Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-10-28


of yard from tip to tip.
There was rockery fro m Chilli
formed of huge blocks of Alabas-
ter, copper and silver ore, quartz,
dc. From Mexico there were huge
slabs of the exquisitely beautiful
onyx and a great round piece Of
melted silver two yards in diam
eter, and quarter of an inch
thick, worth $4,000
From Victoria land | saw mug
get Of gold worth $3i, 1000.
China and Japan excel ali other
nations for exquisite carving in
wood and ivory. | noticed here,
chess men in ivory marked $500,
and Chinese Pagoda three feet
high, Of the finest carving that can
be conceived also a bedstead Of
carved wood and silk hangings
marked $4,000 The schina-ware
and crepe shawls, many marked
"soldn are superb. / saw from tho
New York firm OF "Marcus and
Starr" a sett of diamonds, COM
posed of necklace butterfly for the
hair, earrings and breast pin,
worth $4,000, and one dia-
mond not SET, as large as an
ordinary sized chestnut for $40. 900.
A Boston firm had superb furni-
ture, and amongst other things an
ebony cabinets price, SIS, 600.
The departments for cut glass
reminded one of Calypso's grotto,
or some fairy palace, and from all
the magnificence and splendor, it
was really refreshing 10 come upon
the rough stone cross in one of the
aisles with the water trickling
down the sides, and rude cup OF
iron on wood fastened to it, and
above the cross the inscription.
"Ho! every one that thirs.eth !!
Come and drink" / loved also for
a few minutes to steal away to one
quiet little corner, abont Is feet
square, where from the Bahama
and other islands of the West In
dies were arranged in lovely SIM
plicity the most exquisitely beau
tiful sea shells.
How canI describe my sensations
of bewilderment and amazement
on first going through this Lady,
rinth. There are here on exhibit
ton 5000 oil paintings, and more
than 1000 pieces of sculpture.
Where SO many things are beauti-
full, and each SO different from the
other, how can one decide in what
that property, which they all pos
seSs in common-namely beauty
| consists.
Having spent two hours in row.
| ing round from one scene of beau
ty to another, and gaining nothing
whatever, only feeling more and
more each minute a hopeless sort
of despair of ever being able to i'm
press upon my mind anything
really great and good from this
enchanted palace, / sat quietly
down to collect my thoughts. /
called to my aid all that / had ever
read, and all the theories that /
had ever heard advanced on the
the subject of Aesthetics, or the
science of the beautiful. My idea,
land have gotten it from Cousin,
Reid, and several other authori-
ties), is, that true beauty consists
ia expression. Nothing is beauti-
ful which is not expressive of some
mental or moral attribute or quail
ity.
So, fortified by a little quiet re-
Election, and armed with all my
preconceived ideas of the true and
the beautiful, / set to work as the
phrase is now, to "do' the collec-
ton of paintings from the Royal
Art Gallery Of England. Many Of
these are of great value, having
been sent by the Queen from Wind
sor Castle,
One is at once attracted by the
immense crowd which is always
thronging one aisle. You will
find that it is the Marriage of the
Prince Of Wales" to the Princess
Alexandra, eldest daughter of the
King of Denmark, which is draw
ing such numbers of spectators.
This picture was lent by Queen
Victoria, the insurance upon it be-
ing $4,000. AS many, perhaps,
as thirty of the greatest celebrities
present at the ceremony, are rep
resented in this painting, and the
Queen has pronounced the like
nesses all good.
The bride is frank, charming
and fresh looking, though rot so
lovely as her sister the Princess
Dagmar, who is now the wife of
the eldest son and heir OF the
Rus sian Emperor; a handsome
young man apparently of twenty
five years.
The face of the Qveen as seen in
the gallery, looks old and care
worn. The Arch Bishop of Can
terbury, who is reading the mar