The New York Herald Newspaper, December 18, 1853, Page 3

THE LECTURE SEASON. SACRED POETRY OF THE HEBREWS—ANTI- SLAVERY—POPULAB EDUCATION—GEOL- OGY, AND ENGLISH SACRED LITERATURE AND TRAGIC POETRY, &e. Rev. Dr. Raphall on the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews. Dr. Rapball delivered on Monday evening, the 12th inst., the sixth and lart of » series of lectures on the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews. He thought it right to recapitulate what be had said ia previous discourses, The sense of the word pe try, as applied to the writings of the prophets is, that waile this poetry is founded 2 ature, itis the utterarce of the more powerfal and ardent emotions, It is the only appropriate mode of ex pressing vur highest and holiest fecliags. Itiy marked by four characteristics; first, it is original, for it bor- roweth from none; secondly, it is natural, fur it dis ponseth with art; thirdly, it is pure, for ite value excesd- @th everything; and fourthly, it is universal, for it adapts itealf to every class, age, ané couatry, We seek in vain to find these qualifications anywhers elso, Th» poetry of the Bible has this great advantage, that the Hebrew Jengusge is peculiarly adspted to poesy. The Bibie is diviv ed into feur periods; the first offers to us the patri ‘ehal history, together with the book of Job; the secoud gives us the foundation of the Hebrey mation aud ite literatwe, with the sublime song of Deborah; in the third period we have seen how the lyric poetry of the Hebrews arrived at its perfection, as, for example, the books of Psalms and Proverbs. We have seen how the events of Hebrew history have bean handed down to us by the Luoper'suable lays of sacred song; and ia the fourtl iod the singers of larael assume a loftier tone, and announee the history of unborn ages. In this they stand uprivailed amd alone. While other na ions have produced orators, historians, and poets, the Hebrews alone have produced prop This rule mits of but one exception, in the per f Balaam, the soa of Peor, who was not an Israelite, but whose pi @ictions Moses has preserve! ia his book. His prophe- aclaim jabi signifies more chan a prophet. ‘was seat to Pharaoh, (see Exodus vii. 1.) he diselaimed the office on the ground of an impediment in his 5 and he was answered, ‘ Aaroa thy bre- ther speak for thee.” The word used here was Nabi, meaning sn orator and speaker. Again, in ‘another sinse it meaas postry; hence is Chron. xxiv. 1, 3, we find the art ef composing chaunte designated as Mythuabi Isaish, in the 9th chapter, verse 15, speaks of Nabi as s teacher; so in Genesis, Abraham is called Nabi, » teacher. Heuce the prophets im latter agen were called babi, for in them the prophet, poet, and teacher were all combined. But it was act so St first. When Samuel founded these schoo's of the Nabeisn or prophets, the historian tells us thai the pro- phet was not called Nabi, but Hosea (the seer.) We may conclude that these schools @ Fom g hike th of the middle ages, ‘The pupils were affeated @ peculiarity in their dress. Al- vol, human institutions, degen arse of time, thera can be no doabt tha it was a beneficial imatitation at first, Moses was the firot who established the rights of the prophets ; Samuel id zo mere than earry out his predecessor's pian. Tais institution of Moses gave to him and his miasion s power before which kpgs quailed, David, who trembled not before the giant Philistine, stood mate and trembiin; - fore Nathan the ophet, when tke latter addreaned ste tthe man!” Anad, the tyrant, stood abashed as Elijah confronted him on the property which he uolawfully possessed, and told him that where ho then si the dogs would lick his blood! Such were the Pevphets, 8 portion of whose writings are preserved to 18 ay. te, great deal of their works were lost there ean be noceubt. There can be no doubt that the twelve minor canoas are only a (ragment of what they wrote. Im Jeremiah, Isaiah and Fvekiel, we possess treasures such as no other poet has eqaalled. Tne woaderfal man- nor in which their predictions are becoming fullled, prove to us their sacred authenticity. In order that we shonld understand the spirit in which they wrote, we should understand the purpose for which they wrote. And this was, first, exhortation, and, secondly, attestation to all coming generations, to whom they offer the strongest proof of their divine origia. They deliver their prophe- cies with elegance of language and decision ef diction, metaphor and comparison from gbe natural langaage of phecy. They reach the highest point of the sublime. it seems to be the great province of prophetic poetry to excite the passions No other style of try can exercise such & sway over passion, Poctise, and reason. Prophecy indulzes in the use of imagery derived partly from the ecenes of nature, and partly frem the past history of the people. We see Solomon likening Mount Lebanon, stately ia its size— a very emblem of dignity, to the strength of man, and Mount Carmel, fair and fruitful, the emblem of grace fulness, to female loveliness, When the prophet speak of the fate of countries, we find them taking their image- from the history of the creation. Isaiah ia the ith ae hasan imagery taken from chaos. He even em loys the very wor: s of Moses, ‘the line of emptiness and toe plummet proves that Isaish was fa miliar with the works of Moses, and that he could quote his language. Nor is this al. The triumph over tho Egyptians, the manne in the wilderness, and other histo tical facts, afford him subjects for imager z Tn like man- mer the giviog of the law on Mount is an imager, which the prophets have over and over again employed. Bat they do not quote Scripture rote, ia orier to present before the people the Lord Goi Omnipotent mame yestercay, to-day, and foraver. Sia me sublime is the ‘prophecy of the Scripture, and true prophet meeds no more to give happiness to the souls of thoze who hear him. - But in - these ( acasepetig we find also truth—strict invarisble truth, | jove are flattered. The sycophant ia lashed, and ES devotion is reproved. It has been the fashion | tely to consider the prophets as mere poets, but the prophets had nothin; in common with thé motives of poets. They had neither love of fame, of public ap- | Pleuse, or of self-gratidcation. These are the motives of | ordinary poets. prophets never entertained tae idea of self; their task was an enormous one, to improve and reprove; yet are they poets, fashioners of postry of the B ightient effect; artists too are they, palators and archi- teeta of the grandest style, But whether they paint or build, they work on the ever living wall. The crown of divinest eloquence has been granted to Isaiah Next to Dim is Jeremiah, irresistible in bis pathos, Next in orier is Ezekiel who soars aloft in a mighty chariot; great, massive, powerful, and enduring in his proportions’ Thes come the minor prophets, minor in extent, but not minor in holiness or beauty. Each has his own pesuliar | style, He who studies them in the original will not mis- | one for the other. But there is | great proof that they all emanate from the same spirit. Whother they indulze | in the loftiest imagery or graphic descriptiveness