Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-06-10

historical criticism into ages more and
more distant, until its very existence
becomes doubtful.
Touchingthen upon the futile Iabors
of the Antiquary who shuts his eyes
to the present and future in his blind
devotion TO the past he next passes
in review some of the popular idols
who lived in the past ages, such as
Socrates who was described in his own
time as an infdel, coarse in his habits
and rude of speech. whom no refined
gentleman could ask home to dinner
Cincinnatus an illiterate clown; Robin
Hood, common cut-throat and high
wayman. &c. &C., and contrasted with
that the actual treatment of men equal
ly meritorious IN the present day, ex-
planning that in existing great men we
come in contact with the real which
always comprises something offensive,
while in contemplating men of the
past everything is Withdrawn from our
contemplation except the ideal-which
soon becomes the mythic. His prac-
teal inference was that those who keep
their eyes open can always find men
to follow and work to do bearing on
the future, and exhorted his hearers
to let the dead bury its dead and work
for the living and those who shall live
hereafter.
Of course this sketch does feeble
justice to the flood of historical illustra-
tons thrown upon the subject by the
preacher, whose exhortation was not
to dwell regretfully upon fancied
golden age in the past, but to each do
his part towards establishing one in
the future.
MONDAY EVENING-THE ART LEVEE.
Our gas works are in transition
state, between one administration and
another. (as we hope our federal gov
eminent is) and inconvenience result
during such transitions in all cases.
The result on Monday night was that
the works of art on the walls were
very nearly invisible, their more deli
cate beauties being altogether wasted
in the twilight. Young GAINESVILLE re-
conciled himself to the condition of
things in his Characteristic way, he
took his sweetheart on his arm and
promenaded the halls, evidently pre-
ferring the beauties of nature to those
of art. Some of the younger ones in
dulged in fairy frolics by moonlight on
the lawn, and some older ones again
told their tale to single auditresses in
sequestered glades "by moonlight
alone" Everybody was perfectly hap
py but the paintings and drawings
must remain unrecorded unless we can
secure daylight inspection during the
week.
Since writing the above, we have
been favored with private view of
the objects of art by day light under
the competent guidance of Miss Blunt,
the art teacher of the Academy. Our
most respectful acknowledgements are
due for the courtesy and patience with
which that accomplished young lady
facilitated our examination.
We marked on the catalogue many
interesting works hoping to make
special notes on them separately. Alas
we found we had undertaken more
than we could carry out, for when we
examined our catalogue in the quiet
of our sanctum, we found that our
memory was swimming in an undis-
tinguishable whirl of flowers, figures
and landscape in pencil, crayon, water
colors and oil in which individual
merit was almost lost sight of. Per-
haps it is better, for we are satisfied
that our memoranda excluded many as
good as those included and special
mention would have done injustice to
many of the unmentioned. We will,
however, say in general terms that first
place seemed to us assignable to Miss
Agnes Smith for works in almost'every
department, crayons, oils and water
colors, many of them painted from the
round and from nature. Especially
meritorious, though on a small scale,
were Nos. 143 and IA, studies of flow
ers and fruit from MISUNDERSTANDING
more talent than much more elaborate
works. As exhibiting exceptional
talents we must not omit two works
Zone of them unfnished) by Miss M.
Thomas. These were Nos. 80 and SO,
exhibiting a vigor and discrimination
of touch such as to cause regret that
the young lady did not remain long
enough to leave us more specimens of
her art. We can after this only enum-
crate some of the pictures marked as
meritorious above the average. Por-
traits in Crayon-Misses M. Hill, AZ
Smith and M. Flewellyn. Crayon
Figures, &e.-Misses M. Flewellyn, L.
Winston, L. Meriwether, L. Layne
and A. Parrish. Crayons from the
round-Misses L. Caldwell, NJ, Flew
ellyn and L. Winston. Figures, &c.
in oil-Misses A. Smith, M. Thomas
and L. Caldwell. Landscapes in oil
Misses A. Smith, NJ. Hill and M.
Muir. Studies in water colors and
India ink-Misses A. Smith, L. Drane
and l.. Meriwether.
We can only repeat our caution, that
our readers must imagine large Omis-
sions of other works equally merito-
rious,
TUESDAY NIGHT-THE CONCERT.
The annual concert at the Academy
is always looked for by musical people |
with pleasurable anticipation, nor in
deed are the musical people the only |
persons attracted, for the fair vocalists
possess attractions easily appreciated
by hundreds who are far from con-
noiseurs in music. In musical point !
of view the audience felt severely the |
loss of Miss Halls singing, protracted |
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