Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-11-22
Letter from Boston.
Art-SchOOI Drawings-Wm. Hunts Pic
tures-ThPee DiscussiOns-IMrs. Howe
on Moral TrIgOnOmetry-C. II. Cranch
AT the Radical CIub-PcrsOmaI.
Irnon OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT
BosToN, Nov. 20, 1871

BosToN, Nov. 20, 1871.
The exhibition at the art club rooms of draw
ings, by foreign students, was interesting, al
though very few of the drawings were beautiful.
They were brought from English, French, Ger
man and Belgian schools, and showed the diff
ferent methods of instruction in these countries,
as well as the progress made by the pupils The
English school aims at accurate outlines, and
perfection of detail; the French at breadth
effectiveness and picturesqueness; so the En-
glish use sharp pencils and fine brushes, while
the French work with charcoal and stump. The
German aud Belgian schools try to combine
strength and freedom with delicate finish; and
Mr.. Walter Smith, formerly head-master of the
art school at Leeds, and now superintendent of
drawing schools in Massachusetts, will unite, as
far as possible, in his system of instruction,
the advantages of all the schools. There was
surprising variety in the subjects of these for
eigu drawings; there were studies from the an
tigue heads and human figures; there were draw
ings of flowers, fruit, and animals; there were
landscapes, and all sorts of geomotrical designs
in pencil and in colors; there were copies of ar
chtectural ornaments from simple broad leaves
in q cOrnice, to the wealth Of work lavished on
part Of the Vatican; and there were modern
faces in parts and complete, from an scye or
nose in outline, up to q finished crayon portrait
The bodness of drawing was striking; many
of the copies were poor, but not one OF them
was timid; there was exaggeratiOn in drawing
and in shading, but no shrinking from the
work, and one got kind Of moral, if not of
artistic satisfaction, in looking at the strong,
hearty work of these foreign students.
To-day, Mr.. VIM. Hunts pictures fill the
gallery of DOH & Richards, and will probably
remain on exhibition for some time Many of
them are for sale, and some of them are desira-
bic. There are flower and Landscape drawings,
and good many oil paintings, some marked
unfinished" and Others looking as if they
ought to be marked so. The most attractive
paintings are those OF quaint houses and door
ways, with an old woman or a couple of
children on the steps; they are charming in
color and suggest more than they tell There is
a pretty, unfinished sketch of two little chill
dren coming through on opening in the woods;
the light falls on their white dresses, and they
look like the merest mites fitterng amongst the
tall trees. Along another woodS,road comes a
woman, leading, or led by, pig-a very nice
picture. There are Roman girls with sad faces
and lovely draperv; and Il very striking picture
Of young child, a boy, life size and perfectly
naked. He stands in garden, and holds in one
hand the little white shirt which he has pulled
off, while the other is stretched out for yellow
butterfly which hoyers just out of reach, and
which, with uplifted face he eagerly watches.
The butterfly is bit Of the most brilliant color,
and maryelously heightens the effect of the pic
ture.
The three subjects of most animated discus
sion now are what shall be done with Boston's
insane paupers? Where shall the new court
house be built? and how shall the members of
the Massachusetts, medical society who practice
homeopathy be punished for their hcresies
With regard to the first question, one party de-
mands magnificent new city ASYLUM.
for the iorlorn creatures who have lost
Doth their means Of support and their
minds, and another party led by Dr.
Howe, advocates sending them to the state asy-
lums. The correspondence between DIR. Howe
and Mr.. Bradley has been very sharp Mr.
Bradley lost both his argument and his temper:
saying, "Mr. Bradley so far forgets himself as a
gentleman as TO call me an ignoramus aud a
liar, because &C." Mr.. Bradley is president of
the board Of directors of public institutions, and
they, with one shining exception, desire to build
an asylum at Winthrop. DR.. Howe is chair
man Of the board Of state charities, and, at
present, is master of the situation. Whether
Mr. Bradley will recover from bis defeat and re-
new the contest, remains TO be seen
The second question interests lawyers, bust.
ness men. and everybody whose houses or whose
neighbors are threatened with removal to make
| place for the new court house. Mt. Vernon
street has einphatically protested against inya-
sion by the ety authorities, and report saws the
protest has been effective So that is safe but
no other part Of Beacon hill is; score of plans
are under discussion, aud it is impossible TO tell
which viii be adopted; what nice houses will he
torn down, or what contented families uprooted
and tossed into the city whirl, TO find other
abiding places if they can.
AS to the third matter there is some doubt
The homeopathic members were summoned by