even then their object is not eo muab beauty, as the truth of God. the holiness of God, and faith in God; and this com- Divation gives their language » lasting and unfading im portance, because it comes from on high. This enables them to become the unfailing oracles of faith, uotil the end of time. He who studies the prophets will fintia them every phase and progress of the huraaa mind. Tre time will come when evpry man will look up to the pro- phets and understand their prophecies. As their paryore was holy sotheir manner was sublime. Isaish aad Jere- wiah would each require an entire lecture to do any jus. tiee to their merits. The banishment of the people and their restcration form the subjects of their poatry. The lamentations of Jeremiah are the last pro’ uctions that were written in pure Hebrew. He talks of the cro which has fallen from the people's head, aud by this he | means the loss of their Iazguage, Malachi’s poetry | in of ® high order, but he is vory chscure. yt Hebrew holar must be struck with the diffecence between him and the elder prophets, He wes no longer the imagery of Moses, Then the voles of prophesy became mute, and racred postry was heard no more, Upwards of two thousand years have passed since the Book of the Prophets was closed. Sinoe then it has been in the hands of Jews ani Christians alike, Both | have cevoted their attention to unfoldiar ita beauties. He (the lectacer) had prerumed to tread in their steps. | He trusted that he had done so impartially, and that al- though his views might differ from those of many of sadience, he hoped that, in the course of his lectures, hurt no one’s feelings. At the close of the lecture, Mr. Ketchura rose, and de- aired 10 express his unqualified approbation of Dr. Rap hall’s lectures, He thought that, in the exhibition of Jucid languege and of retined taste, few lectures could have surpassed those of the reverend lecturer. He nood mot fay the subject wan one of the grostest interest aud highest sublimity, He rejoiced that Dr. Rap- ball had kept off the debateable ground between Jow and Christian. He regretted to see so small an at- ‘tendance present, and would not belii that it was ba use the learned lecturer was a Jow that people did not attend. He moved the following resolution, whieh was ‘ananimously carried:— ved. That the thaake of this mesting be tondored te ir the at ability, research, an by him in his course sf lectures Gu tho 7, ested to repeat there lectures in some ‘Upper part of the city. After a few remazks from Dr, Raphall, the audience separated. Anti-Slavery Lecture by the Hon, Jokn P. Hale. The first of the series of anti slavery lectures was de- livered on Tuesday evening, at the Tabernacle, before a moderately filled house, The Hon, John P, Hale spoke pearly as follows:—Several persons in this city have com- dined together in order to engage the services of differ- ent individuela to rpeak upon the subject of slavery. I4 their selection they have confined themselves to no par- ticular class, but have choson those who are honest and steadfast in their opposition to American slavery, Ifthe speaker of this evening meets with a favorable reception, those who follow will be sure of it. Ihave selected as my subject the “ Propriety and rightfulness of our present undertaking.” I staxd before you to urge tke rightfal- moss of this discussion; and, why should it not bo so? | @hould any:bing be tolerated amongst us that shrinks | froma fair investigation? When I mest any cause, no matter how venerable {t may be, thet shrinks from thi great test of truth, I feel disposed to address it ia th words o' Hamlet: Be thou a spirit of health, or goblin damn'd— Bring with thee airs from Henven, or blasts from hell; Be thy intense wicked or charitable ‘Thou com'st in such & queetionable shape, ‘That 1 will epeak to thee,” And such is the genius of tle American people, What fact is there in solence, or what theory is there in philo- sephy «r theology into which we may not and shall not foquire? Did you ever rtand by Niagara, which has been the Rev. Dr. ae od taste, exhibit Kicrea Poetry of the and that he b wuitable pisos in. | is a low ocean postage, because we want channels of¢ sm: | munication from coatinest to continent. | the first means of progress. | to expsnd and enlarge to the remotest boundaries, to | For if we are upfaithtt thousands of years in motion—did you ever stand there, and, while beholding it, were you content with the dog- mas of » chronological theology? Not so; but you tura to geology toascist you in your iavestigations, But there are always foes te this species of inquiry. It isa sad fact that seme ef the most obstinate enemies te progress are those who bave A og themselves forward as the defen ters of religious truth. When the existenee of this coutiuent forced itself upon the mind of Columbus, the objections wade to him were, that the Scripture had ea‘é that the heavens were epres@ out like @ tent, which never could have been the case if the world was round So wheo Galileo frst proclaimed his c avictions that the earth volved round the sun, he was ‘ummoned to religious tribural, and was forced to make esntaion. The story goes, that when the philusopkar rose from his kuoes ‘he said to himvelf, “1s ” reaion why co gain and again like Banquo’s ghost. He must be an atheist who doss not-see, in the progress of this country, some great par- pore that Providence bas in view. It was w! the hid Con things of mature were reverling theeelves, that in the purposes of God, amid the solivudes of e2ean, # new world was discovered, It was at # time when failure and defea® had shackled liberty in the Old World, that men was led te come out into this wilderness, and try the great oz periment of seif-government. Our fathers came here that they might carry out the pdrposes they had formed in their hearts, venturing everything that was most ap- pulling; they came to prove that their purposes wore dear to the Almighty. It was whea they found that thsir liberties were about to be taker away, that they, thea, determined that everytking they possessed ehould be brought to the issue of oattle. Another reasoa why slavery rhould be discussed is, that there are so many contradictory thivgs said of it. Wesley said that it was full of villainy, while Govercor Hamroond, of North Csrolina, says that it was ordained of Chriet. Where such contradictory opiuions as these revail, how preposierous is it to say that we may not liscuns the tubje ‘Th is yet another reason why the qrestion of slavery should be discussed, and it is this—our national dignity demaudait. Are we not the witest people in the world? Are we not the braven? Our bravery consists in shutting our ey#s, end igaoring the existence of thit system, One sixth of our population is iu a ocndition about which wo dyre vot aay a word. Itis this that mses cowards of us all. Whea the people o the Old World r’se up in the energy of their despavr, and exdeayor to thiow off the yoke of deapotisca, we dare not send them a single ‘God help you,” because +lavery has ret @ padlock upon our lips, avd we are afraid that it will be thrown baek upon us. Slavery is said to be one of the most economical 4; atems of labor. We are told