The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-01-19
For tho National Era.
BELL SMITH ABROAD.
No. Z.
THE OLD MASTERS.

DEAR FRIEND: wrote my last in a posi-
lively i'll spirit, and it was fairer picture of
my own feeling than this beautiful city. !
would not re-write a word there put in black
and white, but only add, that such evils have
their corresponding good We do not have
very honest dealing here, or kind treatment ;
but we have cheap remises and grand old
churches-the first, affording o striking con-
trast to our cities are really regulated. You
have but to note the moment of departure, and
for forty cents per hour-no more or less-you
ride much or little, in a carriage not unworthy
a republican. The second appears to me the
grand old remains of q former world and a
different race That the present self-satisficd,
opiniOnated trifers could have been the chill
dren of simple faith, who reared these solemn
temples, is something difficult of belief One
leaves the horrid Morgue," to be filled with
awe and rapture at " Notre Dame" each look
ing at the Other--both types of the different
races and different times-the one, chlld-llke
in the docility which could receive, without a
murmur, the ills of this world as but 60 much
preparation for one to come-bgoted, per-
haps-perhaps blind, yet obedient and trust
ing the other, wilful, desperate, and unbeliev-
ing. The one has given us " Notre Dame" the
other presents the " Morgue." d. suggests
that the first preferred killing others, as in the
st. Bartholomew masaacre-t the last kills
himself. WE'LL may be so; yet there is a wide
difference.
| began saying that with every evil comes
some good and, if we are without honorable
men and women as merchants we have the
galleries of the Louvre and Luxembourg Ii
is great privilege to be within ten minutes of
eithor BY referring to Galignani you will
see that the gallery called that of the Old Mas
tiers is eighteen hundred feet in length, and
along each side are hung the wealth of Peru
and, what if they were destroyed TOMORROW,
all the gold and genius of the world could not
restore. The greater part, | confess, are for
artists alone; but efforts are there, browning
works of immortal genius, that cannot fail to
delight and elevate. go every sunny-day and
sit for hours entranced before Murillo's great
picture With the instinct of true genius, the
artist brought, without loss of dignity, his great
subject within the circle OF blessed humanity
The child Jesus and the Holy Virgin are
there-and there, too, are the proud, happy,
beautiful, human mother, and the innocent,
playful babe As our old master used to tell
US so eloquently, that "Christ, like Moses,
touched the rock from whose heart ieaped out
the waters of salvation-nOt for the rich and
well-born-not for the learned and powerful
but to run down sparkling in lowly places,
where they who are oppressed and weary with
burdens, may stoop, drink, and 60 away re-
freshed." With such feelings the artist has
dealt with his subject-his holy mother and
| child are of us, and no mother who has felt
the broad little hand upon her neck, can look
on this otherwise than through tears.
VIII we ever have such exhibitions of art
and evidences of refinement in the United
States! Are these galleries really associates
| of weakness and corruption, and may not a
free land and strong people possess them 2
| believe we may-and even anticipate fondly
the day when, in Washington city, we may
look down long vistas of genius, recording in
perishably the greatness of our land. Art,
with us. has to be cultivated, and it belongs to
much-neglected class to undertake our edu-
cation. Experience has shown, from first to
last. that efforts on the part of the Government
are worse than none But artists themselves
should take the matter in keeping. The pub
lie bnildings at the capital are worthy our peo-
pie: let it be the earnest effort of every artist
to paint one or more pictures worthy OF the
place, and present them to the Government,
until a taste for the art shall be followed by q
knowledge and true appreciation. That the
Presidents house and the various Governmens
buildings, with all the evidences OF taste ana
liberal expenditure otherwise, are without PIC
lures, is shame. know thatto call upon artists
to correct this, is to throw q huge task upon
those already struggling sadly, and, in many
instances almost hopelessly, in poverty and
neglect; but this casting OF bread upon the