The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-04-06
THE PACIFIC
GommertlalAOOettlser
.S4TURDAY Y. APRIL ..
(From cur Special Correspondent.)
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, D. c. March II, 1873.

WASHINGTON, D. C. March II, 1873.
Socially Washington has taken an opiate-and
will sleep the sleep of Rip Van Wrinkle for the
next forty days. l suspect the Lenten season
was never more welcome to self-immolating
anchorite, than to many of our reigning bellies,
who, during the long season had sorrowful reason
to realize that though ga thing of beauty is a
Joy forever, :" it takes a very good constitution to
preserve the glow of the rose through the cease
less round of dissipation of a winter at the
National Capitol. Lent, besides being a season
of rest and religious development, is hailed by
the more thoughtful as an opportunity for cul-
ture, by accepting the many advantages here
found In object teaching. So it should be.
Washington is rapidly asserting its position as
the nations art centre. Artists are here with
their best works. Scholars are selecting it as a
home where the treasures of letters are to be had
for the seeking. MiIlionaires are discovering
that no where else do they find all that money
cannot buy. So that social Washington no
longer depends upon whether Congress meets for
a long or a short session, but is sitting upon a
frmer basis than the needs or whims of poll
ticians.
PHYSICAL WASHINGTON.
Physical Washington receives during this sea-
son all homage; even the butterflies of fashion
accord it admiration. The corridors of the
Public Buildings are crowded with eager visitors;
old folios are being overhauled in snug alcoves of
the different Libraries. The few pictures owned
by the Government are being studied and critI-
cised each statue in the Hall of Sculpture has
now a group of living men and women changing
every hour, but still there. The glowing frescoes
in the long dimly lighted corridors are being
carefully enjoyed; each realistic, allegorical
panel above committee room doors is being closely
scanned. In this study of our beautiful city it
is natural and usual to begin with the capitol
that is the first days work of passing visitors,
and usually they see so much Of beauty and of
novelty there in a day, that they think they have
seen the capitOl-that is if they make a hurried
visit-but if they stay three months, and go every
day, they then say, . We are seeing the Capitol"
Like everything else great, the mind does not at
first accept its vast completeness. George Wash
lngton had possibly more enlarged appreciation
of the rapid growth of this country than we can
realize, at least we must SO conclude when we
learn that his instructions to the French Com
missioner, Major L'Enfant, (whom he selected to
design the National Capital) was to plan a city
that would three hundred thousand
citizens. The French Engineers work was well
done, not only in consideration of the non-com-
mercial character of the desired city, but he drew
with an eye in which the beautiful was ever
present. He lived to hear himself abused, to
see a fragmentary city arise in lieu of his perfect
thought. Gov. Alexander Shepherd in a few
years work pushed avenues through, cut down
grounds, bringing out all the perfection of Major
L'Enfants' intention. This justified Washing
toms approval of his Commissioner design.
THE CAPITOL