Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1876-01-13
OUR SAN FRANCISCO LETTER.
SAN Francisco, Jan. 10.

ABOUT. InlS STedt eveDt tOOk pldCc
on Sunday the 9th, and 80 startled
the inhabitants that they hardly be-
lieved it. 1t has been wet, cold and
miserable all the week, and has
caused depression and gloom gener-
ally to pervade the otherwise dis
agreeable atmosphere.
We have had an artists reception
at the art rooms, and feeble attempt
to give the idea of something distin-
guished in talent among US, but it
was rather failure. The night was
stormy and few carriages and
lukewarm was the result. 1t is not
possible to greatly compliment the
pictures when but few new ones,
and those of doubtful quality, are
only added to our art possessions.
Critics know nothing as to the value
of a picture until they have been cul-
tivated, and our critics have about
as much education in that way as
the masses Of the people, which is
literally none at all. 1t is hardly
worth while to get out of humor
about it; but the critics have handled
so roughly private collections of pic
lures, which have been kindly loaned
from time to time to show off our art
treasures, and have given their own
ers so little credit for good judgment
in their purchase, they have declined
to allow their pictures to come any
longer before the public. We are
not artistic as a people; we have
neither education nor experience in
this respect to assist us, and while
the attempt to introduce art among
us is laudable, the encouragement OF
talent is so slight it would hardly
pay to make much attempt at it, I'M
less from within is fire and zeal suf-
ficient to keep the lamp burning
without any help from popular flame
But we can't help it, it is almost a
misfortune in the present era of Cali
fornia life, to be too much cultivated;
and poor young America, quick to
recognize the deficiencies around it,
and wont to supply itself with fabu-
lum more suggestive of animal COM
fort, is not going to be waxed into
artistic culture without more help
from the outside than what the Art
Union, as it at present exists, has got
to offer. II may be some genius will
yet be developed through its efforts,
but as genius springs generally from
poverty, and only wealthy or at least
a competence can command the beDe-
fits of the school of design, such as
they are, it will be rather wonderful
if anything much ever comes out of
it. If the school of design could be
established as it is in some of our
eastern cities, 5 II public free resort
of instruction, il might be of use, but
as it is to-day, and under the direc-
ton of only one teacher, it can hard
ly yield sufficient fruit of instruction,
even at high price to be of much.
The Oratorio of the Messiah, given
by the Handel and Hayden society,
at Platt's Hall, was another attempt
of the week at artistic culture. 1t
gave satisfaction to the audience and
to the press, consequently was sue
cess, but the prima donna of the
Handel and Hayden ought to be get
ting passe, if time has anything to
do with it, but once established as a
favorite with Californian public is
to be always established, even at
eighty prima donna, if she can
make any noise at all, would likely
hold her own and find appreciative
and sympathetic audiences. Not so
with IA stronger or new aspirant tor
favor. 1t is favoriteism which makes
the mare go in California, and favor
iteism has got to be established by a
persevering indulgence of the indif-
ference of the crowd until by per-
severence, their inertia is overcome
and they begil to realize, and the as
pirant fultis.
The Chronicle made an onslaught
upon the Protestants Orphan Asy-
lum this week. Now this institution
is intensely respectable; nobody more
50, and to attempt to throw that off
its base is piece of daring hardly to
he conceived. A child was placed
in that establishment and cruelty
nal treated according to this au-
thority. 1t had black and blue
marks as if from whipping upon its
body. and died in short time after
its release from prosecuting benevo-
lence which was glad to get rid of it.
The facts as stated by the authorities
are these: A miserable little waif
was brought into the establishment
through the influence of one of its
patrons. 1t was dirty, sick and rag
ged, and after taking its bath, the
nurse, upon different parts Of its
body found discolored spots which
she attributed as possibly the effects
of the disease under which it seemed
to he laboring. 1t was too sick to
admit of chastisement even if it de-