Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1854-03-09

pictures, which ara now on exhibition
at Masonic Hall, furnish the amplesl
material tor world Of study, and
stern theme for The most profound ana
expansive reflection. By t,e great ge'
MUS of Tho artist, we have presented TO
us m lle-llke and almost tangible form,
the existence and appearance oi our
first parents in Paradise, at that blissiui
mud yet mrlan holy moment, when Elm
] had never entered the human heart and
| vet when the doom of the world, and
/ the eternal tate OF millions were POISED
! as on pivot. Here we see adam and
! Eve, pure, holy, noble aud angelic-ev
en- yet in the image OF God naked, but
CONSCIOUS OF no shame, and yet on the
very brink Of eternal perdlton, they and
their posteri.y to be ultimately saved
only through repentance. Oh, the an
90 lie purity Vi Eve! the absence Of all
passion, and yet ii something, which is
lndescrbable, hhich seems TO tell Us OF
the sXlstrncc Of n feeling or thought
witch belonged not 10 God and the pu-
rlty OF that new y created domain
Her trusting confidence, her undivided
love, her unmls.akablc purity. TIC ex"
preston OF her face, particularly her
eyes, as size ghZes apon Adam, the
completeness Of her ~ gel belng,-all,
all inspire "A new feeling III lhe mind and
n new ana more hcly hope in the heart;
for he reflections which her d.viHliy
cal! up from the deep vel o! humanity,
even after this long IarSe OF ages are
well calculated To make US better and
nohler beings, tor in her we see what
we oEce werr, aud We are made 10 feel
what we may again become, through
the means ot the Atone Drul. While We
be behold the puriIy and perfection Of
All angc' III Eve, sc at the same lime
see ali the gentlsness, anI confidence,
and that deeper element ol wuman's be-
iny, which cannot be described, all Of
which make us cling 70 her through all
the phases OF lite, from the helpIessness
OF the cradle, to the last decripitud. Of
extremes, age,-mos, fully and clearly
developed III this perfection Of the first
creation Of woman. 1t is all that hen.
ven can ever possess-it il more than
rarth has ever contained since the mo-
ment which the scene represents. Be-
holding Eve in this representation, let
us look Il, Adam. la him, saving the
head and lace, we sec she syHme,ery
OF perfect man Eve, reclining by Ills
side and partially leanlns upon him,h.s
just placed the apple in his hand.
The expression Of the face ind;ca es
tear, hope, indecision c!inging at
taehmert TO God, his creator and COM
panIon, kind oI instructive longing 10
yield to the temptation which awaits
him, and hesitancy ol action in
word, suspense between virtue aud
vice e-rurity aud coriupllon-GJd and
the Devil-heavcn aui hell. Here we
leave this picture with al. lis surround
Ing glory, lis almost iIconclevahle pu-
rily aud iransccndent and beattic Sc
reuliy:-w.th temptation bod, fearful
and threatening i'll tho last degree,-
and pass to the Eek .ulson.
How changed the scene ! Here is I
very subimity ri despair. The hrs!
law OF God has been violated, aud In
consequence oil this disobedlence,
curse has been pronounced upon the
earth anu its possessors. The heavens
are wild and dark nature is terrible
with rage, the red lightning flashes the
great oak is rent asunder, and all ls
confusion and blackness and darkness.
Eve is PROSTATE, with one arm cling'ng
to Adams knee, while she gazes into
his lace az he bends over her. The sx-
preston OF each cannot be described
The very tears are rolling from the eyes
OF Eve, while the wind sweeps her long
golden HAIR in wild proiusion about her
arms and body. The expression on the
face OF each is that OF the most intense
agony-conscious guilt, bereit Of hope.
No language can convey 10 the mind
the remotest idea OF the splcndor OF
these pictures they must be seen and
studied for hours,-and they should be
seen by all Tor there 10 truth, and reli-
gion, and everything that Is good and
eAnobing in the lesson which they
teach 10 fallen humanity.