The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-08-25

thoughts in the minds of our fellow
citizens.
THE PUBLIC'S IGNORANCE.
"The general public is, indeed, ig-
norant with regard to all the canons
and technicalities of art criticism, and
can give no reasons why it prefers
one thing to another. But in
these cases it has utterly dis
proved the beliefs of those who
say that the best art is therefore wasted
on it-that, if it cares for statue at
all, it cares for it merely as it might
care for a photograph explaining how
great mans features differed from
those of his fellows. The lesson our
public has thus taught those who think
that less than the best art willplease it,
or that the best itself will not be appre-
ciated, is all the more convincing be-
cause Nathan Hale was not person
age in whom, before it saw his statue,
it took any interest at all. A year ago,
we may safely say, Hale's name was
probably unknown to our school child
ren, or but vaguely remembered by
them among the many minor names
they had read in their American
histories; and many of our most intelli-
gent and Well-educated citizens would
have been puzzled to say Just " hat
his record was, and how he met his
death, or why, or where. But now u
little biography of Hale has been pre-
pared for use in our public schools; the
details of his execution have been dis
cussed for months in the columns of
our newspapers; every New Yorker has
become familiar with his name and his
title to fame; and, thanks to the ex-
ample of New York, the place where
he was aptured-Huntington, Long
Islands erecting q memorial in his
honor. And all this has been brought
about simply and solely by Mr.. Nc
Monies figure, and because it is an
impressive, an interesting and q beauti-
full work of art. There is no hour Of
any day when people, often of the
lowest classes, may not be seen gazing
at this statue; and the charm it has
for them has been reflected through
the mental atmosphere of the whole
city.
"Thus a citizen who deserved we'll
of the republic has, at once and for
always, been assured his need of
popular recognition and admiration,
and the education in patriotism of our
citizens has been definitely advanced,
while their eyes have been gratifed
and their taste for art has been stimu-
lated. There is no citizen so dull but
that he will perceive the difference be
tween this statue and one lacking its
good qualities. He may not be able to
explain it farther than to say, or to
feel, that the one interests him
and the other does not. But he will
always understand that some statues
may please and interest him, whereas
had he seen only poor works he would
have remained forever indifferent to
the claims of art, and skeptical as to
its possibilities Of alfording him pleas
ure. Among the thousands of men
and boys who find genuine pleasure
every time they pass the Hale statue
are many who, in future years, as pri-
vate individuals or members of cor
pOrations, societies or civic councils,
will have the power to influence the
aspect of New York. Who can doubt
that the lesson it has taught them
with regard to the pleasure-giving
power of works of art will then be re-
membered, and to our clty's profit?
MONEY WORSE THAN WASTED.
"But there appear no such signs of
popular admiration if one watches the
other new statues we have named; and
no signs of their having touched the
imagination or the historic curiosity of
our people if one studies the newspa-
pers or other indications of the trend
of popular thought, Yet Horace Gree
ley was man in whom New York
took great interest while he lived, and
Ericsson's services to our country were
not merely solid and serious, but pic
turesque enough in their manifesto.
tions to appeal to the imagination and
the patriotism of our native and adopt
ed citizens. Had the latter, at all
events, been as artistically and forci-
bly, presented to the public gaze as is
the case with Nathan Hale, then we
could rightly have looked for some
patent manifestation of public interest
in his personality and deeds. But his
statue is poor work of art, and there
fore it does not attract the popular eve
or touch the popular heart. 1t is as
inefficient in historically educating the
people and in really glorifying spread
ing and preserving Ericsson's memory,
as it is in delighting the eye and in
creasing appreciation for art in general.
From every point of view the money
paid for it has been wasted. Indeed,
it has been worse than wasted, for if q
statue or any other memorial does not
advance the cause of true art, it must
retard it.
''The lesson which, above all, we
wish to enforce is that no public monu-
ment has an excuse for existence un-
less it is primarily and essentially
work of art. The subject may be
worthy, the purpose Of its erection
may be commendable, but it will
miserably fail to come up to the meas
ure of its highest usefulness unless it
makes commanding appeal to the
Imagination of the beholder, and
through this to his nobler passions. A
thousand monuments have been erect
ed all over the country to celebrate the
heroism Of our soldiers during the civil
war. How many of them set forth
with any living force the elevated
patriotism which they aim to illustrate
and typify? The fail because they are
not instinct with the poetry which
idealizes every genuine work of art.
They move no one; they inspire no
one. Instead of ofadequately commemor-
ating the patriotic ardor of past
generation, they simply testify that
the generation which erected them
lacked all proper appreciation of art
and its highest functions"
LIS Garments in Danger.
Washington Star.
Now that seven Chinese war vessels have
been sunk by the Japanese we may expect
to hear that Ii Hung Chang has been di-
vested of his sky-blue overshirt.