The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1878-10-16
4 Day i'm the Art Galleries of NIeI-
bourne.
Tspecial Correspondents Of the Ga1ette.J

spreads Its tremendous wings along the grassy 'front.'
green lawn sweeps down to the iron barred gates.
We ascend a long flight of granite steps Two foun-
tans are playing on either side. Two lions lying
at the foot of the portico, to guard the mammoth
storehOuse of learning. We ascend the marble steps,
the revolving gate turns on its pivot, and We are
within the holy of holies. uniformed sentry, at
tired in blue, with silver buttons, relieves of
stick and hat. Turning to the right, up wide stair
way, and we are nthe citadal of knowledge. Books,
books hundreds of books, thousands of books, hun
dreds of thousands of books. Shelves rise above
shelves in succeeding flights you look down!a cOrri
dor, hundred yards either side books rise in a
graduated wall from floor ceiling stories following
each other, standing top of stories, like stairway
ofearning ascending into the higher and rarer ele-
ments of literature aud eliminates in that high and
ETHEREAL air. where the eagles flap their wings aud
the little birds to invade. This vast inclo-
sure is literally weaberboarded in sheep skin. Pom
derous volumes of geology and anteduvian lore, ven
cradle old volumes fathers of books, stand monu
ments of literature. Others ancient, as patri-
archs of letters, like lighthouses the shores
of forgotten years. Encyclopedias like granite slabs
piled in walls at the bottom, the foundation
stones of this great structure of letters Red volumes
of morocco, shining with golden letters. with the
yellow, the blue and the green, succeeding each
other like the prsms of the rainbow until lost in the
bended arch of fancy among the gorgeous works of
the bards.
If had to close my eyes forever this world 1
would wish to be taken up into this gallery and sung
to sleep with the vesper songs of Cowper, and the
melodies of Campbell, Byron and Tom Moore. I can
not vouch for the multitude of volumes in the Pekin
and Alexandrian libraries, but will say that the
Melbourne depository is worthy member of the
great family of libraries. 1t is credit to the Aus
tralian Colonies, an imperishable monument to the
city that gave birth Its collection is complete
its range more extended, its halls commodous.
than the Astor library in New York city. With pain
I admit the Melbournetes have ecipsed us, in this
stupendous aggregation of information. One is mys
t6ed perplexed and wearied, with the vast accumu-
aton of varied and miscellaneous collection of books
He is intoxicated with the oceans of philosophy and
lost in great reservoir of knowledge. Books. books,
unnumbered multtudeS like the stare in the heavens
claim your eye. Indeed. thou hast well spoken wise
Solomon. of the making of books there is no end
Passing along the loaded shelves between the col
tne walls of this colossal warehouse of knowledge,
one gets bewildered in the contemplation of the il
] limitable array of thought turned topsy-turvey
among the inexbaustibe display of information. 1t
is like trying sample the wines of Royal cellars.
One is made drunk the task. 1t would require the
years of Methuseah to even scan the vast sorehouse
of instruction. Silent eoquence pervades the aisles,
heavy stiffness hangs all. The books are
staring at you from their cupboards thousead
shelves. We amoug ages of history, the ruins of
cities, the wreck of thrones, where empires rose,
nations fell, Monarchs crowned dethrOned, among
the bullets of ages, boom of war, of cannon,
tread of armies, salutes of fleets, conflicts of hosts
shouts of conquerOrs, voice of command, vail CT
quished, revery Of victors where nations fought
Generals renowned or unmade, Princes gOried OF
deposed, Kings coronated or beheaded, crowd in
cessive sounds your like the laundering notes
of great organ. Again, here lay the written me-
mentoes over which Chatterdon starved, Goldsmith
pined, Keats groaned. Bunyan mOaned Shelly cried,
and Byron ragged Here lay the black folios from
which yoltaire thundered and Tom Payne howled
Here stand the phippics of Tully the songs of Vir
gill the eoquence of Quintilan, among the pearls o
ancient Asiatc, Grecian, Arabian and Roman litera
ture. We among chaos of philosophy ths
grew up like underbrush under the shade of Plate
and Aristotle amid the storms of CONTROVERSY vol
canoes of argument, of dsputation, hurricane
of debate, battles of oratory clash of minds sting
of sarcasm salvoes of SATIRE stripes of jealousy ast
of envy, whip of critics, bite of foes, gall of hate
fire of revenge, tempest of rivalry, with o
words and turmoil of minds. All around ar
rivers of thought, wells of reason of metaphys
les. Then come the rookie of logic islands of media
tOu, hayens Ofrest, lakes of repose, gardens of sol
ace, mountains of contemplation, seasons of change
a spring of beauty, rills of crystal.
Paradise of poetry, home of music, the charms o
songs voice of melody, worlds of imagery, creation
of fiction, fairy land of romance, realms of love
songs of bards, eyes of vesta harps of Eoan, gar
of angels, deeds of heroes treachery of traitors ACT
of disappointment, bitterness of remorse, cream
thought, gilt Of refined reason, poison of herself
whose alloyed chain links in the onward march
ages. What atmosphere of intelligence. what
) world of thought, what universe of letters. Oh
mind what armament art thou boundIess an
' vast as space, immeasureable as time. mitable a
eternity, wide immensty, restless air. the boun
dares, the beginning and the end Profundity
thy name Like the mountain elk that bounds frol
crag to crag, sublime in thy arial fight, bound
from world to world, from solar system the gran
rolling centre around which all revolve and ndet
7 what? The alpha and omega Wisdom. what a
, idol art thou; at thy shrine millions worship. Th
/ lamp is like the sun, inextnguishable Fair Dian
of the mind who would not love thee; what an enan
oring mistress thou art, who with seductive smil
beguiles with thy witchery, and with silver tote
and siren voice calls on, holding out thy fair
hand and magic taper, bid us dig for hidden trea
!, urcs, search for unfeund Jewels garner from the
wealth of thy glores and mine for beauties
Who can frghten US witherror, calm US with reason
. excite with unfolded gores, aud lull with tn
songs of genteness. Let science rave and scepti
rage, "the heavens declare thy glory and the firms
. ment sbOweth forth thy handiwork." At last VIII
Il does it all amount to? A great man has exhaust,
II wisdom, bankrupted lore in that mastery summil
:. up "it is all vanity and vexation of spirit"
: The peasant. in his humble hut among the field
Q dies just peacefully and happy his lOwly
n the simple faith gathered upon the knee of his III
"a tutorei mother the proud scientist upon his pom
pous couch among his category of books, who HI
withered all fah scepticised all belief, shook dow
all creeds, pulled up all anchors, philOsOphiz
c himself away, closes his learned eyes, not knowing
: they are ever to be opened again.
s But will try to get down from the mountain toI
to which I have climbed as L don't know how g
there not hayinp a rome. / will iump down Mer,