The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-02-02

oiIolts, encouraged a philaBthropic lady 10 /
try somewhat similar experiment in New
York city. Her plan was 10 seek out children
from The slums Of The great metropolis
miserable little waifs aid strays, whose only
heritage was want aud crime, who's" play
hou,' were the preking tenement garr"ts, or
the i'ss uuwholesome gutter-and provide
them with q cheerful home. Here they were
surrounded with pleasing sights, pictures
graced the walls, mHsie, fresh flowers aud
toys aud books were given Them, aud fire.
quent excursions up the b~autiful Hudson,
or out into the fresh, green fields, Infused
into their lives gladness that was as foreign
as It was beneficial.
Gradually the dark aud sinister clouds Of
inherited crime were dissipated, aud the
radiance Of new moral life peered into
these blurred souls snatcbed from the abodes
Of crime, and crime itself thus losing the sap
thus diverted, preceptibly diminished.
These are but insignificant examples Of
the benefits resulting from the 80 called
4Esthetie Renaissance, and yet commenta-
IOIs arc pEOuC Ahc BAAShi BSoa
It has accomplished, to ridicule the move
msnt.ss q useless and insipid sentiment ality
and TO condemn 1t for its lack Of intellsctu-
ality. / simply say that they have failed 10
comprehend the noble aim Of the movement
aud the scope Of its usefulness.
But widely different and more important
results were born OF the renaissance. As
the cultured world became persuaded that
they committed no gducherie by disregard
ing the SO. called fitness of things, that they
we're untrafnmelled by unity of CLINE or
period, a remarkable change occurred. The
drawing room became a fantastic bower
where. brilliant colors and startling effects
required OBJ every side. Quaint fans from
China, bright scarfs from Turkey, rich tapes
tries from India Enthusiastically decorated the
walls and cornices In reckless abandon.
Persian rug aud Polar-bear skin lay side by
side. An Oriental dlvsn riyalled an English
settee and French tets.a-tete In the same
apartment. A marble from the chisel of
Murillo and de la Roche hung together.
Curious cabinets from japan, porcelain from
Seyrss, vases from Italy, urns from the
Tyrol, antiques and cnriositiss from all parts
Of the globe, were scattered about the walls
and inches In the msst prodigal nonchalance
of dilletanteism. Unity Of effect was nowhere
sought, but rather avoided. Kaleidoscope
brilliancy and variety, ravished the fancy
and bewildered the sense. The spectacle
was bizarre because novel and charming for
its contumacy. No wonder fogyism was
shocked and cried, "Monstrous, how vulgar"
The revolution was complete. Painting
felt its power in rise of the Aqusrrelfist
school; music in the production Of L'Onbrd,
and poetry In some of the best efforts of Ten
nyson, Meredith, Whitman, and Longfellow.
II was of no avail for the orthodoxto de-
claim: alt is incongruous 1t lacks intel
lectuality; IL is meaningless; ii Is not art"
The fashionable world world found delight
in II, and did not pause either 10 gather
moral or ask reason. Enough, ii pleased.
And the fashionable world did well.
II was Ruskin, think, who wrote at is
true that the poetic art has to do largely with
the imagination and the feelings, but these are
the media. only through which the bought of
the poet expresses ITSELF" Forsooth! the poet
| must be metaphysician ere his verses may
vibsate delieiously within our own breasts!
Well, to those who derive no joy from
poetry, save 1t impresses truth or pre-
cept, 10 whom Young's might Thoughts !"
and'eFesius" are the only true poems have
only to say that prefer "Humanitsd" aud
"Annabel Lee" If they admire only the
fixed style of the masters, can but confess
discover no beauty In Claude Lorraine or
!Correggio. They start no spring of JOY in
ny nature; respect them as the offspring OF
cruder age; but for me, there lis mere
| beauty in a mellow sunset than In the
stained aud nildewed masterpieces Of a semi
| ci' ilIzation.
1 prefer an astheticism unfettered by
thought. When seek pleasure, will throw
away my catechism and romp with children,
demanding no lesson from their idle prattle;
their thoushtless, merry laughter shall be
sweeter music than the most elaborate con-
structlons Of Mozart or Beethoven. For
poetry, give me the fresh, green fields, The
signing forest, the leapng, laughing brook
let shaded by hanging boughs or simmer
Ing In the golden sun. Give me home
made beautiful by the tribes of art and fancy,
where the cunning chisel and the dextrous
brush have mirrored beauty. Fear not 1t
will be sensual, for sensuality is not in the
thing but In the mind of him who beholds.
| will not throw an ungainly robe about the
j fair shoulders Of Diana, ner turn my Titan
to the wall. Let prudes do so IL they wilt.
Nor will I demand Of my reason why the
delicately chiselled marble, tho softly
blended colors Of the canvas, and tn dex-
trous bandiwork Of tho ieweler afford me
exquisite delight, and induce better, nay, a
holier appreciation Of this life's abiding
place: will be content that these things
relieve my care and afford me happiness, and
he has my sympathizing pity who rejects
them because they are not intellectual.
| G. CIR.
/