The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-01-02
The City Of Washington.


Correspondence Of The ~. Y. Com. AdUerlsr
WAsmsGTos. December IT.
When the plan OF DowniDg-whose business as
an artist 10 cduce out OF the raw material, and
| natural disproportons of mother earth, forms OF
beauty, positions, proportions, and combinations
10 Dlease the taste and enchant the eye-when,
say, his pans shall be accomplished, the improve
asot will bs such throw old aspects quite into
TIE sboae Ono of his fields Of operation ian "old
6eId,, a bag indsA been for years) is that called
Lafayette Square, On. old visitors 70 washington
know it by the name o. ,nnea fol The oths~
which has been eIfodiated, as ~ tha n "osa
aay--dug up, and dug down, too, 40 WV po'Po'o
or obtaining good level. a
Serpentne walks, grassy triangles, L. 'we a AND
the usual appurtenances OF a cultivated a.
mened lawn, will coon make their appearaA " u,
this hitherto rude and rudely enclosed plot VI
ground, on one side OF which may be seen the sim.
pie palace OF the Republic on another the residence
of the banker Corcoran, the "Dccatur house, the
temporary residence of Lord Ashburton, who came
to help to make peace; on another the doInicl OF
the late Mrs Madison, and near by the long build
ings of the War and Navy Departments. But the
great object of attraction to future visitors to the
metropolis in this locality, next to the living Presi
dent who is inaugurated and entbroned in the
White House, will be the brazen image OF dead
President, to be inaugurated on the 9Th January
next and cnthroncd in the centre OF this renovated
square. The friends Of ANDREW JACKSON have
subscribed some thousands for the purpose Of erect
ing equestrian statuc to the memory Of the hcro
of New Orleans. Clark Mile, from Charleston,
(but usual in the executive arts, of Yankee
lneage,) has for long time been engaged
il. 1t has been his anxious labor by day, and his
leading dream by night. Having been admitted
into the interior sanctum Of his studio, must say
II is place where genius has been waiting and
worshpping at the shrine OF the fine arts for there
rare buss Of the great and illustrious grouped
here and there, and occasionally beauty "iives III
stone" under the creative hand Of the sculptor.
The colossal horae on which the avenging hero
,(, ,,~t,E, Zee
eleven, could stand with under him, and the
proportions Of the rider are such az correspond.
The horse is in the rampant attitude, and by the
curious application of a mechanical principle, and
the proper location of the centre Of gravity. the
animal Is clf-poised, and for that reason moro i'm
pressive.
This initiates more closely the living original,
who poises himself 30 magnifcently under the sad.
die on which 10 mounted the warrior knight and
the commanding general in the day OF battle. The
form and face OF jackson are delineated with truth
and exnctness. His was face from which II would
be difficult for artist to escape as it vas for the
man who offended him to evadc his vengeance.
WARRINGTON, December IS.
In my last spoke OF the improvement of La
fayette Square, commenced under the auspices Of
Mr.. A. J. Downing, the rural architect, who is en-
deavorng to educe order and beauty out of the I'M
slightly governmental squares that have SO long
looked like series of barren heatha. Time being
important element in all systems of cultivation,
mental, moral, and physical, we must patiently
that wait his progress, before our eyes will be
satisfied with the floral and arboreal adornmepts
which have 30 long been the pride Of the Capitol
grounds. That agreeable gentleman, Professor
Henry, with whom passed some time on Wednes-
day, pointed out, we stood in front Of the Smith
sonian Institution, the plan Of Improvement which
is to be applied TO the noble mall that spreads out
its broad surface to the extent of nineteen acres,
between the beautiful edifce and the city, as it lies
along Pennsylvania avenue and the region north
of that line. The professor is not only deyotng
himself with steady zeal to- the principal literary
and scientific objects of the institution, but is de-
tcrmined also TO make the external scenery corre-
spond and barmonize with the higher forms oil
beauty embraced in the noble schemc. portion
only of the funds for these external improvements
will be drawn from the Smithsonian TREASURY, but
will be derived from Congressman appropriations,
applied in the same way to Cther pubhc grounds
within the limits Of the Federal city
The difficulty Of access from the CIV proper to
the grounds, occasioncd by the intcrvcntIn OF the
wide and unsightly canal stretching from the Ana
costa to the Potomac, in the vicinity Of the WasS-
ington monument, 10 to be obviated by tho con-
struction ola new bridgeconnectng with straight
road to the centre OF the building. The lectures
for the season will be opened the Goth inst. DR..
Kane, of the Grinnell expedition to the Arctic re-
gions will deliver the first two, and the matter
will be altogether new to his auditors, and may be
expected to be interesting, large audience will be
assembled to hear Of tho wonders of the Polar re-
gions. The accomplished Professor Agassiz will
also again occupy the lectorial chair, and other
gentlemen from the North and the South eminent
in literature and science, will make up eplen--
did list of lecturers. Professor Siman, of New
Haven, will cnhghten us on the subject of geolo-
gy To politicians not too deeply absorbed in their
vocation TO cross the canal that divides the po-
litcal from the scientific field, the change from
wrangling in the Capitol TO a quiet listening to the
voice of science in the Smithsonian, will indeed be
grateful and refreshing while the numerous visit
ors to the metropolis will enjoy fine opportunities
OF gaining useful knowledge from the best
Even the pleasure seekers not the smallest portion
of the annual influx, will scarcely suffer an inter
ruption Of their gaites, since the conclusion of
lecture will be but the beginning time of their
nocturnal indulgences. Attendance at the lecture
room being fashionable. the bright eyes and grace
ful forms OF the reigning bellies will impart ami
nation to the scene If they do not essentially pro-
uote the objects Of science.
President FILLMoRr, always the patron of
schools, and the friend of progressive knowledge,
has manifested much interest in the prosperity OF
this ins titu,ion, and will continue to do while
he occupies the Presidential chair.