The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-16
QUALITY OF THE PICTURESQUE.
Mr.. r. HOpkinson Smiths Lecture
Under Portfolio Club Auspices.

The quality of the picturesque was ex
emplified in the word pictures which Mr. F.
Hopkinson Smith gave to his auditors last
evening at Y. ii. c. A. Hail. That there
were not more to listen is loss only to
those who remained away. indianapolis
audiences Will sometimes pack house to
the doors when there is no fee, and vet
when the same speaker, over whom no
words have been strong enough to exact
ly describe their delight, comes and a sum.
very small compared to what is given IN
return, is asked, many of these same peo-
Ile remain away. Mr. Jacob Piatt Dunn
made the introduction, mot that it was
necessary to introduce well-known and
popular speaker, but to give assurance
that it was the genuine advertised article !,
He guaranteed MFR. Smith to be the real
article, introduced him to the audience and
then added an introduction of the audience
to Mr. Smith. The speaker did not attempt
TO discuss and analyze, in so many words
the quality of the picturesque, but defined
it as subtle aroma. What makes an OBJ
ject picturesque is more difficult to de-
scribe, than what makes it beautiful,
said he. BY illustration, he spoke of the
lines and curves of the human body, when
cur In marble or stone. They were beauti-
iul, put not picturesque. Take, the statue
set '1 i i'm Il, arm gone, even head gone. and
sun stained and cracked it, let the vines
grow over 1t softening even the graceful
INES ana curves and there was about IL the
quality of the picturesque MAN makes
beauty, but nature gives it the quality of
the picturesque, he added One of the
descriptions was of a modern drawing room
fitted up in the fashion now so prevalent--
s sns ma Mapoleonic style. 1t might be beauti-
pictures framed and unframed on the wall
d drsg IN srandmother,s rocking chair a
SKIN or two, tack an almanac to the ma
noSany mantel, in range of your eyes have
several large generous lamps. make
blazing fire, draw the same grandmother's
rocker up to the fire and the room would
become picturesque. The straight lines
1t is diffieult in report to give suffi-
cient idea of the picturesque scenes de-
scrl5ed by the speaker, for none but the
press every IDEA, would do adequate JUS
tce; of the river in Mexico. the boats.
the steps, the people. The peon girl stand,
ing IN the boat loaded with vegetables and
n now ta her a grace her position, the bronze
sweep of her arms, the turn of her hips
tossing up her fruit, vegetables or flowers
in midair, of the frowsy head of her hus-
band and the cry of the little baby, of the
a personal loss as the boat passes from
Church Of Santa Clara. where the pc pom me-
grirned windows, the old lamps. all had the
quality of the picturesque. In connection
Will die and leave his old money bags to
redeem the church. Then this quality of
the picturesque will disappear II have
often thought what shock it must be ia
nature when man whitewashes worm
fence, said he. why, a man who would
whitewash worm fence would be guilty
of any crime, even to boiling a peach,
The speaker said he had a love for out-of-
the-way places. He spoke of yenice--the
water, the buildings, where ne two fines ;
were plumb and no two exactly parallel
the coats, the people. A graphic account
was given of a storm in Venice when the
wind blew from the east and the water
rose over the steps of San Marco
After the lecture Mr.. Smith and his wife
who is with him, were given an informal
reception in the rooms of the Portfolio
Club in the College of Music building The
rooms are certainly old enough to shit MIR
Smiths idea in that respect and their fur
nishings are not of any of the conventional
forms Members of the Portfolio Club, who
brought him here. and a few Others were
the only ones present. During the evening
Mr.. Sehelschmidt, Mr.. Riegger and Mr.
Donley played a trio and each PLAYED a
solo for the entertainment of the Company
gramme for the reauing saturday night
as follows: New selections from Colonel
Carter. of Gainesville. "A Day at Lacquer
res" John Sanders, Laoorer," Five Meals
for Dollar" The latter Is a new unpui,-
lshed story. The, Monday night reading
will be Under a White Umbrella" Il series
of sketches, travels and picturesque ex-
periences.