to take this as one of its dogmas. We Gimd ourselves in this position; we are, no doubt, a great people,s wike peo ple, and a learced people, and yet we bave one-sixth or oné.seventh of our p ypulation in such we darerot +peak about it. We are doctrines which are falsehood aay all ave borm equal; we mean by thet tone seventh of the population. Wo aay in our belief that God is no respector of persons; we mean by that white perrous. Ili relate a fact of my own experience, which happened to me at Washington Mr. Foote, of Mississippi, was passing sowe nigh eulogiums ‘the maintainers of liberty. ‘I answered “exac ly.” terance of this word I gota severe lecture. Any one may see it recorded in the chronicles of the Avsem- bly. This system influences oar domestic and foreign policy, We area progressive people; we are acquiriag new territory. There are several countries we dosice to ponsors, The area of the United States has beon exiend- ¢d more than twice since the declaration of Indepeuder ca. But every inch of territoy added, has been added to the South, and the only inch of territory we ever surrender xi wee on the North. I will merely eay thet this is a most astenishing coincidence. We have Oanaca on our North, an. who his heard that a hundred cents were ever of fered for it, while a hundred millions have been offered for Cuba. ' But when the possibility of aunexivg Canada was spoken of, it was considered fanatic. There are other irlands besides Cuba—there are tty Sand. wieh islands, which it is thought most desiderable to an. nex, Doyou knw that tho Sandwich Islands have proposed annexation? We could have had them without monoy and without price, but their request was spurned by our government, and the only reason giv: 8 that it would Te open the sgitation of the slavery question, You wao are concerned in our foreign commerce, wiil come to the conclusion that Leaks Br something to do with it also, Avother question in which slavery is mixed up, is that of our public lands. Tne eleventh article pasied by tho Fiee Soil Convention, says ‘that the public lands belong to the people, &c. In the first place, take out of our pud- lic Jan: that has ever been sold, voted for military Purposes or in any way reserved, and add to them all bat has been surveyed, and you will have taem, ungur- veyed, enough to give every men, woman, sud child, on the wide earth an acre and halfa pies! The popula: tion of the globe is supposed to be eight hundred mil lions. We have thirteen thousand aad eighty sev-n millions of acres of public lands unsold, Here is this vet domain unclaimed acd unsurveyed, and what is to be the policy of the goverament is respect toit? Is it to be locked up, by which bloated fortunes can be made, or shallit be given to those who own it? Tl tell yoo what +lavery has to do with this. Slavery is not willing to throw this land open to foreigners, because it is jealous of the influence that such a class might ex- ercise on the policy of the nation. Nebraska without e protection of law, and the Sandwich Islands, ara kept out of the Union because it is feared that they have not been sufficiently trained to be able to open their eyes to the blessings of human slavery. are ters in which we are all interested, and for thisalone the. wuld be made & subject matter of examination. Suppuse tuera was any other subjxe: on which it was said there should be no discussion, what woul! you say but thatit could not bear the test of truth? You may talk of the nature, the attributes, and the character of the Intluite Sphit— you msy discuss the Messenger of Merey, who osma down among ua, but when you see an immortel man redeemed by the came atouement as ourselves—when you sve him degraded, lashed, and reduced to the lowest state of bondage, aud you ask “how is this?” the institution saya “Silence.” Yov may speculate, argue, and icquire into any other subject, but don’t search into the divine right wny it is that a fellow creature is forced to submit to the lash, I say sgain with Hamlet, “I will apeak to thee.” One of the measures to which we stand pledged, We want to bind vith closer corde all those who sympathise with us. We want to draw all the human family with cords of love into one ecmmon circle. We look upon our government as one destined for a higher ‘pose than those of the Old work. If vevvilely copy the past, aad. make no ad vancés on those which have preceded us, what wi gained by the discovery of this continent? We can believe that when God discovered this continent to man, he had some great purpose in view. Are we to go on forever in a circle, making no proress at ali? If so, it is virtually to acknowledge that the Di- vine purposes have signally failed. Free thought is It always must be free ryecuiate on time and eternity, and al’ the grea: |o- tere:ts connected with humaa dertmy, But this is oaly half enjoyed without freelom of sprech. It is idle to talk of freecom in either, if there i# one singie subject upon which we Gare not }peak. I¢ we surrender thix, we surrender the easential condition of our own progress’ It has been exid that he who fastens 9 chaia to the heel of a slave, hee thecther end round hia own neck. If we meke ourselves the meanr of perpetusting this system, it counct bt perpetusted without tue end of the chain being round our own ncks, Iv is said that wo aro false to the corstitutio:, We claim to be firm frieads of tae Union, We claim to be its best friends, We will make it such a Union as will commend itself to the good of earth and the blesings cf heaven, It is our duty to eradicate evory- thing wo believe to be wrong. Tae mos: glorious part of our coxstitution is tha confession which it makes of ita own imperfections, It dees mot claim to be perfect—it claims to be progressive. It contains in iteelf the su gestions by which its imperfections can be remediod, We do not ark you to step beyond the coustitutisn, We ask you what you have cone within the constitution in this waiter? There is mush that yoa can do, You can be krown by@all mon 4s those whore very souls loathe opprersion—whose sympathies go with ths wrong. ed all over the worli—as those who, with ths fathers of the constitation, recognized slavery, but recognized ita fence as a curse, acd looked forward to the day when should be finally removed—as those whose hearts syn- pathise with the oppreared, and who will go as far as the constitution will permit in order to relivve them, Ido not make an sppeal to any man to go beyond it. Wo are by no means despairing, This thing may not be aocom- plirhed in » day, or in s life-time, but we are urged on by the conviction that our cause is righteous. We do net despair, for ve stand with our fathers, whoso faith was brought te the test. Though statesmen may prove creaut—though the pulpit of the land may prove like s dead man’s repulchre, we will have a better morality delivered from the theatre. I cannot be blind to the fact that many of the ministera of Chast, whose insteao- tions are to open tke prison doors ta the captives, have attempted to reconcile the missions of His love with ia fernal practices of cruelty. Bot we ure met with the insane cry that we intead to dissolve the Union, ome men have always held that the Union was in danger, becsuse it was popwiar to sare it, I believe that the foulest foes of the Union ate thore who are siways crying out that it is in danger. They ought to represent it as stcong and enduring. 