Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1817-03-04

|ticism on some Of the works Of our
chief architect, and his subordinate
artists. Besides the plain good sense
and natural taste, with which bis OBJ
Iservations were replete. there was so
much poignant satire and humour in
them, that / will endeavour to give
them to you in the best manner my
memory will enable me. As near as
| l can recollect he said as follows.
/" Before l give my vote for this
large appropriation j should wish to
thear from the chairman Of the com
Imittee, whetherthe figures intended by
1.-THE architect to represent the several
Estates arc really to make part Of the
Embellishments of the capitol. and as
Esueh to be comprebended in this pro-
vision, or whether those preposterous
images arr. to be laid aside. They
are female figures. That intended to
represent New Hampshire. has fish
| n her hands. Now sir, it so happens
hat. Of all the fish taken at sea by
he neopie of New England. forty
mine in fifty. perhaps ninety-nine in
a hundred are caught by the people
iof Massachusetts. The Sfemale re-
representative of Massachusetts has a
hoy by her side, to represent the dis
|trict of Maine The lady Of Vermont
has raw calf skin thrown over her
shoulders, the pate falls on the leli
shoulder. and two OF the legs hang
dangling from her bosom. / do moi
know with what emblem the lady OF
Virginia will be exhibited /; perhaps
with Buckskin over her shoulder ;
whether with the horns on her head,
Tor. like the ca.l,s pate of Vermont,
resting on the left shoulder. cannot
tcll--but no doubt pair OF the legs
will be suspended from her breast,
| rcmemhcr some former curious de-
Vices of this same artist which it may
mot be, amiss to mention. In the YES
;tibule of the North wing there were
pillars represented as supporting "a
Immense weight Of stone. Instead OF
flutel shafts, thcir surfaces were
formed into per peB,licalar rounds.
"he- stone tuttsi had been e,n
In,oycd upnr then for a goat part oil
la winter. beholG these rpands. cut IN
to Joints. become corn, STALKS. and the
capitals were decorated W.th ears ot
corn. intimated at tliat time. to MIR.
Latr0be, The impropricty OF this de-
vice. Corn-stqike srpprtinga mass o.!
stone but (replird the architccD Oh
serve they have a band round them,
still said l to him, they are only a
b,ndle 1T ai coru-stalSs.
ain 90 apartment adjoining thai
where the Italian staaary was mould
ing in clay. the models for the female
figares ] lssn mentioned. some stonc
cutters were at work upon biocks OF
stone intended f,D' capitals OF another
set Of pillars. which capitals they were
|3rnamentine with leaves intended to
represent tobacco leaves. from which
I conclude the shafts OF these pillars
|are t. be composed Of tobacco STEMS
{" Mr. Sneaker. You must rccollect
the stone gallery in the senate cham
ser: there were several male figures
beneath with their hands raised to
it. these figures were not
colossal. nor Hcrculean. but even If
'they had no weight to bear up the
very attitude. with hands stretched
nut. and permanently elevated high as
their heads was enough TO give PAIN to
the braolder."
..Sir. I have Scent q printed re.
port on III public buildings, that
bl Icks OF marble have been ordered
From iiaiy 10 be wrought into those
female figures. The gallery is now
to rest apparently on the heads of
those ladies: hui I esnoot vote for
the proposed. appropriation, un!essl
those regulations stale emb!ems arc
swept away"
Mr.. Peters replied that the com
missioner iurarmed him those eni.
tlem. should be laid aside.
Nero York. Feb 20.