The national leader., 1889-04-20
The Love OF the Beautiful.

Many people live in this world as if
to eat, and to drink, and to be warm,
were the only passions of their soul. 1t
is only an ignorant, barbarous people
that can be satisfied with the necessi-
ties of life alone. The love of the tru-
ly beautiful calls man to higher exer-
tions, and awakens him to nobler life.
Half of the crimes in the world are
committed not with the purpose of get
ting means to provide the neceSsaries
of life, nor yet the means of gratifying
the love of the beautiful, but for the
purpose of gaining power and gratify-
ing vain ambition and licentiOuS pro-
penslties. The mere desire of possess
sing money and every species of the
beautiful which money can purchase
does not necessarily indicate love Of
the beautiful. People spend half their
life in little, uncomfortable houses in
order that they may accumulate money.
What do they do with it? They buy a
large well proportioned house. They
furnish them in the best and most cost
ly style; yet in most instances, there IS
not in all this true love of the beauti-
full. To them there IS no qualification
in the beauties exhibited in the arrange
ment Of the furniture, splendid colors,
regular figures and smooth surfaces.
The cups out Of which they drink their
tea are adorned with beautiful figures;
the chairs in which they sit are covered
and adorned with costly fabrics; their
table cloths are of the most costly dam
ask. Mirrors reflect the light from
every quarter of their rooms; pictures
of the best masters hang on the walls
and yet in most instances there is not
to them in all this a qualification of a
love of the beautiful. Beyond an ad-
miration for the mere mechanical skill
exhibited in these things, there is moth
ing in them to attract their attention.
The true standard of the beautiful is
nature, where every object displays per-
fectiOn and Infinite wisdom, power and
goodness, and it is only as art initiates
nature that it shows marks Of the true
ly beautiful. 1t is love Of the beauti-
full for its own sake only that ennobles
and dlgnifieS human nature, and that
opens an unfaIling source of gratifica-
tion. A million of human creatures
are employed in this country in minis
tering to this feeling OF. the beau
tiful. And the mind ~flled with a
love of the beautiful comtemnlates tie
grand scene-as painters imitate, ,spoets
sing, sculptors carve, and architects
rear up the gorgeous trophies OF their
skill-as everything becomes beautiful
and orderly, and magnificient-what
AN indescribable source of pleasure is
open before it'll To a soul thoroughly
imbued with love of the beautiful all
creation is open for pleasing contempla-
tion. The delicate little flower, the
tall and swaying trees on the noun.
tain's summit the ripping and meander-
ing stream, the valley and the hillside
as ''the lowing buds are winding slowly
o'er the Iea,' and, the flocks are skip
ping over the hills, while the evening
shades are advancing from the west
as well as the scene of glory that opens
in turning our eyes heaven ward-as the
bright moon is walking gently among
the stars of night-all show forth a
beauty that gives unspeakable pleasure
to the contemplative mind.