Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1841-10-22

that genius can infuse magic into commonest
and most commonplace things, just az man
was mass Of inanimate clay s Of the earth
earthly" till God brealhed Immortality into
him. and so formed him after his own image.
Nothing can be more human, and at the same
time more god-lke, than this colossal statue
of Washington. 1t is a sort of domestic ju-
piter-the sublime repose and simplicity Of the
whole figure, united, as it is, with exceeding
energy st expression, is perfectly classical,
without the slightest abstract imitation, for
the artist seems to have embodied Seneca's adj
mirable advice as to the style. Being intend
ed to fill the central position in the capitol Of
the United States, he has addressed his statue
of Washington 10 a distant posterity, and
made it rather political abstract Of his whole
career, than the chronicler Of any one deed, or
any leading feature of his life. He is, there
fore seated as first magistrate, and extends
with his left hand a sword, the emblem of his
military command, towards the people; as the
sovereign he points heavenward with his right
hand; by this doubled gesture is conveyed the
idea Of an entile abrogaton of self, and ma
king the patriot conductor, as it were. be-
tween God and man.
The chair in which he is seated, being toe
superior part is richly ornamented, with acan-
thus, and garlands of flowers, while the Ease
is solid, simple and massive, which plainly
indicates that high cultivation is the proper re-
suit of sound government, and that nations,
when well planted and well titled, must -four
ish as we'll as grow. BY the figure of Colum-
bus, which leans against the back Of chair
on the left side. is connected the historY Of
America with that of Europe, while that Of
the Indian chief on the right is emblematic Of
the state America was in when civilization
first dawned upon it. The bas-relief on the
right side Of the chair, which was the first
crest Of the American National Arms, is tho
rising sun. The reievio on the left side rem
resents the genii of North and South Ameri-
ca, under the forms of the infants Hercules and
Iphiclus. TIE latter shrinking in dread, whilst
the former struggles successfully with obs,a-
cles aud dangers of an incipient political exis-
tence. In statue, Greenough has achieved
glorious work, and one that cannot fail to reach
Its destnation-namely, the distant posterity
to which it is addressed. Though he modest
iy says, that, like the modern Italian artists.
he tears he should have conten,ed himselfwith
the sleepy and Indifferent tolls of the studio,
had not the confidence Of his countrymen-
who are unrivalled in hoping great things, and
truly In this instance their hope viii be verifi-
ed-caiIed him to the execution of a monu-
ment which awoke every stronger and better
feeling OF his nature. Having triumphantly
passed the most critical and unsparnr of all
ordeals-ihat of people " whose sympathy
Tor art Is nearly exhausted while their connois-
seurship is in full vgor," he says he is not the
less anxious for its fate in his own country, for
here 1t has been like an opera, of which they
do not understand or fee the words, and there
II will be thoroughly examined, for the music
they have less knowledge. If this be true so
much the better for him, for he may depend up
on its speaking most striking language in
his "father land" Greenough is equally sue
cessful in bus!s, and his statues Of children
are perfect gems, especially two-one little
girl OF the Austrian amhassedress, a dear lit
tie. child, about three years old, beautifully
formed, though as beauty she does not prom
lse to equal her very beautiful and charming
mother. Tue artist has thrown the most fairy
like poetry into the attitude Of the child, whom
he has represented in a half-recumbent pos
ture, intently gazing upon butterfly that had
settled on her hand: the expression of the
child's face is perfectly beautiful, as the little
creature looks as if she were scanning her
own while-winged soul. The other is statse
Of one Of the children Of one of his ccmpatri-
OTIS, son of CoIone Thompson-the attitude
is that of an infant Cephalus, and the whole
figure is so elanct that it looks as if it had been
achieved at one eclectic stroke of the chisel,
and not completely by degrees. As you look
al it, it actually appears to dart from you into
some invisible thlcket. America may we'll be
proud of the artists she has produced, as there
is another young American Artist at Florence,
Of the name nf Clewenger, whose busts are
wonderful as to likeness and execution, buthe
has as yet attempted nothing in the higher
walks OF art"