The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-06-07

figure plays its fun natural ui5hA''
"sOs homini sublime dedit coelumque
Jussit. ct erectoS al Sioera .oiioio
vultus.
Now as dignity, moral and physical.
was the peculiar characteristic OF
Washington, the attitude best fitted 70
express this quality seemed to be al
most commanded by the subject. We
we're, therefor .. a great deal surprised
to find, upon cOnversing with Chan-
trey on the plan Of his statue on the
same subject, before he had begun
the model, that he was waverIng be-
tween a standing and sitting position;
and We have seen with much satlS-
faction that he finally decided in IA
vor Of the former. In his particular
and in that of the costume, his work
is a happier one than that or ms
iliuStrious Italian contemporary; ana
as his talent in this branch OF the arr
is probably equal, the citizens OF Bos-
ton may boast Of possessing a decld-
edly finer statue of Washington than
that of Canova, though by a generally
inferior sculptor"
But after all it seems to be a mere
matter of personal taste. 1t happened
hat on the very day that Canova's
statue was destroyed, William A. Ora
ham left his home at HillsborO for an
extended trip through the North. On
his way through New York he called
on Chancellor Kent and notes in his
diary: He [Kentl spoke Of the loss
Of Washington's statue n expressed
much disgust at the negligence which
had caused it" From New York he
went to Boston, and on the 28th Of
August visited the State House Of
Massachusetts,, which he describes as
80
in front on which is a colOnnade on
he second story; the entrance to the
house leads through to Chantrey'sf
statue Of Washington which is placed
in a low addition to the house that
seems to have been erected for it. The
location I think unfortunate. The
statue is of full length and on a pc
destal about six feet high. The dress
is the continental uniform but is al
most concealed by a cloak which Is
thrown around the person. One hand
holds the cloak on the inside and
the other hangs by the side, holding a
scroll. Tout en- semble it is much in
ferior to Canova's late at Raleigh"
Lafayette visited Raleigh in 1925
principally for the purpose of seeing
the statue. The Raleigh Register.
March s. 1925. says:
General Lafayette was then intro
duced by his compeer in the field IF
danger Colonel William Poik) to that
Of chef d'oeuvre of the Roman artist.
Canova's statue OF Washington. This
was indeed an interesting scene. and
we were fortunately SO situated that
We heard the enquiries and
and witnessed h feelings which it
elected. We were gratified to hear
the General observe that the likeness
was much better than he expected to
see. He seemd deeply interested in
-
the pedestal. and expressed his ap-
probation Of h exquisite workman
ship Of the whole"
That this depreciation" did not pro-
coed merely from politeness Of the
visitor and guest seems to be evident
from the following extract from the
diary Of George Bancroft, the great
historian:
May 80 [1s211. General Lafayette
mad encouraged me to come to see
him. I went to his house today. and
WA shown into his parlour. -Four en-
cravings hang on its walls. The Rights
OF Man and Of the Citizens, as decreed
by the Assemble Constituante,' and
accepted by King Louis XVI. sur
by appropriate devices are
hung on one side Of the door. A sim
liar copy OF the Constitution of the
United States is on the other side: at
the top Of it Is a likeness Of Wash
ington. The third engraving that OF
the French frigate, which when beat
en- by the English chose rather to 60
down than surrender. . The last
engraving is one taken from the
statue lately made of Washington nv
CanOva. This hangs in the most CON
spicuous part Of the room. and at
tracts the eye at cnce IN entering.
These are worthy for the
chamber OF a distinguished partisan
Of liberty. It has seldom in Eu-
rope 50 pure and upright a champion
as General Lafayette"
Finally, from the point Of view of
a d sculptor, an admirer OF
Canoya, the following extract of a
letter from Mr.. F. w. Ruckstuhl writ
ten August "a, 1909, from Possaen,
the birthplace of Canova, where the
original model is preserved, is NOT