The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-08-21

whfsh made me feel that { had lost m.len u
mi has,s 3 aTte III ren1gif longer among pey'
Ma distinguished alike by the noDlest a,.Il
fhutes a humanity and the most e1aiteu
IuuaIities Oh the understanding. :.
: without any letters OF Introduction %
| the advantage even OF the slgntesl ~.
ouaintance, ] was waited on Dy soine vi the
most respectable citizens OF the pace, WIZ
We'd with each other 10 rendering me e .,l.s
ciyility and In doing whatever was III a ensai
| noyerf o promote my happiness anu COM
| Tort Among those to whom am specIaily
indebted for many pleasant hours and mum,
berIess NETS OF ki.dness, cannot aVolo
mentioning Mr.. Cowardin, OF ..he conquer s5
lfnow James A. Cowardin, OF the Dtspd!cIi:
Were TO write novel, and wish to hoia
mn nicture OF genuine beneVolence 10 my
readers, / would select this gentleman ZOE
INV model: for he possesses more OF those
qualities which constitute real goodness IN
| the human character than | ever found
Limited in any other individual.
! "There is an air Of exact pr0priety about
Richmond that is quite peculiar. 1t occu-
pies one OF the healthiest sites IN America;
and il some master-spirlt Wou'o on,Y un-
dertake to have the streets rendered Ess
dismal'a at night. either by the help OF gas OF
lamp.oil-for at present people nave 70
grope their way in the darkest nights Win
out ray OF light to guide them-tnere
would be little wanting TO make TINS Guy
truly charming place. In many respects
the capita, Of Virginia bears strong re-
semblance to Richmond in England from
which our city takes its namel. There is
most delightful spot called Shake Hill.
from which the view is even finer aud
more interesting than The celebrated
one from Richmond terrace, in the other
hemisphere; for here you have consider
able space OF picturesque foreground
stretching out Immediately from the spot
on which YOU stand, while the distant land
scape is scarcely less beautiful and striking
"Shako Hill, with its immediate vicinity
is a very favorite spot among those families
who make Richmond theirresidence during
the whole year. The view presented from
this point combines every kind OF beauty IN
landscape: and this it is waich constitutes
!. r,s suneriority over the well-known Tiew
from Richmond Hill in England, the latter
possessing but a single kind Of beauty.
: Here the eve ranges over fertile plain,
studded with villages and countless farm
houses, the prospect being terminated in
the distance by range OF beautiful hills.
There is no natural feature wanting to make
IT, perfectIy enchanting, though IN detail
art might, perhaps, do much to enhance the
effect OF the whole.
@sBut, after all, the most glorious
view of the picturesque environs OF Rich.
mond in Virginia is to be had from the
Library windows OF the Capitol; and it is
impossible for mere words to convey an adj
euuate idea Of it. The spots, however,
which most rivetted my attention III this
gorgeous picture were those that have been
consecrated by historical associations-b
the achievements Of those noble patriots
who. in the days Of the Revolution, signal
:. lied themselves by acts of sell-devotion
worthy the brightest names OF antiquity.
The librarian, who was possessed OF an in
exhaustiblc fund OF information and anec-
dote, and whose manners were particularly
agreeable, entertained me for several hours
with his instructive conversation, While. at
times, the enthusiasm with which he spoke
almost brought the events he was so elo-
quently describing visibly before me.
He seemed to take particular delight 10
poipt;nc to the spot where the old Virginia
! Assembly-lhc most dignified body OF men
that ever met to deliberate-held their ses-
sions, and where Patrick Henry, the most
wonderful man OF that stirring perlod, Dy
; his extraordinary command over the pas
sions, and his profound knowledge OF hu-
man nature, revolutionized so many minus,
: some of them even superior in strength
and power to his own. [The librarian re-
ferrcd to was the late General William Il.
Richardson, A6iuant- General of the State,
and will add that the present librarian,
Colonel Sherwin McRae, is worthy sue
cessor. who, like Carey Nicholas, OF the
Law Library, nurses the books with the
iondest affection, and by his courtesy, po-
7 likeness, and information makes the Library
charming place to all who visit it,
: No wonder, with so many objects in
view calculated TO arouse the ima-
sination and deeply move the soul,
! that Daniel Webster, IN addressing the clti-
zens OF Richmond from the steps OF the
Capitol at the late Convention, was so car
ried away by the enthusiasm with Wnlch ne
was inspired that the thousands WHO
thronged around him were completely en-
trarced by his eloquence, and scarcely able
TO give vent to their feelings by accIama-
ton. In descending from the Library, ana
immediately fronting the door OF the Cham
her M De]epates, the first object that met my
view was statue OF General Washington by
a French artist, Of the name OF Hondon.
The great Iiberutor is here represented in
his ordinary costume; and as work
NJ art this statue is worthy to stand
beside the choicest specimens OF sculpture
that the genius OF Canova or OF Chantrey
ever produced. Indeed, after having en-
amined this beautiful production OF the
chisel in every part, am OF opinion that
probably more intense study, a profound
err knowledge OF art, and deeper feeling
OF the beautiful as it exists in nature, were
put in requistion by the artist than are dis
played in any Of the works OF antiquity;
or, in other words, without reference TO the
skill employed upon it, and viewed merely
as an object calculated to make perma-
nent impression upon the heart, that this
sublime statue ranks above them all.
One capable of approaching sculptural art
Justly may pass day in looking at the
Apollo Belvidere or the Venus de Medicl,
and leave them with no other feelings than
those OF present and immediate delight;
but he cannot stand for an hour before this
statue by Houdon without being made wiser,
better, and happier. do not mean that it
has more OF what is called ideal beauty but
that it has something superior to. beauty
something loFtier, more imaginative, more
H.. kl.t