Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-03-23
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

the ball connected with the gallery of this in
stitution, was attended by a full and highly
appreciativs audience. The theme of tho
lecturer was "The aptitude of the American
mind for the cultivation Of the fine arts. /,
which was treated with marked ability win.
ming the hearty applause and approval of his
hearers. The interest with which the auaj-
ence listened to Mr.. Lander might be sttrit.
uted to the excellence Of his enunciation, and
10 the power possessed by him, in an eminent
degree, OF liking the attention by that indie.
scribe msgnetism which is known to be the
attribute OF all natural orators; but his dis
course will bear perusal, and will as deeply
interest the reader as il did the audience
which heard it delivered.
On opening his discourse, the lecturer spoke
OF the nation as not having done much in the
way Of commemorative art. He said that upon
this soil, poems were acted rather than writ
ten-that the American life was realization
Of the grand old prophecies Of progress-here
labor was awake-manhood erect, and talent
and energy were devoted to other Offices thar
those Of commemeration, save as the footsteps
Of achievement, and the enduring forms of the
actual were q commemoration. Typical of
America and her destinies, such forms stood
about US, they confronted Us in the dwelling
and the workshop,
Heart, soul and inspiration had been denisd
the American character; it was asserted that
We were practical people-shrewd, sordid
n
thusiast1c, impulsivs and generous people of
the earth. Hospitality to foreign adventures
was mania of the populace. He cited the
representative man Kane as an illustration
OF the American character-endoHed with
all the powers Of the working inspiration,
thinker, q revealer, an actor; capable Of
conceiving and executing; he was neither
shrewd, nor sharp, nor cold, the apostle Of the
charity Of his nation-in his own character he
had proved 1t TO be possessed Of both heart
and soul; and If practical and earnest, to be
neither serdid, nor bssely calculating
Kane certainly could not be claimed as Eu-
ropean. None might term him Anglo.Saxon;
neither Teutonic, Celtic, or Norman. lie was
an American. Kane could not be denied to
US He was gone now but his fame was, and
ever would be, American. He had enough of
the old lDdian heroism to have died at the
stake-not with torpid obstinacy, but thor
oughly awake in heart and devotion to the
last-sipging the death song Of his nation
With what shining deeds had he made his
score IF years immortal In Mexico, the war
Tior; at home and abroad, the writer, the or.
ator and the explorer. All this we knew, but
could We not see too that he was the artist aud
the poet? Inspiration lurked in the BRAIN
creation sat by the hearth Of the representa-
tive man, whether the Shakespeare or the Fu.-
ton
Kane had descended the crater 10 his thirst
for knowledge-a very Zsnoni, ''dsriLg the
grim dweller Of the threshold"-wrestling
with the grim monsters that guard the unat-
tainsble.
Quoting here the sublime verse of the 18th
chapter OF Revelations, the orstor said that
the simple minded Prophet Kane, a repre-.
sentative man Of the working revelation,
had " won the victory over the beast, and
over his image, and over his mask, and over
the number Of his name ," had seen the real
fires of the nrthern skies beam over the fro
zen sea Of glass and, poet Of heart, and soul,
and inspiration, was one Of the bards who
should stand upon the sea Of glass, mingled
with fre with those having the hsrps Of God.
Out of this inspired faith-this trust In Di-
vine apprehensions-whichc characterized the
American mind from the outset, the speaker
said, should yet spring the greatest poets and
painters and sculptors that the world had
ever known.
We believe in the realization of the pro-
pheey, and have reason also to believe that
Mr. Lander himself will be numbered with
those who shall wear the wreath Of excellence
in one department Of the fine arts, as be al
ready wears ii at Of eminent merit in practical
science.
THs MEcHAsIcs' INSTITUTE FAIR -Ex-
President Pierce visited the Fair on Saturday,
and expressed himself as much gratifed By
what he saw Of the articles on exhibition
The visits Of the Sunday and Private Schools
Of the city this week viii enhance the interest
Of the day time exhibitions, "a no visitor can
fail to enjoy the childish expressions of de-
light manifested By such a host of juveniles.
The question having been asked of Us We
would say that the remarkably fine likeness
Of Mayor Wood, of New York, with other pic.
lures in the same panel. are really photo.
graphic likeneesss. They are by Brady, of
New York, and possess the sharpness, force
and vitality Of nature. When Mr. Delane,
editor in-chief Of the London Times, was il,
New York he sat to Brady for a photograph,
but did not get copy Of it until after bis re.
turn to London His note of acknowledgment.
speaks In the varmest terms Of IL as a work of
art and se a likeness, and as having won the
praise Of the first amateurs in London.
TIE NATIONAL HOTEL DISEASE Tho conn.,
mittee Of the Board Of Health who made the
recent examination of the National Hotel
Inspecting every part Of the building, and
taking the testimony CT many witnesses on
Inursday and Friday last, reported to the
Board Of health on Saturday evening las;
The unanimous conclusion of the Board from
the facts embraced in the report, is that the
disease arises from q poisonous miasms gener.
ated in the sewers Of the house, which being
taken in the lungs is absorbed and acts as a
blood poison, and thus is distributed through
out the system All the physicians examined
by the committee testified that no fatal case
Of the disease has yet come under their cogui.
Eapoe
The Board Of Health are said to have
adopted two resolutions, calling on the Corpo.
ration authorities at once to take into consid.
Grafton the propriety Of adopting some com
Prshsnsivs ard thorough plan of sewerage for
the city, &c
UNITED STATES POLICE REPORTS. lat thu
watch house, before Justice Dom:
Sunday, 2zd-Hannah Wilson and MARY
Ann williams. cOlOred ~eya s,x..t.J
uatchmen Donnelly and Homer on the eharce
Of hghting- They were committed to Jail.
Monday, 23d-Andrew Bowles ard alexan
der MeAfee were arrested by watchmen Davis
and Evans, under the charge of threat. and
with resisting the officers in the execution Of
their duties. They were committed to Jail.
CHINA AND JAPAx.-The final opportunities
OF seeing those exeellent panoramss are offer
ed The exhibition Of to day and tomo,,ov
at Carusi's Saloon, az they will leave the civ
for exhibition throughout the United State