1 be lieve that'the Union has never been in danger fron these pretended causes, but it is in danger when the peeple up old any institution which is contrary to the cause of re- It is in danger from every cause which renders which cannot com- ligion the character of the mass some the Saudeich and Canadas are waiting t» be annexed —when none of these find a word of advocacy in tho Presi: dent’s ._ But the President does recommend that youand I should put our hands into the public treasury to psy some of thore piratical Spaniards for that whicn the government itself recognizes as piracy! We have & great mission to periorm—we are not placed here Le accident. There are great pur; to be developed. Whatever this mission 1s, it is in our hends, and we are responsible to God for the result. Shall we not have the courage to look our situation manfully in the face? If we are faithfal to the light that shines in upon us, we can look to the future for hope, and teach the nations what is the end of go- vernment—the olevation of individusl mem. We mey effect the high purposes of our nature, or continue to hag old institutions, error, and superstition. The great law of cause and effect is always at work Empires have not been built up and destroyed without reasen. When seeds of rre are sown, progress is the result; when seeia of decsy and corruption are sown, decay aud corruption It with us to say whether with ‘ent foresight we shall render our country tutions iT peiedeyes honored, and blessed. to our trust—if we blind our to our evil institations—tne traveller to Amorica hereaf er will fin’ this his only interest, as he recollests that liberty has ceparted from the csun-ry. What has become of Rome? What caured her destruction? it was ber institu: tions of her domestic shavery that grount ber to the dust, Such was the prejudice of the Roman against the slave, thet it was proposed the latter should wear a peculiar costume, Bat some prnient men raid that the slaves would then know one another—they would be aware of their own strength—and #o the proporal was voted down. That very thing which was voted down infinite wisdom has done for onr slaves Like caunes produce like effects, The past is full of warning. It is said that when Napo- leon came in sight of the pyramida his army paused awe- struck. Bonaparte rode before bis army, and selzed the are the result, wise and [oe and her erent © ental, “(Remember that froma those sum- mits forty centuries are looking down upon you!’ More than centuries are looking down upon us; ali the past Te Tooking down apoa us; the victims of op- pression are looking dowa upon us; the good and true look down upon us, and u ge us coward in the ‘aith for which they Jived and for which they died. If wa are false to our professions and our Gd, @ dark destiay is io store for us. Do not, therefore, be intimidated. It not truth but error that shrinks from the laht. I ap- peal to t especially to you, young men. I would warn you fo avoid, as you would avoid » pestilence, the beuef that political pre“erment ix necessary to publie or private reputa'ion, Look to other means to achieve what is hovorable. Be true to the great principle of freedom, and now, in the morning of your hfe enrol yoar selves as soldiers under the whole banner of liberty and truth. You will then have the satisfaction of knowiag what your duty is, and the consclousuess of knowing that you have performed it. Rev. R. 8. Foster on Geology. The Bfth and last of the sourse of lect ures on geology was Celivere¢ on-Wednesday evening, the 14th invt., at Greene street M. E Church, by the Rey, R 3. Foster, D. D,, before a very fair audience. The leéturer spoke this evening upon tie religion of geology—the reooagiliation of the science with the Mosaiy history. Ths following is a sketch of bis addr. ss:—Every developement of sofence hasa bearing em the eubject of theology. It is perfectly petural, therefore, that Christians should look wita jealousy upon each sewly discovered fact, Theologians have rot always addressed themssives to research ia sel erce with candor. Iteeems to us that both Obrl tians aud Infidels should have learned one important lesson. Tie latter should have found out that science is their exemy, ard the former should treat it with respect, as it bas so often befriended them. N» science has boven so severcly criticited as geology, because it sesms to con'ra 4P the Bible, which Christians venerate. It is the ob ject of this lecture to show that there ia not that com tradistion between the teachings of Moses and tho scl- ence, as many have supposed. After reoe pitulating the points he had established ia the four p:evious lectures he, tue lecturer, p cceeded to explain the doctrines o the Mosaic geologists, who say that the earth was called into existence by God six thouand years ago, and that the fo. sils fourd in rocks were mere freaks of natura, lu sus nalur@—that the force of the deluge was suill sieat to carry ths remains of fossils to the places whers they 416 fourid in stratised rocks, These two suppo i ioas are slike indefensible, because tre fossils dixcoverad iu soias of these rocks are the recaina of animsls that do aot exist upon the earth ai all! ‘Thin faot is utterly fatal to the explanation of Mosaic geolegists. Ancther theory is, that the present earth wes sn aacient sea = This is over: thrown by the same fact that overthrows the previous theory. We are driven, then, to admit the aatiquity of this earth, ard the existence of previous creations, If 1 could not recone:le the writings of Moies to tha solence Cf geology, it would not prove that either the one or the other was false. But I have n» fear of failing in tuia re- conciliation, The varfoas methods attemptid at recon oiling there two ure as foilows:—It hag been #aid that the term day, in He! rew, did not mean, necestarily, twenty- four hours, bat, on the contrary, it might meau different pericds, a thousand, at undred tuousand, or even a milion of yeare. Hecoe, that the wor d, even, according to Mown, wa not made in six days, but insix epochs of tine. But this theory was false al:o, as he wouly presently show. Aa- cther theory assumes tbat the Mosaic ascount gives a history of the refitting of an old world thet waa ia raias and decay. If Moses only intends to devcribe this he certainly does not cortracict geology. ‘Tho wor ereaté itis assumed, does not nece-rarily mean the projuction of the earth from nothing, but'it means a #0 to reconstruct There are authorities, morevver, brought up to preve that the word create in Hebrew, often means in Scripture to renew. These geolozisia deny that Moses teachas in the first chapter of Genesis, that the world was made out of nothing. Their second point is that the word ia He which s grits ‘in the beginvizg,”” i¢ an ludefinite wo and that there is nuthing in it to lead us back to the com wencement of thirgs. ‘Tois theory is sustained by Dr. Bosh of this city, it is worthy of attention. The ex- Planation which be (the lecturer), sonslde a the correct