The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-17


approach and intentions We're forwarded
10 the capital of that country by means
OF pictorial representations. How much
we owe to these nations OF now only post
humOus fame for the light they thus cast
upon the state of their sciences and Of
arts, and OF their modes of government in
days OF old And even now, coming down
70 the very latest times, can II not be just
~ said that the paintings of a people, that
Is, their representative paintings, form
very fair criterion by which we may
Judge of their several methods of living
the particular rank they have attained
in the scale of civilization and perhaps,
~ Cli lll ~ ny ~ Mlds UysIee tleS az
spected ana honOred by the outside
world? Nay, is it not a matter of GER
tainty that they give us distinct, true and
visible Information as to the various
modes of dress. the STYLES of architecture
and the like, such as even history could
not so precisely and wildly furnish u.s.
Take. for intance, the Dutch painters.
What would we really know of the home
life and charming simplicity, mode OF
dress, etc. of the people of Holland If il
We're not for the impcriShable works of
the great painters HOgarth and Rubens.
not to speak of others. The assistance
they render the critical and earnest, deep
student of history is simply incalculable,
and ii might almost be assumed and laid
down as an axiom from the conspera-
ton of this one instance, that the paint
ings of a people represent. and indeed
are the substantial embodiments, enduring
and tangible OF all that is best. purest ana
lOfuest in the thought, morals and life
OF a particular people. Inc SUBJECT IS
pregnant with elcVating thoughts, great
truths and useful lessons. In the foremost
cities of the world rich men, recognizing
the powerful influence, and influence Tor
good of the more excellent paintings,
have thrown open their private galleries.
for the benefit specially of the laborlng
people, and those who have too few OPP
portunitios of seeing the best and most
famous works of art and there are pubic
art galleries instituted for the same benefi-
cent, noble purpose.
in n
if any refining, really beneficial and use
full effects have resulted therefrOm. Ger
tainly there can be no doubt that certain
pictures have tendency TO and have OPP
Grated marVelously upon individual per-
sons, imparting new impulses, kindling
new and brighter and more cheerful hopes
and in other respects so influencing and
changing the individual as to amount al
most in his particular case to what We
might term total reformation. All VIII
admit, too, who for moment have re-
fiected upon ii, that the great painters
have helped immeasurably to better APP
probation, to say the least of II, of the
poets nOvelists and fanciful writer's Of
bygone days, aye, and even, if not few
of the holy truths of the scriptures them
selves. They have given us higher, grand
er and truer views and conceptions OF such
works as the Paradise Lost and the
"Visions of Dante" and "Gustave Dore'-
in our day by his wondrous genius sets
forth a flood of light upon great topics
that seemed almost as if buried beneath
the dusty forgetfulness of worldly memo
ries. The art and labor OF these men, IN
tense, severe mental labor in concelVlng,
as well as in executing their great works,
have certainly, then by no means been III
vain.
study, if such can indeed be well imagin-
ed, than either of the foregoing, might
be this-"the consideration of genius as
a quality not limited or confined to con-
dition." At first sight apparently rath-
err unattractiVe subject, and perhaps to
some if not absolutely difficult or tedious
IL Inc nv to
unimportant and unrenumerative, even
if the truth of it should be firmly and
clearly established. But do not let us be
too hasty in our judgment. This Is
very delightful and very extensive, as
well as practically useful and most en-
couraging subject for research and at
tentiVe close study. How so? Because
if we bring before us case after case of
men who despite adverse circumstances
have risen to high prominence, ignoring
petty trials of temper that would have
overcome most other men, if we keep
before our minds visions such examples
as these, examples of men who have
struggled on by wearying toilsome de-
grees, to their final successful accom-
plishment of some cherished scheme, who
will deny, or be so bold as to question,
that the probable effect OF such study
like this will be inVigorating and in the
highest degree beneficial to ourselves.
How the genius of these men seems to
shin forth with more dazzling resplen-
dent luster by very reason of this dark
background against which it is set In
stances there are beyond number of rich
or rather favored men OF genius, that, IS
men who were blessed with wealthy or
Well-tO-dO parents, and who had all the
advantages of a liberal refining educa-
ton. In ancient times, to cite only two,
there were the Greek poet Homer and
the Roman Ovid, and in modern times
such men as Milton, Gutenberg, FenelOn
and Bossuet But here it would be our
endeavor to find instances of just an OPP
posite character of poor men, men with
everything against them, nothing but
,, No sRh 70 coll Of
no patrons, no assistance, nor
even the timely helping word
of cheer, nothing at all but the innate pow
er within them, this pent up genius, Which
they knew and felt would be bound at
some time to come out, and Oblge the
harsh world to admit its claims.
recur to our minds Why Shakes
peare, whom the world, now and
We may say, more so, every day, venerates
almost next tc it's Bible, was only the son
who invented the art of glazing and enam-
cling pottery, when a boy burned bricks
in his fathers kiln. and although unsuc-
cessful at first, his enamel not baking
when he put it in the oven, as he expected
it would, yet experimental again and
again, until at last he too succeeded up to
the fullest extent of his hopes jacquard,
the famous inventor of the silk loom, is
another example of genius, who was
sprung from the poorer class, and he work.
eG and tOiled for 20 years before he per-
fected his invention. His father was only
an obscure, humble silk weaver, but gen
ius knows no letters and leaps trium-
phantly over all intervening obstacles And
who has not heard of and is familiar with
Thomas Moore the Irish genius, who has
walked up by his lyric songs the patriotic
ardor and long slumbering passions of an
entire nation? How grandiy, yet softly,
eliciting richest mellowest strains, did he
touch "the harp that once thro' Tara's
halls its soul of music shed" Brilliant
Thomas Moore was the son of an insig-
nificant grocer and liquor dealer. And
Burns also was of humble parentage, the
son of Scotch peasants of the very poorest
class. Nevertheless sturdy representatives
of the good old national honesty, industry
and frugality. Burns! who has made the
world to shake its sides again with laugh
ter at his inimitable satire The death of
Doctor Hornbook," and the stirring Tam
O. Shanter, blythe Robbie Burns a worf-
derful genius who could compose such
grand poems as the Cotter's Saturday
Night while following the plow. Poor
Burnsi the saddest life perhaps that was
ever cut off in the early prime
Of manhood, unless probably we
except that of his illustrious compeer
Byron. The lessons to be learned from
these are, such as Poverty is not essen
TALLY synonymous with degradation"
I'VE should not despise our fellow Great
ures because they have not been FORUM
ately blessed with affiuence," and How
ever repellent to our taste and rude a
brother moTtars surroundings may be- a
genius may be hidden there that will sure
" no 1ad a nd en rr1f do