The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-10-31
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METROPOLIT4N MUSINGS.
Optical Illusions.

... ~ - ~.a optical Illusions. ... u ....s.
In the of the peregrinations which, with
stant eye to the safety of the metropolis compelled
to undertake frequently find it difficult to extract 'ser
from stones though did find ''books in the
ming brooks the day before yesterday, for in my
iety to my CATERS from contact with the foaming
current that filled half the street. dropped precious
load of literature in the my torrent. Sometimes, when
my musings like spirits in the vastly deep called
but won't come-I am compelled to overcome the cons
tutional bashfuness which usually to bestow
all my attention upon the geornetrical Illustrations the
pavement and conscious that ito original phrase
the eyes of the world upon me- am forced to hide
my bushes by gazing at the shop windows. ., a.
Before go any further, must express my great sym
pahy with the much and iii used visual organs of the
world three times in a single evening recently have
heard statements about "the eyes Of the world which,
II they were all true, would indicate compound squnt
on the part of the aforesaid organs that will eventually
require q cosmopolitan operation for strabsmus. was
assured by highly respected clergyman whose charac
ter for veracty entirely above suspicion that he eyes
of the world are looking towards this city of Wash
ington this rather flattered my metropolitan vanity
said to myself 'the eyes Of the world welcome to
look upon Washington there several handsome and
interesting public institutions worthy the attention of the
eyes of the world amongst Others TIE USoN OFFICE and
The MIDDLE-Aa MAN" Drawing near my dwelling,
/ purchased copy of the New York Herald, and,
glancing at 1t for moment, / was surprised to
find that enerprising newspaper declaring that the
eyes of the world directed towards Staten Island
or Tammany Hall, forget which this disagreement
between the clergy and the Herald although not
phenomenon rather puzzled me, but with the pacific
procivcs of my temperament strove account for it
by supposng B limo drawn from the eyes of the
world to Washington and Staten Island in the line of
vision this though pretty long look ahead would
oncie the statements But my cup of horror was des-
tined to be filled to overfowng, for having comfortably
ensconced myself in my attic, with my dressing gown
and slippers on and reading late number of the Lon
don Dcspatch which had just removed from envel-
ope adorned with miniature likeness of her Majesty,
Queen Victoria and directed in the small neat chirog-
raphy of the great Blanchard to his friend the NJ A
was completely amazed when the very first sentence
declared or the next twelve months the eyes the world
will be fixed upon gallant army in India" object
to this torturing Of the eyes of the wordno eyes
can endure it, certainly would not Ipropose in order
preserve the world eyes, that future all persons des
of employing this figure of speech shall be limited
ordinary occasions to the employment of the eyes of
their own county members of Congress and to
be permitted to the eyes of their respective States
and celebrated orators great occasonssuc us the
Fourth of Julyto be granted positively for night
only the services of the eyes of the continent BY the
adoption of this pan shall spare the world the rdic
uous game of which the unlicensed of
its eyes must subject it to- may also the plane
tary system to which belong from possible catasro
phe which would inevitably backen the eyes of little
globe for If by this looking at different places at the
time strabismus should follow, how, / beg to in
quire is the world to Keep in Its orbit What is to
from setto, Ia Morrissey and Heenan, with Mcr-
curry or Mars My compliments to all cergymen, lee.
and they will very much oblige their sincere friend the
Middle-Aged Man. by not making spectacIes Of them
selves by too free use Of 'the eyes of the world
The foregoing is to bo regarded merely aggressive,
natural outbreak of sympathy for great sufferer,
and penned quite without regard TO the necessity for fill
ing certain space in this mornings Union. not
unwilling TO confess that there when find it
very difficult to write things but my gossiping
with my friends who read these Mu-
sings always to (no pun intended) like dam
med torrent of small talk. When commenced in
tended to tell how my attention directed towards
very fine engraving of The Horse Fair which was ex
hibited in the window of Mr.. Philips Bookstore and
how thus led to little upon the history of
Rosa Bonheur, the Female Landseer.
The Horse Fair is not the only exquisite painting
which this accomplished lady has Produced and although
Ruskin with his charming dogmatism chooses to ques
lion the genius of Rosa because he says she does not
paint the human face strange failing for French LADY,
ier ''Caeprs Mosaoas, "Boigs de Cdatal" "DaH La
ns and that wonderful Ploughed Field" will live as
ong even as "The Stones Of Venice Much admire
uskin have little grudgo against him for his criticism
If Nd lie Bonheur She is of those peonagcs
Who seem 10 be born in order TO teach us plodding
very day mortas of how much our nature Is capable
The daughter Of an artist her Childish sport artistic
md VIC told that she would play truant from school
md spend the hours thus obtained in making rude |