Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-02-03

npld l.ggjnpn sht a. allow rom
Nv esal nnd calm consideration
fLs trsllr-s spirit NJ prngrcss Ia ~,
llcs 10 favor tie cultivation OfdnlrI
contemplation. We vjHl,. Ia hnv,
th'nfs ldnr, rather tho ~ cUnuid
W how they ought l0he done. And
Ma bvLgg ggsglus ~ safely over !
stream, We nrc IN too much Uf I
hurry 10 give any time to cxamin,
whether or not II will answer III,
purpose 0f tho next conner. WhcI
She crush comes We nrr not even
surprised, but do u little in III,
rig I . Q indign, d N II, o -ur, that
hclng cheap, AhowSanb. nuiSy, jus
suits our nntDfal tnstcs--and con
tinuc Nv ~ ~ sSmc has,y, eytruv
ugani why. manifest not only IN
bridge building, but in every do
fs,Hmci of human industry aud
The ught. We build our houses 81
green lumocr that shlinlis in dry
weather aud Swclls IN wet, aud
twists aud warps so ,hat oug cell
ings Crack and .al aud our windows
.yat.le and our doors stick, and we
tkmaMte little gaycly and call il
c"mioRt. Were IL net for tobacco
the men would become in,olcrable;
and werc il not for gossip, the wo.
men would succomb. Neither will
the coming wan smoke nor the com
ing WQmun talk scandal, for in the
beautiful future the evils for which
ugsc are remedies will no longer ex.
.ist.-
The weak condition ofart among
- but illustrates the sapie tyglL.
Wo are too dcsiroGa.Q Of show, and
care too little for actual worth
Our picture dealers could tell US, is
they would, how much. Creator bu.
sinessth do in framca than in
pictures. Hence tho preference for
the cromo and tho Autograph over
the painting and limo engraving.
We dOaak very much neither the
great multiplication of cheap imitu.
lions of oil paintings has done any
veal service TO true art. No matter
how clcvcrly the imitation may be
done the soul Of the artist is lack.
ing, and only the masters hand can
place that upon tho canvass. Tho
pl0Ge exact the counterfeit the great.
~. harm is done to the aesthetic
taste OF the community; for it rcnd.
crs persons satisfied with inferior
work, and deadcns their suscepli-
bility to respond to the finer works
pfgenius. The old fashioned, gau.
dy Autograph, inasmuch as it rarely
ever Ia led to shock every bchoIdcr,
MAS far less dangerous to the growth
snd cEaturc Of art. Bat 80 fur has
this Eqcklsss desire to produce an
e!fsGl been carried that many of the
rromas arc now printed upon paper
prepared to initiate canvas, violating
thy very first principles of art and
i>fronting nsatthe very outset with
Shameless lie. But they arc so
cheap, and so pretty, and SO highly
recommended tina. we do not nope
TO prevent their becoming as thick
and plentiful, and not near ms useful
y autumn leaves. Cheap because
hey are soulless; pretty with IL
and weak Stiffness,
md indorsed by no true artist, they
will satisfy many because the pub
ic taste is low and led by tho &c
who, like Harriet Beecher Stowe,
lawing achieved a certain emincnce
u sgrnc departments of literature,
:omplacehtly give advice, upon
hings that they arc utterly incom.
ctent to pass judgment p1on.
This readiness TO turn ones hand
% anything is Of wonderful service
n settling Il new county, and in
a wilderness; but when
t becomes time to cultivate the hu-
and foster. the. arts, we
nusa look for guidance, not to hap
,azard or interested leaders, whose
hef merit is loud. tong ued volubili-
y, but TO those who haze made
heso things a study, and who haze
erved their TING under acknowl.
dyed masters.
Not every man who thumbs II
nlettc or chips away on marble
= q. painter or sculptor; though
Inc daubs upon oblonS canvuses in
If public nails, and the hideous
in stone called statues,
If which it can only be said that
most of them are as ugly and awk.
ward ny 'thc heroes they stand for,
Int arc to be seen in many promi
lent places, would make it seem
hat bright paints and paper cap
re sufficient to gull even Congress
onal comWjttees
As foN literary criticism, there is
Ioihing in tho whole country that q
eserycs to be called by that name. t
he real critics in America can bc |
ountcd on ones fingers, and none q
{ them live west of the Hudson i
here is n certain reckless Philslin.
'm that exposes itself everywhere, s
nd bustows its awless and indis. Il
riminate blame and praise with
ary profusion. But, as for there =
eng any deep culture brought to t
ear upon this department, or any
of analysis proceeding il
y fixed laws, to test the value OF
terary productions, that is rs pn.
,oked. for as it would be unapprc-
lated. One will find here, also,
littering and cheap ornamenta'ion,
great ainount ofsensational tricks,
nd plenty of absurd and extrava- a
WIT assertion, but little that is sol t,
and enduring. We have no lit. t;
rary standard, and few to Apply v
if We had. Still, we have end il
IS conctit, and no man hesitate, d
} blow bis. own trumpet; the result "
a furious din ofcmpty brass from o
1e end of The cou.try TO the other, 81
ut no harmony of thought or ex. I