New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-05-22

sIom o., l,c,.l G.. .i.-t
PIuLADr,Pu,A. May, 1867.
Eain1n should compare our three chief Atlantic
cities viii ID, ference Co tno interest they seem 10 take J"
the Fine Arts The result would DO somev hat Ike tni'
Kew-Yoil,. Indifferent 55stoa, more Indifferent IAN"
d,lnla don't care --. wcn q button. 50 far as any
public evidences OF an interest in the Fine Arts are Co
ecrucd NcwYorl IT, it may be frankly coriesseu' 0'.S
OF indeed. With the exception OF the CenlI'i ' w
rity has absolutely nothing to show III Una"
Of human culture II is next 90 npossIoi1 10 io ..'
thero ty rpcas 10 the public for any enterprise oO
uoctod b the Arts-thc subscriptions 70 the Academy
Fellowship Fund showing quite as lnuch interest, on '
mart If ,r ralos in promoting the Academy sources
and securing an unlimited supply oil exclusive Pil'H's'
rs interest IN the advancement Oil the tlhe Arts "00"
tbe Institution Of the Fellowship Fund IS generally uh
destool i'm wclinforncd circles TO have been an III
ori,,e Invention OF - who has OF the finest imam
cal minds among the artists, which, for our NewHolk
men ssayg good deal lie is said to have hit upon II
while reading DAubignes SPIRITED account OF the ropes
eyicc Cor raising money in order TO finish St. Peters
LUCKY thought" said he, throwing down the book;
"Leo sold indulgences, TO build ST. Peters, why should
not we sell indulgeuces to build Academy" SO the
indulences were made ready. and called subscriptions
TO tho Fellowship Fund" and whoever VIII examine the
conditions Of tins subscription viii agree with me- thhR
that there is great deal of indulgence Tor the money
Then again, Ncw-YOIkers have no irstTate Library
no Museum 10 public PictureCallery, school OF De
sign on which TO found claim of superiority to any one
of thousand smaller towns, in advantages for mental
culture No city in the world Of lNlf the size and pre-
tension Of NcwYO is destitute Of the means ana APP
plianccs fo study and research in every department OF
learning No exhaustive historical scientific work
could be writ in Our oycrgrOwn town by any one whose
private means were insufficient to enable him TO SEND
abroad for ans book document he might need; ana,
even them lie must 90 to London or Paris to consult III
their great pablo collections. books that 10 private
money Will buy. Nc, of his own country could nc
write fully without the help OF the British Museum
which has today the best and cOmplecs collection that
exists of books. tracts. and manuscripts, relating TO
America II the historian OF and treaties, the med
zeal man. the chemist tic boarist, the philosopher be so
badly of Judge what becomes of the man interested
in the Fine Arts, who, at the table OF our cu-
ture, among many gentlemen hungnly eye
ing hafempty platters, despondinSly nspects his
own. the empticst. Mr.. Bryan for years and years
offered his valuable collection with a noble gencr
oy 10 his felOwctzcns but could not interest enough
people in it to pay the rent of the required to hold
It, WHILE that omniyorous ostrich, the Cooper IN
stitute that pOTtentOUs Bird TO whose iron stomach an
food seems misunderstanding mbec.le statues OF
Washington precious Client carvings with equal IN
dinercnce-ofIered Mr.. Biyn's pictures hospitable
grave But when several pictures had been stolen, ana
several picked pieces by investigating fingers and sew
eral OF the valuable, fear ireparaby damaged
by the heat OF the stcamppes, Mr. Bryan saw no way
but to give the whole collection of pictures to the HIS
torica Society which, the OF years or so, may
have means sufficient to put mp building with rooms
suitable for their accommodation. 1t only by super
human efforts that the Historical Society saved to the
country the precious Abbot" Collection of Egyptian An
qutes which has found appropriate restingpace in
the tombs Of the Society, the socaed galleries II is
said that the mummied bulls gave SIGH Of relief
when they finally planted in these gloomy
caves and munured in hcroglyphics that this was al
most like home Somewhat encouraged by the success
that had attended their struggles to wiring $4,000 out Of
lao
this collection believed be Of the finest in the
world the Historical Society made another effort TO raise
$4,000 for NJ Jarvcss collection of early Italian pictures
which him $4,000 and which, owing TO tempo
rary of money, he willing to sch for less than
half that But it not possible to raise $4,000 10
purchase finer collection of pictures than laid the
foundation of either the French Louvre" the English
National Gallery" in city where gentlemen think
5000 tn1e to spend on single private ball. and
accordingly Mr. Jaryes, having longer need for the
money withdrew his offer after a few months, and
moved the collection to Boston, which will day
oeve it a free gift Certainly, may well be excused
Of these and fifty other stories for calling New
York Indifferent to arts aud culture: But there another
de to the case, and those of us who watch the signs
che times can see plainly that only patience is wanted fol
few yearsand shall begin TO have what We are hun
cry for If look below the surface shall find that
there arc many persons IN New-York who feel genuine
interestn art who working steadyin every pos
sbcdrecon bring the public sympathy with them
The cearest proof that offer of what believe to
be fact the awakening interest In architecture which
Is now showing itself in our city, both among the clients
and among the professional This is beginning at
the right end, in revival of art. and confess that
feel stronger interest in what is taking place in New
York in this respect than in what Is going on anywhere
else in tho world To my thinking the main point has
gained An interest in the subject Of art has been
wakened in the public mind, and 1t will not sleep for
while
Let us then call NewYOrk the positive degree. in
comparison; Boston will be the comparative. But
thing hardly know what, binders the growth Of art
In Boston, Artists do thrive there; little is produced
there that is valuable in art yet certainly much is pro
duced Evesy rich man the little city keeps a seulp
tor ne pays for making statues OF public and
for chipping away in the intervals Of more serious work.
on busts Of his family There have been fears that the
stock Of great to be made statues Of may give ont,
but neither money, marble, men and women 10
cut II into collars coats and trousers and eXpressOnss
faces will give out There is really revival Of the art
Of "sculpng it is called, in Boston, Everybody is at
It, Every third is making bust Of Abraham Lin
coin. and. for every woman there two who
doing the thing Painters indeed they
hardly live here unless they yeTybad in which
they get what money is lett after pay
ing the sculptors. Even architects do not pros
per. and Mr.. Gilman who had done wonders with
his idea is said 10 have found it Improbable bust
ness and to have shaken the dust Of theuDateu city
off his feet. and gone to NewYOrk to see what use he
could put to there Boston, in her attempts to be art
istlc, reminds Of those unhappy children with
who forced by their parents and by Their
Of duty to learn the pianOforte. They bemes and
sit patiently before the keyboard hour after hour They
pay small eternity of quarterbs drive teacher after
teacher distracted with their futile drumming and after
mastering the mechanics Of bafa-dozen show pieces
spend the rest Of their lives in killing of innocent per-
with and by the slow poison Of their
performances. Boston neOple-speaking with generous