Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1880-02-21

tiny gathering the plenteous material wealth OF
Ceres at every stride, and scattering in return a
long its pathway almost no fruit Of Intellectual
life Take from our Centennial Exhibition. which
invited the nations TO see. vast material indus
tries, and in Art where was our place 10 eompar-
lson with thers?'
This is very beautifully said. indeed The
following iuterroeatory, 10 few aud plain
words. will seem tame by its side Yet we
put it : What nation of all those that we
know e. has made the progress 10 the Arts,
even, in single century, that this has %
An incident in the lecture, that deeply in
teresiel the audience, was as follows; Com
batting the system ofsubsiituting mechanism
for art photographs for pictures cast iron
for sculpture; a system, by the way, which is
quite as European as it is American-ihe lee
turer said:
" / happened some wears ago to secure a singu-
lar photograph. in which the acids were so disar-
ranged that they gave the precise colors OF bank
OF beautiful aowers in Italian wall Of the gar
den where the picture was taken. ! went with
IL 20 4 gassiZ the famous ArcbWologist ana ne
was charmed with the discovery, and said, mat
If acids disarranged could by accident so faithful
/ u
man. would live to see the dav when men ofskill,
turning their attention to photography. would
be able TO take on the lens all the VARYING hues
Z OF sky and earth. and that it would be happy
day Tor the nations. On being asked If he did
not think that that would destroy all true art and
artists, be replied THAI on reflection, that was so,
&c, &C"
Ii is to be hoped that Aeassiz, when he took
time really for reflection on the subject,
came to the conclusion tina. his first impress
sion was the best; that tie true value OF ar,
IS in its diffusion; and that the true system is
that whi-h brings all the people within its be-
uign, beautiful and purifying influence.
Limited space alone prevents US from draw
ing more largely from this most learned and
eloquent address
Notwithstanding Mr Pendleton's low opin-
ian Of the state Of art in this couatry, he is yet
hopeful Of the future, exclaimiug that gIori-
Gus destiny is before Us. Here is how h. con-
cludei
When the great shadow of .Etna falls in the
/ early morning hour, all western Sicily is dark,
/ while eastward every bay and headlaud is giSien-
/ ing in the light OF the morning sun. But &C the
sun climbs. the shadow lessons, aud By and by al!
Sicily is gladdened by his RAYS. So will il yet be
with Gree true daughter OF the sun, the light and
guide tor the nations of all the arts. 10 will not
be forever that her light shall shine for others and
not for us that peop eS Of OLD aud oft worn des-
tiuics on the headlands. shall catch the rays aud
that great people with noble dcStinies shall not
behold the light; that il shall shine about the
high heads OF the nations, while their great throb-
bling hearts shall be lett In the shadow of despair.
And until that day. our place and duty is bravely
Co tut, lifting up our hands % iaOOrs though in
darkness; and though our feet stumble on the
mountains before the morning is spread upon
them, 20 move onward with uniailing heart, with
cur faces TO the coming day"
We had intended iuterposiug word or SO
on the negative side of the proposition discuss
ed by Mr. peudle,on of referring to tie pro-
gress Of art in this country; aad the patron
age extended to it by our reople-not alone
by millionaircs in grea; cities, who pay fa5u-
Gus prices for chei-d'euvres to grace their gal
leries, but by the humblcr classes who have to
be satisfied with plaster-of-Paris busls of
/ Washington, with which to beautfy their cot
/ tages; we might, perhaps, have pointed to the
uumbeIloSs monuments that beautiiy and make
classic our cities, and even to tie immense
sale Of the Rogers groups-al Indicative, We
should say, If a very generally daused love Of
| Art in this country; but with the above beau
tiful words Of the gifted orator sounding in our
ears, as if they were a beneiicton, we arc =
lent-as becomes US; and yet, feeling not
guilty, only because the charge IS that @e are
art-lcss.