National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-03-19
LEoruR1Ne AS A FINE ART.



group IN marJlu. In each case it is the work Of |
creative genius, In tho matter Of painting or /
sculpture, however the artist Is confined by the !
limitations Of his art to presentation of but one
or, at most, two or three phases Of his thought or
conception, uni while II, to be great picture, re-
quirOs greatness OF conception, rs well as perico
ton ~ drawing eOluriug, pose, and atmosphere
ana the lesser, though important, qualities OF !
touen anu lec4nlque, stil II docs not, admit OF
that breadth Of treatment that scope In handling
that sounding OF all the notes In tho gamut Of |
human tcGliug wuici Is allowed which Is, indeed,
demanded uf him who would present to n mixed !
audience the many sides of a great subject with |
only the air for MS canvas and words for his |
colors Besides this tic artist in color or stone |
reaches AMI moves us through the ego alone, and |
Wien We arc In the mood to be 80 reached and
moved We can returnt to his work again and
again. and Willingly yield ourselves TO silent con.
temptation and tile influence OF the thought
which the picture embudies. The lecturer, on |
the contrary, has to please on the instant many
tone, hue, aud variety Of mood weld them ~ |
the same moment into one. This requires oil |
that is demanded of the artist-in drawing, In |
color IN atmosphere, In pose tone, and technique
but II demands, MS TO the breadth and power OF
conception and treatment which Is the first and
highest quality of creative genius, universally,
both of mind aud requirement, which tho artist
in color or clay need not possess.
What we have said OF art II, OF course true,
whether the subject be flower, battlefield or
THE Ascension only tho rcal scope of the genius
OF the artist is made more una more apparent III
the greatness OF the subjects he may attempt, and
from the flower " the Ascension increases in
geomCtrical ratio.
There are many works OF art which win our
observation aud give us pleasure for the moment,
but which we soon forget, and probably do not
again recall. This Is evidence Of the fact that
while they have merit In one or more of the quail
ties we have pointed ont, still they fail In sOmo
one of those requirements which are heCc isary to
any great WORK, ana by 80 much lack of being up
to the standard of a really great performance,
and arguing. OF course, want OF the highest
Seen do not i merely please our eyes and give US
present pleasure, but they seem to take possession
OF us mind md heart We seem TO live In tho
picture, breathe its atmosphere and when we turn
away from 1t II Is not forgotten. We carry II with
us In thought, and constantly rcCur to IL. II has
an ever tightening grasp upon us. ofcn II gives
suggests many new and bright fancies to our own
minds, and awakens trains OF reflection ana tones
of feeling which are source OF perpetual pleasure
and prOit--a rich possession which cannot be
taken away from us. To produce such an effect
is the highest achiGyementof creative genius and
Is Its cDnseCrntiOn.
MWhat has been said Of pninting IL, we think, and
In larger sense, true OF lectlring-n term which
The 0 Ordinary ' and usual kind ior Of pubic
speaking, occurring is the highest in form and
tho S i Composed. picture OF many views
and long vstas, and If the subject be great one,
makes inc heaviest demands upon all the iacul.
tics of the human mind. II demands the most
thorough education, the widest reading, the high
est culture, II requires originality of mind and
Thought. which Is that quality That gives strength
and depth to every great conception 1t must be
perfect in drawing, coloring. and pose; III tone,
touch and technique, and over all there must
prevail that atmosphere Of perfect intellectual
p ose which Is felt rather than seen
There have been put a fCw great American
painters, and fewer still OF great lecturers. Meas
tlred by the high standard here set up one may
reckon them OH his ten fingers. But this standard,
high as 1t l., has now been nearly reached by one
who may be said to be Just on the threshold Of
what is u need, but &C tany for linn a true
sphere of action; for, II we are correctly in
formed, the occasion on which we lately heard him
was his first appearance anywhere as n lecturer.
