New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-03-22
LETTERS FROM TIE PEOPLE.
aTgE MINISTRY OF THE BEAUTIFUL.


life 10th young and old have little tine to spare for the
consecutive pursut Of knowledge OF any sort except vast
bears directly upon profit in business position 20
cey, ard rus necessity to be imposed of ,her
rg up at secord hand what can be impaired by the few
who viii as'uine the Office Of thnk.ns FOR others.
Lectures have taken the place Of systematic study the
reading Of vcluminous authors IL oi the most par: super
sedtd. Ntwspapers, few popular magazines mot much
encumlerod with articles that would task the reader with
thought sIdlcues constitute The alnnent Of the fashion
able tersry world and to considerable class who have
not the Of gratifying amoTe taste the chief
ard aluost OF y sources Of knowledge
Such being The state thing he impression which these
lectures are cslcu aied produce becomes mater of pub
lie interest and calls for closer scrutiny than would be
due to them ii there higher aim III popular
Entertainment
e Beard" OF graver character than of the ec
lures with which Brooky audiences have been favored the
presep season end indeed has been elaborated with
fence to higher moral aim Whether the views Of the
lecturer aEc calculated TO make sound impression upon
the public mind admits of serious question, though not
necessarily mpUgfDg his sincerity and charitable intent.
cannot htIY thinking that there is fallacy in The
PREMISE as umed by him which mpairs the whole theory
which he has developed With much aiiuence Of
ilustTGtiOn.
Is the culvs alton ofinelecual taste necessarily moral
discipline 1hatt tends in certain degree TO the soenny
f the ausertes Of nature and 10 make social
hLtercOurse refined that il tends to increase
what extent such social renemt s the increased deli
Eacy OF sensation, and multiplication OF OF
Hsture, may edmit Of much diversity Of opinion Oae
fhng is certain. that fine taste in the arts may exist
twhhout religious sentiment, without high moral Tone
Fnd even without a generous fellow feeling.
II critical taste in painting music is enough 70 insure
r high moral development, then the Ha1ns ought TO be
the most moral people in the world Nowhere is there
Fepibihy 10 all that contribute TO the pleasures Of
keDse more nice determinations of the beauties of art than
l.Ht
Par'siaH character as worthy of imitation in religious or
Tic highest development of human genius in sculpture
architecture and kindred arts in a city where there
kxere but q 900 free citizens and slaves; in which
fhere was not hospital for the relief of the sick,
sylum for orphans, school for the education of the
poor Schools there for the of the rch taught
by celebrated philosophers but all the learning of these
schools vas without germ Of philanthropy II selfish
vain glorious without useful result. The Ahenian people
with the finest literary and artistic taste of which history
as record was nevertheless corrE and ages of degada.
Hon have been the legitimate effects Of social deprayty
fhat ooomporaneous with this os splendid acne Of
kbe prts.
kbe arts therefore corupting But it be Justly
deduced that they have no intrinsic power for the foster
hn of the moral tone of feeling ~hch is the OF all
smprovemtnt in the condition Of human society.
1ho application of the yule is this The primary object
Of education should be moral culture. All else is bat in
Gdenal Intellectual acco nplishmen just discrrnina
ton of what 10 beautiful in art nature are fitted to
adorn the mind which is endowed with something better,
but in themselves unproducye Of that without which
all other things valueless. Did Milton justly
that they mig belong TO fallen natures in whom the love
OF good had become extinct or was 1t mere poetic
license
What then is the basis for the theory that cultivation
Of taste in respect to material things leafs necessarily to
the elevation Of our moral nature J&a it is educational.
and by direct process the results in the other
With the superaddton of moral culture to sensuous re-
Enemen there is completeness of character but the
Natter but the ornament OF the former not its basis and
In itself has tendency TO produce 1t than two
parallel Eos have to come together The idea that re-
hnemen Of taste, as to sensible things, by natural
at1arr
ing finally in the love Of the good seems to be iaacou
Do not sometime, high order of taste in paint
g, sculpture architecture, and the Ike develop
nen Of social "ogTemcns while there IS an utter 40
tence of generous sentiment Of the s. fdenyng spirit
hat would cuIta itself OF any one OF It's sensual ENJOY
mens Tor the benefit of a fellow being should be
orry If cOnOisseus OF art were necessarily 10 DO our
moral patterns. There indeed manyi in whom artistic
accomplishments gracefully combined with othor nooer
nualies how many there whose meanness or pro
hgucy make disgraeeful contrast with these very en-
dOwments that supposed TO contain in them the germs
Of all moral excellence.
The Court of Charles ii noted for fine a'te in
The arts for iudecency of manners, and Will venture to
say that there many among the cOuerS oil tnat day
whose now associated ohy with scandal ana
whose writings have been found unworthy OF being pre-
served in rurer age the once celebrated who were more
critical in architecture and painting Than any oil us can as
ire TO be- who have grayer avOcatons 10 engrOs our
fninds
But the theory in question the with all unsound
kypotheses involves other and serious errors Inc
Eiaysh expendture Of money" Says the lecturer in
decorstng houses though looked upon by some as
Hwastotu extravaganza may nevertheless, uo gnu ~
promoting a tase-a love OF the beauilul-among the
\ reoule Following out this idea he maintains eXpen-
kyeness in houses pictures, furniture, dress NC 10 pe
moral employment Of mans wealth. inasmuch as these
kegapCo ord uxues tend to promote good taste ana mar
Elevate the ignorant, and that Christian has rsht 10
determine how much of his means he wl employ aw,Cy
D. the way above mentioned and how much 'Ha'Fecty ny
Establishing institutions of learning or charity
The most obnoxious feature OF this singular dogma Is
e haorirg JUNCTION which enables the rich to apply 10
keir conscencts What matters how utterly devoid
key NAV be of sympathy for the destitute They may
beyote themselves to selfish grathcatio0-noy accumu
late tbs costly uXures of art while they smut theT eas
no every appeal of human suffering ana YET ENJOY an
knyiablo oomplacency in the consciousness oil nav
kpg discharged their duty by contributing to eeve tne
Taste Of The ignorant The sicy mother and her fash
Ing children may indeed pine in hopeless poverty he h
cAred for children of the poor may grow up IN
associaons which shall lead to sin and rum Inc chatly
,rh;cb would provide for them indirect The man OF
,t NAV nse his riches in more direct way by exhibit
inc his splendid mansion and costly conservatory o c
edncation of houseess wanderers who are perieu W
look at respectful distance upon these SPECIMENS Oh M
had supposed that il was chief once OF tue cies W
rebuke wo;dly pride, he's there ever beeh il'o
,.ben storm admonon was more demanded than az tne
nresent against the inordnae pursuit OF weah anu TUG
general srbserviency which has grown up among Us ~,
eard those who have been successful IN ls pursuit. p
kccording 10 this view wealth may not only Dc %.
eel6sbly used without exposure TO censure-nay Sin "o
hirect line of duty =.
Ibave in common with Others some taste ior hne arc
kc,nre lint hope never sanction Tor lavish oA
rS,re by indiriduais. public building may properly
T. costly structure but by this would desgnaIe ony
r cosag .ad a, nnhlc EXPENSE Icannothelp thinking
rrI5 he otherwise with cbNrches which are paid ior py
Edv;Jnal contributions. If edihce is wanted eloty
For The educ alton of the taste OF the ignorant e'
rtructed at uublic expense; but in TINS country u
sects il is more consonan' WIN lno ~ Sa 10 nromoe
minister to check rather than in any degree 10 P1oo
~ ;nor1na,o expense which has become an imperous