Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-02-02

hear their leaves rustic; and In his mar
vellous marine views we could see the
dashing spray, and hear the sea roar.
| The famous "Horse Fair" Of Ross
Bonheur ls here, and her cows and oxen.
You can almost see them chew their
cuds; and how you long to 60 up and
pat them! And the ferocious Lions OF
Sir Edwin Landseer, how you want to
get out Of their way rs fast - you can
Methinks this is the greatest praise that
can be bestowed on any work OF art
that It so closely initiates nature that
nature itself seems art, and art, nature.
And for the study Of human nature,
that greatest science Of all, this place Is
good school, for "all sorts and condl-
tiOns OF men," and women, come here to
these free galleries; and one OF the most
pathetic sights Of all was TO see an In
ebriate woman, going from one picture
to another, peerlng and seeking, 1t SEEM
ed, for some light, some help, some
hope.
And this mother. clad In the strap
pings and the suits of woe," although
showing by her spiritually nodded face
that she possessed within her that which
"surpasseth show" with her five little
ones clinging to her skirts, to whom she
tries 10 her poor way to impart some
thing Of her love for the beautiful.
And most pitiful Of all, look at this
young girl 10 tattered garments, with
the unmistakable imprint Of dissipation
and sin upon her once beautiful face.
imploring at the face Of the Virgin, for
help and strength; and we wonder not
that she seeks the Magdalen, to find
there, and there alone, the sympathy
and compassion denied her by the world
that knows not, and condemns because
1t knows not. And ssddest Of all II Is,
that those who know nothing OF her
temptations, her dangers, and struggles,
are the ones who have the least sym
patty for the unfortunately constituted,
forgetting that It was their Lord, whom
they profess to worship, who said !:
Neither do ! condemn thee; go and
sin no more"
II you parents would but contrast the
surroundings Of your own beautiful
daughters, reared amid comforts and
Injuries, and most Of all, tenderness and
adoring love and care, and with every
advantage Of education and refinement,
and no responsibility Of any sort, con-
trast their condition, say, with the life
Of this poor girl, once as innocent
as they, cast out into the world alone,
with no help or influence except that
which can but deflle, and see, II they,
under the same circumstances would not
fall as low rs she!
We are fortunate In being near the
South kensington Museum on Cromwell
Road, named from the son Of Oliver
Cromwell who once had residence here !;
and In the department devoted to paint
ings In this splendid gallery, we see the
renowned Raphael Cartoons, painted for
Pope Leo Y In 1875. They are the orig
inal drawings which were made TO be
woven In tapestry. Two sets were made
from the drawings, one Of which is pre-
served In the Vatican. The drawings
were originally ten In number, but seven
only have been preserved. The subjects
are as follows: Christ's Charge to Peter !;
Death Of Ananias; Peter and John heal
ing the Lame Man; Paul and Bsrnabas
at Lystra .Elymss the Sorcerer Struck
with Blindness; Paul Preaching at
Athens; The Mlrsculus Draught Of
Fishes. The three which we're lost rep
resented the Stoning Of Peter; The Con-
version of st. Paul, and st. Paul In
Prison. These works are wonderful
and wonderfully preserved after almost
four centuries. Here also we see some
Of the sculpture by Michael Angelo, In
cluding the unfinished statuette Of st.
Sebastian, and several other small
models.
In the room devoted to antique and
beautiful pieces of furniture, isa "bu-
reau" belonging to Queen Elizabeth,
with all her exquisite toilet articles still
intact, and IL seems hardly possible that
such delicate work could be done by
human hands, for the minutest tracery
Of flowers, landscape, coloring and all,
is inlsid, and SO highly finished as to
look like q most marvellous and exquis-
ite painting. In those days We infer
that they had no furniture manufactur-
Ing establishment but each separate piece
WAS made By hand, of which this one
was very likely the life-work Of one per-
son.
There IL also here prayer book be-
longing to Queen Henrietta Maria, whose
husband, Charles i, was accused by his
Puritan foes with devoting his leisure
hours to the study Of the works Of "a
profane player, one william Shakes
peare." This work Is probably the
most valuable Of any In the book col
lection. from the fact tina: the decorating
on the covers Is 80 elaborate and exquis-
ite work Of art, that It must have TAX
en- the artist lifetime, and long one
at that to produce 1t. The managers
paid many thousands Of dollars for 1t,
and there is no knowing to what fsbu-
l0us figures It would mount up were II
to figure In the auction room to-day.