Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-04-08
ART AND MUSIC

There is nothing 80 refining and elevating
TO a community as art and music. Hereto
fore it has been the custom of the rising
generation to do what their fathers and
nolhers before them did, the horizon Of
whose lives were circumscTibed TO a small
space and to a few objects. The wants OF
our people used 10 be few. To obtain a poor
and coarse livelihood and to ridicule all
progression was the mission OF our ancestors.
But the arts and sciences are rapidly pro-
crossing. Ii has been discovered that con-
tentment lie stagnation, and that discomfort
and ambition are the engines OF advancement
to a higher intelligence, civilization and hap
pineas. A taste of the sweets of progress has
create ed aspirations for still higher achieve
ments. The peoplA OF Memphis have caught
the spirit of the age, and there is no city in the
Union where there is more enthusiasm mani
Tested for art and music. The Moz1rt Society
Of this city would reflect honor upon Boston.
1t is preparing for its grand Festival in
Nav, and it will no doubt be a brill
liant success. Prof. Downs, himself a
Northern man, expresses his surprise and
wonder at the musical talent OF Memphis.
He says be has never seen city of the same
population possessing SO much musical
taste snd talent as he has discovered here.
Our people are not pretending to music, but
they are becoming musical. The effect Of
this desire for musical education here at
home is becoming more apparent in the mu-
steal culture OF the people. They have lost
much of their fondness for the beautiful
plantation melodies and are soaring into
the highest domain of music. Memphis
will soon be the musical center of the
South, and will soon have musical
hall, frequent concerts aud one great an
nual festival. We have the talent and
are rapidly securing the culture, and If
the love of music be test of civilization
the people of Memphis will soon show that
they are abreast with the times. Nor is
Memphis tagging supinely behind in other
arts; our people have been seized with a
mania for painting. All the galleries are
crowded. On the streets can be seen every
day the young of both sexes, and some times
married ladies, who are taking lessons in
painting. Heretofore our people have been
severely practical. hat NOV they cuiti-
waiting a taste for the beautiful, and as
q consequence life will be refined and ele-
waited. 10 other Southern cities art schools
have been organized, and Memphis will no
doubt soon manifest the same progressive
love of an art so elevating and refining. Il
is useless to say that painting is an unproft-
able art. With the advance OF wealth and
civilization, painting becomes more
appreciated and profitable. There are
no professions in France SO re-
nuneratiTe az those of the sculptor
and painter. The first great worlds fair
ever held was that of London, in 1851. That
fair was tremendous surprise TO Great Bri-
tain. On the superstition that their country
and its productions were the finest in the
world, the artisans of Great Britain had con-
tinued in old grooves until they we're left far
behind. In thousand articles of everyday
use glance showed that, compared with the
work of French artisans their own work was
dwarfed into insigni6cance. They discovered
that the free drawing schools of France, kept
up through thousand years, had produced
their legitimate results. When this fact was
made patent. tbs people of England went to
work 10 repair their lost reputation. The
South Kensington Art School was established
on liberal basis, and has been steadily |
added to ever since. What it has already |
accomplished for England can never be esti.
mated. The saving annually to the coun-
try amounts To- millions in money,
Tor it has stopped the importation
Of thousands Of other articles from France
and other countries. Bat that does not rep
'snt all the saving in money. Because of
hat school, establishments have been per-
Iected, through which not only the home
demand il supplied, but from them the eI-
ports amount to millions snnually. Another
mighty saving is that the school is filling
England with trained en-