, 1873-02-02

| ~"N~f5 ~s0A 4kA ~ NoAAA w A*oH
York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, or any othe1
American city. Should the gale be from the
north and the fire get we'll started sonth of. the
Central Park, the consequences to New York
would be terrible beyond description.
But cur object in this article is to direct At
tention to some means by which the treasures o1
art and literature may be preserved The value
Of those treasures may be inferred from single
| collection. It viii DO remembered that the
American Consul has, for several years, been
making collections Of archaeology and ancient art
in the Island Of Cyprus. The Museum Of Art in
the City Of New York has recently purchased the
| collection. OF it the New York Euening Post
says:
+ It has been formed during tbs past pears by
General D1 Cesnol Consul at Cyprus, that focus
OF ancient civilization and meeungplaco Of races
where Greece received through Phenica the arts and
civilization Of Egypt Assyria, and 0haldea. 1t con-
sists Of ten thousand examples Of ancient ar and
workmanship tn sculpture, pottery, glass; bronzes,
coins, jewery of gold and e1lrer gens and engraved
stones. 1t il also rich in Greek, Phnican, and cyp
riots inscriptions.
After ls sae to America there appeared in the lead
ing Journals Of London, where the collection has been
exhibited, such comments these: "Much Of the
hypothetical account Of tho progress Of sculpture
must be remode1ed." "Aa q collection representing
ancient art and manufacture, nothing Like 1t haa
been seen." "An immense and surprising collection
Of every variety Of objects which people Of IN NJ
cent accustomed either to dedicate in their
temples bury with their dead" !" No collection Of
An equal numbez Of sculptures surpasses them In
Hquar1an interest,"" Eye2y serious axchaologlst Of
Europe Will hencefo-th have inevitably to tho At
lanttc In pursuit Of this collection" "The inscp-
lions are the key to civilization"
b It is sad to to think that what the rnyaees Of
centuries have saved to instruct us in the ciyli-
cation Of tho past may be destroyed by some
1oafer throwing the match he has just applied to
his pipe into some combustible corner of his
den.
Hence, we insist that libraries like tho Astor
and buildings containing art and other treasures
should be strictly fre-proof. Second, that they
should stand in parks Or On very large lots Of
ground where tornado Of fire could not reach |
them. II such treasures arc to be preserved at |
all in this country, these conditions must be full
filed In the cities Of Europe, library and art |
buildings ATE safe from generation to genera |
don right in the midst Of the business, or it may
be the residence centres for tho reason that 90 |
little combustible material is used in tho con-
struction OF buildings there, that it is about
impossible for fire Like that Of Boston |
OF Chicago to occur. As an illustration, General
Post our Consul Mt Vienna, informed Us, re-
Gently, that fire occurred On the ground floor Of
the building in which he resides. Hc had COM
pany at tho time, to dinner, and, hearing CON-
motion in the street, he and his guests
looked ont Of the window, saw where the fire
VAS, and then returned quietly to their table,
satisfied that they were entirely safo in doing.
In our American cities all is different, and we
insist that If our people mean that their art,
md other treasures shall benefit fu-
ture generations, they must place them in thor
oughly dre-proof buildings, on largo blocks OF
ground, or in public parks. Wo need only cite
the old City Post Office the First National Bank,
the Land Department Of the Illinois Central
Railway. the Historical Society, and TEE Ta1B-
UxE Building, to convince our own citizens, ut
least, that such precautions are an absolute ne
.essity.