d venous system circulates the life-blood of
the plants, hot water being the vehicle of warmth in winter. These
invisible streams will flow when the brooks at the foot of the hill
are sealed by frost and the plash of the open-air fountains is heard
no longer.
Another current, more conspicuous and abounding--that of hurrying
human feet--will make this magnificent conservatory the centre of one
of its principal eddies. A second will be the Japanese head-quarters,
and a third Memorial Hall. The outlandish and the beautiful in Nature
and in art take chief hold of our interest. It wanders elsewhere, but
reverts to what typifies the novel and the charming. From the Mongols
and the palms it will drift to the granite portals that are flanked by
the winged Viennese horses and the colossal figures of Minerva in
the act of bridling them. Pegasus is not very worthily represented
by these bronzes. The horses, however, are the better part of the
two groups; the goddesses being too tall in proportion and heavy and
ungraceful in build. The finer things which they sentinel, in bronze,
marble or canvas, do not belong to the scope of this article. Yet we
cannot postpone to the occasion of their notice in detail a tribute
to him to whose energy and judgment we owe the filling of the Art
Building with works fit to be there. For the accomplishment of this
task the principal credit is due to John Sartain of Philadelphia,
the Nestor of American engravers. But for Mr. Sartain's efforts, the
studios of the best artists of America, especially, would have been
much less adequately represented, while the walls would have been in
danger of defacement by a flood of inferior productions. To secure the
best, and the best only, of what artists and collectors could give,
committees were appointed to inspect the offerings of the principal
cities and select works of real merit. The difficulties in the way are
appreciable only by those familiar with the diversities of feeling and
opinion which are apt to make shipwreck of art-exhibitions. They
have been overcome, and American artists have united in the practical
measures needed to ensure them as fair a position by the side of
foreign competitors as their actual merits can sustain.
It could hardly have been a recognition of carriage-making as one of
the fine arts that caused the placing of an immense receptacle for
such vehicles in so prominent a position near Memorial Hall. This
structure stands opposit
|