The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1876-07-13
OUR CENTENNIAL LETTER.
PHILADELPHIA, July 3, 1876.

LIE WONDERS oFTIIE ART GALLERY
lTs STATUES, PAINTINGS, BRoNzEs,
AND WORKS OF ART.
confess | approach the doscrip-
ton of the Art Gallery with some
thing like feeling of reverence
Very often in my past letters l have
treated grave subject in light and
tritilng manner, and it is hard to re-.
press the spirit of fun which seems to
meet you everywhere. Fat women
in rolling chairs, and lean women on
foot. Fat men wadling along like
ducks, and rolling, as sailor would
say, scuppers under. Big heads in
little hats, and little heads with no
hats at all; in fact, all sorts of Sights
and sounds calculated to disturb the
gravity of Il much sadder man than
| am. In this Memorial Hall you
escape the eternal, and Internal roll
ling chairs, which arc constantly
humping against you in every other
building, rolling over your fovoritc
corns, Knocking tho bark off of your
elbows, and disturbing your peace of
mind generally.
Memorial Hall, commonly known
as tho Art Gallery, is noble build
ing to look at; majesty and grace are
in every line Of it, from turret to
foundation stone. 1t is just such a
building as might have crowned the
0nmmit of the Capitolian Hill when
Rome was the mistress of the world.
Memorial Hall was built by the State
of Pennsylvania, at a cost OF million
and five hundred thousand dollars,
and was loaned by tho State to the
Centennial Commission to be used as
tie repository Of its art treasures du-
ring the Exhibition. The building is
of white granite, being ip the style
known as modern renaissance. The
area covered is an acre and n half;
it ir 365 feet long by 2lO. feet wide.
A magnificent dome, $50 feet high,
spriDgs from the center, capped by
colossal ball on which stands Co
lumbia holding laurel wreath. On
each corner is our national emblem,
the eagle, with wings outstleched and
talons clenched, as if defending this
sacred temple of art from foreign or
domestic foes. In front of the main
entrance stands the colossal figure of
soldier resting on his musket and
looking sternly down upon the pigmy
multitude that surge and crowd a.
round his mighty pedestal. The APP
proach is up a noble flight OF steps,
and passing through beautifui arch.
way you find yourself in the vostibule
of tho hall. 1t is grand sight.
do not wish to speak now to the ira
veled few who have wandered
throuh the wonders of the Borghese
Palace, who have reveled in the art
miracles of the Vatican and the Tuil,
lorics, but rather let mo speak to the
millions who have been denied the
opportunity of a continental travel,
and for them say the sight is grand.
care not for your Appollo Bc!Yidere
or your Venus dc Mcdicis. Here is
art enough for mozart, noble and
true, bearing the divine stamp Of god
like inspiration and breathing in eye
cry lineamout aud linc-the same
heavenly genius that madc the mar
blcs of Phidias and Praxatelcs i'm
mortal. 1t 10 true that there is much
that is crude, and much that is un-
worthy of such hallowed association
bnt tEorc were many interests to con
serve, many conflicting views to res
concile, and | accept the gracious Of
fering rs whole with thanks, blessed
i'll the privilege Of being permitted tc
sec SO noble tomrIo filled with &
magnificent collection Of art.
Where shall | begin2 Alb! there
is my trouble. In one hall, among
the S, ,,anish Collections, hangs dead
Christ, by Murillo, in another, among
the British collection, the guilty Mac
both looks down from tho canvass 0
Macisc. He is surrounded by hi
court, lie starts, aftrghted at til,
shadow Of tie ghostly Banquo, an,
you can almost hear him shriok, il
his terror, "Avaunt, and quit IN,
sight; earth hide thee; thy bones ar