one, sets torih that the ojeaing verse in ths first chapter of Genesis, is separate and distinct from tha narrative that follows. That the senten.e, “In the begianing God created the Heavens andthe Rarth,”? has no counvction with the remaining verses ia the chapter. Tnere is no- thirg in the Mosaic text to lead us te fix a date to the creation of the world. Moses says ‘In the begianiag,”” he dees not presume to say when it was, neither six taou- atnd years ago, ovr million, But has this first verse any connection with the verses that follow? Cher: ie no- thing in the genius of the language to authorize such an interpretation. The conjunction “and” ued here does not connect periods of time. Similar eases may be fouad throughout the whole of Scripture. “The earth was without form and void,” isan expression which beara an ther interpreta'ion We aseume also, that there were various interveniug creations, after which, God refitted it for the habitation of mau. And, why should Moves tion these intervening creatiova? You must not sy these did not exist, becausa they sre not mentionwd explain science was not his object. Now, another ob tin you will make is this, that Moves raid God created 1¢ tight on the first day, while gealogints say. light wax created from the begianing Moses never anid #o—he says, ani God raid, let thers be light. Where was che ligat to be? Where the darkness was And where was the darcnose? The Scripture tells us that “Darkness was on the {ace of the deep.”? Again, there is another difficulty; tha sua and moon were created on the fourth day. We answer as before, that Moses never said so, All be saya is this— “And he made two great lights to divide, &:,” that is, the lights were appointed to seoarate the day from the night. The Scripture says nothing about their creatim, but simply, that thes lights, the sam and the moon, were Sppo nted to their respective offices. The letarer thea re‘erred to his map, and pvinted cut the diff-rent clare. of fossila in the various strata. They all proved differen’ crestions. At tre point of the upger tertiary, the earth {sin a state of devolation. Above shis point we flud the remains of avimals that bave lived oa the eacth during the last six thousasd years. This proves tat Moses, ix the first chapter of Gene-is, describes the present form: tion 0! the earth eut of this desolatioa. It waa tuea “without form, or void.” But below this point of the upper tertiary are fossils of animals and vegatabies, prov ing that the world must have ioudly exis'ed for mil- Hons of ages. The lecturse oacluded with aa eloquent resume of ming’s discourse. He wiil speak next Wednesday evening upon the grandeur of creation. The Hon. John 2. Hale on Popular Edu- cation, The first of a series of lectures vas delivered on Friday evering, at the Union Church, Fourth street, by the Hon. Jchn P, Hale, Subject—Popular Eiucstion. The lecturer addressed a very fair audience, in substance as followe:—When I speak of popular education, I donot aliuds to free schools, but use it in a more exten ied sig pification. I mean that & ucation which is necessary to every individual who ia a member of a free State. Ins country hke ours, where all the institutions are free, the responribility of maintaining these institutions rests upon the ‘ndividual. Our institution: e founded oz popular conrent. Every one, from the highest to the lowest, may be called to the formation of its laws. To ennble one to discharge these objigations, particular educa tion is required. Some have supposed that it is the crown and glory of republican government tfiat any man may be elected to these offices. But I think this a mistake, as it makes a man look to office as the object of his highert desire We find im this country, that placing all withia the reach of every man’s am bition givea a taste for political discussion which sometimes may be done patrictically, but is oftener aloes of time, The first thirg to learn, is how far na- tions and indivicuals are bound by moral obligation. & me think that ¢ne rule should govern nations and ano ther individu But this ig eli wrong. We must divest oureelves of the delosioa that a governjasnt is removed from the individus!s who compose it. As there is but one God, so there is only one distinction between right and wrong, and this rele must govern men in ever) situ ation of life in which he may be placed. If there ara any obligations which rest upon all men everywhere, without exception as to time, place and circumstance, then thos obligations are bindicg also upon natious. Do you know where the government of this country is? You will eny at Washington. At Wasliog‘ou! You will only fiad the Presient and the two houses of Congress there, who will tell you that they are the people's servants, No, the government is here Look sround at your neighbors, ‘and you will find anong them popular will and’ popular energy. That will and that energy is the government—and hence the necessity of popu: lar education, on which that will and energy reats, The command to be just, {6 @ commard which pind na tions as wellas individuals. Howaver we may vensrate our institutions, we must belleve it imponuible for any ret of men to free themselves from the univerral law of justice, True national ey can be by mo other mes ns promoted than i Aiplrote start with this the laws by which nations are forever to ba g Truth is another requiren fanation. The aacieots used to represent Justice blind godess; it ia the business of Truth to guide goddess. Trath and Jas- tice, then, are the two principles by which nations are to be governed. When we speak of ‘nations’? ‘govermments,’’ let it be remem men. Agrest part of the mistakes in th from ineorrect views of goveraments, and the objects fur which they were created. The great majority of govern- ments look upon the people as the mere instra- ments by which they are fo be promoted. Politi- cians look upon the condition of the capitalists of ® country as the criterion of its geat- ness, instead of at the moral and intellectcal rogress of the people. The great objects for which Mates should laber are Ife, Hberty, and the pursuit of happiness, Itia not for gsthering wealth that govera- ments are instituted among men; bat it is for the pay suit. of bappiness—that mey be continually strir- ai id ap rit superiority. Liberty we sgainet it involves the sin of treachery. He, then, who tikes # blow at the libeety of his country, “gy se ta defeat the objects his fathers bed in vie ke idea of popalar education ta:hoes @ man that he is part of the natiou—that to him attaches a rbare of the res ;cneibility for that which tue nation is doi There can be no suchathing as natioual re- spontibility without in“ividuel responsibilty. It is the duty of those who are blersed with high intellectual cul ture to be the miseiuraries of the thoughts and purposes which have been given tothem. There is snother cuty connected with this subject—it is the doctrine that eon- science is above every other law, and that he orly is worthy the same of & man who gives himae'f =e this as his guide. This is the dost ine to be taught alike in re- publica ard despotiems, We live ia an important period in the hist ‘ry of the world. We have