Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1853-04-28
The Statue Of 81. George.

: 1t stood IN the artist Stuulo; d
: Florence came to look at 1t; all e2
; amined it with curiosity; all admire
n it With eagerness; Pronounced 1t tn
IL masterpiece of Donatello. Th
vi whole town was in raptures, and love
lily ladies', as s-they bent from their Cal
;, riagesi to answer the Salutes ef tn
= Princes and Dukes, instead of th
: common place frivolitieF Of fashion
said, "IIave you seen the new statq'
!, by Donatellos"
Is there an art like that of sculp
ture? Painting isa bri liant illusion
a lovely cheat. pculP lure, while !.
! represents a reality, is itself a realiI
. ty. The pencil pours its fervid huef
upon periohable canyq IS, and they
fade with the passingI air; but the
chisel works in eternal marble, strikes
out a creation immortd 4 as the globe,
and beautiful as the SO ul
Il told thee, Donate ello,' said Lq-
renzo, thou would's4 excel all thy
rivalsl''
Fling by thy chs c! now,'' cried
another, ''thou 4anst add nothing 70
that
/ 81 Shall cease, hereafter, my devo-
ton to the anti iAue,' cried a third.
/ ~The power Of Phidias," ezclaiin-
ed one.
said another.
|. .-You will draw yotaries from We
nus whispered soft | allan girl, as
she turned her melting eyes Gu the
old man.
The Apollo will hereafter d. faw |
bis bow UNDECIDED, cried an artist,
whom many thoug ht the best OF his
day.
Among the crowds who flocked to
the studio of Don natello, there w IS a
youth who had given some promise |
of excellence. Many said that, with
intense study, he might one day
make bis name heard beyond the
Alps; and some went SO far as to hint
that in time he might tread close On
The heels even of Donatello himself,
but these were sanguine men, md
grea friends of the young man; be-
s.dek, they spoke at random. They
called this student Michael Angelo.
lie had stood long time regard
ng It withixed eyes and folded arms. ,
lie walked from one position to an- )
]ther. measured it with bis keen
ylances from Ihea Id to foot, re regardel {
/ before, behind, and studied its Rro- I
lies from various points The Doha- ,
clio saw him. and awaited his long +
md absorbed examination With the {
Uttered pride 6f an artist and the /
Iffectionate indulgence Of fatHeT - /
At length Mich ael Angelo stopped Q
,nce more b efore it, inhaled a long i
,reath, and bro ke the profound si- a
ence. 1T wa hts only one thing, II
quttere ed thf gifted boy. 5
9Tell met cried the successful arr t
ist, T-sfhat j wa n IS. This is the first t
ensure which my St George has d
licited. Can I improve? Can al d
er? Is it in tho clay or uar arble?- o
Eel me?" o
Bdt the critic had disappeared. a
Donatello knew the mighty ge- 5
lius of Michael Angelo He had o
,eheld the flashes of the sacred fire, f
nd watched be development Of the 5
God within Linn a
'.Diablo!" cried the clt man, ''Mi- Ii
hael Angelo gone to Rome, and not 0
word of advice about my statue!- f
The scape-grace! but | Shall see him 1
gain, or, by the mass, | v i'll follow s
i'm to the Eternal City i lis opln- b
on is worth that Of all the world i
3ut one thing!" He look ed at 1t
o.;n-be listened to the mprmurs
f applause which it drew from all :
tho beheld it-a placid smile settled :, :
u his face. eBut one thin ng-Uhat u
an it be?''
Years rolled by. NIicha ael Angelo
ono;ned at Rome, or made excur-i !,
ions to other places, but T had not t
,et returned to Florence Wherev- S
Il he had been, men regarded NM as 1
compt-somethiug fiery, terrible, II
ren,andons sublime. His fame
pgead over The globe; what MS chls, I
j touched it hallowed. He spurned e
he dpll clav. and struck bis vast and
Intensely brilliant conceptions at once
rom the marble Michaa Angelo !
vas a name 10 worship-a a spell 10