We refer to Theodore G. Cone, Of Georgia, aud his
lecture recently delivered in small hall, aud to
II small but distinguished audience, in Washing
In the first place, the lecturers personal appear
ance or this is one OF the things which is OF i'm
pOrtance TO tho lecturer and OF IL concern to the
artist, in this instance has little else to be de-
sired. lie is II nau in the prime of his first ma
| square. shouldercd, and growing stout but he has
| that minging OF dignity aud ease of manner and
| movement which we call natural grace. His head
| is largsnnd almost classic in form and is in ad-
| mirable proportion to his large and elegant per-
son. His hair Is now quite silvered over and has
that siltcn sheen III ~ which is so sure an indi'
cation of q high nervous and mental organization.
| His complexion is horid aud healthy. His face IS
| strikingly strong. His eyes are blue, with the
| tired, worn expression we SO often remark in stu.
dents; but when he Is speaking they give out
| vivid flashes which IRE more ike those of the
| impending tempest than the broad, mild cheat
| lightning of a summer evening.
| The first impression he makes on an audience
lat least, IL was tue first made on the writer Is
| that of intellectual refinement. There was all
| about him that undeinable air of high breeding
| WnlCn SO lnuellDly marks ana indicates n trut
gentleman. The second impression is that OF in.
| tellectual force, which grows he proceeds aud
| becomes broader and deeper until the last word
Is spoken. 1t Is the impression which we bring
away and which remains with US. IL Is the "at.
| mOsphcre" of the lecture, TIE first word which
| the lecturer utters discloses Il voice OF unusual
| compass aud power, round, flexible, musical re-
| sonant, ana full throughout It's great range. We
cannot recall better voice In any speaker.
II is not remarkable that with gifts such as these
the lecturer from the first word OF his mod st in
PRODUCTION Of himself, and the great subject which
he dare discuss This subject is the conflict
| between religion aud science, with an examinn.
| ton OF lngerSollisn nom Il mdn-Of-the- world
point of view, should hold the close, at times abb
sOrbeu, attention of his audience to the last. But
| before the introduction Is well concluded the
audience feel that they are in the presence of u
| man who has the most powerful grasp upon and the
most complete mastery OF his great subject, for
not only are his scholarly attanmcnts vt once APP
parent, but the impression decpons with every
| topic he touches that here is II man who has gono
| " he heart Of everything in the world of books
| and having made IL his own, has that vigor and
| vistas of though Tor us. aud this with the Free
| bold grand stroke which belongs only to genius.
| In addition to his great inc nation and Sold
| requirements, which he wlelds into II siGdsc
| hammer of logic, and uses with tho power and
deNterity of master hand. he has that great gift
| of cXhalsting u topic with few powerful strokes
which is the very perfection OF tue lecturers art
Ho has also II spIeldid imagination. Not the riot.
| Gus imagination to which we are treated by others
but one which istraincd and in perfect disci pllne-
Disciplined to play lS own proper part IN
| hslds OF oFlSlnaI Thought. IL . furnishes
him with q w0ath Of illustration
lie has great command of language, Il marvel
ously rich vocabulary. We do not remember n
single speaker in the senate, pulpit, or ut the bar
| who mas greater power of elegant aud pure eX-
preston. Words are to him what the colors on his
pHlcttgHro 10 the painter readily ut his command,
| and with whch hc expresses the finest shades Of
| meaning with clenrncss, precision, and power.
| still another impression which he audience soon
feels is that the speaker is deeply III earnest in
what he isnboul licisncver for moment drawn
away from tho direct line of his argument, and is
ever pressing With all his forces TO the conclusions
! sought To be maintained.
one thing for which this speaker Is greatly to he
| praised TOR II Crccts the highest standard for
those who are to come after Aim) is, that of all
tho lecturers who have occupied the platform in
| our day, accustomed TO deal with mixed audi
| euCes, aud who seem 10 banker after popular APP
plNllse, he Is the only one who Is Absolutely
guiltlcss ofthat clap. trap which takes "shor cuts
TO u GlimaS,' and Is calculated in theatrical par
| lance, to bring down the house" lie does rise
to the greatest heights of eloqucnce, but it Is al
| ways that which is best argumentntVe cloquence,
| the eloquence of thought, that which belongs TO
| the Argument aud hence there is no impression
lett Of Il strainng after effects. All Is fitting easy,
| and natural. lie is always on the lin9 OF mis-
| left; takes mo cross cuts for "climat. Every
step is toward his 60 lCluson. Tome force OF
| these all else Is suhsorvient and secondary. And
the audience knows that they are oelhS honestly
| dealt with. 49,,
For some reason Mr. Cone, athou9h unmis-
| takuby possessing greUt oratogcal powers, SHOWS
! AZ indifference, or what may DC more precisely
| termed an intellectual Contnp lot lhe orators
tnci,,rr 10 MOI IhilngnniIChl treatise nor n scipn.