Smyrna times., 1894-10-31
The Status of Expression.
BY JAMES b. SCOTT.
For the Smyrna Times.

For The Smyrna Times
Not in every persuit is the space be-
tween theory and practice a placid
stream running softly and without
hindrance to the deepning sea. Mis-
construction, doubt, and unheard of
difficulties, too often make theory and
practice as wide apart as is the vaulted
heavens above the foundations of the
rock-ribbed mountains.
Commonly it is understood that tact,
shrewdness, foresight, are the expo
nents and sure fOrerunners Of a GER
tainty in either of these terms that is
well nigh infallible. That the reverse
obtains few illustrations will not only
prove but place tact where it properly
belongs, simply as an executive quality
and not the true expression or guide
in any known science AS an instance
we will take Arts. Here is picture by
the eminent French painter, Millet,
THE Angelus," in size 81 inches by 27,
that adorns the salon of its present
owners in New York, at the enormous
cost of $4,000. Very well; but this
picture has a history antedating its
present title. If tact is the true ex-
preston Of art, it should become more
real than apparent in this mastery
gem of the painters brush.
The scene is laid in France. You
could place it in Brittany, the potato
growing province in the north, or in
the valley Of tae Loire, or il fancy pre-
fers. in the south where the mountains
of pain shield the yinyards Of La Belle
France from the strong winds OF the
sea. In the foreground are two peas
ants, man and woman: they stand
reverently with clasped hands and
bowed heads, while about them lay the
products and implements Of their daily
toll in the fields. The exquisite group
ing of these two figures is more than
art, it is genius. They stand silhouet-
ted against the clear sky, concentrating
the attention as would two mighty peaks
of the Andean chain do whose surplices
are snow and whose sermons are ava
lanches.
Brown fields in the middle distance
stretching away to the background,
against which tree embOwered village
with its slender church spires pointing
skyward and save where the strong
tints of noon time blaze in the distant
horizon where the line dips sharply
into the tumbling sea, and so the pic
ture ends. This then was Millet's con-
ception. Instead of The Angelus" it
was given to the world as the Potato
Diggers.' AS it is related, it hung in
his studio for a long time without a
purchaser until finally it was turned
against the wall as unsaleable. All the
force of color, light and tinting were
the same in the Potato Diggers" as in
the present" "Angelus" save in the ex
preston of nomenclature. The mo
ment it appeared under its present
name the full beauty and grandeur o
the painting were at once recognized
in the world of art.
The picture became the incarnation
of that salutation that will until the
"crack O. doom belt the globe three
times each day And the Angel d
the Lord declared unto Mary" The
expression under the name becomes th'
exponent of the angibility of the In
carnation Of the Divine Saviour" On
can almost hear now the clock in the
distant church tower strike the hour o
noon as sweeping across the interven
ing space the two peasants hear it ant
pausing in their labor they reverentl.
call to mind with bowed heads thu
greatest of all mysteries.
So, too, Israel stands to dav awaiting
the coming of that Messiah whose ad
vent to them in power and glory is the
believe as sure of fullfillment as wer
the splendid deeds, the powerful
rhetoric, the beautiful imagery reCOrde
without stint in every line of thei
glorious history. To them and fo
them there would gather legiOns {
armed men springing into existence a
the foot stamp of King such as Rom
never saw, and whose terrible presenC
would sweep the imperial eagles
Caesar from place and power like cha
. before the living gale.
Instead, what have we as the exprei
sion of the "Angelus',; we have tn
completion of the great arch of religiO
of which the Jewish faith forms On'
half Christianity the other. This arc
spanning from Nemesis until the pre-
ent time has for its central keystOr
the old and new Testaments. An
under the arch rides king uncrownt
save with corOnet of piercing thorn
who for eighteen years of His life en-
. phasized the dignity of labor by Il
self-abnegatiOn of utter humility, wit
out a kingdom, without fOllowln
tramping foOt-sore and weary over tt
hills of Palestine, yet withal leaving
heritage that dims the lustre of tt
brightest of dynasties and pales in
insignificance the splendid achiev
ments of modern science. This then
the expression of Millet's" "Angelus. ~
contrasted with tact it gives tangibili
to Christianity and happily selectil
two humble labOrers, gives added for
by the singular ease and charm tn
somehow always attend the humble.
W Next, let us take mechanics. The
Is Goodyear's invention of vulcaniz
:, rubber. The world probably will nev
know all the bitter disappOintments {
tending Goodyear in his efforts to utili
rubber by hardening it, The years
experimenting, the exhaustion of funt
the desperate resort to borrow from 8
-' loss of confidence, the fear of the ma
house, until in sheer desperation
seized his Ghildren's school books
fuel and thrust them into the furna
that seemed destined not to harden ri
ber but to consume his very life, wh
3 his poor wife stood looking on an UNIV
ing witness to willing madness un
at last the expression came when !
8 cidentally dropping bit of sulph
81 and rubber upon the lids of hot stO
81 Goodyear gave life and expression
g the grandest discovery of mode
2 times. Along the Potomac, in swan
of the hickahominy in the trench
- Of Vicksburg more than one soldier
= laid down in water and blessed Coo
IA year.
Seldom in the history of the count
has a barrel of -four been Obtainal
for as little money as at present, sa
the Boston Globe. True, but seld
in the history of the country has
workingman had so little money W
which to buy it.
"Old Jones should have been hI
ten wears agoW "Rell, there's HI
vet" "What do you meanP"