The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-27
MODEL C0NV VERSATI0NS.
COMMENTS AND CRITICISMS on TIE
LEE STATUETTE.
What = Times A" Representative Over
heard at the Capitol-MaDy Men ofManS
Ninds-AIl Kinds of Opinions About Mer-
rie's Model of the Monument.


Nind.-An Kinds of Opinions About Mer-
oie's Model of the Monument.
If any student of human nature wishes
70 study the possibilities OF the difference
Of individuals in the matter Of opinion
on one subjec, he should walk around
some morning amongst the gtOups " no
visit the Senate chamber TO see Slercie's
model Of the proposed statue TO General
Lee
our representative has done so, and
lots down some Of these criticisms, just
a few-to print them all would he to eX-
clude somi ther things of Interest to the
public.
With characteristic modestY he ven
tured 10 opinion himself, bu; with GUS
tomary afroiiness eliciied hose Of others,
and avail, himself likewise OF remarks
which fell in as he moved about amongst
tbc va i0u5 suburban groups
OF course fhe horse was Tie first thing
u1iCc1. Indeed. megy confined 'hci5 re-
marks entirely tn tAe quadra.cd.
NO more Ike Traveller 'han It's Ike
me-"
"O- cor.se rot Would You want 20
puj General lee On f. sheep
sheep fou ought 20 b4ye seen him
O.. di! once. Then you would have
seen a W9r horse ~
YES, bat You see ey rJb0dy says that
sculpture should be power IN repose"
Power il rcpOse What becomes of
the Laocoor then, the Quot Thrower, the
Mote. ] tell YOU the horse ought 10 have
at least one Of his feet ofr the ground;
hes champiag bis BIZ, why not make him
paving with one f0OtY
And now listen 10 TWO others quiet
looking. middie-aged gentleman without
gesture, and eyideatlY cautiously feeling
their way
IL understand that The artist was re-
stric,ed to position for the horse with
his four feet on the ground"
"Indeed: | rather think that that was
mistake Poet laureates, you know,
have rarely -ucceeded in verses to order"
"Exactly: but / understand that they
were afraid of some Gellic eXuberance
on tAe oa5t OF the artist, and 50 kept
him y sober bounds
Il should think ihat lie might have been
trusted. an4 il he Is g. true artist, ia pos
yes ION of the facts a. TO cAaracteristics
ne Lal hotter be left 20 his o@n design.
Look ~ tAis dieuidtd statue oU' here.
by U8uGou, a Freu1hmau. aud thea Al
p.t., = ty youCer, French N con
ception and treatment, and yct by New
England man
Her cur scgite sided away to an
other -rcrp, evidently h0rseY. No Two
of these agreed; s,me quoting Major
boswell la commentator, backed by
Governor Lee, csyslIyman; others who
claimed 90 H. equlaomeicrs OF large eX-
perienCc pTOiestiu'that tae horse was
~Out or character, too large for the man,
too siiiled, in fact unhoFselike.
Next he encountered the button ana
sword belt men, and wearying soon Of
these he gave passing ear to the ache
rents Of other candidates in first and
later competitions Here OF course there
was immense difference Of opinion and
some rancor. "Just like IS horse and
yet they threw him over for aforelgner.
you axe mistaken; his horse though
walking, had his head up, and was be
sides much lighter animal"
The trouble was with the rider The
saddle was too near his belt.
"rhe first premium one, put in
another, was just as heavy horse as
this, and just a. good"
Yes. but you e. another partisan
reiojned he was straining too much as
If he was pulling load, f." and 50 on
Each one raising up his preferred model
on the debris Of the Others.
The writer's attention was now at
traced ~ group sitting apart in some
Of the senatorial! tripods On approach
ing he discovered amongst them men OF
various professions. amongst them artist,
architects. and literary folk. The
cautious pGper man reared them from
the rear and unobseryed + r be knew
the class Was coy. and would fall into
commonplace If ;ney discovered him.
he does not pretend to give verbatim
report Of what be heard. He admit 5
that. in ile OF himself, the charm which
hangs around his style is impossible 10
be- concealed, a. that he has cooked into
diges biliiy some Of the crudities which
ETdltN on MS thlSt ttb hS ''alhi' thoI thc
substance 0f the conversation is exact.
"Il was the same thing with every one
of the models" said literary man.
heard men Of cultivation tone star in
the literary World) say that it was the
81 collection OF models they had ever
seen, and vet, in spite Of the seal OF two
Of the first seuptors and one Of the first
architects iu the country, the whole co.
lection was needed. This group, though
better in some poiuts, is not SO absolute
ly superior to all the predecessors as 10
be apparent to the ordinary observer, it
seems 10 me.
"Yuy are mistaken, my friend" said
one Of the artists; Though you are right
TO a certain extent. This one is much
better from every point Of view. and
here Mercie has shown the true artist.
Besides, to my mind, the Lee is unques-
iionably the best We have had. Minute
points will be lost in the colossal figure,
but contend that the general aspect is
that of Lee. have seen him scores OF
time, aud believe that observe as close
ly asmustmen. Yes, he is a little larger
! but that toe, mark nv word, will be mol
! itied by the height. Il is astonishing tc
me that people treat this statue as If il
were to be a slatuette subj ct to face tc