The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-08-29

know OF no natural or artlnclal WOItH
that does not possess it. Look at the
marble embodiments of the ideal
of genius, the immortal statues that
compel the admiration. What is
their secret7 Those that have stood
the test of criticism longest are those
that are simplest in conception and
execution. The same holds in paint
ing, and architecture. The most eel
ebrated paintings the buildings
destined to Immortality, whatever
may be their architectural style,-are
pervaded by this charm, which is to
all beauty what the moss is to the
rose. In music there is more mani
fest illustration of this principle, or
rather, perhaps, one which the most
of us are better prepared to detect
and appreciate, than in any other de-
partment OF art.
We are often surprised, astonished,
at the wonderful creations of some
great master of song. But the most
difficult, the most complicated must
cal compositions, do not win the
greatest human admiration. Haydn
tells us that when he began writing
music, mere boy, he thought his
work attained excellence in the ratio
that he blackened his paper with
notes; but ripper judgment, and a
purer and severer taste, exchanged
completely for simplicity. We may
be astonished at the difficult compo-
sition, or rapid execution of some
foreign master, who would be immor-
tai if we could learn to pronounce his
name, but when we listen to a sim
pie air that child may learn at a
hearing, then it most frequently hap
pens that the subdued soul and
beaming eye acknowledge the di-
vine worth of music. and then we
perceive that "Sweet Home" and
kindred melodies, possess thousand
fold more excellence than those
elaborate and complicated compost
tions that are so often supposed to be
immortal, but which will be forgot
ten when these shall be sung in pal
ace and in cottage. The reason is,
the former are destitute of that
which crowns the latter. When l
heard Parepa Rosa execute those
amazing miracles of vocalization that
crowned her "queen of song," was
astonished. But when she responded
to the call to repeat her artistic
triumph, and sang, "The Last Rose
of Summer" the fountains of the
soul were unsealed, and the eyes
overhowed with the hearts best
emotions.
Nature agrees with art in this re-
spect. The infinite architect has
everywhere clothed his works with
this grace. If we gaze on alp piled
on alp, cloud mantled and star
crowned, we shall see them rise to-
ward heaven in unassuming magnifi-
cence, their tall peaks and glittering
pinnacles ascending in always sim
pie grandeur. The ocean in its
wrath or play, waterfall, rainbow,
a sunrise, sunset, storm, night,
a day, a river, a flower, the manifold
forms which nature presents to us,
from the least to the greatest, all
read us the same lesson.
How it is taught us in science.
Show Culver a bone that has been
buried ages, and he could build the
animal to which it belonged. Give
Agassiz feather, or leaf, and he
could construct the bird or the plant
whence it was obtained. Humboldt
could, from single creature, tell us
the very conditions among which it
moved ages before man entered this
state of being. They had so learned
the simple plan of the creator that
they could go back from the end to
the beginning, and teach the least of
us to follow its path, which is always
straight and certain.
We are taught the truth suggested
by our text when inventions and dis
coveries, pre-eminent for their useful
ness, are obtained. The steam en-
CINE, the telegraph, the telephone,
the photograph,-when such are first
announced the wonder always is that
so simple thing should have eluded
human perception so long; for, igno-
rant of this principle, philosophers
and scientific men have been looking
afar off for the abstruse and compli-
Gated, and have Numbered often on
some simple law that had always
been playing around their feet; and
thus have the greatest inventions and
discoveries been made.
Newton only followed the path of
falling apple; Galvani watched a
wet copper hook on an iron nail; the