Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1882-08-08

that the utter destruction of the old rookery
would open the way for big architectural
job.
If the skeleton of this unsightly concern
is SO substantial as is claimed, no matter how
much plaster may be spread over the ribs, its
restoration at cost of even fifty thousand
dollars could be made to insure three great
public beL efts l. free public library,
which could not possibly be made more &C
cesslble nor more pleasantly located .. A
free public reading room, of newspapers,
magazines and periodicals, if anything of
more real utility to all classes of the commu-
nifty than the library. 3. Spacious accom-
modations for the Young Mems Institute or
the Y. M. G. A. and with either a fine public
hall.
1t is of little practical account whether this
weather-riddled structure with it's cheap IA
cade and crumbling capitals and cornices is
model OF the Temple of Theseus or of Ro-
man bath tub whether it is a copy of Nea-
politan country house or bears the image of
the forum where Socrates disputed or Aris-
tophanes wrote indecent plays. Perhaps it's
spacious portico is the beau ideal of the an
Gent one where Alcibiades wantoned with
Xantippe, and for this reason we ought to
condoEe the immoral practices which are
complained of on its ragged steps. But
whether this great cheat of public edifice
has lost tooth, an eye, leg, or had it's jaw
sawed off, is poor argument either for pull
fresh paste. know people in New Haven
who exhibit counterfeit of nature as sue
cessful this old restored ruin would of an
Gent art while its restoration is simply fol-
lowing up that renaissance of art and science
which invades peoples mouths, supplies
mock eyes, cork legs, plasters ones nose
with skin from somebody else's thighs puts
female modesty to blush in it's wonderful
handiwork in propping up the collapse of
nature, in short takes a worse old human
ruin than the old State House is, and sets it
up decidedly improved on the divine crea-
ton.
Mr. Editor, are these observations sensible
or not? If SO, let this matter be taken hold
of in a soundy practical business way and
bring down all the birds with one stone that
reach. I discount all the sentimental
gush about the architecture of the old State
House. It is too unworthy of venerable, re-
spectacle city fathers. 1t belongs to that eff
feminacy which does not show Intelligent
sympathy with time. Art but affects fash
ionable isstheticism put up in putty and
paste and goes into ridiculous Mysteries over
condolences and resemblances with buried
world which concerns very little We
stand in need of discipline, but not of imita-
ton or models. This has been the fault in
our universities Sheepsk1n graduates have
been content to be imbeciles in stealing 9TH
er's thunder and palming it off second hand
in dress. At the root of all this MINI
icry there in an undercurrent where the fault
lies. Give us more breezy individual char
acter in what we think and all we do The
world win be conscious of our power, our
greatness and our destiny ouly when we stop
shamming and in our very blunders prove
that our real independence is to be proud of
the best that lies in US.