The Cecil Whig., 1876-05-27
CENTENNIAL CORRESPONDENTS.
PHILADELPHIA, May 24th, lS.d

PHIApElriilA, May S4th, iS.u.
DEAR WHIG:-Aiter wandering for honrs
and hours through galleries filled with paint
ings and Statnary. strange that one picture
should so impress itself upon the mind that
all others are forgotten or but dimly remem-
bered The picture which has SO Impress
me in the Art Gallery, hangs amid the cor
uibutions Of Belgium.
II represents u scene in the destruction of
lercuidneum, a group Of victims fleeing
from The threatened destruction. In the
foreground lies the form of a beautiful
woman: apparently she has sunk down in
a death SwoOn, although the features are
as composed Is though she only slumbered;
her robes arc of richest material: one deli
cate white hand clasps "A half-open box of
costly Jewels, while above her PROSTATE
form bends Il dusky slave: the expression
on her dark face is simply that of curiosity;
she seems to be undecided as to whether
her mistress is dead or asleep. She too
is young and very beautiful
TO the left of these central figures crouches
a withered crone, with scarcely enough
clothing on the body to hide its outlines;
one bony hand is uplifted as though to
ward OFF the coming river of fire, and we
ihotiue'i'e'y tuiu away NOM WV Sh"'tiy
horror depicted in the aged countenauce;
on the right covers mother clasping her
children to her bosom and hiding her face
in their curly locks: the remaining hgures
of the group are half shrouded in smoke,
but the most wonderful thing about the
picture is the glare of the approaching sea
OF lame, ilgntihg up the foreground WIN
lurid splendor. Very few of the pictures
are marked; your correspondent suessea at
the title OF this wonderful work OF art, ana
German gentleman beside her referred to
his catalogue and found 1t correct, although
he at first insisted that the strange nSht
was meant Tor sunset, ana the walls OF the
city represented orldSe' OUT we aI last
convinced HIM OF his error, and for the
rest Of the afternoon enjoyed the services
OF ms catalogue moral, oesure TO ten iat
oia herman gentlemen all ABOUT thlngs'
! whether you Nho" lheni so''iseIl vi ho',
they Wont know any better. Inc most
striking picture IN the nlted states coiiec-
ton, Is one entitled ankee Doodle; II is
battle scene IN the heVoiutioh an old nier
marching between MS SONS, the unuylnS
rove anu uesoIioh W Iiie cause' eAnioiteu;
as IL were, IN every more OF the poor oiu
frame, ana expressing ltseli IN the "lld
music which we almost hear as we gaze; a
wounded soldier lifts himself feebly from
broken cannon wheel, as they are passing
and tries to cheer; take this weird produc-
ton out and the United States collection
would look tame and meagre indeed beside
the rich display of foreign pictures. eSpe-
ciaiiy those OF France, Belgium ana Italy.
Every lover ot pictures should visit the
ESposltion' he exquisite dellcacy oi the
statues from Italy Is something marvellous;
not one statue from the chlsei OF an Amerl-
, can sculptor can approach those carved by
I Italian artists. Every one will pause to
smile at and admire The Forced Prayer
and The Birth OF Love.
But we might spend year in the Art
Gallery and still feel uusatistied, so we shall
leave it for the present and approach the
Swedish school house, which looks like
rural cottage with its cosy little porches,
lattice windows, ETC.; within we find the
usual educational paraphernala; case of
stuffed Birds dried MOSES, lichens and
ferns, pictures, maps, globes, and SO on
and so forth. One marked and commenda-
bic feature which America would do well
to copy, is that each desk is separate from
its fellow, thus tightening the teachers
care and preventing the temptation to
whisper. The Swedish law does not per-
init more than twenty-four scholars in one
school room at one time, also wise and
sensible arrangement. Inc Promiscuous
cro"oihS Oh eiShty OF one hunored chialeh
III one liiS fehtliated room is one OF tne
most oDlecuonaole features IN our puohc
school system, and the sooner 1t is RENE
died the better for the rising generation.
Passing through Machinery Hall on our
way out OF the grounds, we observe crowd
gathered around the negro tobacconists,
VINO are illustrating 10 the pnbnc now the