The National tribune., 1883-11-01
\ NOVEL BENEFACTI0N
SOme Further Facts as to the Man
chester Museum.
Special Correspondents National Tribune.


way of illustrating its objects. shall have occa-
sion to draw upon it again. The use Of labels
which the managers propose seems to mo sng-
gestive and, so far as can judge from my own
experience in visiting museums wholly new
The judicious use Of labels is, moreover, so IN
expensive and so practicable a device for In
creasing the usefulness Of collections that il Is
strange that these variations upon the general
custom of giving merely tho name Of articles
exhibited for educational purposes should seem
IN any way new OF original Both the pria-
ciple OF connecting the museum with the life
OF the working people Of Manchester and the
principle OF making the connection clearly
evident underlie the proposed arrangements
for the ine arts department. Of the museum.
Thus
The COMMITTEES VIII try to obtain for the museum
pictures which not oaly beaatifIl. but asO rep
resent subjects which give desirable knOysieti<s OF
are likely 10 excite healthy thought and seeiing.
AZ pictures cannot influence culture unless they
are thoEglitfally examined. ard a few persons ars
wiling to look carefully az pictures OF subjects
which are unknown TO them, the committee think
il very desirable that all nearly al the pictures
in the museum shall be Of suhjccts which are
either familiar TO most people are closely con-
neetcd with familiar subjects that they can be made
interesting by the pointing out OF this connection
or many pictures of trivial literary draWinz-
room subjects, but probably not 20 that Of a single
picture which Is or has been popular with any
class of people.
Every picture viii be provided with label bear
ing a brief explanation of the subject. and II tls
subject be that IS not familiar to most DeopIs
its connection with familiar things will e possible
be pointed out. If The subject be taken frarsa his
tory or from any kind of literature clear references
VIII be made on the label 50 the book containin4
the description of the scene represented
1t should be remembered in this connection
that Manchester Possesses admirable free cub
lie libraries distributed throughout sse city, so
that this reference to books Is as practical
use of labels as is the statement Of the prics Of
references TO interesting works of history and
fiction may gradually elevate the tone Of tns
selections made By the ehildrea Of work people.
Among the books whiea the municipality
places at their Disposal
It is proposed to arrange some OF the pictures
which have similar subjects in groups. In some
cases works IN Oh color. works in water color,
etchlngs and ene-ayings viii be placed the same
group. The use Of these means VIII. il IS believed
cause greater attention 70 be paid To the subjects OF
the pictures 70 the differences OF the effects which
different kinds OF art produce and 70 the tech
nieai qualities Of the pictures
Though the conditions under which a qrest part
of the inhabitants OF large towns live are most un-
favorable to tine acquisition Of love Of natural
beauty the feeling and Thought which such beauty
exeites happily do exist IN some degree IN most Of
them, and IA very many Of them may be strength
ened by the help of art Most work people SEQ
some pretty country places near the town IN which
they live few days in the year IN town parks
they more frequently trees and shrubs. and IN
the houses of few of them Towering plants are
knowledge Of mai ure and the weak senses Of is
beauty thus gained, pictures OF the most beautiful
scenery near Manchester viii be placed in the ars
museum some of the pictures viii be painted
from the best known points OF view, others fFcm
points OF view commanding aspects Of the place
represented which less eofnmonly known. Il
Is proposed to have several pictures Of each of
few of the best known and prettIest places. show
ing their appearances at different seasons Of the
year.
For the purpose of increasing knowiedge and
love OF the beautiful forms which are the elements
of landscape there viii be pictures OF all the
mon kinds OF English trees and plants. some of
them accompanied by drawings on a large scale Of
their leaves, branches, blossoms and seeds.
As there are many persons who would feel more
interest IN pictures II they understood the techni
cal process Of the painter it is intended that de-
serptions. as clear be obtained. OF the pro-
cesses of painting shall be placed in the museum,
perhaps panied by exaTnp pies Of work fer
ent stages of progress It is also intended 70 give
and engravings of different kinds are made and
to show collections OF the tools and apparatus used
by etchers and engravers- For the purpose of oo-
tanning close attention TO the difference of effees
produced by different processes. IL intended 70
place two of Dir Wards fac-simile water
color copies of Turner'S wate--coior drawings side
by side with engravings of the same drawings.
