Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-12-28

in my reply that no instrument, or dangerous
material, ever came in contact with..the marble
in making my moulds, and that each fraction
was dried before it was returned to its place.
When these Italians were about to leave
Richmond, they were asked for recipe to
whiten the statue, it then being of dirty
orange color; they promptly furnished the for
mula, which consisted Of plaster of paris and
water. Tho old gentleman, who for years, was
IN the habit of brushing off the dust and cob
webs from the statue had charge of the bleach
ing process This whitewash he faithfully APP
Piled up to the time of my taking the statue in
possession. ! have presumed, however, upon
the privilege, that doctors may differ, to re-
quest that it will never be used again
Amateur says moulder is not an artist.
Those with whom he is acquainted probably
are not nor is he wrong in saying Italians are
not, that is, as a rule, although many Of those
who work for eminent sculptors have sat in the
same schools, and progressed with them upon
an equality as far as imitation could carry
them; but Of course when they reached con-
ception and creation" they separated; the one
to originate, the other to follow the mechanical
branch Of art But the German moulder for
bronze casting is different kind of man; he
becomes q founder and chiseller, therefore is
accurately familiar with academic art, and is
not the original artist, because his mechanical
tendency deadens his imagination.
Amateur claims for his assumed cognomen
very accommodating definition, yet he makes
artist imply conception and creation !" very
arbitrary as far as words 60, but still less in
dividual than has Amateur" Now, granting
the right Of the painter and sculptor to use the
term, no authority permits them to monopolize
it, for it is very ancient with actor, uggler, and
horse-doctor and is at the present day claimed
by dancer, barber, and cook.
A cast from my moulds has been seen by
thousands in the Crystal Palace, and by many
who saw the process for the Cambridge moulds,
and the cast taken from them. The original
memorial attributed it Condition of the mar
ble) to the effects of moisture, and exposed
situation, and to no other cause" 1t would
have been q stupid idea to make either my me-
mortal or circular chemical thesis. Moisture
is the vehicle Of the noxious agents, and expo
sure the cause Of accidental and artificial inAu-
ences. This Amateur, however, pretends not
to be content with the index, but requires vo-
luminous book, and SO condensed as to enter
his mind with q glance of his eye.
l said the skylight was badly constructed,
was broken by ice and the falling in Of the flag
was repaired to prevent passage for rain, 1t
was not left for ventilation.
by q misprint In my reply, in speaking of
breath, the word merely is used instead of
mainly.
The stove in full blast would dry too sudden
ly the side of the statue facing it, leaving the
opposite one frozen or wet / shew, in my reply,
that from the drapery being thoroughly articu
lated, and by falling very low down, together
with the plough, cloak, and fasces, walls were
formed, making complete interior, from which
the impregnated vapour could not escape, ex,
cept by absorption, the falling of the excess Of
aqueous particles from which the gases were
disengaged, giving place for fresh secretion.
No one knowing the nature Of marble could
suppose intended to convey the idea that it
would crumble into dust or separate, and re-
turn into original elements. The inference
would be that its situation is hazardous one,
and that portions of the marble were losing
their beautiful traits, particularly in transpa-
rency and the surface fneness, which makes
marble to earth what gold is to dross.
stated these things as truths. and the
Amateur has availed himself Of anxious and
enthusiastic language to throw discredit upon
my circular and its objects, and apparent
ly with little better motive than want Of
occasion to exhibit his rather irrelevant sophis-
try, q specimen Of which is the following 1In
the House Of Representatives here is beautiful
marble clock and figure made by Franzoni;
now, this holds the same relative position to
the height of the hall that Houdon's statute
does" Fortunately there are but few who
have Polonius's willing eyes to see Hamlet's
whale in the cloud.
Houdon's statue is in hall twenty-eight by
hIrfv fonr faat Til
ten feet high, capable of holding two or three
bushels of coal, and about ten feet from the
statue. This is started in blast at eight or nine
in the morning, and only when the legislature
is in session; the fire goes out, generally, about
three o'clock; every room opens into the hall,
as also does the whole basement, by q staircase
in the lobby. There are gallery doors at the
top Of the hall of assembly, which lets ont the
suffocating breath of the crowd, combined with
the air Of the fues, all of which, through the
loft of the lobby, passes into the vestibule,
where the statue stands. Now, is there any
object in this illustration, except the pretty oc-
casion to speak of Franzoni's clock! 1t is, in
the mildest acceptation, sheer nonsense.
In following Amateur in his ephemeral flut
ter over London and Rome, we see St. Paul's
looking as though it had received the contents
Of a huge ink bottle over it. There is very
little variation of temperature within its noble
aisles and naves, and none but what is natural
What would be million of breaths in st. Pc
tors or the Vatican, covering as they do acres
Of ground, with gigantic elevation in proper
ton /?
Did Amateur ever see marble statue in
England'or Italy within ten feet of stove ca
pable of calcining marble?
Why do the Germans, English, and even
the French, the most enlightened nations of the
world, now make their monuments of bronze
Do they prefer base metal to that chaste
treasure Of Italy's virgin bosom? Why in
those northern chimes do they close their doors
against natures breath? And why in Italy do |
the heated and wearied seek nights refreshing
sleep on the roofs of their houses, or on the |
earth's green pillow? Why do thousands,
half consumed by disease, fly to those lands
where art was Graded, and the winds are tenn
pered to merely fan the suns bright rays |
Why has that pulmonary slayer grown to be |
IN uncomfortable giant in the frigid north
The Amateur is fond of analogy, and com. |
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