The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1855-01-18

vICTOE. N. GRIgwoLD.

subjects, when the following from Tie Phil
alelphia Ledger fell under our observation
and struck US as being particularly appro-
pirate to the occasion, besides being
hundred percen. better than any thing tia.
could possible be tho production Of our
humble Efforts. at is but too common,
says the Ledger, ''in our practical, money
making age, to look down upon tie arts,
1--WE mean poetry, painting music, sculp-
lure, &C., as merely ornamental, nay, as
waste Of time, TO men of sense and Eusi-
ness. The fine arts, they say, arc not es-
sential to life; nations may acquire infu-
ence aad power without them, while indi-
yiiuals may save tlicir time and money in
not yielding 10 their soft persuasions. Tho
consequence, oftLis sort of reasoning is a
neglect Of cultivation, want ofsympat.,y
for what is truly humsn, and the absence
Of taste for all nobler and refined enjoy
mcn:s. The arts, not lbe heroiSm or in
dustry of the Greeks, have made them in
stIuctors Of mankind, and secured to HAT
wonderful people an Immortality which
will endure the everlasting changes ofsges.
The industry Of the Chinese can be carried
back to later period than that ofPcricles;
but it has not been able 10 save the Celes-
tisls from tie most degraded malerislsm
that ever held the faculties of people cap
tive for centuries.
And we, too, though Christian nation,
are liable to fall into the same gross mate-
riallsm, without the humanizinS snd ele-
vsting influences of the fine arts. As We
acquire wealth, our whole time cannot be
spent IN ministering to our physical wants.
The prosperous and successful find leisure,
tho working men require relaxation from
labor 1fa people have a cultivated taste,
if they have An appreciation, however i'm
perfect, Of the fine arts, they will have no
difficulty in filling up the intervals between
business and active employments of all
sorts, with rational amuscments; aud the
time so spent will, in turn, qualify them
for rational and more serious pursuits. -
The mechanic who is accustomed to con-
tcmplatethc symmetry Of forms will acquire
II taste which will aid him in lis trade;
the rich merchant who is tho friend and
patron Of the arts, will surround himself
with tasteful elegance instead of vulgar
display of wealth, and the professional man
wiIlenjoy the beauty aud harmony of mans
noblest creations, and their accordance
with the revelations Of science.
For the laws which govern the fine arts
are as immutablo as those which govern
Jhe universe. They bear the true impress
of humanity and are perceived intuiiycly
and reflected by tie arts. 1t is in tic fue
arts thatwe recognize The genius of man.
Our knowledge will forever remain patch
work-our industry an humble imitation
of the skill Of worms and insects. II is
through the arts that we contemplate the
feelings, the suGorings, the joys, tie aspi,
raiions ofour race, that we are led from
brutal indulSences to The contcn,platons oil
the sublime and beautifully
We cannot better close our extracts on
this subject than by copying the following
very fattering notices of the very superior
artistic talent ofour friend and fellow -cii-
zen VIcToR NJ. GRlsvoLD, from the Cincin-
na!i Times. In speaking Of number of
paintings in the Artists Union the Times
says;-"GR GRIswoLD, Of Lancaster, an artist
of great originality and power and dostin-
ed 70 rank with the first of American pain
ters has completed pair entitled "Ruin
of the Old World and New World" also
several other minor pieces"
In another article on the same subject
the editor of the Times holds the following
language;
The Arts? Yes, right in namong them.
Where? At the Artists Union Rooms, to
be sure. Wellwhat did you see? Beauties,
glories, triumphs! Gaze with me mo-
ment, and see if | am not correct. There
are two paintings by GRIswoLD, massive in
size, and grand in appearance. The one
to the left is called the "Ncw World"-
and well it may be. Look at the ruined
works, and crumbling architecture of the
Aztecs, surrounded by the luxuriant foli-
age of Central America, which betokcn an
age in our own hemisphere almost unknown
to history. What strange sensations the
view calls to mind, and what thoughts it
brings of the long, long past The other
is called the "Od World" That gothic
castle alone speaks volume after volume of
history; while the broad, fruitful landscape
brings to mind the scenes where ciyiliza-
ton and religion have had their struggle.
Don't gaze at the picture so long. know
it is beautiful, beyond description, but we
have others yet to see
Thus it will be seen that Mr.. GR1swoLp
is doing more towards giving our city &C.
=