The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-03-31
Ron. tde National Inteiiirene,


house lately, on one of those lazy days
OF stripping season, with my people a.
bout me, silently engaged in making up
their little bundles, leisursly began to
unfold ono Of your papers which had
just been brought ma from the Office
10 casting my eye ever its closely -embo.
died columns,t was insensibly drawn into
a train of reflection upon tho rising &C.
MUS Of my country. The speeches of
congress, "lcarned and long," were wide
spread before me. Literary notices met
my view, ct various srudite lectures up.
on the most abstruse subjects in the world,
and, for aught I know. BY the most cru
dite mon in the world, a98ehe sgres,
moral painting" of Mr.. Fesle was am
nouncod with triumphant ecies. If the
good folks Of this land, said to myself,
fail in attaining the greatness Of the Ro-
man days, twill not fancy, DO through
suplneness of ambition or laxity of effort.
Whether We contemplate the ceaseles.
energies ofthe forum or the pulpit; the
ehiscl or tho pallet, We arc equally struck
with the beldnsss of those aspiring at
tempts after fame which would " pluck
bright honor from the pale-facsd moen."
Being little fond Of viewing paintings,
/ had curiosity to see this production
of Mr.. Psale, which is a representation Of
the Court of Death So, ordering my
little pony, away posted to the metro
polls. AS trudged along, could no,
but reflect on the greatness of the un-
dertaking of the artist, and the expensive
field which he had entered upon for the
display Of his talents. fel, curious to
see tho successful grouping of the en-.
blems OF those evils that bring us TO our
end, and the complicated destinies, per
son,fed, OF human existence. With the
idea OF death, are inseparably connected
in the bosoms OF US all, the mos; appal-
ling associations.
In contemplating this picture, VIC are
aronce struck ~ith the difficulty with
which the sr,is, had to contend in what
is called the firSsoheheia or personifca-
ton, of the ruling figure in the piece
DEATH the awful president of this court,
IS represented by dark antique form,
having the appearance of strength and
power conceived beneath the folds of
massive drapery. 1t is not a rasv head
and-b!sody-5o,re, or erinning skeleton,
hut . figure, endowed with life. This,
my humble opinion, is a downright
absurdity Tor what idea can we have OF
Death represented by any symbol OF
life Death is the absence Of life, and
mo sembiapce Of power dependent upon
the influence OF living principle eau
convey tcthe mind a1ust idea of death. !
| am sware of the Argument which +ht
'",'~e hoe advanced. that ,his h9Are ,ep-
resents ''the power Of Death personiG I'D
as an at rlbute of deity % bat what pow.
er has Death. would ask, seeing that it
Is state OF total disability, and is with
out being That power is an "attribute
OF deity" viii admit, with which that
deity can inflict death, but death is GER
taIniy not power, nor can it exercise
power. The consequence 10 here placed |
for the cause. The tsrrors of death a.
rise from our dread of dissolution and |
decay, and arc not made up of those sen.
satiois that spring from fear of ryranni.
Cal rule. A chaste writer on bellies let.
tres has taken netico of the difficulty vi |
managing poetical and rhetorical image.
ry' In preserving their unity and sustain
ing their harmony. This difficulty will I
be more readily found, 1 think, by the
artist who would give TO his faucies the
form OF animation beaming with the ex-
PressiVeness of human life.
There is great difference, [ ween,
between posticaI digurative thought,
which hastily arises in the mind and flits
across the brain, and thai Iaborious de. |
Imitation on canvass Of obsolete personifi
cations, wearing, as it we're tangible OK.
istepce.
death and his image rising in the brain
"Bearfaint resemblance "@-YoUNG.
The two figures which catch the
s.ronges, light in the piece, and which
FIRST take the eye OF the beholder. are
those representing Old Age supported
by Virtue. These are, indeed very fine
ly designed, and mastery executed.
The figure Of Virtue,particularly,a affords
The haPpiest expression of innocence in
spired with heavenly hope and divine con.
hdsDce The scene of Dissolution has,
think, considerable merit and the fig
nre OF Wan, is apply depicted by all the
leneamen's of starvation and distress.
The figure OF the infant reaching TO its
mother for protection, / think poorly
done. Besides the excessive ugliness oil
the child, it has an attitude of the most
gisceIess crawling, producing some.
what disgusting effect. Pleasure, on tho |
lef1IS ell done, and CanDo, withhold
from the artist the homage of nv adn,-