Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1830-01-14

~ y - = r r zqSs- Eos : fhe sneSSiua
at vest Tor ever. eses.&A eee Absurd.
ties fall as Sross 5gogcllsa in a few
menths from this day, aEa Il will be
greatly useful to be able 30 stFsngls
those sbsnrdities in theip birth If I
bad been lscsuring at the time when tire
last small-noie BILL was passed, or at the
time when Dir. GoalburH was asserting
that there would be more 6ve-pouna
netes ia consequence Of the disappear
aace of the cnos: If had been lectur-
Ins when Canning was putting forth the
ridiculous baldsrdash about svsry maa
savins bit of gold in his pocket and
levi ~ HE pot;' and when Huskissoa
was talking scout the forty eight hours
and the barter; If had been lecturing
at these times, those msnstreus absar-
diiles would have bssn crushed upon
ihs sset; for, besides the audience, whs
shall 10 ma the homer to hear the lac.
lures, tsere will be, dare say, the
publication OF the~ in the newspapers;
ar in seme eli them at any rats."
A few DAYS ago, we observed in Nery.
York paper, notice Of medal of the head
OF Washington, executed by Mr. Charles c..
Wright. OF this gentleman the New York
editor says, that he is the first native Aneri-
can who eyer engraved a medal likeness in
steel. With regard to priority, we appre-
bend that a !nistake is here committed. I'VE
have In Philadelphia, an eminent Die Sinkey
and Seal Engracer, Mr.. G. Gobrecht, native
PennsylVaniaR, who, in the year 1924, exc
cutea his first Steel die for likeness medal.
al I ii.
ring his specimen of the art with the head of
W ashingtoa above northumberland we
would not be understood TO .disparage)
with similar American productions, we should
without hesitation declare him to be superior
TO any ono of the same class of artists in this
country. Werefer particularly TO his heads
OF Frarslin, Charles Wilson Peale, Charles
Carroll OF CarfOllten, and to that of Archim-
edes executed Ter the New England Society
for the promotion OF Manufactures and Me-
chanic Arts. These, with the reverses, are
mastery performances, which entue mr
Gobrecht to more celebrity than he enjoys at
distance.
The sinking OF diss for medals is compare
urely 9 new profession in the United States.
1t Is, like statuary, one OF the last branches
OF art, 10 be successfully cultivated among a
net people. There is much difficulty in at
tanning resi- skill; the execution of the wsrk
itseliis necessarily slow and expensive;-ths
number CT private patrons cannot be large
until taste and wealth have become Gi1usive.
In statuary, with tie exception of the labor
for the Capitol at " ashington, and few fig
Ires elsewhere, nothing has been done in this
country; all the medals made for the govern
mont, perhaps sixty sr eighty, have been sx-
ecitel by foreigners. so, OF The dies for our ma
tional coiB, which arr made in similar way.
Mr. Gobrecht, before he undertook the ex-
scutioa OF dies FOR medals, devoted his atten-
ton, for some years, to- studies subsidiary or
applicable TO that beautiful art animated.
less by the expectation of pecuniary reward,
than 10y The hope OF producing something
which might rebound to his credit in de-
psrtmcnt not before occupied by any native
American. The only likeness medals execu-
ted III the United States, except those for the
government, were his workmanship they
|ere.ieW indeed;and ms experencepropes thar
an exclusive attention to this branch Of art
would not be compensated unless the patron
age OF government were obtained. Certain
~, IT IS IN object altogether worthy of such
patronage; as every one must know, who ia
conversant with the writings and proceedings
of ancient ard modern Europe in respect to
medals, which hare always been considered az
Important memorials for chronology and his
tory; as the most elegant and durable test
monials of public honor and gratitude; and az
the offspring ola degree of skill and talent
most useful for the advancement Of the kinG-
red arts.-.Naiioalal Gazette.