Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1843-07-22

H1tUuld ave accused Is oi nhlilecnhss III
fenard 10 urt. and That we should have
pleaded guilty TO the charge, furnishes The
strongest proof IF her disposition 10 under
ratio o,ir intellectual powers. and Of our
own tocilitY and want of self relihnce.
Not many yeurs since. ono Of the ill's.
tfious and good men of America exelain.
Cd IN addressing The nation
"Ilxeudant alii moltius s]pirantla MIRA.
Credo e~quidem viyos dueant de rtiart,orr
yoitus y
Since that period aft bas aeeeived II
new impulse among ua, Artists have afi.
sen in numbers tho public gives lis atten.
lion 10 their productions their laburs IRE
literally rewarded. II seems NOW admit
tod that wenltl, and cultivation arc desiIn-
ed 10 yield in America the saine fruits that
they have given IN Italy. in Spain, IN
Ffanee, Germany and England, II srems
now admitted that there Is no anomalous
detcctH IN Our mental cndowtnnnts that
the same powers displayed IN tlehfing tho
forest and filling the iarm will trim the
garden. II seems elenf Tint we nte des-
tined TO have n school of hrt. II becomes
o matter of importance 10 decide how the
youth who devote themselves 10 tflost Httt.
dies AFRO to acquire the rudiments nf Ilni.
t~Rtiou. and what Influences nrt TO be made
10 net upon them. This question seemed
nj one time 10 have boon decided. The
friends of art in America Looked to En-.
roIo for mn example, and with tho natural
assumption that experience had made The
old world wise in what relates 10 the fine
arts, determined upon forming Academies
rs The more refined nations Of Europe have
ended by doing. We might ,Hs well
have proposed n national church establish.
ment. That tho youth must he taught ls
elenr-bnt IN framing an institution for
TINT object, if we took 10 countries grown
old in republican systen1s, 1t must ba for
warning rather than example. We speak
from long experience and much observa-
ton of European Academies. We enter.
tain tho highest respect Tor the profession.
al ability and for the personal ability and
the personal character Of The gentlemen
who preside over thoeo institutions. Nay.
it il our conviction of their capacity and
Of their individual willingness 10 'mpart
knowledge, which forces upon ia the OPT.
Mon of tho rottenneas of The systems Of
which they are tho instruments.
DE Tocquevillo remarks upon The l'ri.
tish afistocracy, that. Notwithstanding
their sagaclty as n body, and their into
gritty and heightened character as indlvi.
duals. they have gradually absorbed every
thing, and left tho people nothing whilo
he declares that tho American employees.
though they arc sometimes deIanltets and
dishonest. got, after all, get beyond their
dues, and arc obliged 10 s]acriiice boil, re.
p~utation mud self.reapoet IN order TO obtain
that little. Those who direct tho Acade.
mics of Fine Arts in Europe, are prone 10
take an advantage Of their position ana
logous to that enjoyed By tho aforesaid
arlstoctncy. Az the latter totnt to regard
the mass us n flock to DO fed. and defended
and cherished for TIM Sale Of their wool
and mutton, SO tho former nre not s|oA Ia
make a band of edueandi Tho basis Of ii
hierarchy. Systems and manner soon
usurp The place of sound ptecopt. Faith
is insisted on rather than works. Tho ptis
pills nre required TO be not only doclle but
submissive. They arc not free.
To minds once opened TO the light OF
knowledge, M adept may speak in masses,
and the seed will fall on good ground but
10 awaken n dormant soul, to impnrt first
principles, to watch the budding Of the
germ Of rare talent, requires n contact and
relations such ms no professor can have
with n class, such as few men chn have
with any boy. If Europe must furnish Il
model of artistical tuition, let us 20 nj
once to the records of the great ago nf art
in Italy, and we shall there learn that Mi.
chaol Angelo and Raphael, aud their tench.
ers also, were formed without any Of tho
cumbrous machinery and mill horse dlsci-
plino of u modern Academy. They were
instructed, it is true they were apprcntl-
ced to painters. Instead Of passlvc|y lis
tening to an experienced proficient mere
". they discussed with their fellow stu
dents tho merits of different works, the
advantages of rival methods, the choice
between contradictory authorities. They
formed one another. Sympathy warmed
them, opposition strengthened, and emula-
! ton spurrcd them on. In those latter days,
classes of boys toll through the rudiments
under the eye of men who are themselves
aspirants Tor the public favor, and who,
deriving no benefit, us masters from their
apprentices, from the proficiency Of The
lads, look upon every clever graduate as a
stumbling.blo in their own way. Hence
their system of Supplying discipline, their
tying down the pupil 10 mere manual ex.
e%cution, their silence in regard to prlnci-
Piles, their cold reception of all attempts TO
invent. To chill in others the effort 10
acquire is in them the instructive action OF
a wish TO retain. Well do wo remember
the expression Of face and the tone OF
voice with which one of these bashaws OF
an European Academy once received our
praise of the labors of q man grown grey
in the practice of his art, but who, though
his works were known and admired at Ma.
Piles AMI Petersbursh, at London and vi.
emma, had not yet won from the power,
that were his erequoim-" Yes, sir, yes
clever boy, sir promises weh!"
The president and tho professors Of an
Academy are regarded by the public as of
curse at the head of their respective pro.
LESSONS. Their works are models, their
opinions give tho law. The youth are
awed and dazzled by their titles and their
fame the man of genius finds them array
cd in solid phalanx to combat his claim.
In those countries where a court bestows
all encouragement, it is found easy to keep