Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-01-07
LITERARY MISCELLANY.
For the National Era.
BELL SMITH ABROAD.
NJ
THE OLD MASTERS.

my Own feeling than this beautiful city
would not re-write u 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 a striking con
trast to our cities, are really regulated You
have but to note the moment OF departure, and
for forty cents per honr--no more on less--you
ride much or little, in carriage not unworthy
q republican. The second appears to me the
grand old remains of former world and a
different race That the present seli.satisfcd,
opinionated triaers could have been the chill
dren Of simple faith, who reared these solemn
temples, is something difficult of belief Oae
leaves the horrid I" Morgue,n to be filed with
awe and rapture at 9 Notre Dame, each look
ing at the other--both types Of the different
races and different times--the one, child like
in the docility which could receive, without a
murnlur, the ills Of this world as but SO much
preparation for one to come-bigoted, per-
haps-perhaps blind, yet obedient and trust
ing the other, wilful, desperate, and unbeliev-
ing. The one has given us "Notre Dame,o the
other presents the z Morguen d. suggests
that the first preferred killing others, as ia the
st. Bartholomew massacre the last kills
hiniaelf Well may be SO /; yet there is 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
il u great privilege TO be within ten minutes Of
either. BY referring to Galignani, Won will
see that the gallery called that Of the Old Mas.
tiers in 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
restores The greater part, | confess, are for
artists alone but efforts are there, crowning
works Of immortal genius, that cannot fail to
delight and elevate. ! 60 every sunny day and
sit for hours entranced before Muriiio'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-aud there too, are the proud, happy,
beautiful, human mother and the innocent,
playful babe. AS our old master used to tell
us 80 eloqnently that Christ, like Moses,
touched the rock ircm whose heart leaped out
the waters OF salyatlon-not for the rich and
wcll-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 go 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 lutte hand upon her neck, can look
on this otherwise than through tears
Will 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
Tree land and strong people possess them
believe we may-and even anticipate fondly
the day when, in Washington city we may
look down long vistas OF genius, recording i'm
perishably the greatness of our land Art,
with Us, has to be-cultivated, and it belongs to
q much elected 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
hc buildings at the capital are worthy our peo-
pie; let ls be the earnest effort Of every artist
70 paint one or more pictures worthy of the
place, and present them to the Government
until TASTE for the art shall be followed by a
knowledge and true appreciation That the
PreAdents house aud the various Government
buildings, with all the evidences of taste and
liberal expenditure otherwise are without pic
tares, is shame. know thattocall upon artist
70 correct this is to throw huge task upon
those already struggling sadly and, in many
instances almost hopelessly, in poverty and
neglect; but this casting Of bread upon the
waters would, ere many days, repay well. A
lew such pictures as Lentz's aWashington
Crossing the Delaware placed before the Rep
resentatIyes OF the people, would in themselves
produce revolution One eminent artist. one
we are already proud to own, has promised a
historical picture which think our Govern
ment will be rich in pc assessing
have no intention, my dear friend, Of at
tempting to put on paper either pictures or
churches, or the feelings with which they ami
mate mr.. ] know too well the failure eminent
authors have accomplished in attempting this.
10 strand my little bark on such rock. / only
say, much ~ have to assure you that see.
appreciate, and love. all these rich stores omen.
ed before me am sorry in saying that am
alone in this. d., although far more cult.
waited than |, has no true appreciation OF art
He calls sculpture stonccutting, and considers
painting merely decorative art, something
above gliding, but infinitely below architecture
He styles the old masters sold humbugs.o and
says il Is beneath the dignity Of a people to be
enthnsed over such trihes Above all has he a
contempt Cor what tie calls cant Of criticism
tho d'iettaEtism which hangs its raptures on a
great name and gees Wild over paintings
Whfoh h1st totsN otfco tskutu rum URINARY Cd
ssrsn'ion. IL is TO be presumed the artist did
not set before the world q work requiring the
best exeroise Of the focst eyes to see at all and
we are 10 presume that the unsparing hand Of
Fine has gradually withdrawn tho effort from
our gaze, leaving cant 10 worship the frame
but this contempt for the false in criticism car
ries him 10 Ear away, that he will not admire
what IN reality is beautiful. know there are
paintings IN the Louvre by immortal names
and valued at enormous sums, which require
the brightest sunshine and the best eyes 10
trace out forms which have long since follow ed
their great creator into the regions Of the dead
young artist, here pursuing his studies
true child Of genius and friend Of ours---has q
sad time with D. He cannot realize that such
opinions are expressed in earnest or that they
ass not born in ignorance. He ybrates be.
tween the two, sometimes getting exceedingly
angry at what he takes for badinage, and al
other periods ascribing the expressions to IL.