Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-07-15

f'F mans sake In true art there Is no book ever
written by mortal pen, equal to Pilgrims Progress,
aud for this the book has been the grateful food Of
millions on millions and yet Bunyan aid not know
what artistic sense" was This book Is roughly
finished, but That may well be rough which comet
from the hand Of giant
Look at that great leader Of the world, shak
speare Every form and phase Of life, he exam
ined and the knowledge thus gained transmits to
US his genuine art
The people are the true judges Of art aud the
people find life in the Bible aud in Bunyan which
ell the critics in tue universe cannot eradicate or
rootup
In nature every want has a source whose special
provision is TO supply that want There are two
classes Of men--one, the smaller one Is full Of life
and art This comprises the artists, The larger
class Is the people aud they say to the artist give
us OF your wealth 10 your art aud we will give
you Of our wealth. The newspaper has become a
necessity, for It supplies incessant want of the
people Juvenile books and novels are read al
most universally, aud why this swi'lng Of irashl
1t is not all base appetite, but the multitude cry
Life, and will have it--if not from Dickens and
Mrs. Stowe, then from "The Devils Daruing Nee.
die, Tale Of Love, Death and suicide" This cry
for life cannot be stihed, but must be satisfied Go
and place your hand upon that tpreacher who draws
the largest crowds you will not end him the
retailer Of second hand creeds or theological formu
las, but you will find that he deals largest and most
in the life which God spreads out for all crea-
tion
We lament the Insignificant position which art
holds In this country; we look TO decayed nation
alities and people with slavsh delerence to
classic authority, aud we bow 10 the life behind
us, aud not that 10 us or before u.s. We stand upon
mountain top, aud look not upward into the
glorious expanse, but down into the valleys below.
But wha. shall prevent high development OF
art, for have the materials for noble art, and
these shall prove half way from art to chaos; OF
half way to the mellenium
Through the beauty of nature something o.
Gods life passes into mans life, and as / look upon
the beanty of the wheat field for instance Il looks
to me more bright and glorious addition to my
life, than the rose | hold in my hand look out
upon the ocean when the surf gently kneos at the
feet Of the olia where l stand, and bathes them
with its tears and wipes them with ts flowing hair,
and say that there is noble and grand addition
to the beauty fmy life but Il is not for its beauty
alooe, or chiefly that love to look upon il, but
for its utility in carrying on the commerce Of ma.
TORS aud the source of all the showers which arc
to fall and refresh the earth.
The slavery of art to beauty is unversal-and
the voice OF universal art is beauty first aud at
any sacrifice, aud, il necessary, beauty alone; so
that art has been cheated out Of It's life aud It's soul
Thus in our own country we have been dallyinR
and toying with beauty, aud then wonder why art
has not made more progress Thank God that there
are some few bright examples along the 1'~- ~
hi 4tory who have been lev unto themselves and
lo~lssa - ~,tin lis true life.
There can be no general and universal pattern of
form or shape to be observed in art To suppose
that all must follow Que pattern, is as ridiculous as
to say that the antelope shall have switch tail
like horse, because both are made for feetness
Let the criterion be, does this work embody the
idea of the artist in it. application to life If l
show 80 you picture or statue, and you exhibit
no sign OF sympathy with IT, no out-burst of pleas.
urc and harmony with it, then 1t is practically
condemned, aud is a failure
The life which produces art must be rich or IL
will produce no rich results, be the work painting,
sculpture, or books The suferings tolls, sorrows,
joys and sympathies of life win produce results
which viii find an answering echo in every heart.
l believe that the world will reward all those who
deserve it, The world is just, aud all who are
worthy shall win and wear the crowns of reloic.
ing.
The world is advancing In art More and more
is art passing into the hands Of the people. Life
is moro opuent now than ever before, and believe
that succeeding ages will bring forth resul as
much in advance Of that of past ages, as are in
advance OF those in richness Of life and incident.
The art of old time commenced near the shore
aud took but small spois with them az tney rolled
upon the beach, but behind us come other mighty
pillows which shall roll in upon the shore bringing
jewels aud gems from other lands, aud showing
forth such results as have never yet been SEEN
Painters and men you who devote your liIe to
the pursuit Of this noble art, hold to your rights
aud demand your reward in the funess Of the
coming time.
or this address we need only say that It equaled
the expectations which the high reputation OF the
author as popular writer, had raised II was on
a new topic-not one that had been worn out. 1t
presented many new ideas iu u new and impressive
form, and sparked with those gems of elOquenoe
aud delicate imagery which abound in the authors
works and which we could no more report with all
their accOmpaniments Of gesture, look aud tone,
ihan we could the gleamngs Of the moonlight up
on tho waves.
Afier Benediction by the President, the audience
dispersed The Commence ment Concert was
given last evening by the Cleveland Brass Band,
which, by the way, furnished the music Tor the
occasion In manner commensurate with the
name they bear. After the concert il Ia TO be pre-
sumed that the potent, grave and reverend SO
uiors" understood their duty well enough 10 make
"a night Of Il, % aud not 90 homo I'LL morning
The exercises Of Tuesday consisted OF an ad-
dress TO the Alumni by STEPHEN II. PITEIN, aud
in the afternoon an address 10 the Ph-lieta Kappa
Society by Dr.. s. 4, SEELEy, Of Albany, la the
evening were the prize declamations by the Soph-
Qmole and Freshman Glasses, at which ALFREl
WmrTLEsEY NEWTON, Of NOrwalk took the
prIze in the former. and EDwARD WRITTLEsEY
STUART, Of Milan, in the latter.
We are glad to know that the College Is in 1
prosperous condition aud trust il will ever con
tinue 30,
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