West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-11-08

70 Adam y ITO making n bride for the Good
Samaritan's horse, and mendlng one OF his
EGGS" TO putting on n new handle on
Moses basket and fitting bulrushcs. and
adding moro fuel TO the FIRE in Nobuchad-
nezzars furnace" 80 painters were humil.
lated clear down below the majesty OF their
art. h oldest picture In England. a Dor
trait OF Chaucer, though now OF great value,
was picked out OF n lumber garrett. Great
were tho trials of Quentin Matsys, who toilod
on from blacksmith's anvil. till ms a paiuter
he won wide recognition. The first mission
aries 20 Mexico made the fatal mistake
OF destroying pictures, for the loss OF which
art and religion must ever lament But why
90 so Tar back when IN this year OF our Lord.
century, 20 be n paintsr. except In rare ex-
ceptions, means poverty and neglect Poorly
fed. poorly clald, poorly housed, because
poorly appreciated When l hear n man Is
n painter. / have two feelings, one OF dmira-
tion for the greatness OF his soul, n the
other OF commiseration for the needs OF mis-
body.
But 30 II has been in all departments OF
noble work. Some OF the mightiest have
been hardly bested. Oliver Goldsmith had
such a big patch ON the coat OF his left breast
that when he went anywhere no kept his hat
in his hand closely pressed over the patch.
The world renowned Bishop Asbury had n
snlary OF S6f n year. Painters are not
tho only ones who have endured the lack
or appreciation. Lot men Of wealth take
under their patronage the suffering men of
80 ivy Il HO ColIplulnt. IueY make no
strike for higher wages. But with a kesnness
OF nervous organization which almost ALWAYS
characterizes genius. these artists suffer
more than anyone but God can realize.
There needs to DO n concerted effort for
The suffering artists OF America, not
sentimental discourse about what we owe to
artists. but contracts that will give them n
livelihood; for / am in full sympathy with
the christian farmer, who was very busy
gathering his fall apples, and some ono
asked him to pray for a poor family.
the fnther OF which had broken HIS
leg; and the busy farmer said: 81 stop
now % pray, but you can 20 down into the
cellar and get some cornell beef, and butter.
and eggs and potatoes; that is all / can
do now" Artists NAV wish for orr provers
but they also want practical help from men
VINO can give them work. You have heard
scores OF sermons for all other kinds of suffer
ing men AMI women, but I think this is the
hrst sermon ever preached that made
a plea for the suffering men and women OF
American art. Their work is more true TO
nature and life than any OF the master
pieces that have become immortal ON The
other side OF the sea, but it is the fashion
or Americans TO mention foreign artists.
and 70 know lutte or nothing about our
own Copley, and Allston and Inmau. and
Greenough and Kensett. Let the nninent
fling out OF their windows and into the back
yard valueleSs daubs on canvas, and call in
these splendid but ~unrewarded mon, and tell
them TO adorn your walls. not only with
1879 VIZ NNNNLn OAL GnAL
the mind, and improve the morals, and save
the souls of those who gaze upon them.
Brooklyn and all other American cities
need great galleries OF art. not only open
annually for a few days on exhibition, but
which shall stand opsn all the year round,
and from early morning until ten o'clock at
night, and free TO all who would con and
go, What a preparation for the wear
aud tear Of the day, a Ave min
utes' look in the morning at some
picture that Will open a door into SOM larger
realm than that in which our population
daily drudgel or what "A good thing the half
hoar OF artistic opportunity on the way
home in the evening from exhaustion that
demands recuperation for mind and soul a.
well as bodyl Who will do for Brooke
lyn or the city where o live what w.
w. Corcoran did for Washington, and what
am told John WannamakeT, by the dona-
ton OF De Munkacsy's great picture, Christ
before Pilate,h IS going TO do for PhiIadel-
phlat Men OF wealth, If you are too modest
10 build and ehdow such a place during your
lifetime, why not go to your iron safe, and
take out your last will and testament, and
make n coiicil that shall build for the city OF
your residence. a throns for American art2
Take some OF the money that would otherwise
spoil your children, and build an art gallery
not only with the great masters OF
painting who are gone, bus with the
great masters who are trying to live; and
also win the admiration and love OF tens OF
LH'a'aApe "a VcOlits WHO, ultDlb 10 nave
fine pictures of their own, would be adj
vantaged by our benefaction. Build your
own monuments, and not leave it to the
whim ofothers. Some Of the best people sleep
ing in Greenwood have nc monuments at all.
or some crumbling stones that in a few years
Will let the rain wash out name and eDitaph:
while some men whose death was the abate-
ment OF a nuisance, have a pile OF polished
Aberdeen high enough fora king, and eulo-
GUM enough TO embarrass a seraph. On,
man of large wealth, instead OF
leaving.to the whim of others your monument
tai communication and epitaphiology TO be
looked at when people are going to and fro
at the burial OF others. build right down in
the heart OF our great city, or the city where
yon live, an immense free reading room. or
a free musical conservatory, or n free
art gallery, the inches for sculpture.
and the walls abioom with the rise
and fall OF nations. and Lessons OF
courage foT s1s dishearoened and rest for the
weary, and life for the dead: and one hum
ired and htty years from now you will he
welding influences in this world for rood
among those Whose grelt-grandfather was
your Rreat-grandchlld How much better
than white marble that chilis you il you
put your hand on il when you touch
10 in the cemetery would be a monument in
o%olors, in beaming eyes. in living DO session
IN splencors which under the chandeIie.
would be glowing and warm, and looked "a
Dy stroiltng groups with catalogue in liant
On tne January night, when the %necropolh
ELRL ~ NMA .NN1 NANE
Inc tower OF David was hung with one thou
sand dented shields Of battle: but you. oil
man OF wealth, may have n gFander sowel
named after you, one that shall be hung no.
WITH the symbols Of carnage, but with thu
victories Of that art which was so long aQt
recognized in my text as pleasant pictured
On. the power Of picturesI / cannot derida
a. some have done, Cardinal Mazarin. who
when tod that no must die, took his last
walk through the art gallery OF his palace
saying: Must i quit all this9 Look at thai
Iltianl Look at hat Corregiol Look al
mat deluxe Of Caraccii Farewell, dear pict
ures." As the day Of the Lord Of Hosts ac
cording 20 this text, will scrutinize the
pictures i Implore al parents 20 see thai
li tneir households they have neither
IN book or newspaper or on canvas anything
mat VIII deprave. Pictures are no Longer
the exclusive possession OF the afiueuE There
" not a respectable home in these cities that
mas not specimens Of wOoicut or steel en-
craving " not o. pa mt ny. aud your who'll
FAMILY viii feel the moral upifftins
or depression. Have nothing on YOU
Wah or IN books that will familiariu
tle young with scenes Of cruelty or wassail
nave only those sketches made by artists ia
eieVated m3ois, and nOn Of those scenes that
seem bno product Of artistic delirium fremeue
fictuIes are not only a strong but a uni
Forsal languages. The human race IS divided
INTO almost as many languages ~ there ore
nations but the pictures may speak &c
p1ypie oL al tongu8t Noiapuk many have
hOpet, with little reason. would become a
"Ofid-Wlde language; but the pictorial it
always "a worldwide language. and printers
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