maleSuence of foe thua
praise loses all value "a reward and reproor
all virtue in amendment. Amidst tbs dcsrth
Of t6sie, It Is cheering occasionally to SEE
work OF talent, nor Is it possible for candour to con-
template without strong feelings OF admiration the
Artist, who, breaking from TIE aurcments of t,la-
sure anfl dcusOas Of vanity, sacrifice every OBJ
irctfor 'ae requirement ct honorable fame 1t be-
hoycs usto encourage suoh lau,lable exeFtions-
haphael, Michael Angelo, and Rubens had never
been Known but Tor the sunshine of patronage and
] repeat, let public Institutions be fostered-Lt
hHcdmo'ld, 10 1ohich nature has been 50 broeEr,d
receive the ea15ctishmsW IF .9rf-and her Citizens
q, morsratc that they have not been deficient In
lhciaii'y by founding A MUSEUM, that EPI.
TONE Of WORLD.
A FRIEND TO TAgTT