the eyes of ‘il creation looking upon us, atteropting to solve that great problem of gevernment which has been s) often and fearfolly tri re to decide this pr blem, not only for ourselves and our Jeacendaxta, bat for the reat of the'world, If we fail, if public profligacy and private cor- tuption are to overthrow our [iy en as others were overthrown, where, then, are the hopes for the people in the O14 World, who are struglieg for that lii ble to maintain? We must perform our part. despotiams ef Europe coutiaus, shall tals nation the same place of refuge to the oppressel? If #0, you, individually, must uphold trath ari jutice Remember that the great law of re’ridution is ayp iri to astions as well as to indiviiusls. Au thoy sow, ro shall they reaps and the consequamces of what wears d ing to-day shall be fel! in ages to come = If we woul appropriately understand the trae clemeats of & prpitlar education, let it be bared upon the Christian morality waich guides us in private life. English Sacred Literature and Tragic Poetry, The recond lecture of the course now beieg given for the benefit of the Contingent (Charity) Fund of the Protustaat Episocpal Mulual Benefit Society, war delivered oa Tuesday evening, in the large chapel of the Usiversity, Washing ton squire, by Professor Henry Reed of Puiledelphia, to a very large ard influential audi-noe, upon the above subject. After a ‘ew prefatory remarks upon the neoessiiy of & cullivation of sacred literature, both ta prose an sor proceeied to mey, that ing’s lecture, in speaking of the t que cf our lacguaga, he use’ @ term which be was wall awaze thefe would be some diffeulty indefaiug, It was not easy to do ro without, om the ono hard, narrowing it 6o as toexcluce what it was desi: and om the o'her hand, the danger of passing beyond the region of literatura into that of theology. That aloae ts properly literature whether racrod or secular, which was addreseed to x0an in his humanity, and aot in any profes sional seclusion. It was an utterance to maukiad, rad tot to any class of poople’s fealings as they ware parselled cff into yarioc 8 avocations of society. There was thas a literature akin to tecology, but distinct There Were bovks for the geseral rea whisk | had un afbnity to the studies of the divine, but whioh need not be confounded with those that wars (uo spesial subject of bis though!s sad which ic woall bs both pre- | sum piuous and inapp site for him to ventare to disease. fhe more common error of the ge.eral reader was aot in venturing too far, but the wiihdeawing from © ab; and one of his chief invucemea s iu takiag ap the sub Ject of sacied wratare, was the hope of belug ale to show how sich ovr Kngliva iiterature was in its poetey cnd prove. Tye meditative Saxon spirit, such ast was & thousand years ego, did not costeat itvlf with mare excy er the calcuiating fac aliles of the mind, but rater deali with wiscoum anc imagiastion, aad va lore which it most delighted in, was that which ad’ ini-tered to the jamorial part ot man’s pying Heace, cot ouiy was that which may be peculiarly style? sacred liter ture larpelyexpanced bat may im iss character be stil ob- served throughout sil the best of our Koz is He theught that the ipfluence of the Chu mind was always felt in the lite tended to purify aud eleva icgs of Chaucer, Ben Jonson, Shakapsar he was loath to maution his name in consection with tkem—Tom Mocre, who firet wiote his sacted poms, and théh his Hebrew melodies. In hke manner the Heowew Pralina leavened the poetry cf the world and bave err reacted in their efeot upon the minis of ipe psop'e. Where the mind of san became darkened and ders}, it was more than likely thut tne poetry of his couctry was also low and grovelling, In ths sixteenth century, England gloried in the poetry of the set ools of Ev'zaboti; but in the micdle of the next, when wind Daowme @ tracted by Puritam contention, uncer the reigu of the last | of the feeble Stuarts, her poetry prrto k of the givo. y cbaracter of the times. Ia the eighteansh century cane Berbeley to stem unbelief, Butler co shine and convert, | ard Biair to be reya:dec in his sermons as a model of pul- | pit eloquence. Thea Chalars ana burke taught tae | pkilosophy of the mind; and although he did not intemt to trace the connect on setween thore greatevents as cause and effect, he must say tha’ the exposition of Christianity | op Butler showed that the literature of Eaglaud bad pre-eminently escred. Iu the reading of some ppecimers of the literature of those times however, the ecclesiacticul student should learn that the intellectual | gratificetion whten they aiford would aot begs: # fatal ecepticl m of revealed truths. Ths sacred poetry of the | seventerrth century should be read by all; aad the Works of Izaac Walton contained the finest characteris- of it, a8 well ag those of andrew, Dowd, Taylor, Bateow, Vacghar, and others. The Pro‘e-sor then discussed ine ments of the lyrical, tragic, and elegaiz sty.es of po- etry. the tragio, he raid, was # reflex of the mind of man over whieh no joy ever shone, bu: a ray of grief ran parallel to it. Heace its popularity In Ecyptian pot- try notbiog is more musically tragical thau the onroai- cle of the bancwriting upon the wall warning Halshazzar of his fall. Jo tke cla:sic we are excited with the noble streggle at Thermopyle, Ia the English wo revd with avidity of the fo tunes of King Charlas, from his stand ard floated at Nottingham to his death upon the seatfuldys! Ip French s'ory, what part so popular as that which tells of the fall of the descendant of sixty kings under the glitteing and in our own eouatry her htitory is truly gre 1 we read how @ nation’s birth was baptize: © Ie to comprehend, concluded amid marked approbation, Jyiis of tre © Lyotdas” of Milton, ths i Shelly, and the “In Memoriaai? of FINE ARTS. Whe Critic of the Tribune,and Powell's Painting. In a criticism upon the subject of Powell's painting of the Discovery of the Mississippi, published under she head of “ The Fine Arts,” in the Tribune of Ss torday last, there appears the following announse ment :— “We bave observed, with some surprise, an attemp made to bully the critics wio objest to this picture, aud ro impore on the public with theetatement that the sub jr@. was approved by an illus committee of Congress, and that these cho presume to citfer trom the ilkastriow Senators or R presentatives mnust be mis.ecen. Now, & is unfortuastely xe that the judgment of a Congres vieral committee is exceediogly Taltible on all quest oo, according to the quantity of oysters snd ch+mpagns ad- ministered and that on questions of art it is gea rally composed, in about equal degrees, of Ig. orance and bad taste”? To designate a Congressional committee “ illustii- ous,” or to stigmatise its deliberations as the result of the “ quantity of oysters and champagne administer ed,” is simply a matter of choice, or perhaps a ques- tion of taste. In what respect either opinion is cal- culated to influence the public jadgment ugon a work of artis more than we are able tosee. Tosiy no thing of the residue of the members, the late Joho Quincy Adams, the chairman of this committee, was aman whose judgment was not aptto be controlled by the “ quantity of oysters and champague admin- istered;” while upon questions of art he was univer, sally recognized as a man of highly cultivated taste. As to the ‘equal degrees of ignorance and bad taste” cemposisg such a commitse, we leave that decision entirely to the monopoly of intelligeace and good taste which characterizes the critic of the Tribwne ; and as to the charge of “an attempt mace t» bully,” we leave that to be judged of by the public, in its estimation of the lauguage which is the most characteristic of that calling. ‘ These remarks would be rendered entirely un- necessary, however, in this connection, were it not for the analogy which the critic of the Tribune | seems detesmined to establish between tue mode of chcoswg the subject and the manner of its exesu- tion, And here the same spiteful feeling which deals so,self-sufficiendly with the Congressional com: mittee characterizes in increased malevolence aud angmented self-importance the writer’s opinion of the werk of the artist. ‘(In this respect, also,” he says, “ the artist seems to have been pursued by the | Tat | covered mines o; uncounted gold-—the subjugator | the sun—and yet the lands which Cortez conquered trate in prayer—the least pearitie situation to pro- duce a grand dramatic or picturesque scene, though replete with emotions of solemuity. There is no “action” in the “groups of figures’? which the T'ri- bune assures us are essential for the artist to “repro- duce the inward feeling and dra uatic power of the scere. Beparated from all the emotions which the specta- | tor experiences in bebolding such subjects of art, | they present a mere sketch of an old Quaker bir gsining upon the most advantageous terms with oo untatored savage for the cession 0° nis uocultrvated | lands; aud tne embarkation of a home desolsted band of men, women, and children, huddled together on the deok of a vessel to set sail to a distant land. Ass: cia‘e then with the succeeding history of the country, and we trace the foundatios of a civilized commocwealth amidst a savage tribe, and the estab lisiment of @ greet republic upou the bacrea waste 07 & Gismal wilderness. As with the emotions of theze templation of the Discovery of the Mis: Aud in the diversity of these subjects, h érema'ic, how much m picturesq more replete with action, the army of Spaniards ga wig for the first ime upon t vulling Waters of Sue ents $0 iu the con- | Missizeippi sud surrounded by the bewildered suv of the wilderness? Where would the nef subject of more ‘dramatic inte é would it look fer more « Pewn’s treaty, nor in th shown But, feiting in all there important clements of pic turesque aud dramatis effect, accorduy to the Lv bwve. “there is no mora! interest in the sceae—no gvand heroic purpose in its characters—no mowen- | tows consequences fiowing from it to render it mem > ‘ ee rtainly vot ia backation as we have To comprehend the force of this sentence, it would be necessary to uncerstand what the Zridbuve acans by “ moral interest” aud “grand heroic purpose,” and what, ia its estimation, coustitates “ couse quences.” We have shown that the mere simple | fact of a treaty with the Indisas, consummated veu- tries and tae embarkation of a religtoas sect, inade at au equally remote 1 of time, to taese thores, separated trom the ts which io'lowed, would form a very unio yject. in the cou I evew etant si templation of the speeta So wouid the Discovery » Missigeippi; put tha’ would. furnisa a better painting. But we contend that uo one could Jock upon Powell’s picture without the “moral interest” of the bebolder being exc ted ia ths con- templation of the facv, that the “ her which marked its discovery as -b the result of fourteen hundred miles of ct .es spriog. jug up since that event upon i's shores. It ‘say ba contended that this would have beea the ‘ conwe- quence” had De Soto never trod upon its backs, We bave no doubt thatit would. So are we equal vinced that if Columbus hid not discovered this con: tipent, some other intrepid navigator would bi “accidentally” or otherwise come across it. We bave great faith in the suggestive.power of kiudred | miuds, and equal conddence inethe po verfal moral purpose which influenve heroic spirits in all ages to underiake great enterprises. This conviction leads us to the belief that had nos the Pilgriins embarked at Delft Hayea other hardy spirits would have lsid the foundation of the liberty in the New World which | their posterity established; and had not William Penn purchased an empire ot waste land from the Indians, and cetablished a common vealth of Quakers | upon if, some other enterprising E iropean would have | possersed himself, his heirs and his assigns, of it for- ever. But these facts do not lessen our “ moral interest” in the contemplation of the result of these memorable events; nor should they deprive those whose actions commemorate thea from tbe glory of their achievement. The conqueror of Peru dis- of Mexico brought to the empire of his sovereign the conquest of @ country whose golden capolos and barbaric temples vied in splendor with the glory of avd Pizzaro subdued lie after a period of more than three hundred years yet unconquered in the march of modern civilization, The tncas have perished with their Pernvian idols of fabolous wealth, and their idolatry which inherited the Kingdom of the Sun. The Aztecs have been swept away until time has rendered their existence as uncertain as tradition has represented their treasures untold. Amidst all this change of time, a country which marks the first reps of civilization by another conquerer, remains to perpetuated through all time. No gold was | éiscovered—no waters flowing with diawouds were found—no dreams of fabulous wealth realized; bat | a country explored, penetrated through its vast ex- | tent by a river whose miraculous waters, indeed, | would not realize the golden visions of Juan Poace | de Leon, by imparting youth to age, but whose broad bosom, as years would roil aloug perpetual with its tide, would bring into existence the magico forms of such things of life as wou'o impart to the primeval woods the strength aad vigor ot pereanial youth. This was the conquest and discovery of Fer- :ando De Sota; ani while the conquests of Cortez and Pizarro remain in the traditions o/ the Azteps and the Incas, the discovery of De Sota is perpetu- ated by 2 monument of cities built by Americans, While upon the subject of this history, we will copy from the Tribuve of June 11, 15, troct from an historical sketch upon the subj. the early explorations of the southern vortioa uf this Continent, and particularly that relating to the very expedition of De Sota. Before making this ex- tract, however, we will copy from the sriticiam of the Tyrhune, now under cousideration, its opinioa upon the historical accuracy of Powell's patting ‘This will serve to show how Jittle its critic his beca benefitted by its own files; while upoa its critical analysis in art we shall show him equally deficient as in facts of history :— “The half nude sellow who fs #0 hard st work about the gun is radly defloient in anatomical progortic 1 onnon i self is well and earsfully painters his bo bwiners in the picture. No such wm be carried through the woods the expedition hud traver- sed; acd ‘ke largest gun taken by De Suta was not too big to be slaog om the back of # horer.’