New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-27
FINE ARTS.
MEETING TONIGHT AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM
PURCHASE OF THE DI CEsNOLA COLLECTION.

MEETING TONIGHT AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM
PURCHASE OF THE DI CEsNOA COLLECTION.
There is to be q meeting tonight at the
Metropolitan Musuem, No 1913 West FOurtoenthst. OF
the subscribers and of all persons In the Fine
Arts, 10 devise ways and for securing the Di
Cesnoa Collection OF Cyprote Antiquities to the Mu
scum 1t is not, perhaps, generally known that this
worldamouS collection is the personal property of the
President of the Museum, Mr.. John Taylor Johnston,
who In the very nick OF tme and when the turn of
hair to settle the question whether the British Mu
the Louvre should have the treasure, stepped
quietly between the rivals paii do gn the money,
&C. and, while they wrotb,
ne bare away the bone beNizt them both"
The CypriOte Antiquities were brought
to this country yeaI ago, and deposited
by Mr. Johnston in the Museum. where having been
admirably arranged by the hands OF Cen ID Ces-
nola himself, they have remained on view, forming In
the eyes OF the learned and of persons the
historical development of Art, the chef attraction OF the
Museum.
Readers of THE TRIBUNE do not need to be told the
value of the ID Cesnoa Collection. The historian, the
arch9Ologst, theYartis the man of leters-nay, the
manufacturer himseh-a interested in II, for 1t
comes home to the business of all Of them Ii there
should be any educated person in auy field who Is igno
rant Of the nature Of the Collection who hcsaes to
take word as to its value would refer him to the
journals OF the learned societies the world over to tho
communications OF the most learned and scholarly
in England France, Germany, Italy and America, who,
without dissenting voice, have declared that great
treasure as this has not been unearthed in modern
times; and If no still doubt we refer him to the Col
lection ITSELF and IL he his eyes well aud his critical
faculty, and DO add his general approval,
we shall have to think Of him heather and
publican.
We do not allow ourselves to believe that there will be
any serious difficulty In getting subscribers make up
the sum necessary for the purchase OF the D CesnOa
Collection There money enough in New-York for all
such enterprises and there is beraty enough but the
difficulty is to bring the money aud the berality to-
gether The men with money too apt to think that
it is only put 10 practical when 1t is building
houses laying rails, stretching telegraph wires or buy
ing up legislators Aud the with liberal ideas, with
taste, the learned, the scientific, wish with
all their hearts that had the OF education that
make OF Europe one great free uniyersity-and alas
must thus far take 1t out in wishing One difficulty
has been that the rich liberal and the poor liberal
men seldom come together TO exchange views. To-
night there is to DO opportunity for such meeting
and earnestly hope 1t may be taken advantage Of
There is intelligence enough among business men
and mO,heIwt enough; let the scholars, the artists,
the cOnnOisseurs appeal TO these with argu
and show them they easily can, that this city
cannot afford lose the Di CesnOa cOllection-cannot
afford to let Boston have it, Philadelphia the Brit
ish Museum, Of which must become its il the
merchants of Newly do not do their duty in the mat
1t TO high time in virtue OF our metropoli
tan brag that we should have something III our city 10
make 1t place worth living in for scholars and cult
waited people. There is no third rate town IN Europe
that is no. better equipped than NewYork i'll the mat
ter OF museums libraries and galleries OF art. In the
Metropolitan Mus of Art have at least credit
able beginning in the Loan COlectOI-,he very Of
which tells us that 1t is not ours. Now let mako
at least effort worthy of city, and with the ID
Cesnola Collection hand lay the cornerstone of
museum that shall deserve to be called metropolitan
RECENT GIFTS TO THE METROPOLITAN MUsEUM-KEN-
sETT AND COLE.
Mr.. Thomas Kensett, the brother of the late
John f. Kensett, has presented to the Metropolitan
Museum tbiry.eght paintings by that distinguished
artist being the work of the last Summer OF his life
Mr. Vincent Coyer also given to the Musuem three
pictures by the late Thomas Cole called "The
Cross and the World" All these pictures will be on ex
hibton at Museum this evening, and 1t Is hoped
that there will be large attendance OF the public All
the collection VIII be lighted.