Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1857-04-16
PLYMOUTH, THURSDAY, APRIL lG 1857.

the canvass the living picture born of his
brain.
Next to this was painting of equisite
beauty--the picture of Venus, Goddess Of
Love, dancing amid flowers, and the fer
vent boy, Cupid, sporting with the roses,
'H'-semper harentens--a painting which
does full justice to the conceptions of the
ancient mythologists.
The painting of the Spartan mother,
anxiously training her two young boys for
battle, the chief education given to Spar
tan youth, was, to me, full of beauty and
classic interest.
But [ cannot further enumerate. Be-
sides the numerous paintings, which were
admirably arranged, in every essential of
taste and elegance, had the rare pleasure
of seeing, for the first time. that chaste
and classic masterpiece of sculptural art
Powers Greek Slave, of which your read
ers have long ago had full descriptions.
This piece of statuary, which has been the
admiration of the civilized world. and
copies of which are placed in all the ele-
giant galleries of Europe, is now..possessed
by Mr.. Corcoran, and no stranger visiting
Washington should fail to see it. The
gallery is open to the public on every Tues
day and Friday, and is generally thronged
by the admirers of artistic excellence.
Leaving this gallery. we visited the
Capitol, and Congress having adjourned,
we confined our observations principally to
the Rotunda, around which are displayed
magnificent paintings of some of the most
notable events in the early history of our
country, comprising the Baptism of Poca-
hontas; discovery of the Mississippi by
De Soto. in 154l Landing of Columbus,
in 1892 Embarkation of the Pilgrims
from Delft Haven, in 1920; Surrender of
Burgoyne at Saratoga, in October, 1777 (;
Surrender of CORVALLIS, in 1871 Signing
the Declaration of Independence, July 4th,
1776 Franklin presenting the Declara-
ton to Louis XIV, of France, asking his
recognition of American Independence ;
and Washington resigning his commission
as Commander of the Army, at Annapolis,
Dec. 23, 1888. In addition to these l no
ticed small, but excellent painting, repre-
senting the rape of the Sabines, copied
from Rubens. and also one representing an
attack upon party of Huguenots, in 1871,
by the troops of the Duke of Guise. The
latter of these, which gives Indication of
fine genius. was painted by William d.
Washington, of this city, who was pupil
of Leutze
In the architectural front of the Capitol
is spread out beautiful lawn, tastefully
arranged with evergreens and shrubbery.
On the side of this entrance to the build
ing, are many fine specimens of statuary,
worthy of Herculaneum, and, at distance,
near the gate of the beautiful lawn, is
erected an imposing statue of the Father
of his Country. with appropriate inscrip-
tions.
In what is architecturally the rear. but
which, from usage, has become the front
Of the Capitol. IS spread out another lawn,
more extensive. but not, perhaps, so taste
fully arranged. Midway down the decliv-
ity of steps, leading to the lawn and to
Pennsylvania Avenue, is beautiful BASIN
into which gushes crystal stream of wa
ter, and in which are disporting thousand
golden fishes. In the center of the basin
stands large monument, ornamented with
various devices, erected TO the memory of
Captain Somers, and Lieutenants Caldwell
Decatur, Wadsworth, Israel, and Dorsey,
who fell in the different attacks that were
made on the city Tripoli, in 1904, during
the Algerine and Tripoitan war. Many
other objects of interest attracted my eye,
in and about the Capitol, but have not
time to mention them.
From the Capitol we proceeded to the
Patent Office, were two hours were spent
with much Interest in examining the relics
Of human greatness, models of patents,
mummies, aud the skeletons of every spe-
eies of animated nature, from the masta-
don down to the insect. The Egyptian
mummies, of which there is an ample de-
scription in Layard's Nincveh, produced
queer thoughts in my brain. Although
senseless as the "vile dust from whence
they sprung" there is a speaking interest
in the shrivelled and distorted yisaees of
those ancient citizens of Egypt, who once
trcd the banks of the Nile, and threaded
the streets of Thebes, proud denizens of
the "hundred gated" City. Once they
gazed in admiration upon the pyramids,
temples, colossi, sphinxes, and obelisks of
their own wondrous handicraft once they
discussed the affairs of State, perhaps as