The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-11-23

A lecturer upon art to whom listened re- Oently, said simplicity is the crOwnng excel lence in art" He proved his statement the blackboard by rapid, yet superior drawing; & straight line here, curved line there, oblique stroke, a bar, quirk, flourish, and the picture complete symmetrical, lite-like, beautiful The process WAS simple that we said mentally : "Why am l not artist? Anybody can become & good artist, even a child" The lecturer said "A knowledge of few fundamental rules is all that is necessary"-and there was the fact on the black board. He did not ask his auditors to believe his statement, but to believe the blackboard The picture we beheld was produced by few strokes made according to rule nothing could be more simple.
 Here is one secret if not the secret of success in all pursuits and positions Humanity puts on airs :: 1t does so to make profound impression. 1t must be elaborate and imp osing in order to be influen- tial, it seems to think So the artificial comes to the front, and simplicity is crowded out of social and public life In dress, manners customs, educa- tion, and even in religion, the elaborate is sought rather than the simple-a grave and sad mistake For "the crowniDg excellence" of nature is sim plicity. The closer men can get to nature, the more simple will they be in their manners, aims and habits. To be natural is to be simple, and not artificial And this applies to man in his three fold nature and in all relations of life
 The following incident, recently rehearsed by several journals, confirms the opinion of the art lecturer spoken of in the opening of this paper
 "This Russian sculptor ksmensky, one of the most noted of Russia's artistic guild has come to America and intends to settle in New York and to become American citizen. The story of his first rise in the world is very pretty. He went to Rome to complete his studies, and on his return to St. Petersburg, he did not undertake any remark able and gigantic work wich was certain to prove failure, many other sculptors have done he contented himself with modelling from lump of clay little bird trying its wings for the first time Whether it was the simplicity and beauty of the model, the pretiness of the allegory the atten- tion of the court at once called to the work by the Grand Duchess Marie, the sister of the czar. Then came an order to copy the little bird in ble, and when finished it was placed in the Winter Palace"
 A father called upon music dealer to purchase a certain piece for his daughter who was taking lessons on the piano.
 "That is elaborate piece of music for learner" said the dealer "and not hslf sweet something more simple"
 The father who had often listened to elaborate German music, and wondered why it could be so famous, accepted the music dealers suggestion and bought piece simple that child child could readily learn It. Subsequently his daughter became expert pianist, and could execute the most dii- cult music ever written; but for years whenever she wanted to delight visitors particularly, she would play the piece her father loved so we'll for it's charming simplicity.
 John Kitto became one of the most renowned biblical scholars who lived and it might have been said of him simplicity was the crowning excellence" of his character He wrote in the jour- nal of his manhood "I must remember my hum- ble origin, and never forget that some unexpected circumstance may again consign me to that poverty and wretchedness from which have emerged"
 He was the inmate of Q poor house at thirteen years of age, where he made list shoes. Thence he was transferred to shoe factory, where he excelled