Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-01-04
LETTER FROM MADISON. 4
"Quili" likes Lancaster-A Glance at the
State House--The New Dome-yisit 20
the Historical R0oms-state Libra.
ry-Law students--Old authors 81
-Medern gelehrilips

county seat VI Urant county. / car
not soon forget ell the genial, friendly
faces which | met, nor Ill the gen, r
Gus, kiud treatment THAI / receive /.
The fact is, II II may be confessed D
Der very face, ] like Lancaster, al 4
l like her peoplsl There seems TO
be that something so genuine, SO
cordial about tbem--that spontan, i
| ty Of good feeling, which, while il Is
absolutely essential, il about as great
a rarity in modern society as BROTH
erly love in Waupun.
have noticed that strangers and
visitors to this city bestow their first
attention upon the Capitol. Hardly
a day passes but dozen or so arc
shown through it, and all seem pleas
cd and interested and, friendly
reader, as there is little else besides
snow and cold winter for us to talk
about. | propose that,we, too, ramble
for few moments about this great
political temple. But before we pass
within let us glance overits exterior.
What q splendid dome that is, and
how much it has added to the appear
ance Of our State House That
golden eagle, which is perched upon
the very tip of yonder flagstaff, as if
the presiding genius over the whole
great building, the city and the sur
rounding lakes, IS two hundred and
twenty-six feet above our heads.
An ambitious eagle. And how APP
propriate and dignified an emblem
to crown this stately yet graceful
piece of architecture
The capitol is built in the CORN
THAN order of architecture, but, in
its outward finish, lacks much of the
elaborate and ornamental character
istics of that order, which, however,
cannot be counted very serious
loss there seems to me something
very handsome and attractive in it's
very plainness. But let us not tarry
longer without. Up few stone
steps and we are in the region of
perpetual summer. This beautiful
ball is two hundred and fifty feet
long that other, which intensects it,
is two hundred and seventy-five feet
long. Now we are in the rotunda.
This is decidedly the most artificial
and elegant feature of the Capitol.
There is no absolute utility in it. 1t
is merely for the sake of itself, like
the pictures which adorn our homes,
j qualification and pleasure to the
eye.
Let us now run up stairs to the
Historical Rooms, the domain of
BOOKS. pictures, and curious relics of
abe past In these three light and
paclcus apartments, suppose there
axe forty thousand volumes. Do
you like to read? Look around and
select your author; take q seat that
IS suited tos your ideas Of comfort,
aen read to your hearts content.
Z. you are OF an Antiquarian turn of
msn&, would dip into afi kinds OF
.lnaty. halt 3rgotteo literature, peep
ato those worm eaten Volumes
ton .aelr yellow, tme-worn leaves,
but pr,ss 1on'ttry to make them out.
lbcsa 0li fe'lQws, with All their wi,I-
dom, we're Gep,orably ignorant Of
civilized language, else whysdid they
smother their valuable thoughts un-
der such a depraved garb. Perhaps
you can find something 10 your fancy
in the cabinet. Many precious bit
OF history is associated with these
trifos. What a picture of war and
destruction do those soiled and tat
tered flags bring up There in the
newspaper department is much wor-
thy our attention. Those two vol
umes were published by no less q
man than the illustrious pioneer phi
losopher and statesman, DIR. Frank
lin. Thus we might chat for hours
about the many other objects of in
terest, but we must hasten into the
State Library.
We at once pass into an atmos~
phere Of the deepest.profundity. No
longer do we see good natured hui
manity, leisurely sauntering about,
seemingly unconscious Of any special
importance, as in the Historical
Rooms; but instead, perhaps, score
=
OF individuals, all apparently medi-
tating upon some horribly painful
subject. No smile ruffies any of
their grave, solemn faces one'spesks
and his tones are deep and sonorous,
as if from the ,tombs. A glance
around the room explains the matter.
This is a,great law library, and those
are law students. Are you surprised
at their soelmness? Those vast walls
Of books, which loom up on all sides,
contain more legal lore than thous-
and such men could master in as
many years, and yet they expect 10
carry their entire contents off in
single year. Whether they really
are beginning to feel the solemness
OF the look before them. or whether
they are only endeavoring 20 appear
as wise as the legal magnates which
look down from their shelves so
calmly upon them, | shall not stop TO
say. There are other things to oc-
cnpy us besides this funereal group
anu the weighty tones which sur
round them. That central case con-
tains the very choicest of all the
writers Of the world A glorious
company of the worlds immortals.
from the songs of Homer down TO
The Motlcys and Longfellows OF our
own day.
Men esteem it great privilege
even 70 see the great celebrities Of
the day, and thiak themselves hap
py in q moments conversation with
oeu. Hers they can come at pleas
ure, and associate On The most lami-
an terms with the greatest and VIII
81 trealea WITH more than The civi-
Nv iaii down ID the rules OF Ct
aue' fhat grand old Puritan
john Milton viii rot siieht you be-
Cas- ven happen to be young or lees
profound than himself. "Don Qu'1-
ote' wlli.Hot.turn che cold shoulder 10
you because you have not been ouo-
Lad Z, fzn.,,ht ,,ov mill fha EUark lInV.