New-York tribune., 1870-10-01
FINE ARTS.

.lusa NJ
i, M ,hs press IL is unnecessary 10 say "iA'
rynody knows, that the comment mas peen sen''" ~
,tayorahle No cheers greeted the oronhe "e"' -
~, no, fn fact, recall n single word OF eN'u "n -
80, The papers have tired TO ontdo eScn O'. ~
=, rid,cuiing the unhappy work II rs ugly
o., uptisn ned. The pantaloons are hideous' Inc
q. an anachronism wholly misplaced on ms thon"o
T s,atue turns most nsighty back ON the lu'uio u
IN. city aud most inexpensive eonntehanoo 'V""
.lothi,r's window and a confcctioneTt shop
Now it " easy enough TO find fault, ana quite
,raiso laugh But there are or two things w w
considered before doing either is handsome IL nO
.m-e 10 remember that the monument was p''9eV
tho model chosen by committee OF seh'e"'" ,.,,
repored fully competent TO the task 'hcS ,.,
md Who spared no pains TO do their duly lai'nu''
M ,rans t sculpors teemed with ideas that Iouu
,,osson m clay or plaster and were submitted 10 'hc
1nsrect,on of the judges. Good Father Apru"au wac
exhibited in every aspect that the patrlouo lh"en"'
could devise He was striking heroic attitudes pecOh-
.ns h,s exalted dignity and his high historical posluo
yIc was leaning against column symooheal OF the
States holding in hs hand broken fetcr; he was set
,ns ms foot ON the head Of the great dragon he was
uttng np a moeling slave; he was pattnga negroooy
,n a maternal manner the head; he was pressing a
,archment 10 his heroic waistcOat he was supporting
the national flag he standing in uneXcepuonable
trowsers amid cannOn-bas and swords; his eye rolled
coward heaven gazed sentimentay on the ground
bronze orator represented the man who had nothing
fbetOreal about him. All these displays OF ingenuity
the Committee saw admired they mented, ana Turn
sng from them, fixed their choice on plain, unadorned
unprctenOus statue being best suited 10 the INQUEST
setIng. uudramatc character of the man.
Mr. Lincoln a civilian; military costume would
consequently have been out Of place he was no horse
nan ike Washington and Scott; an equestrian statue
was not therefore To thought of he not strong
souled heroic hbeTator the negroes and the broken
MANAGES were hardly called for 10y the truth of history;
io dd not make control, gather the fruits OF war;
WV len tRe shot and the CannOnf He never struck an
..de; he imagined himself putting his heel
.. .racou; be never waved the flag; and he never
I.,ssod parchment 10 his bosom. His eyes ndulged
lnt tt in sentimental rongs within their sockets but
were sadly heut OF the duty before them.
MI Lincoln had 10 gTandeus Of an external kind; ana
The grandeur of h soul not such as bronze OF mar
lie can express. He was 6marRaoly homely man, as
a the world knows. He was masterpiece of ungrace-
fitness long awkward angular and oosei iOinted. His
cothes fine in texture and admirable as speci-
mems Of sartOIal skill hung on his limbs with that
exquisite style Of adaptation which makes costume seem
nsecond nature, and he lived unhappy for his statue
doubt for himself, at time when the fashion OF
peculiarly fighful, those neither ntegu-
IDents teng wide loose, baggy enormous small where
they have been large and large where they should
have been small. The other garments offered no relief
redress; humanity was dishgured by that which
tLoJld have adorned it, Doubtless there were persons
then there always are whose grand manner and ma
iesnc port iumphed these deformities and huma-
tons. bat such port and did not belong MI.
IAncon. Clothes did not make that man. He indeed
made those who saw him forget the clothes. But 10
sculptor can teach a bronze figure TO do that
The artists difficulties, IT wili thus he seen on
moments reflection were enormous. He had subject
dea With that could neither be beaued nor ideaized
TIE rules Of rroTiey, TO say nothing Of the laws Of
voIacy, forbade his modelling Conventional dCnitary
sodi'r statesman. 1t might have been temptation
torreseut MI Lincoln the central figure of great
lsoroai epoch, the chief actor IN a mOmentous scene
90 associate lin forever with the vndicatiou of the
national ,ntc gritty OF the emancipation Of the slaves. 1t
temptation that actually felt, as We know,
and resisted. Why, only surmse but 1t
may have been because the conception vague;
because II involved embarrassing If not anagesble
details; because It compelled resort 10 aegoTy and
symbol exceedingly dangerous things to deal with II
scuptuIt ana, in this instance more than usually liable
10 tancfuuess and groeequeness in connection Will
the austere simplicity of the parsonage who was hon
Ored morefhau all perhaps, because suggestions Of th
lind Htmatel above would Lave provoked even fierce
aud hijtcrer criticism from those who question Nj
I4ucoiu's title 10 bo regarded a national savior or
great cipator, and from those who dispute his claim
20 homer for purely ofcial deeds The only alterna
20 represent the he was, IN ms charac
tensile individuality other groatworthies have in al
tine tee represented
sloud lie borne ~ mind that the artist 10 whom
This wcsk was committed is the who modelled The
Tue statue 81 Washington the opposite side Of the
fqugrc. H. X Brown s admitted 10 stand among the
very foremost 81 American sculptOrs in talent, accom-
IsmtLt sk experience; IN prOie ssional fidelity, and
professional resources He nothing without long
reelection; It,duc carelesy lightly. For everything
he does he Lae "a reason, which would probably
good most people who took the trouble to weigh il
Eye1he position Of the figure which al trstwds artistic
fuyWroucand Las been altered 10y the sculptor sdIectOI
uIcht have been VnGhated against the vulgar structures
II ,ood so a. Ia he seen n mont by The greatest number
az o. ssereb ly the crowds that tlrong Fourteenth ST.
gong east and west ty the muudes that pour upward
Broadway y the current that sets northward from
University place. The figure having back must turI
u somebody u j. more gracious 10 turn IL on the
vacancy Of HE Park and the Passengers numerous
lot multi tuduous, who tread the comparatively mar
Icv Sidewalk TIE west side Of The Square
We 90 net urge the foregoing considerations Of the
-eas, authority 70 dssTm Tehuke criticism; but We
submit hat they should exert sQme effect to check It's
I.ge touch Of modtsty 70 IL tone. II II much
ak hat hey should create disposition TO what
sood points there may DE the monument, and 10 make
1or allowance the lad oIesl Do they not carry with
tlcl We ef enough 20 keep down sudden and reckless
eOIGeWtat"ut
After aH, The only question Of moment is-dOeS me
T1te orsror ht pIot, 10 ecs deggod To serreg II II
te Jhe oJoc oi siatue 70 Teser 10 the eye model Of
sstnetic teauty 10 please ordinary perceptions, 10
educate taste OF tie people If il be mp
ucut public square TINS statue Of Lincoln is fail
I itHects Of these acquisitions If it be the
de-. ~ oi such nts 10 single
lis,oc event. this Is not vi al should be- for 1t tells
Eory % that kiud The Only event il could coInmemo-
:ate ~ emancipation OF the slaves and il Will always
tf question whether the part Nj Lincoln took il that
fLtes lin 20 be perUeuated u bronze inaugural
cor. cOnsuIlmatOr, or Foremost champion.
Itis,imply Charoci,r that Abraham Lincoln lives
tie ToyoI.Ig memory OF hs couuuymen, not "a re-
:DImeT, ruler or statesman. The high lesson life
% cssou ty 10 means learned yet, needing constant
aud emphatic repetition before Will be learned lesson
u utmost significance 10 the people OF Republics that
d. .oor hard handed, uueducated unCltured man. with