Mr. at some architectural and other drawings, we have conceived a high opinion of his natural talents for the arts. Willard only wants that practice, which the encouragement and employment of the publick would give him, to become a sculptor of eminence. We have seen some original paintings and some copies of Mr. Jones, which gave very favourable indications. Finding but little encouragement, and no advantages for improving himself here, he went last year to Philadelphia, to study the casts and paintings, in the institution of that city. Besides these artists already named, there is Mr. Greenwood, and Mr. Coles, portrait painters, Mr. Doyle, a miniature painter, and perhaps others, besides engravers. The list given is a very hasty and no doubt imperfect one; but it is certainly sufficient to shew that it is not the want of artists,* which should prevent our commencing an institution that would afford them the advantages of studying the best models; and the publick an opportunity of beholding, of cheering, and rewarding their labours. Artists should also not forget, that they have duties to perform, and that this in the end will serve their interest, as the performance of duty always does. They should feel something of a missionary spirit, they should by their exertions, and multiplying their performances, endeavour to excite the taste of the publick. They should be satisfied with moderate prices at first; recollecting, that as taste is multiplied the competition of amateurs will in future raise them. The high prices sometimes given for pictures in Europe, has often created delusion. Such prices, are the prizes in a lotof the sculptor is as follows: he first makes a drawing of the work he contemplates, he then models it in clay; this model he transfers to marble, the latter operation, though of some nicety, is merely a mechanical process. Mr. Willard observed to the writer, that he could execute much better in marble, than in such a course material as wood; just, said he, as a man can write better on white paper than on brown. * We have not mentioned Mr. Allston, now in England. If there was any prospect of the publick being awakened to a disposition to encourage the arts, he would no doubt return to reside among us; we know his strong love of country, that he is one of those of whom it may be said, Au cœurs bien nes que la patrie est cher ! and he would find many friends to cherish and admire him. His accomplished education, the profound knowledge he has acquired in studying for years in all the great schools of art in Europe, would make his experience and science, though a young artist himself, of the greatest importance to a new institution here. tery abounding in blanks, and to obtain them, great good fortune is often as necessary, as great talents. An institution for the fine arts, would promote and improve the knowledge of architecture; this would indeed be one of its main objects. Perhaps no country needs. melioration in this branch more than the United States.— Private houses, churches, and other publick buildings are constantly erecting; and how few of these ever approach to perfection in either beauty or convenience. The town owes much to the skill and taste of Charles Bulfinch, Esq. who planned many of the publick and private buildings; but who has too often had to complain that his plans were altered and mutilated by the narrow means, or narrow views, of those who had the control. An opportunity would be of fered by an institution of this kind to have an exposition of plans, of private houses in town and country, of churches, &c. A reward might be offered for the best, and persons going to build, would be glad to have a chance of seeing different plans, and pay the architect for those they might select. A school of architecture is one of which at this moment we have the greatest need. It would be a disagreeable task to point out some of the blunders that have been committed in different private or publick buildings in our towns; or to shew how grossly all considerations of climate, of situation, and requisite accommodation of the tenant have been overlooked. In the country, how often do you see a square brick house three stories in height, as destitute of comfort as of elegance in its appearance, with four. tall chimnies, one at each corner, looking as awkward as a mahogany table laid on its back with the legs in the air. A few miles from town on the edge of one of the turnpike roads, a man has built a brick house four stories high with a basement story. It is not an uncommon idea with persons who are building houses in the country to think a house three stories high looks dignified; thus mistaking one of the greatest deformities in architecture, owing its origin to the crowded population and dearness of land in cities, and one of the greatest inconveniences in domestick edifices, for beauty and advantage. Improvement in architecture, has been one of the greatest advantages attending such institutions in Europe. In estimating the importance of an institution for promoting the fine arts, other consequences than the pleasures de rived from contemplating the sublime and beautiful productions of painting and sculpture, should be considered. Their influence is widely diffused, and is felt in many of the productions of more humble industry. A variety of manufactures are greatly benefited by them, and their value in this respect is fully understood in England and France. Besides engravings, and drawings of natural history, there are a variety of articles under the general name of toys, that we now import from Europe, and the quantity of which is of course increasing every year, which we might make at home not only for our own consumption, but for the supply of other states. The knowledge of drawing and colouring, the taste and skill to invent and vary patterns and designs, naturally emanates from an establishment for the higher classes of the arts. To men incapable of severe labour, to females and children, the means of employment in a pleasing and honourable industry would be afforded; and the resources of the country increased by creating among ourselves