The New York herald., 1876-10-30
Tho Centennial Loan Collection.


The time is rapidly approaching when the
art treasures which are now gathered at the
Academy of Design and Metropolitan Mu-
scum Of Art will be returned to the severe
seclusion of private galleries, and we would
strongly advise such Of our citizens as have
not yet visited both institutions to do SO
without delay. The number of great paint
ings illustrating the art genius of the GEN.
tury which can now be seen together renders
the Loan Exhibition peculiarly interesting
to all who have any love for the fine arts. 1t
is true that the modern idea of international
exhibitions has, perhaps, familiarized the
public with seeing the works of great artists
assembled together; but in these huge galle-
ries the good and bad are SO jumbled together
that it needs art knowledge and cultivated
taste to know what to admire. The educa-
tional influence of the Loan Exhibition is
much better, for here we have only works
that have been passed upon by the crucial
criticism of art connoisseurs. AS result
we have collection in which there is
scarcely one picture which does not possess
some distinguishing merit, some excellence
of draughtsmanship, of composition, of
color or combination of those qualities 1t
is vulgar error to suppose that because
an artist is great and renowned he must
therefore be perfect. 1t is only necessary to
pass in review the long catalogue of works
which have achieved worldwide fame and
which are assembled here to under
stand that the difference between great
and perfect art is wide indeed There
is in this lesson Of tolerance that
the art student will do we'll to learn. In all
schools there are beauties and defects, and
he is the greatest artist who, separating him
self from the trammels of tradition and
schoolmen, combines the greatest amount of
sentiment and beauty with the highest
attainable technical skill in the treatment Of
his subjects Perhaps one of the greatest
attractions of the Loan Collection Exhibi-
ton is its catholic character, embracing as
it does examples of nearly all the various
art schools of the present day, affording the
student a singularly complete representa-
ton of the highest art work of this century.
MORE CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. Some days
ago we published a letter from Mr.. Bab-
cock formerly clerk in the Patent Office,
showing that he had been turned out
Of Office by Secretary Chandler because he
declined either to vote the republican ticket
or pay political assessment. To-day we
print another complaint of the same kind
but this time it is an officer Of the Treasury,
capable man, evidently, by the admissions
of his superiors one who had entered by
the legitimate door, passing preliminary
examination, and who is now dismissed be-
cause he refuses to vote the republican
ticket. Such acts as these deserve public
notice and should be remembered ut the
polls. This government does not exist for
the benefit of political party nor ought
the government machinery to be used for
partisan purposes. The republicans prom
ised reform of the abuses in the civil SER
vice. Their candidate is professedly
strong reformer in this direction. But his
chief supporters seem to pay no more atten-
ton to his views nor to the platform pledges,
than if neither existed.
DR.. ISAAC J. HAYES, the Arctic explorer.
in the midst of his busy political work Of
teaching the country people to vote the re-
publican ticket and of asking our citizens
to re-elect him to the position in
the Assembly he filed so acceptably
last year, turns aside to write to
the HERALD concerning the late English
Arctic expedition. What the Doctor says
on this subject is always worthy of atten-
ton. Forming his judgment on what has
already reached us from Captain Mares, he
failure, and still sustsins his belief in the
open Polar Sea.