The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1876-08-10
OUR CENTENNIAL LETTER.
PHILADELPHIA, July 81, 1876.

TEACHING FOR YOUNG AND OLD-
Cool wEATuER-EN ENGLISH AND GER.
MAN-ART-CoNsTANT MEYER
/ SIR JOHN OpIE- HANNAH MORE
TORNER-RoMANoE OF RUSSIAN
PRINCE.
The moro | contemplate the won
ders of this Exhibition, the more it
fills me with admiration, as it unfolds
itself like grand scroll upon whose
wonderous pages are concentrated the
universal wisdom and knowledge of
tho world. Art, science, philosophy,
aesthetics, mechanics, history, all are
represented here; DO such opportuni,
ty for education will occur again up,
on this continent in the life of any
living American, and when l say ed
ucation | mean education in its
broadest and grandest sense. A man
may read books for q lifetime, and
noror be q scholar. He may have
tho musty lore OF hundred colleges
stuffed into him, and have his pock-
cts crammed with parchments that
testify to his being an ABB, LID,
and ASS, and yet for all practical
purposes of life he may go through
the world like fool; but, put all or
dinary fool inside these centennial
grounds, and you would mako q tol-
crably sensible man OF him in spite
oi himself. The thermometer at 75o.
splendid days and glorious nights
bringing back the elasticity and vi
iality Of youth, and furnishing the
critics of art with intellectual muscle
to glapple with all the touch subjects
IN the exciting arena Of aesthetics.
stand beneath the grand dome of the
Art Gallery once more, and running
the gauntlets Of statuary and paint
ings. | hasten to little room Oh the
north side of the building which is fiji
led with priceless and inestimablc
treasures. Don't rush in here as
though you were going into q barn
yard, but step reverendly and softly:
yes, and remove the sandals from
your feet for tie ground is almost
holy that you tread upon. If it be
possible that the association of sacred
relics can sanctify the dust whereon
we stand, then is this place holy.
This is the collection of ancient gems
and relics by Costillana, OF Italy,
Grand in past association, rich in
historic lore; nothing before you is
modern, everything is covered with
the mould, the dust and CRIME Of
countless centuries; the record ends
five hundred years after the birth of
Christ, but its beginning runs back
into the very twilight of time.
Here are rude stone rings and pre-
cious amulots, that might have been
worn by mighty chcftains ere Tubal
Cain fashioned his first ornaments OF
brass. How many ages since these
imperial aigncts carried the weight
OF the kings namo to invading armies
respited or destroyed the conquered
legions of the onemy, and bore
throughout their vast empires the
power Of lite and death to millions.
Here they are, Aesyrian, Persian,
Egyptian, Greek, and Roman; yes,
and roles Of nations whose very
names are lost, and OF whom history
contains no authentic record.
Marvellous indeed, is the skill ex-
hibited in somo OF the precious gems
carved into stone which will endure
as long rs time shall last. Many of
the faces are Assyrian, some are Per
sian, some are Egyptian, but by far
the greater pars are Greek and Ro-
man. Many of the stones are corne-
liam, q few are agate, some are onyx
but all arc marvels OF art. There
are human figures the eighth of an
inch long, cut in the hardest corne-
liam, and yet with an anatomy as per.
feet as ii scnlptured by the chisel of
| Phidns; animal life is tharo in all iis