Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-06-06
HUMAN ART.
DIR. Prime on the Line OF Civilization.
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lJOufUhl Ol OoLiiilsSiIbsl
There /. something more In the history
Of human ant than mere story ITSELF This
ninctconlh century is not half 50 great "a
century a, those who i've IN Il imAyiA O..
Doubtless men in all age' have had mnrh
the same notion that their ages were ti'
great ages, their achievements the most
wonderful achievements. Nhen We near
men hoastine 81 The magnetic telegraph g.
an evidence % the triumphant SGP'rot"F
OF our time, II is easy 10 look back I'lr
or i've thousand years and see men
hosting OF the invention OF wriLlns
he reduction OF sound % sight,
lie extension OF The power OF Inc
mind which vas formerly limited to tue
ROVER u the voice. Ana u m!ti-f
u Fact the first invention was The great IN
ycution. Tie magnetic telegraph i IN =
chine ior utilizing the original invention OF
writing. The man who Invented the method
Of writing n distance-teles graphing ne
who invented The use Of movable type, re-
producing written matter IN many copies
printing these men are not 70 be named
i'm the list oi inventors as anywhere ~
vroachng the man who invented the pflh-
cipic OF \ [.
First inventions are the great Inventions.
The idea OF reducing the sound OF the voice
to the sight Of the eyes was the idea ~ a
great intellect fresh from communion Win
Divinity. The notion that mankind came
from a lower grade OF animal lie Is absurd
m view OF the one grand truth IN the MS
tory OF ort that It was the men OF the re-
hmolrst ages, the iirsl men, VINO made Inc
Great original inventions in all the arts,
and that from age to age the race has been
dependent absolutely on the creative li's
Of the ancestral man.
Tni~ gencaiOgic character OF art cannot
be too frequently impressed on the m'nl'
The cgotism Of our times need, irrlu NJ
reminding OF the fact that we owe ai, OUT
highest characteristics of what we cal oar
civilization to the in;eiiects Of our remote
anc, stOrs.
The history Of human arts is a history o.
the invention in an early axe o. one ma
another art for the comfort 1nl luxury Oh
ME. then II the intcrIuarriaEe 81 Itt WIN
art, aud the descent, In regular me, Oh
Whatever arts men have needed under ga,
various circumstances which surrouNleI
them.
For example. At some period Ia the early
history Of our race sOalG one ihteAt"u 30
idea oi writing signs Tor sounds. FfoDl'
Div the trst written ch1H.ter, were PEE
lures for entire ideas. But whatever lnel
were, the rncc was possessed OF zoe aTt o'
writing, and the art was aitcrwaIu mpul
Ged to silt the circumstances OF the race
mo lifted In fact by the circumstances
Thus In the Valley OF ASA. the home Of %,
early civilization, the most convenient
tools for writing were the eay hb
lei and The s,ylus with when I
| mark on IT. But pointed instfH
ment scratching on the clay would leave
rough bit, " clay, aud make q slovenl>
MARI. Hence man adopted IN instrument
whereyith TO impress m1Tki Instead o
se,arcbipg them, and this instrument va
| simnly one whoSs sharp corner pressed o.
,ha rl9y would N Ike a wedse'shIp'd IN
d,nIatou. Thus pictures were roug y,
,ncic,ted by wedyc-,hJprd dots iofmin
,he outlines. Groups OK dots tha' md
y~crc in time couvcutlonAlized Into smille
sroup-. and thus came the cnneifora
yri,lnr. which served the Purposes OF IN
,n,elty civilizations OF Assyrla Tor taJa
sands 81 yrar-.
"A hen q colony went. olrrYlag the art
ana among them the arr Of wnlias, to ~
VALLEY OF the Nile, they louni IN glpyras