those objects for which we are now tributary to foreign countries. Indeed the arts themselves may in some respects be regarded as a species of manufactures, of manufactures too that will not introduce a coarse, wretched, pauper population, but a class of men who will themselves add to the ornament, the refinement, and the dignity of society. On all the noble and elevated uses of the fine arts, we shall not here enlarge. Their tendency is to purify, adorn, and elevate every country where they are cherished. They have furnished, in all ages and in all civilized countries, one of the excitements, as well as the most durable memorials, of valour, genius, and beneficence. We yet owe even Washington a monument, and we must now depend on Foreign artists to execute it. A school of the arts, in cultivating the talents that can preserve the features and portray the actions of our great and good men, will honour the nation and prompt its citizens to illustrious deeds of heroism or beneyolence. The sculptured tomb which protects the ashes, the simple engraving which on the walls of every parlour delineates the actions of patriotism or humanity, have been found among all nations to be one of the incentives, one of the sweetest rewards, to genius and virtue. The plan suggested, among a few gentlemen who met together for this object, was to hire some large publick room, to procure from Paris casts of all the busts and statues which were in the gallery of the Louvre ;* and to place them in proper order in this room, where the artists should have a free right to study and copy them. To devote a part of this room to an annual exhibition of the works of American artists, where they might be exposed to the publick, and the same facilities for the sale of them, as in the exhibitions of Europe. That all the receipts from admission, as well as the interest of any surplus funds that might remain from the original subscription, should be devoted every year to the purchase of the works sent by the different artists for exhibition, which should be added to the permanent collection of the Museum. In this way a considerable sum might be expended in purchasing the works of our artists, besides what might be bought by individuals. Several gentlemen have already promised their subscription, and it may be hoped that the publick at large will approve of the design. FOR THE NORTH-AMERICAN JOURNAL. The life of Dr. Richard Price, by William Morgan, F. R. S. has been published very recently in London. As a piece of Biography it is not remarkably well written. It contains some extracts from letters from Dr. Franklin, Dr. Rush, and Arthur Lee, and mentions that he had a constant correspondence with Mr. Jefferson, while the latter was ambassadour in France. A selection from the correspondence between Dr. Price, and so many eminent men in different countries, would form an interesting volume. Mr. Morgan alludes in a dissatisfied tone, to an answer Dr. Price received from President Adams, to a letter which he * A gentleman now in Paris, who was one of the promoters of this plan. not only promised his subscription, but that he would take charge of purchasing and shipping the objects at the least expense possible to this country. Since writing these few lines, we have seen the 49th Number of the Edinburgh Review, in which there is an article that does justice to this meagre work of Mr. Morgan. The following remark is made relative to this letter. The letter of Mr. John Adams, in which, "he spoke with contempt of the French Revolution at its commencement, and fore'told the destruction of a million of human beings as its probable consequence," certainly deserved publication, much better than those very foolish invectives against Mr. Burke, in which Mr. Morgan describe him as "possessed by some demon of the nether regions," and as a man "whose passions had deranged his understanding,' had written him, accompanying a copy of his century discourse commemorating the English revolution, in which he indulged in sanguine expectations of the French revolution then commencing. The book having been shewn to Mr. Adams, he consented that the letter should be copied, to prevent any misconception, and we are indebted to a friend for the honour of publishing this copy. Our readers, on observing the date particularly, will be more struck with its contents. The venerable writer was one of the very few persons, who, either in Europe or America, foresaw the consequences of the revolution in its very outset, of which this letter is a most remarkable proof. We are extremely pleased at being able to gratify our readers with such a document of this great Statesman. [Ed.] Extract from Morgan's Life of Dr. Price, p. 157. "The hopes and expectations of the friends of freedom ' at this time, appear to have been raised to an extraordinary height, and particularly those of Dr. Price. Nay, so ' well assured was he of the establishment of a free consti'tution in France, and of the subsequent overthrow of des'potism throughout Europe as the consequence of it, that 'he never failed to express his gratitude to Heaven for having extended his life to the present happy period, in "which" after sharing the benefits of one revolution, he 'had been spared to be a witness to two other revolutions, 'both glorious." But some of his correspondents were not quite so sanguine in their expectations from the last of these revolutions; and among these the late American am'bassador, Mr. John Adams. In a long letter which he 'wrote to Dr. Price at this time, so far from congratulating ' him on the occasion, he expresses himself in terms of contempt in regard to the French revolution; and after asking, ' rather too severely, what good was to be expected from a 'nation of Atheists, he concludes with foretelling the destruction of a million of human beings as the probable consequence of it. These harsh censures and gloomy pre'dictions were particularly ungrateful to Dr. Price; nor can it be denied, that they must then have appeared as 'the effusions of a splenetic mind, rather than as the sober "reflections of an unbiassed understanding. From the nu |
