Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-07-05

part of national industry. IT. then, behold such work. we
should by all give full credit for should enjoy its
elegance and profit by studying its details and mastery work
manshp but must allow necessarily to enter as an
element of dazzling picture which generazng mind
be inclined buy and 10 form OF the whole
society whence came must we forget that other coun
tries which produce such dainty and delightful work.
with such chaened and pervadng taste, may be- for all
strong happy actvs and possess tase though in another
sphere.
This leads to consideration Of wider range. Wha. is
it that the vast majority of bsholders in the
Crystal Palace any similar exhibition' Unques'ona-
bly, the works Of taste those articles which exhibit the
greatest beauty. They delight and naturally put the mind
Of the examiner into frame which ncures, for time at
least the whole judgment which it passes every thing
that connected with them, which the generazng mind
assmila,es with them in concenrc circles.
Your correspondent hopes that countries which have shown
much ingenuity and Austria and Prussia-wi
not long continue under despoc Governments but even
the Countries and not merely few workmen in refined
Cities had produced these choice articles they would stand IN
necessary connexion with expiring despotism When
the middle of last century, ManInoni charmed all London
and carried the day against politics, Court and Parliament
far general concerned it would have been
bold conclusion that Italy, capable OF producing such
singer, could possibly long remain in her unfortunate
bruised and degraded state when Fanny Elssler desh
ed with her liquid grace, he would have been remarka-
Bile statesman who would have foreod from her bewitchs
movements the resurrection Of stoid Austria Alas those
handsome Russian snuff boxes Of STEEL with nad god are
not the first from which syllogizs pure ad-
mnstra.ion Of justice in that empire Learning and taste
may flourish and have unfortunately often fourshed, when
national purity dignity, and general healthy activity were
gone. When Aexandrine eruditol was in its zenith,
Greece had become prostitute in the of every bold
general yet that erudon and science at Alexandra was
exclusively Greek Unfortunately, it is fact that of those
four periods distinguished for tase three were also pro-
mnent in coupon-the Augustan and Medicean ages and
that of Louis the XIV No human production be more
perfect and avshng than Of the masterpieces Of
Benvenuo Cein Their perfection grows upon your soul
with your taste, it becomes refined by the minute
study of the work ITSELF and which the highest test, with
your advancing years. But what the state Of Italy at
Ceins time 1t the age when that firm patriot Macha
ve, who willingly suffered the rack for his country, could
think that he did great service to the Of Italian unity
by writing his Prince. Would not the Roman empire, in
of its darkest and dreades periods been able
furnish very exquisite articles to the London Exhibition
Those artificial flowers which the Romans Of the fourth
tury substituted in their gardens for Natures beauties
and bountes-corruped every part of their nature
was-would undoubtedly form attractive and probably ad
arguments against christianity with which the fathers Of the
church had grappe that pagansm could not be false
christians represented it. since had produced much beau
ty and refinement in the arts and literature
trust am not misunderstood do not undervalue taste,
the beautiful in the On the contrary, believe that
is essentially esthecal being-as essentially he
is ethical, religious and ura being. We always find
him with these attributes in whatever stage of development
they may happen to be- The Of the beautiful the de-
sire of pleasing ornament, independent upon utility, al
ways manifest in him, from the ncpen stages in the Vedah
bng ndan that chief of Lord North Island who, as
Capt. Wilkes tells us behed in lost admiration for hours
in ooking-gass his own painted with vermlion-
from them to the Olympic Jose of Phidas, the gacing
cameo lovely they always show love of the beau
tfu wise Providence has implanted this element in
souls active agent in every thing that appertains to
culture in literature the arts in morals and in poduc
tive industry. Without the esthetic element in man-the
constant desire to beaui every thing around usndusy
would have received impulse sufficient become
the handmade of civilization. There necessaes of eshe
teal taste well necessaries Of physical existence
No nation rise without gradually rising standard Of
comfort, and very large part of all that belongs to the
standard of comfort is Of eshetca nature and does
appertan the necessares of food and ament Men
might indeed contrve to live like the lazzarone far
cultivated state; and Joseph Bonuparte, when King of
Naples pursued wise plan when he told me, he order
ed mattresses utensils and other appurtenances of civiza
ton be distributed gratis among them, in oder first Of ALL
to in them the wants Of civilized life to raise their
standard Of comfort His translation the throne of Spain
put end to this phosophc and sound know,
moreover that is not completely that which his Maker
has destined him be if he leaves the esthetca element
uncuvaed am proud -four Powerses and Crawfords
any American be hail them the harbngers Of much
that good great and refined and claim their
national No nation hope to be what it ought
be if, among other things, it be not polished however
free however gallant, erude investigating, comfortably
living in it may be otherwise But the other hand taste
may be cultivated without proportionae activity in the other
spheres Of humanity and those periods in which this has
taken pace-peods which may be called epochs Of eshet
cal anacsm-beongs to the very worst and most appalling
Of annals There is corrodent destructive than
refined taste unbalanced by ruthulness purity, justice and
religion Even the expiring gladiator may please the ren
ed of the beautiful in corrupt Roman assembly,
that he does not shock the Of the beautiful by hard
contours and unbeauteous forms.
In ancient times that esthetcal development
and highly polished refinement incompatible with popu
lar soundness We them that epoch together
no than great wealth and ample liberty. But in
modern civilization there is, most happily, incompaby
between wealth, refined taste, freedom and purity II is
of those peculiar prominent advantages which enjoy
the ancents As they closely connected they may
horo bo huryied dlv vcnuu )