Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-04-15
ST. LOUIS.
The Mercantile Library and tts At
tractiye Features-Growth Of SC.
he

derived to continually increase its contents
aud defray the operating expenses. Owing
to my limited time can speak only Of the
sTATUARY.
There are several fine pieces of life-size
sculpture in Italian marble which is sutf-
cient to demand the attention of all lovers
of the beautiful in art. Among these may
be mentioned the
BEATRICE CENCI,
of Miss Hosmer. It is said the "human
face is sweetest, most beautiful in repose,"
and surely Miss Hosmer's genius was never
more faithful than in the delineation of this
work of art. The face is 80 gentle, so sadly
calm, looking, with its pallor of grief, like a
lake beamed DER with summers moon
light. The woman is reclining on short
prison couch, and the slum-
bers that are hers do not indicate
any struggle between mind and body; the
resignation in faith and the physical ex-
haustion may be detected in the lassitude.
Poor, pitied child of fate, thou s'eepst so
calmly the last of earth's rest ere thy terri
bly, life-wrought agony is eliminated in
death scarcely less dark and woefully
strange! Not only have the Italian writers
of fiction in the then present age of her
sorrows vividly related her story, but its
ever gloomed-iGcidents are found in the
wild, melancholy drama Of Shelley, and in
Guerrazzi's novel. 1t is known that her life
was one of magnificent misery, and even
when condemned to die ANONYMOUSLY, she
was buoyed up by the purity of her own life.
Hope still dwelt in her last, her farewell
vision of earth. When the priest entered
her cell, she was asleep, and DER that pure
face passions gale blew no dsmning-h
OF unrest. What a conception was Miss
n smer's; what exquisite perception Of hu-
man destiny itself portrayed; what a sub
lime sympathy is felt in woTan's speechless
sorrow herel Near the fingers of her re-
fusing grasp is a rosary, her head resting on
her right arm, while the left falls, or rather
''mournfully drOops" over rude block of
stone. This gives a natural attitude of re-
pose, in which every projection is made to
assume grace, the right leg being drawn
up, and under the stretched arm. The
drapery is here gsrnered finely, and not
only is ( the poetic conception
true in its expression of "ths Beautiful, y
but the execution attests the highest order
of artistic genius, symmetry, race and a
picturesque naturalness being uniquely
blended. There is also in the Library an
other of Miss Hosmer's pieces,
GNONE,
whose story, according to the mytholoeisi
Apollodorus, and the Greek novelist Par
thenius, is an episode of unusual interest
in the history of the Trojan seige. Having
married King Priam's son Paris, Of Troy
ere she knew his princely station or royal
identity, and having the gift of prophecy,
she advised him against visiting, as he then
expected, the land of Greece, telling him
however, in the event of bis being wounded
to come to her, since she only could cure
| him. His visit to Greece realized the
worst productions of the nympb; the Tro-
IAN war resulted and Paris was wound
ed. Although maddenedi byi recollection
of his faithless love in having abandoned
| turn for his choice in awarding her the
golden apple), Paris Immediately repaired
| to the Nymph. She, too stung with morti
fication at his Inconsistency refused her de-
vine aid, and Paris died. But woman
like, even in her godful power and her de-
vine nature, she repented most sincerely
| and wildly wept over the tesr-bathed form
of the dead Paris. Her grand nature gave
way beneath the weight of her wee and
the prophetic mind itself with all its mys
terious gifts bound under the speeches.
agony. With one fatal plunge, the death
knife pierced her heart. The statue shows
Gnone in her !speechless grief. ShC
is sitting on her right leg, the left hand sup
porting, and the head dropping to the right
Look on that face Of classic beauty, anC
what purity of sorrow, what illustrative
truth are pictured there! The genius o
Miss Hosmer's execution is again display
ed in the delicately wrought drspery, which
so naturally falls from the lower part of the
body, as it bends over a shepherds crool
grasped by one hand, while the other rest!
| Hsllessly by her side, expressing so touch
ingly the grief the artist has so gracefully
embodied.
THE LIBRARY.
But L have already occupied much o.
your valuable time and had better speak ir
| short terms of other features. The read
ing room of the library is home of charm
| ing silence, its walls being adorned with rart
oil paintings, and along the sides are found
the various leading newspapers published
IN America. Need l say l find on file
| the Nashville UNION AND AMERICAN, only
one other Tennessee pape7, the Memphis
appeal, being received here. Opening into
| this apartment is a chess room and muse
um containing much of interest anC
historic pleasure to the visitor. BuI
IL will not have time to spesl
of the grand paintings, the rare productions
the truly chefs d'@uUreS of artists. Should
any of your readers ever come to st. LouiG
| the library with its varied wealth Of beauty
| literature and novel magnifcence, will be
found the most attractive feature, the most
delightful place in all of st. Louis, the ur.
banjo star of the West. One of the clerk:
in the library tells me that there are 40,O0C
volumes in this institution. Such collec
fion of works, irrespective of the art pro
ductions, the ease, the convenient facilities
for enjoying Otilm cum digaitGte, will great
| ly interest the appreciatiVe stranger.
ST. LOUIS,
| by returns of her last census, just taken
stands as follows in the list of the world:
largest cities: