New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-02-08
FSTUETTCS IN EVERYD1Y LIFE

LECTURE BY DONALD G. MITCHELL"
THE YALE SCHOOL OF FINE ARTs-TRUE AND con-
vENTIoSAL TAsTF-THE LAYING OUT OF TOWN
SITES APPROACHES OPEN AREAS - PUBLIC
PARKs-CEMETrEIEs (,
YpoM An ocC lsIoSAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRBUSE'l
NEw-HAvEN, Feb. 7.-Mr. Donald G. Mitch
ell delivered the first OF his series OF lectures on the
Esthetics Of Everyday Lifc' before the Yale All
School this evening. Mr.. MitchelPs wcl[snown ao-
arianance with such subject. shown by the various
books which his name created In tho minds OF the
ccture-gong public an unusual interest to hear MIN.
The course will consist OF three lectures. the nrst OF
which deals with aesthetics In their bearings upon inc
Mites and streets in cities and towns, and In the rse
men OF landscapes the second lecture OF tner bearing
upon architecture and the third, In the bearing upon
the cement OF tho home and reside the lectures
themselves arc but an abstract, Mr. Mitchell says
merely a groundwork upon which something Inior'
larger and more comprebesv is Ia be erected Ihese
lectures thus revised and enlarged, VIII IN que ue "
given TO the public in book form.
The sneaker began by saying the title which lie hah
selected for his lecture decepve-it expressed "a
lac in the beginning thought he should say rather IMAM
what he really shall Assuming that ma hearers ni
fair COMPREHENSION what s understood by esthccs
NV art feeling by beauty and by that unfortunate WORD
taste he would not stay for definition Taste VIII be the
arbiter OF the question brought under REVIEW D us
tinctlon must he kept in mind between true tasic ana
taste conventional Conventional taste Is NOT Always
bod-it Is either gpOd bad. But true taste rests OH
tustcr and fuller laws, while conventional taste rests on
fashion and eust0r according "a fashion and custom
ore pood or bad After showing how fashion, and even
our form of speech changed ny time, he sad mat
conventional taste Overrucd by ulster TASTE nav
ing its in the nodesfy and dignity OF lhd'luua
charaoterin painting, from recognition OF the power
and truth and sincerity Of the work. AMI III the ater
OF speech based upon common sense. with these pre
mary remarks the lecturer proceeded TO call attention
TO the bearing Of aesthetics upon mans dealings WIN
the face OF nature-in fitting s valleys ana hiiSides
for human occupancy, in planting towns and adjoining
them in trailing highways between Them ana III max
Ing decorous little spots where men lie down Mt last of
a final sleeping
For the most part accident establishes the choice OF
sites for cities and Owns and accident or convenience
determine the laying out and distribution OF streets
While at first Thought this may seem very Fortunate
comparison between places thus laid out and those ar
ranged on chosen cites and after determined plans does
not evince any striking advantage in favor OF The latter
Berlin was mentioned as one example and Versailles
as another. and in this country Washington ana Pnla
de- hia These sites bear comparison for beauty with
Naples or Rome Edinburgh Boston or Baltimore.
As RESPECTS the trend OF streets, II convenience ana
adaptaby to surface have been studied III the oider
accidentally planted towns they VIII by no means lose
in the comparison with the geOmctric order OF newly
Uaucd ones. The lesson Is not 10 copy the plan OF Ou
cities hut to the picturesque irregularities spring
ing out convenience, and to graft upon the plan OF
growing cities graceful yiCdng 10 the necessities of
site Tie topography OF the place should be carefully
studied, and proper forecast Of the cities growth
should be made. that but little cutting and filling need
be done. when actually necessary little emitting can
he endured why should 1t De necessary TO bring the
whole TO dead leyei sanitary regard for health and
paramount desire for the very best possible sewerage
demand That hui little cutting be done.
The lecturer here considered the opportunity OF
a,tuetic display offered by these curyinear sweeps
Of highways streets which skirt "A rising ground
Truuclted angles, graceful curvings and block rum
mng afhwar great business th5rougEarc, render pos
slblo degree Of architectural beauty with which the
square re- cular fronts can form comparison. This
was Illustrated by contrasting the buildings Of Chestnut
ST. PHILADELPHIA. with the Boulevard Of Paris and Tie
Garden the IulcIic,. Besides Ec tuuclled angie
where two streets meet gvr an olch hfaGI hCn LILY
form a fitting SItg for q fountain, memorial tablet or
statue, carrying the minds OF the people DacE 10 tat
which j. worthy 10 he remembered III thrit history
IN former days 10 considered that the approaches
leading into "a Town should be orderly stately, 2nd nc
tTacye and such should generally gave some iuta OF
the }pan of the place. But nowadays people usually
by rail AT the back door ANA see but niue
irrt the matter ~ approach is very important to
l"% ~ T f tt D Of f Cts and Of It's
an approach winch shOnd fix Itself In the minds Of all
Who ~, and show inviting welcome 10 All who come
AnoIg the New ENGLAND cities tine best examples o! this
ore afforded hy Worcester and Pr"yd' nee. and especially
where confronted by charming little park which
occupies ground only few years ago clthcr lying waste
or subject - -ordld uses. "
In sTcaEiD or large open the lecturer thought il
great mistake t. make helt Gounds lnss asise WIN
areas. should he ~ least third wider Ihs space
would be found cOuVUnicrS Tor n'nJ purposes, ana
especially great OCCASIONS IIs would not he the
least Geiment 10 the dignity OF TIE place and besides
the Public Ou demand eIeaor breadth al street! NJ
tins stage Of civilization there seems 10 be 10 plausible
re- son for continuous fence, Indeed for at al.
They the least only clumsy ana costly cEcFcS-
ccice, taking away nom The fail freedom o the ground
and Grtr'cng from the beauty Of the lahd'rape NAe
there HAY particular where fences required,
the general rule should exclude them.
Having mentioned that the nut situdid he healthy and
well kept the SPEAKER Proceeded To say ia regard 10
need forest in town; il would b. Tar better 10 have
full Dc, cOpmcHt Oi single trees As for walks, tho great
lead Of convenience which Is the backbone of all laws Of
tastc honld rot be loSt rlgt or Aitr giving MS idtt
OF foUntan-by no means an nnimporiant iten-the
speaker Iid he Thought 1t would br good dca there
were provided some means ny which question in
lat0n 10 the manner, habits, growth, and proper age
Especially should tls he uonc III CONNECTION WIN ihc
larger schools ~ which fine opportunity Tor botanical
Parks absolutely necessary and an instance is not
known where the land has been given back To CONNER
cia purposes Besides their other advantages, they
have decided tendency as is illustrated in various
monarchca governments To refine the turbulence Of the
cuts without any aborcd disturbance Of natural contour
The and lOyccst phases of natures handwo:k
landscape or vide view not fitting some shell
tered valley, watered not by frolicsome fountain, but
OF private grounds too much should not be I'M
Gcrtaken Grace can be given even 10 door yard Too
great ar iclncss and regularity and rgidncSs
INDUCED in at the expense OF the grace and beauty
and OF tho natuiaiEess 81 nature IL we love tuits ihe
berry should give our time and attention to that We
should plant what we love best ana treat IL lovingly
Inc sccUad lecture will be delivered one week from to-
night.
RULES FOR GRADING GRAIN.
Members Of the grain trade met yesterday at No.