With the same object, engrsvins, Oh pictures,
water-color drawings, and etehinas Of similar
subjects viii be grouped together. As the finest
/ Greek statues show, with unequalIed perfection,
/ the beauty Of mental and physical health thu
COMMITTEES propose TO place collection OF casts Of
/ the best Greek sculpture in the museum
Pictures and other works Of art can have strong
influence the thoughts feelings and taste only Of
those persons who examine them carefully and sec
them often- A beautiful picture IS under the nost
favorable conditions for influencing culture whsn
/ il is lived with, when il is constantly seen and
/ often thought Of; and the more nearly the eondi-
tons under which the contents OF she museum
be made 10 approach these best cOntlft50Hs
the more useful, OF course. the museum VIII b.
Music Is probably the only art which is az present
strongly influencing the thoughts and feelings Of
| the working classes. No one unfortunately, can
/ doubt that its influence on q large proportion Of
1nlt lTrrr
the songs sung IN music halls and IN the free
! and-easies" of public houses and who knows. also
that most Of the more ignorant werk-people
in our towns have, and wish 70 have. other
places of amusement than public houses and
music halls. 1t is, therefore, very desirable that
the most popular OF the arts shall be used % refine
the thoughts and feelings Of theSeople, instead Of
being allowed to degrade them
The committee believe that music may be mads
very effective IN raising the culture Of the people
who visit the museum, IL il be good, and Il il DO
repeated often enough 70 be remembered by many Of
| those who hear it. AS music ike pictures. nuss
be kabitually lived with if it Is TO be under the
most favorable circumstances for influencing eul-
ture, the COMMITTEES, IN the hope of leading work.
people to sing a. home, propose that most or the
music given az the museum shall be Of the kind
/ which work-peOple most readily learn IL 10
| melody which Is the greatest attraction IN music
for the majority of people, and songs for voice,
which can be sung without the accompaniment OK
any instrument, be often sung at times when
no other music Is attanable II Is. therefore pro-
posed that songs of which both the music and
words beautiful shall be often sung in the
museum And as part-s1Dging and u,pSic Tor piano
and violin might be learned by thousands of pee
pie in every great town, 1t IS intended that such
| music shall often be given Each piece, whether
| for voice or for several, or for otnsr mstru-
ments, viii be often repeated.
/ If the beauty OF one vase. one picture. one Ena
| piece of metal work be elesrly and strongly
felt interest IN most other things of the kind
viii be excited As the briei descriptions accom-
| panylng each thing shown In the museum viii Dc
insuthcienE TO make those who are quite Ignorant
of art when they come 10 the museum feel strong
interest in any object, understand the naturs
of the processes by which il Is produced Il IS IN
tended that short lectures shall frequently be gwen
/ and that a series of small handbooSs containing z
descriptions OF processes shall be sold IN the
UNI Lectures literature also win be given, a
no who has not learnt to enjoy its beauty can
fully appreciate the beauty of the other arts
In my last letter I cited some Of the argu-
ments used by the committee in defense OF
their decision in favor of opening the museum
on Sunday. / cannot do better than close thin
letter by quoting the remaining arguments sea
forth in the Prospectus IN favor OF this step.
These arguments are as follows:
On Sunday afternoons the Museum viii be open
and suitable musie given In it. The COMMITTEES
believe that il ID the duty of everyone 70 try "a
make Sunday day of recreative rest for the iargcs.
which they more effectively help to do this
than by opening the art museum Sundays.
Ii Is admitted by everyone that very large pro-
portion of the people of our towns do not now
spend Sunday in way which is conducive eithez
to spiritual or to mental and physical health This
committee believe that the general ignorance oi
townspeople OF almost all natural beauty and Of
almost all beautiful works of srt, Is among thu
chief causes OF that common absence OF deep
religious feeling and of desire for noble modes