The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-01-06
LOCAL N Il w 8.

denoe who listened with deep interest to lecture de-
lvered before the Art Association by the Hon. George
Taylor NJ. c., of Brooklyn, New York.
Mr. Taylor commenced by asserting that the philoso
ply OF the sciences and fine arts be understood only
when viewed ia connection with the history Of mankind
He spoke Of the fine in the limited sgnifcation Of
the term and confined to painting, sculpture, en-
craving and architecture These spring not like poetry
from the rich imagination of primitive people, but de
pend upon general cultivation, hence the hne arts have
been called the flowers and the sciences the fruits Of civil
zaon but intellectual culture Is not sufficient in itself
the triumph Of beauty in art Without religion
to INSPIRE and liberty to FORM art In itsetrue spirit
ual srt~-cannot exist.
This position Mr. Taylor proved correct by numerous
examples drawn from the pages of history with great dis
elimination, and presented in attractive form The
Hindoo Persian, Babyonan Etruscan and Grecian prog
in art described, and then followed an erudte
picture of the umphs of the artists of Central Europe,
which were accomplished said he) until the other
elements of civilization had made their navigatos the
boldest their mercantile marine the most powerful their
merchants the most entcrpnsing, and their religious
feelings and political institutions the freest in the world
elaborate and poetica review of Grecan and of Ro-
art concluded Mr.. TayLrs illustrations OF his asser-
ton that the fine arts both in ancient and modern times
the crowning features of national cultivation and OF
political progress Our limits will not even permit the
publication of abstract of his eloquent argument
showing the potent influence of the fine arts in the eeva
ton of human character for wish to present full re-
port of tho conclusion of this admirable address.
We need (said Mr.. Taylor not only all the means
necessary for the education and refinement OF the
people, but everything which will tend to stimulate
fratenal sympathy and to strengthen the bonds
Of our glorious Union The Grecian States were pre-
pared for confederation, by sentiment and feeling,
long before their dangers forced them into
political Union for mutual defence. They cultivated
the pleasures of friendship in every possible way,
and through their festivals and games did everything
in their power 10 nationaze their literature, their
philosophy their religion, and their arts They drew
the people together upon neutral ground, sacred to
the peaceful contests of skill to song and TO social en-
joyment. They induced exchange of thought and
sentiment sotcned the speres and reconciled the diff
ferences of the nations and, than this they pro-
duced community of feeling and hope, and kindled
the sentiment of brotherhood
While these separate agencies did not in themselves,
effect federal Union like ours they produced fund OF
tastes tendencies, and aptitudes which caused
the social atoms of Hcas to gavtae towards each other
and which enabled the Greeks to become something
better and greater than an aggregate OF petty dsunted
communities like the 1hracians or Phrygians
The wisdom and patriotism of our ancestors gave us
political Union the prouest and the best that the world
saw which we have thus far maintained ; but the
future depends more upon the sympathetic unity OF
brotherhood upon tastes and tendencies; upon
those social ties which reach the hearts of the people and
unite them in common hope and destiny, than upon
laws compacts upon ordinances constitutions To
perpeuate institutions and Union must check the
centrifugal tendencies of the outward parts by some
counteracting influence and draw and hold them to the
centre by great social force.
national literature, in which the common efforts and
sacrifices and suerngs of united and glorious ancestry
recorded and national art illustrating their patri-
otto lives and immortasng their heroic Deeds will do
much towards checking the spirit of sectionalism and
may possibly that old affection for the Union and
the constitution which had its birth in the heart Of the
immortal Washington and should be cherished at the
sacred fire of liberty.
Our people should have the opportunity of reading
the public cdifces and lofty and imperishable monu-
ments the noble actions of warriors and statesmen
The good and the great who contributed to the ndepnd
of country and the defence of free insttu
tons deserve other evidence of nation gratitude
than cherished memory and neglected grave. The
orator voice cannot be perpetuated but the impressive
features and manly forms Of great statesmen be
transferred to marble and and by grouping those
who acted together in the critical periods of our history
in visible forms and commanding positions we can per-
petuate their influence the national heart How no
bly, could great artist employ his time in transfer
ring to canvas of those exciting and memorable
struggles which took place in the Senate during the first
session of the Congress- when our great states
men--W Webster and Clay and King and Cass, and
Bright, and Douglas their voices in defence OF
the Union of the States
How infinitely better it would be for the country to
nament the walls and ceilings of the Capitol with true
national paintings drawn from political history, our
industrial art and sciences than to sink the national
character by imperfect co. of confused and uninte
gible figures borrowed from heather mythology The
extension of the Capitol offered glorious opportunity
for the perfection of national art. Something has
been done, but not 1.-THE of what might have been ac
compshed in elevatng the tastes and stimulating the
spirit of the people to worthy and patriotic efforts
And this is the time for united effort for art Every
thing points out the third great period in the devel
opmen of the human mind The conqucsts of man over
nature daily extending, and with rapdity unknown
in any preceding age awe have seized Nature herself
with iron grasp and with fingers of steel we have
brought her under dominion constran her from
day day to reveal her secrets to deliver to of
the powers that she retained hidden in her bosom, and
with her mighty agencies to work for Unknown seas
and rivers have been explored distant continents
for the first time opened to the eye of civilization and sci
national barriers which have withsood the tide of
centuries have been broken down before the resscss
spirit of the age and whole empires brought under the
benign influences of commerce; steam navigation and
railroads binding the nations together by the ties OF
reciprocal interests and the spirit OF common brother
hood while the telegraph, rapidly extending its
quests will encompass the world with thought.
The sciences have been brought to state of com
paratve perfection have strengthened the mind and re
warded it with the highest and purest pleasures They
take back to the earliest periods of creation explain
the aggregation of the first rude PARTICLES and from the
They detect the natural forces which, obedient to the be
hests of the Infinite Architect divide and arrange the cle
ments of Nature mould the broken surface of the Garth
into appropriate continents Of varied character and d
rect the in its appointed sphere They explain the
elemental strife by which the mountains forced
how the rocks created out of the gases and fluids
which first separated and then combined by the
chemical forces Of Nature and teach that these mighty
clements but the simple agents of Superior Power
by which they directed, and at whose bidding
they were still They roll back the curtains of
Nature and reveal the glorious and significant works
of the Creator penetrate the distant fields of space,
and bring within view the countless obs of Heaven
and by investing man with almost superhuman power
they enable him to detect the influence Of unknown