Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-10-11
THE sEyESTEENTH OF sEPTEM.
HER 1870

a"hais OF MASSACHUSETTS, as the proudest ami
I versary Of the birth day Of her Capital that sho
has ever seen, combining al once a reference to
her own foundation, aud an honor to her own
most distinguished Son. She has selected this
day as the most fitting of all 10 erect to the
memory Of tho immortal Franklin a Statue,
that shall stand 10 all time, not like those cree
ted 10 heroes Of DID, but to commemorate tho
sublime virtues Of intelligence, pairuiism, sci
eneei and philosophy, on the spot where tho
subject had his birth and spent his boyhood.
What lofty lessons will be inspired by this Stat
ne IN future days. Our youth, az they look
upon 1t, will awake the memory Of the days
when he wandered about these streets as ,he
serving boy of printing Office and thence on
ward follow his pathway through life, now a
wandeter, now struggling in poverty, now ris-
ing in the estimation Of his fellows, now test
ing philosophical speculatons, now teaching
SenaIes the principles Of Liberty, now reducing
the red lightning 10 the obedience Of organic
law, now an ambassador before kings, and al
ways and everywhere honest, simple. manly.
heroic, I'LL his fame is the worlds, and his
memory choice among the heritage of names
bequcaihed to us by the great deeds Of the past.
| Well II is that this man should be thus hon
ored that pomp and show, and echoing music;
and gathered multitude, should together minple
10 friendly strife 10 bestow superior honor, and
lend their aid TO cromn this noble Statue with
the living deeds Of hearts that beat responsive
gratitude for the legacy Of his life.
The idea of the Statue originated with Hon;
Robert c. Winthrop in public lecture and
The honor of tho plan Of erecting it, as well as
the credit Of carrying the enterprise forward to
completion, belongs to the Massachusetts Char
table Mechanic Association, aided BY Joint
committee Of citizens, and has resulted in cos,
Of not far from $4,000 1t is cast in bronzs.
by Ames & Co., Of Springfield, after a model
by GREESoucH, the celebrated sculptor, also a
native OF Boston. It is eight feet high, of ad-
mrable proportions and, better than any de-
scrlpton, we give the annexed engraving ofihe
work. after a sketch by HAMMAr BILLISGs, and
oi course we need not say II is strictly accurate:
The pedestal is composed of three pieces Of
Yerd-Antique Marble, from RoGbury, Vermont.
The Base measures feet l-2 inches square,
and is l foot high; the Die measures feet
square, and is feet inches high the Can
measures 4 feet . l-2 inches square, and foot
hgh,-lhe whole height being feet inches.
The Base is composed Of plintb, torus, fllet
and caveits uniting il 10 the die. The Cap is
composed Of fillet ovelo, facia, apothesis, and
ilet forming the abaeus, inches high. A
fiat chamier above abacus; united by a quick
curve, at depth Of l3 ia inches, to shaft. Q
feet inches square, for the Statue, makes the
other inches. The joints are above the file,
of the Cap, and below the hllel Of the base;
making IL necessary that these Glleis should be
raised in the same stone with the die, with
which they are connected by graceful curves.
The delicate abacus is Of the same size as these
(3-i nch) illeIs, and shows with them the ca.
pacIiy for high finish, aud the tenaci,y of the
marble. Internal panels, their edges only, fin
ished, are sunk i l-2 inch on the die, TO be
hereafter filled with bas relisfs in bronze, rep-
resen,ing passages in the life Of Franklin. II
Is conlended that no material heretofore used,
and is so well adapted for pedestals to bronze
or marble slatuary as ,his green Marble tho
general tone unites it with the bronze, and there
is sufficient white ia it to connect agreeably
with marble.
An ar,isi seeing famous statue would prob
ably not notice the pedestal beneath il, il com
posed of this material, but when noticed, /,
would be sure to interest him all the more from
It's beautiful combinations of form and color, be-
ing from the pencil of Nature, after his survey
OF the work of man.
The PEDESTAL is placed upon granite base
ment of two projections beyond il. The lower
feet square. The upper feet. The height
of both, feet in., which added TO the height
Of the Pedestal makes 10 feet from the ground
10 the base OF the bronze Statue. The Pedestal
and Basement are from the designs of Henry
Greenough, ESQ.,, brother to the Sculptor.
The Pedestal has been worked at Joseph Ca
rew's in Harrison Avenue, and like all work,
whether monumental or statuary, coming from
his establishment, it is done in the most perfect
style of The art. The Committee having this
matter in charge, as well as those interested in
the material used, were peculiarly fortunate in
securing the services of one so thoroughly ac.
qualnted with everything pertaining 10 a work
OF this kind, standing, as he does, not only as
the head of his business In New England in the
monumental line, bat being himself practical
Sculptor Of known ability, was sufficient guar
snlee that everything pertaining to the marble
would be done in a style equal TO the beautiful
work of art that il supp9xs. The marble used
for this pedestal as has been stated, is from the
verd Antique Marble Quarries, in Roxbury VI.
This marble was submitted by the Committee
TO the severest tests, which wero made by Drs.
e. 1. Jackson, and A, A. Hayes, than whom
no better authority can be found, and they pro-
nounced it not only "ihe most beautiful" but
ranking among tie most durable material
known" 1t is identical with, and in many re-
specs superior to the admired remains Of Verd
Antique Marble found among the ruins of Gre.