The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-11

land this winter was given last evening at
Baxter hall. 1t was in several respects an
important event for our village. The lee
ture was the Inauguration of course of
six fine art lectures it was the dedication
to the public of the beautiful Baxter hall
and last, but an svent of no small import
ance, the net proceeds are to form the
nucleus of a fund for much needed free
public library. The mild weather and
moonlight night was suspicious, and the
hall was we'll filed, not less than
three hundred persons being present.
1t is appropriate that, on this opening occa-
sion, we give those of or readers not able
to be present
a DESCRIPTION OF TIE HALL.
Baxter hall occupies tn e third floor over
the Baxter National bank. The size of
the room is A feet wide by 0S feet long
and 2j feet in height. Its entrance is by a
broad flight of stairs, introducing the visit
ssistss - st.s. ....ssi. st.ie of tho
hall, and under the balcony, which serves
by making the entrance less abrupt to de-
stroy the unpleasant features such en-
frances usually have. The floor, after
taking one end of the hall for platform,
gives room for four hundred chairs, and
leaves, also, broad isles for the movement
of the audience. A graceful balcony,
eight feet wide and fifty feet long, is sus-
pended midway the north side of the hall,
furnishing an excellent place for an orches-
ira. The audience face the east end across
which q movable platform, thirteen feet
on three sides by day with four
teen windows-these have hapgings of
ultamarine blue,-and by night with two
magnificent eighteen-light gilded chan
delers, having twelve sub lights under
poygonal corrugated reflector. There
are besides bracket lights in pairs on the
balcony and at the ends of the hall. The
frescoing is very beautiful in neutral tints
of pale blue, chocolate, cream, etc. The
walls are paueled, while the ceiling is laid
out with handsome center piece. On the
wall at the rear of the platform is figure
of the Goddess of Liberty, a buXom bru-
nette standing on sunlit clouds, in the act
of advancing, holding in her right hand
30 scroll with the words commerce, industry,
arts, and in her elevated left hand the
American standard, the folds of which
floating down behind her form drapery
and background for the superb figure-the
Goddess of robust America.
The audience that assembled last even
ing has rarely been equalled in respectable
ity and culture, in Rutland, and indicates
that our leading citizens appreciate the dis
cussion of those higher topics which in
struct and cultivate. At s o'clock Mr.
Phelps stepped forward, and without intro
duction, began his lecture. He spoke
with that grace and ease which char
acterize all his public utterances. His
thoughts were clothed in the chaste dictlon
and elegance of expression that at once at
tracts the attention, pleases and edu-
Gates. The combinations of light and
shade running through the lecture, formed
n picture of elegance and reiineuent, and
entranced the listener. The lecturer met
the most sanguine expectation of his
friends and admirers, and at the close was
greeted with hearty applause. We give a
full abstract of
MIR. PHELPS LECTURE.
Mr Phelps subject was "The Cultivation
of the Eye" The artistic sense, he said,
that by which We appreciate and enjoy the
beautiful in nature and art, is an acquire
ment Of the mind. 1t can not exist in the
idiot. But it must be obtained through the
medium of the sight, and must largely de-
pend on what may be called training of the
eye in perceptiye power. Two persons
look at great statue. Both see il distinct
ly, and perceive that it is block of marble
finished in human form. One sees little
more than that and goes on his way with
small increase of enjoyment or instruction.
The other sees fidelity to nature, harmony
of outline, grace and beauty; and some
thing beyond. He sees the sculptor's IDEAL
The pulses of his heart are moved, and
perhaps some great word or deed, slumber-
ing in his memory, awakened. The sight
has been 10 him like the reading of beau
tiful poem, and its remembrance remains a
perpetual benediciion. The difference be-
tween the two is in the artistic sense.
How, the lecturer proceeded to inquire
can this sense and training be attained ?
The germ of it exists in all men. but in
many it lies forever dormant. For them
sculptors and architects toll in vain, and to
them the beauties of nature are unreyealed.
1t cannot be obtained by reading. 1t is TO
be gained-first, by familiarity with correct
and beautiful examples of art, and second,
by the habit of comparing and analyzing
the artistic effects the eye has learned to |
observe. These methods were dwelt on |
and elaborated. The result of familiarity |
with works OF art is always progressive. |
rlro ga l., IL. =
1ects of Nature, commonly disappoint at |
first sight. Most Of the visitors TO the |
LOuore, are doubtless more impressed by |
the modern paintings, than by the works
OF the masters and go away, not to re- |
turn, with the thought that the Titians |
and Raphaels and Correggios are admired |
because it is the fashion to praise and ad- |
mire them. But to the visitor who has |
faith that the excellence he does not see, is |
thsre and who goes again and again, |
there comes, in time, a great light He |
finds that these pictures are like the other |
immortals. We must 90 to their sphere. |
They will not come down to us. The
modern pictures now cease TO satisfy him.
by the side of the old. lie cannot explain |
the difference; but any intelligent man |
who will take time enough can discover it. |
His eye, by unconscious education has |
come TO perceive the marvellous lifelikeness |
and power of the works of the masters.
1t is so, also, with sculpture. The visitor |
TO the gallery of ancient sculptures In the |
British museum, sees and admires outside |
the threshold statue of lady. 1t seems
to him full Of grace and expression. He |
says "lhis is life itself" lie passes on in
to the presence of the great memorials of |
Greek and Roman art, dingy and yellow
with age, and at first interesting only for
their antiquity. But if he fingers long
enough, the miracle of TRANSPORTATION
comes to him. The dingy stone begins to
breathe. He feels the presence of lite
life that was noble enough to desplse life
the perennial life Of Athens and Rome. He
passes out and the lady at the door is dead. |
His eve has gained an education il never |