The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-12-23
iFHr the Dispaich.l
~ Evening with the Valentine Brc-
shpYG

Goldsmith. and Scott, and Johnson. and II
Ao,t Of other kindred spirits, of different
diIe hut of equal or more exalted worth. by
li.tuc OF the qualifications with which na-
,urt had endowed them for shining in some
dau3rmrut Of the fine arts. did more 10 iul-
Ig4r, character and tone TO English society
iuan al other agencies combined save that OF
the pupit And 30 IL is that in proportion
- the love Of people for such refining in.
lucnces arc they elevated in the scale of mo-
raj and intellectual grandeur. Britain has
been especially best in this respect, and
I'll different epOchS Of her history we OBJ
serve ciSin. Out OF the dark horizon OF
crude civilization some literary or artistic
i!-ht. the swift cOntagiOn of whose geniu-
Infused itself into the masses, and by d..
r.lting the public mind from the grosser in-
iluences Of life directed it into purer and
oiticr channels Of thouyht-to higher ar-
yre"iation of what is true. beautiful, and
good. Nor is il necessary 10 limit ourselves
~ Britain Tor illustrations OF the truth OF
oGf observations. In our own America
loung. progressive, lurrying on in the ma
i'tiaj development Of her vast and varied
l'-ources-we yet have our authors, our
Ip't>, oar historians, our painters, our
-tuIptorS. And what name among the lat
t'r class shines more conspicuously than that
4 our own gifted Valentine. Passing
through the portals of his studio we
sand in wonder and admiration before
the products of mis- genius, whether mani
tested in his grand and impressive ideal
,rcation Of the Thief upon the Cross" or
the genial portrait Of Uncle Henry" or
the more sublime spectacle Of the great
Confederate chieftain in repose. Leaving
these subjects Of interest and study,
Ne find ourseIf seated in the domes-
Tic circle of these brothers, amid "a
feast Of reason and flow of SOUL"
Here we visit in spirit the great museums
and galleries of continental Europe. We
see the great Raphael as he stood before the
t1Sc work Of his master hand, 1.-THE Trans
1guration =; or Titan, with his graceful
touches and exquisite coloripg; or Guido
Rcni. a. he sat in the prison of Corte Sayella,
dsIincating tue features of the beautiful
iut unfortunate Beatrice. Passing from
these, We are edited by another style OF
entertainment in listening to the readings
OF the cider Valentine. Dickens wrote and
Dickens read. We didn't hear Lin read,
hut we heard that he did read, and some
people were disappointed. But we have in
William Valentine reader whose elOcution-
ary and histrionic powers are capable Of eu.
listing the feelings and interest of the audi
tor to no ordinary degree. The character of
his selections exhibits all the evidences OF
the most cultivated taste; and the versatility
of his talent, ranging through all the grada.
IONS.
:" From grave 10 gay,
From lively 10 severe
must enable him to please the most fasti-
dious auditory. Who could listen to the
touching pathos with which he reads Of
llianutha and the death Of poor Minniehaha /;
-, too, of Paul Dombey, without deep emo
iipn: Again we see in all its nakedness the
calculating ayaricc OF Shylock, in the Mer.
chant Of Venice; or laugh at the facetious
description OF "Our Guide in Genoa"
10y Mak Twain or are conyulsed by
The comic but truthful picture of the Vir-
cinia negro in "The Chicken on the Brain"
Mir. Valentine is Il man Of no ordinary pow
"is as reader, and though we have referred
/" but few Of his selections as evidences Of
h's merits, we hope that be may be induced
to appear frequently before the public IN
Tins interest iDy 7S!e j. l.. I.