The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1883-09-01

The city Of New York is just beginning to
take some interest in the erection Of this
magnificent gift Of the French Republic, and
have only recently let the contract for the
foundation. The monument is intended to
rise 22s feet above the waters Of New York
harbor, the plan including pedestal 100 feet
In height From an article in the New Orleans
Times. Democrat we take the following re-
garding it
"Neither in artistic beauty nor in actual
size does Battholdi's statue exceed all other
colossal fgures-slthough 1t overtops Nebu-
chadnezzar's wonderful statue Of gold, which
was 90 feet in height But the statue itself
must only be regarded as the upper portion OF
one prodigious structure. Pedestal and statue
together should form a single marvel I'M
equalled in the history Of art. Such work
is scarcely statue, strictly speaking, but a
tower Of stone and bronze, erected with two
fold purpose, both moral and utilitarian; and
modern science lends it a sublmity which
even the perfection Of Greek art could not
give. 1t is miracle Of modern
bronze architecture rather than Of
statdary; and affords beautiful proof how in
dustrial art may be rendered imposing by The
application Of aesthetics. Is not this idealized
figure, Illuminating the darkness for the ships
Of all nations, grand expression Of reverence
for Woman, Woman, who exerts such inhu-
ence upon modern society, and by whose
love, as by pharos, mems lives are more or
less directed The colossus of the antique
world was the figure of male divinity; that
OF the New World is not less divine, but it
is the divinity of womanhood. And sublime,
too, the idea Of that splendid Lbery,-the
Liberty Of the most gigantic Of republics
with lightnngs playing about her brows,-
Liberty holding out her torch above the waters
to illuminate the way for countless
thousands in search Of freedom and Of
wealth. What emigrant entering that
harbor by night could ever forget the splendid
spectacle, and the splendid symbolism OF the
rorchbearer Even the dream Of Dino
crates,-Sho desired to hew Mount Athos into
the figure of giant, holding in the hollow OF
his left hand city, and in his right cup re-
ceiving the waters of all the mountain streams
was less noble than the conception Of this
gilt to the American people. The Venus Of
ivory, wrought by Pygmalion oil Cyprus; the
golden Cybele in Cyzicos, whose face was
carved from the tusks of the hippopotamus;-
the wonderful stassettes made from camel
bones;-the amber statue Of Augustus;-the
marble lions guarding the tomb Of
King Hermias) whose eyes were blaz-
ing emerads - the Cornthian horses OF
bronze with ivory hoofs;-the Pentec divini-
ties whose hnger-nails were of siver;-all
those maTvels OF ancient sculpture, were less
worthy Of a worlds admiration than the
statue about which New York has exhibited
such characteristic indifference. The monu.
ment which commentaries one patriotic ac-
ton is public teacher; and there are many
| Of these in all countries. But the monument
which perfectly ymbolizes the role If nation
in the great drama civilization-which typihes
worhily the majesty and glory of freedom, as
Barholdi's statue does, is grander work and
! teaches a prandeT lesson.