, 1876-01-16
ARTISTS AND THE LITERARY CLU3.
PAPER De DR.. pOWEE5.

| The Chirago Literary Club at stated times re-
| ceiyes Anonymous articles from members, Whsch
are colloc.ad into Paper" aud read by au
editor appointed for tho purpose. The follow
Ing nrticle formed part OF papor edited by DR..
Powers:
Upon tAe nom{ns:icn laat Eer Of gentleman, then
resident iu tho city, for membership CT tho Literary
Club question was asEed waisn aacesea M e. upon us y
the nriety which has "a important bearing upon as
iutu:e composition. The "paper" offers 1uiater
plac3 for observations upon tho gubject than
disc u.son upon tho ainesto1: Of particular men,
ber TIE nominee referred to YVES 81 artist; and the
qH estiou asked ~as. " whether he WAS literary man
:owsyer interesting general subject Of 1u4uryl
Las any relevancy 10 InemueEslp Of the Club.
The constitution carefully ab;tans from say
uiac members leaving tho matter entrcly to the in
mediate Judgment Of the Club: end whateS;r 1nfor-
,,atson Is to dcdred from tho formal articles re-
spcctng the quality OF tho membership is contaiue1
III Art upon tho ubjcct Of the Club, and Sec. OF
Art. ) upon tho qualifications Of honorary neinbsra
sal; be literary and estl,etio eutnre." Sec. t. Art.
Ill., is sshonorary members aI,a bc petsons elnneut
in literature ait. They shall ta ecctcI Lille other
members, hut slal be exempt" etc. is fair infer
.ncc from these passages as vel as police perfectly
understood and entertained At the founding Of tue
society. that es:hec a.tatie cultivation, equally
With ljieraay cultivation, should prepare Eeraun
> man, WHO is well known TO be .
EooA
possessed decided literary taste, is moro pertinent
j,lsn il would he to ask whether person OF ackoow
edged literary standing lada taste for tho tne arts
It MAY Be- however, that tho inquiry WAS meant to
c objected 10 the intellectual rather thc the literary
= iesit1nnte auoje:i ol Investigation. And the Club
Tia 1asze tue distinction lewesn intellectual ability
things aud though often Joined, fer from being e4uis-
1lcnt to each oshsl.
It is indeed truo tlas there Is scattered
among our regular literary mon .. cl:ss who
are among tho most End incapable Of tie coa-
unity, while tho other hand some OF our business
1en and Of ea1rs tns must acute and power-
full minded aud the most desirable ior Gsspc:ates.
The education Of special pnrsnito ana experience OF
life often amounts to higher cultivation tAa'' aa tr-
rived from bo3ss Tie Literary Club his ehossn the
path OF hternture and pstietes. Let It's sra ell tha
f:cadt. that that es US, and not 1nagniiy tho one
Mr. pillip GIlert Henacrton artist and 1.tccatcu-,
wrote rcnly to . ststailont that certain painter
halfeducaed which Is doubtless familiar to many
the Club, but will bear tepe=tin IN this connc:toa
Il uegiu to understand wiiat you mem bJ . h,i-
educated person. You meas. person who
is ony half qualified to teach i, grammar.
friend. the painter POSSESSES uotai1.y beyond usc7
soe fraction OF education. And ger lie has picked up
caI requirement Of glost diilcu. profession. Lie
studied TWO years IN Paris, md four years in
Florence and Romo. lie speaks French and Italian
Ills knowledge of those two languages Is compaablJ
,ors compiled, in tho Of practical rossasstoa.
than or foe<tlizod knoH1sige Of Latin aud he ro:s
out .raus!a.:ns. lie has the heartest enjosmcnz Of
good literature; there is evidence in l;a pictures OF
intelligent sympathy with the greatest inventive
writer's. Without haviDg scientific uaturu h knows
great deal 1nous anatomy. We las not read ars:ci
poetry, but he las studied tho old Greek mind in Its
architecture sud sculpture. Nature has aso endowed
him with u just appreciation OF musir, and Ea |
known tho immortal masterpieces Of tic |
most ilustrlous composers. AL these things |
would not qualify htHa to teach aud
yet what Grtek Of the ago Of psrieles ever knew h1f
so much? This for tho acquisition Of knowledge; |
now for tho Development Of facuy. In this respect
ekcels performing athletes excel the eoie in
the ere.ta. Consider ths marvellous 1ecuruy Of his
eyes, the precision Of his baud, tho coe=ncss his
obserSatcn, the yigor Of Ills memory aud invention!
surely II the rcsuIs Of education mag lie !
estimated from tho evidences OF skill h.re are scr.e
of the nloat wonderful Of such results"
Tus Is plea for the admission OF all srtiss to
tho Literary Club; not remonst7auce sgatns: the
OF all artists from it, lie: them be weighed
iEs persous in literary pussuis-oJ their personal
end utlil:ky.