The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-01-31

The ATLANTIC MONTHLY published lately
an artfele upon one of eur great national man
uiacturlng establishments, the Gorham Silver
Ware MaDufactory Of Providence, the largest
of the kind IN the world, in which processes OF
high scientific interest. are employed aud
which Is now producing articles that belong to
the grade OF fine arts. Almost any manrfac-
tory would furnish subjects fit to be treated by
tue aoteSt pens, but this one has peculiar
claims TO recognition by the press nan 90 t''
1t seems to MS that in unfolding the. niyster-i
terIes OF this branch OF business, the At
!aqtic has done the public q service. Every
househoid uses silver plated articles but who
knews how to Judge of their quality !? For
our part we are very much obliged 10 the At
lantlc Tor giving us guide in the future pur-
chase Of such ware. 1t is curious fact that
vessel. plated SO thinIy with silver that it
,weliShs no more after being plated than il did
before, actually looks little better when it is
quite new, than one having the thckest plate
} or Inc precious metal ever used The only
difference is that one will be Shabby in a
month, and the other, after forty wears of good
usage, VIII look as well as it did the day it
was bought. 1t is certainly useful to the pub.
lie to know that good seryiceable plated ware
must cost oue-fourth as much as the same ware
IN solid silver, and that articles much below
that STANDARD are, as the Atlantic says, trash
and vulgaritv." 'f+- '.''-
We are glad, too, to see the leading maya
zine OF the country paying tribute to the
singular honesty of Jabez Gorham the vener-.
able founder of the establishment that bears
his name. 1t is useful to the ambitious bust
ness men OF the country to be frequently re-.
minded that absolute fair dealing. must be the
basis Of every permanent business success.
Our observation confirms the remark of the
Atlantic that no dishonesty conducted BUSH
ness has ever lasted thirty years Forty years
ago, when Mr. Gorham used to buy African
gold dust at the Boston banks, he was allowed
TO assay IL himself and purchase as much as he
required, at his own valuation. The Old Cor
nam watch Chain, too, used to be frequently
employed by the Boston and Providence lew
ellers as-money IN making their semi annual
Dalanees, ..1H G.sa yIiaa
The fine arts are now laid under. ort,ibu-
ton III such an establishment as that of the
-Gorhams. The art library of the Gorham
company OF Providence is most COMPLETE and
costly Many of the great illustrated works
are there, whether of architecture, sculpture,
painting. botany. natural history or antioui-
tes, and the excellent artist who designs the
products oftheir establishmeI 1t, draws from all
these reservoirs of grace and beauty. Nothing
can excel the elegance and satisfying beauty Of
many OF his designs, and the Atlantic has
done wen ingiving them their need of COM
mendation. ..s.,.....I 7 -'T7s'fT T-''sN
The vocation of literature is now and ever
mas been to expound and celebrate the deeds
OF men of action, such as they are.
In the ancient barbarous times, when strong
men chiefly employed their strength in killing
other strong men, poets sang and historians
wrote chiefly on wars. The strong men of
America serve, not kill their fellow men, and
accordingly when at length America has q lit.
erature 1t Will occupy Itself to a considerable
degree In recounting tie exploits of her indoIn-
lLaple heroes OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. sJrrsascri,it