Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1869-01-28
FIFTH AVENUE.
By yuSrus HENRI BROWN.

By JrNIus HENRI BROWN.
or the fifteen or sixteen avenues Of New
York city, Fifth is known ~ The Avenue,
BY way OF distinction. Ii is. BY all sdds
the most handsome and exclusive street Of
the metropolis; the only one that has thus
far resisted the encioacaments OF trade and
railways, and deied the peculiar rsgul atoms
II our municipal government. Every few
months an inn ovat On is attempted upon he
fashionable thornu.hiare. which has too
much strens b. through its wealth, to sub
nit TO any vulgar alteration its settled
courses.
Whenever house is for sac or rent in
the Avenue. its residents feel profound
interest in the character Of the inmates that
are TO be. They dread les. tho mansion may
be converted to unworthy uses; lest they
may be hourly shocked by = plcbcian neigh
Dor, who is what they themselves were i've
or twenty years. or perhaps a few months
before. Their vigilance is sleepless in this
regard; still they have often been compelled
to buy out common tradssnen and ambi
,ious courtezans, and enterprising b'acklegs,
who had purchased an abiding place in The
socially sacred vicinage. There have been
those whom bank accounts aud bank checks
could not persuade. Madame Restsll, the
notorious abertionist, and gamblers by the
score, aud cvprians by the dexea, have pen
etratsd into the street, and cannot be gotten
rid Of for largess or for logic.
1t is the habit Of New Workers to style
Fifth Avenue tho FIRST street in America
So far IS wealth, and extent, and uniformity
and building go, it probably is; but in sit
uation it is far inferior to many thorough
fares might name. Beginning ~ Washs
ington Square. it extends above Harlem
and, as far IS Fifty ninth street, it is almost
IN unbroken line Of brown stone palaces.
The architecture is not only imprsssivs-it
is oppressive. Its great defect 10 IN its
monotony, which soon grows tirssome. A
variation, . Notwithstanding much less
ornate or elaborate-wculd bs relief Its
lack foreclosures, VI grounds, ofgrass plats,
Of gardens, 10 a visual vice.
Block after block, mile upon mile, Of the
came lofty brown stone, high stoop, broad
starred front. wearies the eye. 1t 10 like the
perpetual red brick, with white steps and
white door and window facings, for which
Philadelphia has become provsrbial.
One longs in the Avenue for more marble,
more brick, mere iron, more wood, even
snme change in the stv 10 and aspects Of the
sombrs seeming houses, whose occupants,
one fancies from the exterior, lock, think,
dress, and act alike. One might 20 into
any drawing room between the park and
vhe old parade ground, and he would be
greeted with the same forms see the same
gestures; Gear the same speeches.
The s.avish spirit OF imitation. with pow
erty Of invention. has spoiled the broad
thoroughfarc whore We should have bad
the Moorish and Gothic. Ionic aud Doric
orders, Egyptian weight with Italian light.
ness, Tudor strength with Eu1abethan
picturesqusness.
1t is = grisvous pity that whore there is
so much money there is SO little tas'c.
The sum Of Fifth Avenue wealth is un-
questionably far beyond that Of any street
in the country. The dwellings csst more ;
the furniture and works Of art are moro e1-
pensive the incomes Of the inmates are
larger and more prodigally spent than they
are anywhere else on the continent.
The interior Of the houses is eften gorge
Gus. Nothing within moneys purchase.
but much that perfect taste would have
suggested, seems omitted. Few are the
mansions that do not reveal something like
| tawdriness in the excess Of display. The
| profusion is q trihs barbaric. The subtle
suggestions ct complete elegance aae not
| there
Still, to these who have suffered from
| the absence of material comfort, or to those
| whose temperaments are voluptunus and
indolent, ss most poetic ones are, "a feeldg
akin to happiness must be born Of the
splendid surroundings that belong TO the
homes Of the Fifth Avenue rich.
Whist soft velvet carpets IRE theirs; what
handsome pictures what rich curtains ;
what charming frsscots; what marbles OF
grace what brorzes OF beauty; what prod
gaiity of prettiness The soft, warm, vet
! fresh odor of luxury comes from every an
gle: fills the coriiors, and the delightful
chambers, whsre sleep seems to be hidden
beneath the spotless pillows of lace; steals
out Of the half open library. where hundred,
OF volumes stand silent with the TREASURED
Of time and mind in their keeping creepa
up and down the stairways, like the breath
| OF flowers blown by the gentle wind.
Whatever the senses could ask, or culture
require, or fancy crave, might be had in the
walled paradise of those splendid homes.
Dishes SO delicate IS 10 temp, the most
| SutirttSO dfHctitc, WiHSs ii'u ShVuEu w
WOO an anchorite their tasting music Of
Nozsrt, and Msnde'ssohn. and Beethoven,
to cheer and soften, to strengthen and en-,
sole tones Of bards and sages to lift he
thoughts to ideal possibilities there
are to he found there. Fair harvests may
be gathered every minute Of the day or
night ard he who takes not up the golden
sickle i'll the fragrant field. 10 more to b
pi;ied than he who signs for tl,wers In \
fertile waste.
Too sad for tears 10 the bitter fact that
everything pals; that the highest and best
satisfies only for time. They who live ID
the midst ef such splendor grow 50 familiar
with it that they value il not. They srt
spared certain number Of wants, but 9TH
ers are felt that may not BE- supplied. Th'
spirit is not satisfied with junkstings; thu
faculties Of the heart may not be filed with
shows Of pleasure or the tinsel Of display.