Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-02-25
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

lHB WASHINGTON ART ASSOCIATIONS - nls
Association held . meeting last evening, at
the Smithsonian Institution, and addresses
were delivered by the President of the Asso-
citation, Dr. Horatio Stone, the sculptor, and
By Rufus Dawes, Esq The audience was
made up more largely Of artists, literary and
scientific gentlemen than we have often seen
in this city.
Mr.. Stone first addressed the meeting, in
some practical remarks explanatory of the
purposes of the Art Association, and of the
lectures to be given in connection with it.
Commenting by expressing his qualification
ut seeing so large a number present as sugur-
ing we'll for the success Of the enterprise, be
went on to say that whatever may be the
views Of some in regard to the relations of art
with national sentiment and life, all history
has shown that they are mutually dependent
and inseparabls. With the uprising and ex-
pansiOn Of national life, art aScends and brigh-
tens; AMI when that fickers and fades, art
descends and dies Art must have ometnlng
worthy in it's national history and home to re-
we're, TO cherish, and TO hope for; and the
composition Of the greatness Of the past, with
all-imaginable splendOrs in the future, into
the wOof Of the passing time, Is the high yo-
cation of all whom the muses. inspire, and
especially Of the poets and artists-the Illus
traitors Of eivilization-the fame keepers Of
nations.
Hitherto they have wrought in comparative
isolation. Whilst every other intellectual as
we'll as material interest has been advanced
By conventional and institutional combins-
tons, the power Of usefulness Of this class Of
citizens, whose ministrations to society are
requisite TO give a consecrating charm to all
others. remains to be thus realized.
The spirit Of the aye and the large require
ments Ct this commemorative period OF our
national history demand that they should
take their place AMID the intellectual forces
and activities of the times; thst they should
adopt and realize the force OF our national
motto: 4" In Union is strength ;" that they
should bjpd up their bundle Of fdsces, and in
augurate their union Of States.
To furnish a basis for this Union, and at the
same time supply for the seat Of government
the long neglected want Of gallery of art,
this institution has been organized, having IN
veH not only local and temporary interests, but
those of the whole nation and the far future.
Considering the popular and rapidly in
creasiDG interest In tic fine arts, and especially
in reference to their patriotic uses, it has been
given the name and fOrm Cf a popular organ
lzatiou, ad lnitting OF expensive operations and
accumulation Of membership, instead of the
name and constitution # an academy.
The constitution provides for the accomplish
nent Of specific and local purposes only az the
necessary means Of attaining comprehensive
ends. 1t declares that the association shall be
composed Of artists ard persons interested IN
the progress Of art-thst its general object
shall be the encoursg cement and advancement
Of the fac arts and that all its funds, from
whatever source derived, shall be devoted to
the purchase Of works Of art and books for the
formation Of a permanent gallery and library.
In pursuance Of these general purposes, the
special operations Of the institution have been
directed, and are IN successful progress. A
course Of lectures or esthetical DISCOURSE are
T. be delivered by gentlemen of eminent abili-
~ In art and liter 4ture from various sections
Of the country the association has also insti-
tuted universal exhibition of works Of art,
& be c1I tributed by artists resting in every
part Of the Union.
The Greeks in their palmy days instituted
their ElentEeria or Festival of Freedom, TO
which annually assembled delegates from all
the States 70 celebrate their victories, and In
sacrifice and song express their gratitude to
the deity who gave them freedom. They also
held their heroic aud Intellectual games, in
al CT which was manifest their high religious
faith and devotion.
The time ought not to be distant when We
shall here witness the enactment of all those
beautiful and useful Observances,-WhenP Pa
t.i)tism, Science, Arr, and Religion shall meet
OcOntest and celebrate the victories Cf each,
and copsecrate them all with sacred song and
grateful thanksgiving 10 our Divine Deliyersr
and Oliver of Freedom.
The speaker in eloquent terms proceeded 70
depict the condition Of Mount Vernon, a
neglected and time worn rgiG; 9f tne tOmbs Of
the early Presidents disregarJed and forgot
ten; Of the graves Of the heroes and patriots of
the Revolution marked by no memorial of the
nations gratitude, and urged THAI the time is
rife for the existence OF a comprehensive pa.
tTiOtic association 70 represent the grateful
sentiments of the present generation towards
its benihcent fathers.
The seat OF Government, the central ma.
tIOnal home, presents II its public grounds
and on the walls Of its public edifces, every
where blank spaces that should long since
have been filed with commemorative marble
and brOLze, and TIE richest decorations Of the
peEeJ.
The fields also cf Intellectual heroism,
vhereou the champions Of science, literature,
inventive geEius and Christian benifcence
have fought and won for the nation and toe
age victories no less heroic, 10 less useful than
were those attained by the champions Of our
political independence, all these fields Of ex
ertiOn and triumph remain to be marked by
monuments which grateful and sppreciatiye
people are prepared and waiting to build.
The time was anticipated when the coastitu-
ton Of the association should have recorded
tie names Of fifty thousand permanent mem
beTs, and We may witness tho expansion Of our
permanent gallery and library of art into the
ne'ICn temple CT fame, AID see il adorned
vita an ample illustration Of its history
through all the forms OF literature and art
Mr. DAWES was next introd aced TO the au-
dIerce by tie President Of the Association,
ana be. prefaciDg his address by some re-
m9rks upon the nature Of criticism, subject
that he had ct FIRST thought Of addressing the
Association upon, az eminently kindred TO its
Objects Upon the topic chosen, 1.-The devel-
oPaent Of the highest human faculty in it. re-
letion TO Az" he proceeded to speak in gen.
eIal terms on the development Of the analogic
faculty as a distinct faculty, and the greatest
We possess He cOntendei that there "a O Iaw
Il development BY which human capacity un-
lo'ds faculties in proportion 20 the require
ments OF the will That the imagination is
the hrst faculty unfOlded is we'll known; but
the quality and the nature Of the imaginatio
have never been determined This def ,iency
has arisen frora the mistake Of philosophers in
rejecting on the Imagination in the adult
subject; whereas true knowledge relative to
il IS only 10 be derived from a recollection of
10 IN our earliest eonssiousnsss This recol.