New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-02-23
BOSTON.
LITERARY NEWS.


covrtyFp TO SINGLE MOMENTS, WHILE POETRY
cam OVAL WITH SUCCESSIVE ACrloN-IoU CAS-
PAINT A WOMAN BUT You CANNOT DESCRIBE
uTR-TIIE TWO PRETTY GIRLS IN THORPE RkUlS
"A MOST PURE AND BEAUTIFUL NOVEL
lyRon REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBuSh'I
poeroy. Feb. 11.-Among the numerous
works ON art and art criticism bearing the imprint Oh
Roberts Brothers, few are morS valuable 'hsh 'ne
aocoon" OF Gohold Ephraiin LessinG translated py
Nss Frothin CHAM. which they are about 10 puoisn.
Mss Ellen rockingham proved herself an accomplished
s,otor b, her English version OF Goethes" Hermann
end porotbea and this last achievement OF the Lao
COON will amply sustain her welldeseryed reputation
This mastery on the proper limits OF painting anu
noetry war first Published Berlin In 766 when Leasing
was n wears of age In 1883 translation OF was gwen
10 the English public ny L. c. Beasey OF which, how
.ver very few copies found their way America 20
that the book has hitherto been difficult to obtain Tho
new translation by Miss rockingham Is not only NOR
available than old but better and clearer ahe
essay il worthy place in every library, since u VIII
greatly assist any intelligent reader in hs compreheh
zion and criticism both ancient and modern art out
especally II should studied by every poet VINO mas
sory TO tell every sculptor who would make statue
and every painter who would paint picture
Iessipg takee the LAGOON" as his text and title.
nse me urescut tense concerning him advsedly for
though the German art critic died in 1871. almost
eentury ago his thought is potent his influence as
|
which, like leaders OF newspaper are Tor ther own
dav and date; there others which succeeding ages
cannot afford ignores and OF the latter class are TUG
art criticisms Leasing lie is so keen ana 80 earnest
that you think his thoughts again with him, as yon
read; you share his JOY Of discovery, Dis neat anu
triumph OF argument, his zeal for truth.
The LAGOON" as 1 began to say is MS al sd'Jec"
because that wonderful piece sculpture reveals at
once the power aud the limitations OF sueh art whether
sculpture or painting appeal TO the eyes alone
The same story that the sculpors OF Od-iOf IL was s
that at least three engaged upon lt-od III inc
marble group which is Of the noblest remains Oh an
tiauty was also told in the less enduring verse OF
VIRGIL; and LEASING seizes upon the differences in the
telling; and shows how and why these differences
must needs have existed. Winkelmann-of whom Leasing
everywhere speaks with the most admring respect
though he often sharply dssents from mni-has well
said that the chief and universal characteristic OF tho
Greek masterpieces, in painting and sculpture consist
in noble simplicity and quiet grandeur both OF attitude
and EXPRESSION "As the depths OF the sea-, lie says.
"remain always at rest however the SURFACE may DO
agtated so the expression in the figures of the Greeks
reveals the midst OF passion great ana steauIa't
soul such soul depicted in the cOunenance OF the
LAGOON, under suherings the most intense MOI Isl
Denoted in the only: the agony betrayed
in every and muscle,-we almost fancy we eouIu
detect 10 in the painful contraction OF the abdomen
alone without looking at the face and other parts OF the
body-ths agony is vet expressed with no violence IN
Virgil sings his LaocooD This would not be possible
from the opening mouth, which denotes rather an
anxious and oppressed sigh, as described by Sadoe
| Bodily anguish and moral greatness are dihu ed Ia
! equal through the whole structure of the
figure being as il were balanced against each other.
LAGOON SUFFERS but he suffers like the Phlloctees OF
Sophocos. His suIerngs pierce us 20 the souL but we
are tempted envy man his power OF endur
To eIpress noble soUl FAR ouruns the con-
strucuve art natural beauty The artist must have
within himself the mental greatness which he has
| impressed upon his marble"
Having quoted this passage from Winkemann. leasing
proceeds upon it. The idea that suffering
is expressed in the countenance Of the LAGOON
with the violence which anguish intense would lead
to expect indeed just II also true that this very
reserve with which the shallow observer would find
fault Judging artist have thus fallen short Of The
true pathos of suffering, highest proof Of ms
power and wisdom. But If Winkelmann means 10 de-
prcciae virgil there Leasing takes issue with him;
because In the very nature Of things, the method Of
poetry and should be different from that of paint
Ing and sculpture The Phocetes Of sophocles suffers
rather like LAGOON of Virgil than the LAGOON OF
the sculptor. His complaints. his screams, his wild
Impreca filed the camp, thus interruptng all the
Offices Of religion. Is the natural expression OF
bodily pam. HomerS wounded heroes fa with cries 10
the ground Venus screams aloud, at scratch; and
even Mars, feeling the lance or DiomeGes
bellows frghtfully that he fills both armies with
terror However high Homer exalts hs In other
respects above human nature, they remain true TO il in
their sensityeness TO pain ana III the expression of
their feelings by cries, tears, reviugs. We OF
modern times pride ourselves selfcOnrO, and the
repression OF all signs OF emotions But it not
so with old Greeks OF Homer's day. They felt and
feared They expressed their pain and their grief
They ashamed of human weakness yet allowed
hold them back from the pursuit OF honor the
performance OF duty. In the Greek, principle wrought
what savageness and hardness developed ia the bar
barian.
Since then, according to the views OF the ancient
Greeks cries as the expression OF bodily pam
inconsistent with manliness and nobility Of soul the
reason why the artist to represent cry in his
marble, must have been something quite other than
OF the Inconsistency Of such outcry with the
prese Of noble soul This Leasing hns
in loyalty to beauty which, with the anconts,
the very soul of art. There law in Thebes
comma ding the artist make his copies beauti
nl than originals and less under pam OF
punishment. Now there passions whose expression
produces the most hdeous contortons Of the face
throws the body into such unnatural positions
destroy the beautiful lines that mark it in repose. Ac-
cording To the Greek idea these disngurng passions
were legitimate subjects for painting sculpture
Rage and despair dfgured OF the works OF these
old beauty-lovers. Wrath they tempered into severity
and anguish they softeued into When Tmanhes
painted sacrifice OF Iphgania he filed the faces OF
the spectators with sympathetic sadness but the
fathers. on which intense anguish must have been de-
pcted, he discreetly vailed.
Apply this rule LAGOON and at why the
sculptor should have told the tale with more reserve
than the poet. The striving attain the
greatest beauty under the given conditions of bodily
pain Therefore pain must be softened. Screams
reduced TO sghs-not because screams would bejray
weakness but because they would disfgure face.
Imagine LlocoOn's mouth open and judge! But the
poet can tell us Of his fearful shreks great
t.g,r hi