Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-07-31

ten years Of its existence il grew in favor as IL
grew ia strength and usefulness. 1t extended the
hand o! fellowship cheeriully and readily to all who
evnced talents taste in the arts, without refe-
renee to age, raSk. The paintings furnished
for exhibitisn Increased in number and value, and
its friends and admirers anticipated long of
greatness and popularity. But how seon have all
these fattering prospects disappeared! Its very
popularity fatal to it,. The notice and patron
aye the public have bestowed upon it has made its
managers arrogant and slothful; and the wealth
that flows into its treasury has become \ bone Of
contention among them. From being eneouragers
and assisers 70 young men, persecution has become
the order of the day, and the appearance OF a new
candidate for professional honors is the signal for
general hue in.cry against him.
How long this state of things is to continue is for
the younger artists to say 1t is their works that
now make the exhibitions attractive or popular;
withhold theus and the walls Of the Academy would
resemble SPIDERS skin, with all the form, bat with
out the reality of life motion. Compare the ex-
hibtioas presented to the public for the last two
years with those If former years, and see how i'm
measuraby inferior they excepting in the works
Of young artists Portraits, il is true, pentifuly
sprinkled throughout the catalogue; but such Por-
traits! without grace, animation, or expression;
turning the Academy into a grand sign market,
where nature is outraged, and taste put to shame in
general rush for sitters and more money. To
all thisth public have thus far submitted, because
they have found here and there work of merit
proceeding from some younger hand whom they de-
light to honor, and for whom they are willing to
wade through multitude of trash, to admire and
cherish. Take these away, and we say again, the
exhibitions would be but burlesque upon the
arts.
<k,,~v n. sulv toxu I'd fha ma
nagers Of this Academy, did we not believe the mat
tiers we complain of arise from their own miscon-
duct and we feel satisfied that all those who not
interested in sustaining them, under every and any
circumstances, and who have paid any attention to
the subject, will coincide with in this opinion.
Misconduct on the part Of managers in our public
institutions generally, results in revolution OF the
and the appontment of other and better men
in their places but the gentlemen having charge OF
this Academy have taken good care to provide
against any such result Strong premonitory symp-
toms, of a recognising character, exhibited them
selves about year since, but a scheme was resort
ed to- which we shall hereafter explain, that eectu-
ally slenced opposition and left the proscrip-
tive and arbitrary rules still in full force
1t has been subject Of constant enquiry, during
the last year, why a person should be retained as
President who abandoned the arts in silly pursuit
of an impracticable object Why he could leave
the country, and absent himself for twelvemonth,
and no one be appointed to fill his place But the
true TO these questions is even more ridicu
lous than the act itself. 1t is simply because
they are afraid Of him Now, whether this fear
arises from apprehension of his superior physical
force or whether they alarmed lest in his Quix
ottic pursuit of the philosophers stone he Should
magnetize them away, must leave read.
At
leads us to think that their fears arise from
the latter cause nothing but the dread Of super
natural effects could lead these to hesitate, who,
en- one occasion, exhibited such decided evil
dencc of courage; that could take advantage
Of the sick bed of IN aged veteran in the acts
to remove him from responsible station among
them, without the ordinary notices which decency
and decorum dictate, could not certainly hesi-
tate, on any ordinary occasion, to discharge
what was clearly marked out as an imperative
duty. Indeed, we think this act eminent for its
and gratitude and illustrative of the
fable of the ass and the dead lon that we would re-
commend a committee Of N. As be appointed to
compose grand historical picture with this as the
leading incident.
When first instituted Ito obtain public favor, and
to outshine the old Academy in Barclay street, the
National Academy made great parade in reference
TO the schools they were about TO establish. Ac-
cordingly, casts were purchased, professorships
erected, acadcmicians and associates were divided
OF into committees Of visitation and instruction,
and to all outward appearances, nothing left un-
done which promised any benefit to the young and
aspiring Of country. But where now all these
| professors, committeeman, and schools Echo,
| NAV truly answer wherel Who now visits the stu
dents TO correct the that the young and in
| experienced are naturally inclined TO run into T.
Where now are the lecturers that so long figured
in all the pomp Of large type and imposing titles in
their annual cstaloguesi With a treasury overflow
ing with means, the beggarly pittance Of IS was,
until within very few months past, extortcd from
the young and pennyless student initiation fee,
aud fer no other privilege than to draw in a dusty
and poorly lighted room, from dozen or two Of
broken casts and mutilated fragments.
II was generally understood, and 90 published to
the world that the funds collected the annual ex
hibitions were to be expended objects connected
with the advancement Of the arts, either in the pur
chase Of rare and valuable pictures BY eminent mas
tsrs or in the establishment Of library and schools
with free admission to students and members But
no. the funds boarded for some distant purpose,
which the council alene explain; or what 10
more censsrabe, spent in eating and drinking some
halls dozen dinners per annum, which by late re-
solve, we understand they have decided upon do