Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-28

1
this qualification in the observer anc
I the What OF the skill of the workmer
is the difficult problem the author under
takes to solve. But the discussion, IN
stead of the inquiry what is Art?' IL
much more what art ought TO be, In it'
inspiration and aspiration. or what 1t Is IT
the productions OF the more gifted or It's
votaries, and is very like the profter az
an answer TO the query What is poetryY
OF a critical analysis OF the chefs
d'oeuvres OF Homer, Virgil, Milton, and
Shakespeare. There are lower as well as
upper stories. and not a few of them IN
the temple OF the Muses., and ascent TO
the top cannot be demanded as the only
or crucial test Of a visit by the aspirant
| for fame to the spring Of Castaly, and
quafhng of its inspiring waters.
| The art Of the future in the days Of the
Millennium may realize the theory Of
Baumgarten, and be confined to the beau
tiful, the good, and the true; but in the
world that has been and the world that
| is, IL has rejected and still rejects the
! restraint of any such shut-up Utica. Ii
the Venus de Medici. the Apollo Belvi-
dere, the Greek Slave. Saint Cecil
! liza, and Diana Among the Nymphs APP
| peal 10 our sense of beauty, the same
can scarcely be said with any propriety
| I'm analyzing the pleasure offered the OBJ
! server by LAGOON struggling with the
serpents. by the Dying Gladiator. by the
| Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian by the
Descent from the Cross, or by Death Upon
the Pale Horse and though the Madonna
and her Child, the Last Supper and the
like, stimulate the more insensate benevo-
lence and inspire the soul with aspira-
lions for a higher and more unselhsh
nd
and that stimulus be the only accepted
office of high art. the utmost charity
of opinion cannot extend any association
of goodness TO the ideal carved in stone
! or preserved on canvas or in verse of
many valued relics of ancient and me-
diaeval art, or successful productions of
the prostituted genius and skill of their
more modern imitat0r. Nor can alb
solute and exact truth be exacted or ex-
pected in all art. The impartial pencillings
of the sun in Photographic art cannot be
demanded Of the sculptor or painter or
poet or novelist. From them no more
can be asked or expected than to keep
probability in view. The sun has his
spots. and the more beautiful forms and
faces Of man and woman have some
bemish or defect 10 mar the perfection
of the Divine original, and the most con-
scientious artist in attempting the re-
presentation of that perfection in marble
or on canvas. cannot always be expected
TO obscure the command of Crom-
well 10 his Inner: Paint me as l am.
The author has very little charity for
modern art or it's professed votaries, and
does not hesitate 10 adopt Plato's answer
in his Republic:
Better let there be no art at all than
that cOrrupting art. or its semblance
which now exists. should continue" He
declares that his investigation has con-
WINGED him of the facts that the enormous
majority of what is considered art ana
good. and all the art of our society is
not only not real and good art and Is
not the whole Of art, but even is not art
at all, but an imitation Of It," and
further, that there is hardly one in a
hundred who knows what that feeling is
which is produced by an artistic produc-
ton" He imposes upon the professors
and pupils and critics Of art the RESPONSE
biity for this absence or peryersion OF
taste, boldly avowlng thai these three
conditions, the professionalism of artists,
criticism, and schools OF art, have
brought it TO pass that the majority or
the people Of our time perfectly fail TO
understand even what art is. and takes
the coarsest imitation OF art to be true
art"
But with all this pessimistic view OF
the present ne fOresees in the future OF
art an utopia where conformity 10
his own severe standard of Christian art
shall be fully realized-when "all pictures
with sensuous subjects, all that unbe-
coming feminine nudity which fills all the
exhibitions and galleries, and all the
music Of our times, which conveys
8 H.
people of corrupt taste" will be rejected
and "the ideal of perfection will not be
exclusiveness of feeling, accessible only 10
some, but on the contrary its univer-
salty; when art will no longer amuse
and corrupt people as il does now. but
will be what il ought to be, an instru-
ment for the transfer or the Christian
religious consciousness from the region OIL
intellect and reason to the region or
feeling. thus bringing people in reality in
life itself to that perfection and unity
which the religious consciousness points
out 10 them"
LESSONS IN THE ART OF SINGING.
Hlns and Rules Complete for the
Guidance Of Vocalists who Wish 10
Know How to Sing Properly and Tn
derstandingly. BY ]. Sebastian Raj
erty.
The author of this valuable work is
the organist at ST. Peters Cathedral in
this city and is an accomplished musician.
The book contains besides an in
teresting history of music as one OF the
seven liberal arts, lessons on the I'M
portance OF Breathing, Formation Of
Tone. Registers of the Voice, How Sounds
Are Produced, How 10 form Musical
Tones. Expression. Hygiene Of the Voice,
Practical View Of the Art of Singing. and
Voice as a Factor in our Civilization.
Lovers Of music will md the book writ
ten in beautiful language, and all tech |
meal musical terms fully explained. IL |
will be a great aid to teachers. and if |
thoroughly mastered will make an artist |
Of the student. Professor Rafferty, sums |
no the holy mission OF music in these |
words: Thus it is that the high mis- |
sion OF music is 10 give glimpses Of the |
fulness and joy of the perfect life, and |
reveal somewhat OF the deep and tender |
quality which is possible here even under |
adverse conditions. as well Is to open |
vistas down which may stream some lit |
tie portion of the light and glory Of |
Heaven itself"
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Common Tongue.