Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-01-29

ture to the Literary Association, was de-
livered on last Friday evening, by this
distinguished author. With our small
skill in criticism, we feel entirely Unable
to do justice to the production of so ripe
genius and SO pure a taste. Indeed the
subject was so faultless in conception and
execution, that its subtle yet marvellous
beauty escaped only the most appreciative
sensibility and the most cultivated discern
ment. With that true instinct Of genius,
which turns aside from lofty and high
sounding themes, Mr.. Melville selected
one of unpretending title, from which to
educe noble and inexhaustible thought,
and quiet, but none the less striking phi
losophy. His subject was "Statues in
Rome" and having been himself wan
derer in that grand old city, whose very
name fires the Imagination of the classic
student with the magic of storied antiq-
uity; he brought those mute forms of a
distant age out of the dim and dreamy haze
of fancy, into the bright and vivid light of
reality. He had looked with no IN
thoughtful eye upon those glorious mas
terpieces of ancient genius from which
the artists of a modern day have drawn
all their inspiration. Unbiased by the
prepossessions of fancy, he traced in the
marble features of those great warriors,
philosophers, statesmen, and poets, whose
names are now almost deifed, the same
lineaments of passion, and frailty, that
blend in the noblest faces of our own day;
and though thus stripping them of their
divinity, made them dearer to US as men.
The description of the ideal statuary of
Rome, held us breathless by its wonderful
nicely of appreciation, and subtlety of ex-
preston. OF all the tributes of genius
to the Apollo, and Venus de Medici, those
statues that "enchant the world we never
read one more worthy of their divine beau
ty The expression of doubt, and dark
cropping of human speculation, in the ideal
statuary of that age, when the old mythol
ogy was passing away, and mems minds
had not yet reposed in the new faith, was
finely portrayed. A most striking and
beautiful thought was introduced, when
speaking of the equestrian statues of
Rome, and the expression Of untamed do
cility, rather than conquered obedience
which their artists have given to the horse,
the lecturer deduced the enlarged human
ity of that elder day, when man gave him
self none of those upstart airs of supe
riority over the brute creation which he
now assumes.
We do not remember in all our reading
to have met with more beautiful passage,
than that in which Mr.. Melville described
his musings in the Coliseum, and the re-
currence of his imagination far back to
the day when its mighty walls enclosed
such countless throngs to witness the
gladitorial combats, and the eye of fancy
saw many in the vast assembage who
looked not coldly on the dying gladiator
whose eyes looked far away to
where his rude hut by the Danube lay,
There were his young barbarians all at play.
But we hung entranced upon the clo-
sing remarks of the lecturer, which vindi-
Gated these spiritual productions of the
ancient mind from their alleged inferiority
to the utilitarian inventions of the pres
ent age. Never before was the superiority
of art over science, so triumphantly and
oloquently sustained. But we will not add
more of our feeble praise to production
which, if published, would elicit common
dation from the highest critical sources.
Some objected to Mr. Melville's subdued
delivery; but if we rightly reflect, we will
observe a striking congeniality between
this quiet manner and those mute forms
that stand still and silent amid the vene-
rable ruins of "ancient Rome"
Those who appreciate the sublimity of
Nature only when the storm is loosed, and
are insensible to the grandeur of her
noontide silence, felt not the beauty of
Mr.. Melville's lecture. Those who prefer,
what they term truth, and practically
and subjects of every day interest who
relish the strong meat that makes bone
and muscle, above that "Nectar of the
Gods" that Sublimates n finer essence
tasted not of the divine chalice that the
lecturer held to their lips. Mr.. Melville
goes from us, with the appreciation of
many pure tastes, and the kindly feelings
of many hearts that penetrated through
the natural reserve of his charac er to the
noble nature beneath.
X. M'KINNoN, at Covington's old stand