Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-10-18
ART AT THE CAPITAL.


Warrington correspondence OF the Chicago Times.
Washington is fast becoming one Of the most
attractive capitals in the world. The beauty Of
Its streets and the elegance of its public build
ings compel admiration. In an esthetic sense
this city has made prodigious advance since
the close Of the civil war. This rapid improve
ment has perhaps sprung from . growing con-
victiOn that the seat of the national government
will not be movedfrom this point-at least not
In our day. It was q pleasure to meet here
gentleman to whose liberality and noble exam
pie the whole country Is under obligation.
allude to Mr.. w. w. Corcoran, the great banker,
who IL equally well known as generous patron
OF art. 1t would be difficult to estimate at this
time the value Of this mans public services, but
they certainly exceed that Of a score Of our
average legislators.
MIR. COrcoran is now eighty-fOur years OF age,
but he still looks hale under the load of his
many years. The "COrcoran Gallery" is his mon-
ument. which he has been building for forty
years, ana upon which he has lavished an incred-
IDLE amount Of money. To describe this place
shall make no attempt. A fitting account of its
treasures would fill a volume, and the end is
not yet. An addition to the present spacious
edifice is in contemplation, which, when COM
pleted, will make this one of the most interest
ing galleries i'm the world. That the carrying
forward OF this high and unselfsh undertaking
has been joy to Mr.. COrcoran there can be no
doubt. 1t has sweetened what might other
wise have been SOMEWHAT hard and lonely
life.
/ write these lines from the home of one Of
Mr.. Corcoran's most intimate friends. and am
penning the words on table that once be-
lOnged to Gen. Washington himself.
There is probably no private residence In the
United States which contains so many rare and
estimable objects as this. 1t is filed to over
flowing with souvenirs of the past. Every
ornament has story. and every piece Of furni-
ture. old, carved, and venerable, is rendered
dOubly interesting by it's associations.
In letter of this kind it would be impossible
to give you an adequate idea of the contents Of
this establishment; but the time will soon come
when All that is here of historic value will be the
property of the public. and will constitute dis
tinct part of
THE "CORCORAN GALLERY"
the gift of widow to the memory of her hus-
band. Among the numerous paintings is pOr-
trait Of Washington, by Gilbert Stuart, that fs
worth a journey to look upon. 1t has been
pronounced the best original picture of WASH
ingtOn in existence. 1t Is glorious cOunte-
nance. There is a singular fascination in gazing
upon it, and in realizing that it is no mere work
OF the imagination, but true and actual refec-
ton of the great original Strange to think
how many hours Washington must have sat
" like patience on a mOnument" while the artist
was busy with his brush. There b something
about such picture that cannot be described.
magic fingers of time have woven cOnsecrated
web. An old mahogany escritoire arrested
my attention, more by its expression OF antiquity
than by its beauty. simple inscription told
that it was the travelling writing-de Of Alex
ander Hamilton. What memories are thus con-
jured up, 1t may be that some of the most i'm
portant papers Of The Federalist was written
upon this simple box. Here is q work table
which came from Mrs. Hamilton. large and
elegant carved dining table was once owned by
Henry Clay, who, in days gone by, was fire.
quent guest at his house. A beautiful wine
glass presented to him, and in which he had
drank the health of his hostess, was shown to
me. as was also magnificent Sevres plate
which belonged to the Inflated Marie Antoinette.
Another equally superb specimen Of Sevres
workmanship was once the property of the En-
press Josephine. These precious mementOes
were obtained in Paris by President Monroe,
when he was our representative at the court OF
France. But there was one plate, less beauti-
ful than either of these. that inspired me with
deeper interest, and which any true American
would rather possess 1t was simple white
porcelain dish. In the center were the letters
m. W." CMartha Washington, while around
its rim were the armorial emblems Of the thr-
teen original states.
What would you give me, Mr. Editor, for such
a dish as that?
might 90 on to tell you of a thousand other
curious things with which this house abOunds,
but this is not the time to do So even were you
10 accoru me the space. All that nave at
tempted in this rough sketch is to give your
readers some idea of the general character Of
MRS. BENJAMIN OGLE TAYLOR'S GIFT
to the COrcOran gallery.
Its value is beyond estimate.
If you have a taste for canes, here Is one that
was used by Napoleon at st. Helena, and here
is another that belonged to Andrew Jackson
and afterward to Abraham Lincoln. There is an
infinite number of relics such as these, but can
not say more about them.
OF statuary there are several noble specimens
by ThOrwaldsen, GreenOugh, and others. A
bust OF Byron, by the former, struck me as be-
ing one OF the most beautiful heads have ever
seen,
Among the books which form part Of the con-
tributed collection is one of the most valuable
editions of Shakespeare extant, which at
auction, am informed, would bring several
thousand dollars. JEW