The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1870-06-30

From tho beauties of Nature we make
an easy transition to the beauties OF Art
The term art has reference to the opera
tions of man, as nature expresses the work.
manship of God Art embodies the idea
of human hands exercised to give mate
rial body and sensible form to the concep-
tions and designs of the hnmsn mind.
First, we often see the workings and in
huenee of art in conjunction with the oper-
ations of nature. Man invades the will
derness aud by labor and skill converts it
into a fruitful field He adorns the scene
with houses, roads, cultivated farms, beau
tiful parks, lawns, gardens, vineyards, Or
chards trees, shrubs aud flowers. Nature
co-operates in this work of establishment,
vigorously producing every thing that
grows from the ground, but yielding in
hee eeTorms of development to tho direction
and management of Art. The result is,
that natural and artistic beauty is present.
ed in combination, and both together form
a highly pleasing scene of lovelinesS.
AS an illustration Of this, | refer to
particular locality. A newspaper cor
respondent, describing the valley in which
are situated the Salt Works, OF South
western Virginia, employs the following
language "Ten thousand acres of land
belong to the company who own the Salt
Works, and great deal of attention has
been bestowed upon its cultivation. The
tract upon which the salt wells are placed,
is dead level, surrounded by steep conf
cal hills, green to the tops with native
grasses. The valley itself lies as if it we're
impannelled in the hills as framework,
and makes one of the most beautiful
meadows upon which the eye ever rested.
Carefully drained, perfectly sodded,
fringed with trees, intersected by a good
macadamizod road, and surrounded by
pleasant looking residences at the bases
Of the hills, it certainly presents as fine a
picture of natural beauty, adorned and
utilized by art, as is to be found any in
section of the country"
Secondly, there are the useful and mi
nor decorative arts, which are concerned
in the production of works of practical
benefit to man, in accomplishing the man.
fold purposes aud ends of life. All kinds
of manufacturing and mechanical labor is
included under the general name of Art.
The object in many branches of such work
} is, to combine the useful and ornamental,
and turn out such articles as are fit for SER
vice, while, at the same time, they are
finished and decorated so as to present a
pleasing appearance to the eye. For ex-
ample, a carriage is intended for use, but
it may be adorned in such a style of taste,
richness and elegance, as to be beautiful.
The same thing is true of watch, clock,
of bracelets, earrings, breast-pins and
numberless other articles that proceed
from the hands of the goldsmith and jew
eller Many of them are executed with
marvellous skill, and exhibit high de-
gree of fanciful ornamentatiOn. The con-
sequence is, they are viewed with admi-
ration and delight, and are regarded as
objects of beauty. The same may be said
of the finer products of the loom, the deli.
cate and exquisitely wrought fabrics, such
as silks, satins, laces, velvets, carpets and
shawls, that figure so prominently in mod
ern civilization. The tailor, the halter
and especially the dressmaker and milli
ner exercercise their ingenuity, taste and
skill in producing styles of personal cover
ing and adornment, that tend to enhanct
the gracefulness and attractions of the hu
man form. They often achieve artistic
results that are beautiful and pleasing
The worker in glass, alabaster and Other
materials, shall execute bottles and vari
ously shaped articles, distinguished by
, elegance and symmetry of form, splendoi
and variety of colors, and ornamental de.
signs, that render them objects of great
: beauty. How beautiful, oftentimes, are
specimens of embroidery and needlework
; wrought by the delicate iugers of woman:
!, ,, under the direction of a pure taste and
! correct judgment. The same is true Of
the operations Of the engraver, the photo.
, grapber, the type-foundelythe book-bind.
! er, the printer. These various forms Of
skilled labor, call, the minor decorative
arts, 10 distinguish them from the fine arts.
or those higher departments of artistic in
: vention and skill, in which genius often
: achieves its noblest triumphs, aud pro-
duces brilliant works for the admiration
and qualification Of mankind. ,
+ Thirdly, we see artistic beauty in its
most lovely and bewitching forms, in the
splendid creations Of genius, that are met
), with in the sphere of the fine arts. These
arts are usually reckoned to be four, viz
Music, Painting, Sculpture and .Architee
ture. Poetry is sometimes included viii
, them, which makes the number five, but
i as it belongs to the general department o.
i Literature, prefer to consider it IN that
|. connection, and not in the same category
E with the four arts that have been men
Y toned. t... I.
The beauties of music, presume, nont
+ will deny, although, some are but poor
IS ly qualified to appreciate and enjoy them
: They were revealed to the Rind and de-
lighted the ear of Beethoven, Hadyn
. Handel, and other composers, singers
" and nlavers and are permanently emb0d