Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-11-28
ART MUSEUMS.
THEIR GREAT VALUE IN EDUCATING
TIE PEOPLE.
A Charming Letter on tho Subject from
Nr. Prims-The New York Col.
lection.

Mr.. Prime, "W.," OF tho New York
Journal of Commerce, writes to that
psper % follows:
il is OF the highest Importance that
the people Of the nineteenth century
should be educated in the great truth
that they are only occupying little
space In the ages. Their possessions,
whether of literature or art, or know.
ledge, are in large measure the gift to
ihemsof their predecessors. to be used,
If possible augmented, and handed along
to future generations, who will proba-
Div have possessions Of their own which
We neither know nor dream Of.
Doubtless all ages have been equally
eeoiistical. In succession each has
looked wilh contempt on the conditions
and attainnents of the past, and has ig-
nored the future, except in the building
of monuments whereby the ages to come
are expected to be taught to admire the
powers and gi6ries OF the present. But
this egotism is in great degree the re.
suit of A defective education. IL men
knew what former generations have
cone, il each age were brought into
close acquaintance with the human in.
tellect and its products in preceding
ages, it would hardly be possible for
the men Of any ono period to fail in
recognizing their obligations to the long
line Of civilization in which they stand
at only a temporary end, and to render
profound respect to the power Of that
intellect in age after age.
is no. the scholars Of On age who
need this education. 1t is the popular
mind which, especially in our day, is in
want of it. 1t should be fundamental
principle in all systems Of education to
impress on the young mind that We are
not the discoveries Of all that is known
in the world that We have received
from the dead generations most Of what
we know, and deliver it to the young
for their use and improvement, to be
again handed along by them with what
additions we and they may make to the
sum total. This principle has excellent
illustration in the subject Of the study
of ancient languages in our schools OF
learning. Whatever employmentinl life
the young man be destined for. he
should not only know what former ages
knew, but be should have that personal
conviction which only comes from per-
sonal relations with those ages. These
he can never get so well as by know
ledge of the languages men have spoken,
the words in which thor communicated
thoughts. Next best for this personal
conviction is the opportunityto see with
nineteenth.century eyes the products Of
men's thought and work in old times.
For whatever men have made. all their
products are as much thoughts made
visible, to be read and studied, as are
papyrus manuscripts, impressed clay
tablets, or engraved stones. Alpha1ets
are pot the only tools Of transmitting
thoughts to the eye. The artisan Of
one age can read history in the pre-
served tools Of the artisans Of other
sees. Hence the value of museums Of
art as educators Of the people who can
not be taught the written languages Of
arcient peoples. Among the thou
sands who visit such museums for mere
curiosity very few, if any, fail 10 take
away with them lessons which never
cease to influence them. However
slight tho impressions made at the mo-
ment, they are sure to be permanent
and useful.
Every one who has for the past
twenty years been familiar with indi-
cations of the character and general ed
ucation of the people has observed the
vast effect in this regard which the Me-
tropolitan Museum Of Art has produced
on the whole population. Not a great
many ears ago there was very little
knowledge, and there was very little
interest in the ancient world among the
people Of this country. Travellers who
brought home few antiquities met
among all classes persistent incredu-
lily in their genuineness. So dim was
the idea in many minds Of the reality OF
ancient history that the men Of sold
times and their deeds were regarded
almost as if they were fabulous. A
vague idea prevailed that objects sc-
tually made by fingers of men thou
sands Of years ago were so very rare
that when any one in America pro-
iessed to show one to his friends it
must Of necessity be counterfeit,
could not possibly be so old. Lecturers
talked to audiences, among whom they
could see many faces expressing total
disbelief. When celebrated lecturer
described the magnitude Of Egyptian
monuments be was ridiculed and dis.
credited in public, as Bruce had been
in England in his day. For England,
and France, and Germany, and all Eu-
rope, bad similar experiences in popular
education. There was timo when
even Italy had forgotten all but the
most vague ideas about her ancient
sleries, when engraved gems found here
and there in the soil we're regarded as
early Christian work, so that Isis and
uorus on an agate did duty ss the Vir-
gin Mother, Thalia with mask passed
for the daughter Of Herod With the head
of st. John the Baptist, and the three
Baccbic masks were labelled. " This is
the image Of the Holy Trinity" Our
history is not peculiar. Our education
came later, in the natural sequence oil
events.
For the purposes OF that education
no collection Of antiquities could be
formed in half century Of purchasing,
so fitted to the purpose as the Cesnola
collection. 1t was q vast library oil
human history in all the arts, extend.
ing over a period of more than fifteen
hundred years. The second collection,
which was incorporated with the frs,
when the museum moved into Central
Park, including the Curium temple
treasures Of gold and silver, alabastei
and bronze, made it what it is-s refer
ence library for the students of history
in all countries. The revelations OF
old art abilities which are thus from
time to time made, and made public in
museums, are Of inestimable value to
modern artisanship. Those whose
chief interest is in the beautiful 10 art
products when they visit the great nu-
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