The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-02-26

hands most carefully practiced, that genius by
such assistance might impress great ideas upon
the world. 1t was thus that Raphael and Leon
ardo, that Michael Angelo and Benvenuto achieved
their greatest triumphs and communicated their
thoughts to a whole world and to successive gen
eratiOns. But as the want no longer exists, the
supply has ceased to be furnished. The world
will see no more of those artistic products which
enthusiasts call divine although the relics which
survive perpetuate the memory of the period which
they adorned and aid the artistic tendencies of
the world in a new direction. But what is the
new direction? For art which was thought to
have attained its most perfect development in the
pontificate of Leo Y, still survives in undimin-
ished splendor, in the pOntifcate of Plus TX.
The illustrated newspaper to which l referred in
opening, marks as signal triumph of art as the
paintings of Raphael or Murillo. To be sure it
is no monument of the genius or accomplishment
of one man, but the same great and efficient
power which invoked the aid of such artists fully
appreciates the influence of an illustrated press.
No skill of the greatest painters and ~sculptors in
all ages could have done it's work. Portentous
events which are ripening into history now find
ready expression In the we'll executed engrayings
of newspapers, and are promptly reproduced to
eager eyes in all quarters of the world. 1t is the
province OF the genius of design to keep pace
with the Improvements of the age, to adapt itself
to the changing requirement of scientific discov-
cry and to adorn in its progress the march of civ
lllzatlon. Lines which an Apelles might have
Oh'hOo AldJ NC IOuLu Oh u DlC OF porcelain, ana
the cheapest calico printing inYokes the aid of
art as much as the painting of a Madonna.
The same state Of things exists in all depart
ments of literature. Take poetry, for instance
an art, whose development marks national pro-
gress. In infancy. nations, like children. love
simple songs. The aOidOi of Greece, the troub-
adours of Provence, the Runic bards of Northern
Europe, the haku-n1eieS of Hawaii, delighted i'm
lays which recounted the exploits of Kings and
kept alive the memory of times gone by: Ma
caulay, whose literary judgment satisfied him of
the existence of some early minstresy of Rome,
taxed his imagination to reproduce it, and the
prophecy of Capys and the battle of Lake Regil-
lus now occupy a corresponding position with the
ballad of Chevy Chace in the dawning period of
English song. Local characteristics and national
taints mark all these compositions, their general
character being the same. With advancing man.
hood, national manners become more mature, and
the art of poetry keeps pace. We then find
place for the lofty rhyme of Virgil, Dante and
Milton, for the supreme excellence of Shakespeare
and Goethe. Lyric poetry, no longer a minstrelsy,
is represented by the sacred Psalms of David, the
Odes of Horace, the Sonnets of Petrarch, the
stirring anthems of Campbell and the elaborate
stanzas of Longfellow. Poetry, like art, reflects
the genius of the age which produces it, and if
the age be practical the aim of poetry must be
the same. The pictures of the middle ages were
painted to adorn cathedrals and religious houses,
and contributed to a magnificent spectacle design
ed to excite religious sentiments. The poetry of
that period had the same object. But the poetry
of the present age, like the art of painting or en-
craving, has another direction and is true to the
spirit Of the times. 1t is in Hoods Song of the
Shirt, or the philanthropic poetry of Whittier,
that the muse of our day displays her power.
In works of fiction and description, the same is
true. The time for charming mems heads with
the wild stories Of knight errantry ended with
Don Quixote. Indeed, no memorial in literature
more distinctively marks the acknowledgements of
the imagination than the famous chapter in the
story of his life, in which the doughty old hero is
represented as preparing himself for his career Of
folly by pouring over q library of silly books
and the keen satire and solid sense of Cervantes
well employed in exposing this catalogue
of nonsense to the ridicule Of the world. Men
are no longer trained to tilt against windmills,
but the world is one broad field of practical reali-
ty, full of all sorts of obstacles and stumbling
places. These must be surmounted and even the
imagination must submit to practical rules. Asa
all modern works of fiction have a
character.
Another Characteristic of modern civilization
results from unlimited freedom of intercourse
with the whole world, and the growing feeling
that the world belongs to all mankind, no part Of
It being the exclusive domain of any nation or
set of men. The moral barriers which formerly
China and Japan have been thrown
Town and those powerful natiOnalities now take
The initiative in opening communication with the
of mankind All the consequences Of such
reedom OF ntercommunicatio are not to be /
oreseen. We observe something of it here, upon
small scale. There Will soon be more of it all
the world. Intellectual habits and modes of
bought are losing their distinctive national char
Lcteristics. Peculiarities of dress and manner
ire wearing away. Languages are used inter-
,hangeably, and are becoming assimilated. 1t is
" no means certain that some universal language 1
will not ultimately be adopted by which the citi- c
en- of the world will communicate with every I"
ation and every race. The humanizing and civ
lizing influences of such &, result require no A
omment, and the uncertain shadows of a uni =
ersal brotherhood are acquiring form and
Patriotism is a great virtue and CEN
uries must elapse before it can be lost sight of.
ut what will be the value of patriotism to those :
those country is the world, and whose brethren
re all mankind?
Modern civilization is doing one thing more. Z
t has sharpened the ingenuity of men and direct =
d their energies to innumerable contrivances for
he relief OF human labor. Visit the workshops =
t civilized countries, and examine the mechanism (
nployed for the execution of the work. Some is
} perfect as to be almost instinct with life.
ave seen machinery SO automatic as apparently F.
possess intelligence, and so delicate and COM
as almost to vie with the human hand, -
lille the grateful task was assigned to the So
llled workman to stand by, with the air offs =
aster, and occasionally to provide for the want 4
intellect which living humanity can alone sup =
y. From all this, great relief is secured from
'e~rwhelming toll, and the position of the work a
an Is actually elevated from tnat or a menlal TO =
lat of a experimenting and controlling officer.
+ the obvious effect of this to increase the self
spect of the whole human race and every MEM =
sr of it, l forbear to speak. GA mans a man q
r a that" said Robert Burns. Let the world
Idorse the judgment and humanity is safe. e,
Such is the effect of labor-saving machinery -
pom the dignity of human nature. In view of
) other achievements all stand aghast. With
1t its aid great armies could not be clothed, or
owed, or fed the gigantic transactions of COM +
cree would become impracticable; the comfort =
our homes could not be secured the transmits :
On of intelligence would cease, while the condi- -
On of the mass of humanity would be reduced to
ling and hopeless drudgery.
We naturally pause, while taking this view, {
r indications of the effect of this development =
civilization, in the elevation of the human -
ce. Other signs will not be wanting; neither
i'll p~osterlty regard, with indifference, the great
ork of British Emancipation, and the efforts 4
Lla-Lsoa nnd NNiIharEnrce hut in fntnra "