The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-10-06
ROCKFORD HORTICULTURAL So
CIET9.
Commentary A poet Keats we think

/ Commentary A, poet Keats we think
says: 80
thing of beauty is q joy forever"
We would add: A thing of beauty is OF
use forever. Ed
ADDRESS eF-JUDGE MILLER
| b Upon calling the meeting toyorder, the
Hon. Arson s. Miller, President, said:
Ladies and GentLeme7-Floral Hall, in
which the friends of horticulture are now
for the first time assembled, is the ap-
propriate and generous erection of the
Winnegago County Agricultural Society.
We may we'll congratulate ourselves on
this spacious and elegant edifce, ample
in all its conveniences for exhibiting
garden treasures, and unsurpassed in the
west or elsewhere. ga,as ...f s,lft .., o7r.s
Horticulture in its progress from rude
beginnings to the advanced state indi-
Gated by its admirable bounties before
US, is a wonderful illustration of the
attainments of art, under. the operations
of industry, inspired by beauty and en-
llightened by science The loye of beauty
is constitutional in the nature of man, and
was implanted there by the Creator for
the highest enjoyment and happiness Of
the race. r..., s..t..,.r. =,
Vision is the most inspiring Of o ali our our
senses, and all of the rational delights Of
these improve the mind and prompt to
ennobiing action. Witness the crafty
ing advancement of the fine arts, paint
ing, sculpture, architecture, and land.
scape gardening. Some, indeed, deny
the gardener place among artists; but
he who skillfully forms the beautiful
grounds, and crystslizes poetical thought
in the original model, may not be inferior
to him who pictures it upon the glowing
canvas. While We admire Claude Lor-
raine and Cole and Huntington, we
should not withhold the just need of
praise from Shenstone, Downing, and our
own Blair. All Of them are artists in
imaging the ideals of beauty and gran
deuE and adjoining their works with the
creations Of genius The purpose of our
horticultural society extends even
beyond the production of beautiful
| flowers and delicious fruits. In decor
ating homesteads, we cultivate the mind
as we'll rs the soil, elevate aims, refine
tastes, promote liberal aspirations and
beautify the paths of the higher life
while adjoining our garden walks. s. Our
moral sentiments are deeply affected by
our physical surroundings. How much
of lofty suggestion there is in our daily
scenes of natural and artistic beauty and
sublilnity The tastes and characters of
persons are strongly Influenced by the
incidents and conditions Of their child
hood homes. Many,I am aware, in their
zeal for hat3they call the useful, reject
the beautiful as unworthy of their en-
deavors. What is absolutely necessary
for the support of animal life they call
utataty, and at the same time, ignore that
beauty which supplies. the wants of our
higher nature. Beauty shines through
out the universe of God, and like Him is
omnipresent, an eternal revelation of the
divine benevolence, Objects of bare
utility for the body, might have given it
coarse and substantial support Bread
might have been provided without the
charm of growing grains or golden har
vests. All the Itch and splendid fruit
age might have fallen like the rain from
heaven, without the graceful and refresh
ing trees and vines, and the miracles of
verdure and bloom, The apples, peaches,
pears, oranges, plums, cherries, grapes and
other luscious fruits, might have been
grown destitute of their. enchanting
shapes and colors. Mankind could have
lived without flowers, but the mind as
well as the body entered the gracious
designs of the Deity, and all this beauty
and delicacy and fragrance had an exalt-
ed purpose in the creation and endow-
ment OF man. Who, then, shall separate
beauty from utility, or utility from beau
ty? Both are useful, both are beautiful
IN suppl ying the infinite variety of human
wants. Beauty and Utility are twin
sisters and are everywhere inseparable
in nature. The fruits re heralded by
the blossoms, and let US not, even in i'm
laglnatlon, sunder what the benign
providence has SO lovingly and universal
| ly joined. .'' j. 1''''
Your labors, ladies and gentlemen,
through the years of this society, have
stimulated many Improvements in this
community. How much Rockford is
indebted to this society for her general
taste and refinement, and for her prosper
Gus condition in horticultural embelish-
ments, and enviabie reputation, modesty
may forbid as to say. Surely our efforts
have not been in vain in awakening and
encouraging the spirit of culture, which
has given our city an honorable distinc-
ton. Your praiseworthy examples have
been well appreciated, and we have seen
the glad results. The emulation of ex-
cellence is the redeeming trait in humani-
ty, and its enduring glory We. hope to
see in this hall at the approaching county
fair, such display of floral wealth, as
shall cause these lofty arches to ring
with admiration and applause These
choice specimens, our cheering show of
to-day, are pledges Of the good time
coming, which for abundance and bril-