? To say nothing at present of the Chawles Yellow- plush style of vulgarity which sharacterizes the critical description of the “half nude fellow,” in speaking of a cosspicuocs figure in a oainting, we ‘hall proceed to the extract to which we referred :— “ about this time, about '537,) there appeared at the Spanish Court of Cuarles V. cavalier of gantle berth, of uoble besring and in the prims of manhood, He had been aeompacion of Pizacro ia hix Peruvian oonqvert, and returned to Spela with gold and glerr. Hs ap rearad atthe royal court with ali theiich and gorgeous ear. | Toundings of the mort fosbionavle Spanivh codleman of | that day He married Leavolia de Bobodilla. a young | lady of Cistinction, rank and personal attraciioas, amd tous he was apparertly in the po of sli’ thas was Cesizable in this world. Bot Hernacdo de Sota was | ambitious, acd sought to rival if aotsurpasa, the glory of the Maxican and Perucion eoaqaecors ‘He lear from th: aseount of Nunez of the oxtea-tvs regioa ¢. lied Florida—of itg only partial exploration, ant the goiden stories of th@laciazs, Ho appiied at once to tha Empa- ror, Charles the V, and wes # pointed Governor of Flori- da and Cuba, and o'gevizei his expe sition. He tan led in | Cuba, 1638, with a bril int his dual arranger en's, he le‘t } to govern Cuba, exd eniled for Florida. he landed his forces at famps Bry, consist Spaniards, mostly young mi with crors bova, | swords, Jances, firearm: and one ea He hat thres hundred and fi'ty horees, a large n + of castle and swine for acttlement; and for the coaversioa of the la- diane he had twelve’ p iests, eight assistants, aad four monks On every Sunduy aad holiday, he drested an altar and sald mazs.”” ad, parfectiag | sawe evil genius which governed the choice of the subject.” The same evil genius seems to purus the | critic of the Zy7bwne, as we shall show in pursuing | him through his eratic course. We are happy to see that the Tyibune has been | benefitted by the previous historical opinioas | written upon this subject; and ia respect to an | obvious adoption of some legitimate views upou | the subject of historical paivtivg, derived trom thore researches, and repudiated by the ‘ critics’ whom it alleges an ‘ attempt has been mide to bully,” we equally congratulate it upon a mark- ed improvement in artistic taste. Tois is much better than in following the exaniple of its coadjutors in denunciation, who, after assuming that they have a perfect right, and, perbapa, an exclusive patent, to misrepresent a subject because it is public property, éeny to others the privilege or alternative of estal | liebing the truth. Thus, we are happy to see that the 1vrbune does not insist that there are two ‘fat | and sleek ecclesiastics mounted upon mules” in the | painting, when there is but one lean and aged monk | mounted upon such an animal, as persisted in by its | coadjutors; and when convinced that the subject is one admitting of some historical illustration, we are equally impressed with the conviction, unlike the | wews entertained by those who could not be “bal- | lied” into a contrary belief, that it has‘‘seen some- thing” to change its opinion. | “There are historical incidents which contain a story and bave @ dramatic interest of their own,” says the Ty1bwne, and “of such” i: cites Washington Crossing the Delaware, the Embarkation of the Pil- | grime, and Penn’s Treaty with the Indians. Unfortu- nately for the originally demanded in Mr. Powell’s design, these subjects had been previously illustrated. The la pain tis tone te at — ait hs one ina ig, the other in a group of ary; the other has been painted by Leutze. “These are not only im; nt events,” continues the Tribune “which history bas planted deep in the affections of the people, but, what is cf more consequence to the artist, they have a significance in themselves. They are replete with a purpose; their personezes not only move and act, but act from elevated feeling and a great historical end.” To appreciate this rentence it is merely necessary to analyse the subjects which the 7yzbwne says ‘‘ren- der them jiarly suitable for pictorial representa- tion.” iting the dramatic effect which an army crossing a river furnishes for the skill of the artist, where are those great elements of dramatic power and pict ue effect produced in the other two ee which render them “pecniiarly suita- ble?” William Penn could be represented in 20 other hats Mg in his plain Quaker suit—which is anything but picturesque—smoking a pipe peace with the Indians, which comprise the dramatic effect of the group. Weir's painting re- | whiew | presente the Pilgrims on the deck of a yessel, pros We spare the critic of the Tr bune; and we would not thus turn hia own artillery against him were it not that he has caught the “bubble reputation” of a small critic even in the “ caunon’s mouth.” The truth is, this very extract farnishcs an almest litera! historical isterpretation of Powell's painting. Bat here are writers, who follow the literary profession as a regular occupation, who after weeks and months of opportunity, prepare criticisms upou sabjects of history and art, prove themselves deticient in the ey elements of what they pretend t» be masters. And upon whom are these ignoramuses to impose ? Upon the public. There is not a boy in the public rchools who knows his lessons that could not set them a profitable example in readiag and writing. In keeping with she historical accuracy of this spe- eimen is all the criticisms of the Chwarles Yel- lowplush school. The distinguished ornament of it in Putnam's Magazine, fiuds no authority for the cross in the painting, as the ‘fellow at the cannon” in the Tyzbwne sees no right for the artillery. By way of marking the desolate waste in which the minds of the “ Yellawplush” school of criticism fore, with all the fear of his ire in our eyes, contian¢ to quote authorities to substantiate positions believing that, with all our deficiency upon this and ject, acknowledged judges will aid is. We frankly admit that the Tribune does uot stand in need 0: such assistance; for with al! ite Koowedae of the subject which we have shown it to be eich a master of, it wold be an insult to give it any Tuctions— even from its own colum “The best part of the Br “iw the foreground, portion with @ free aud vigorous & sthe T'r bune, ere palatal Soine olijects of still od. life—such as the cannon, the chests with its bands ond hoops, and tue swall arms lyiog with it—ae really wel! doue; and if a corresyondiag exeelience had been carried into ‘he more importsnt portions of the picture it would have been an admirable piece of work. Best of all is the bead of the old soldier ou the ground, tying up his wonnded leg; this is so finely painted in the true historic stpke as to form » striking contrast to toe rest of the pioture, though the drawing of the fig is grossly faulty. On the ether hend, the lees of the boy wt the left are quite picely draw. w the group af the cannya ia badly composed, and ful of tanlts in drawing. The balf rude fellow wh» is so hard at work aboat gon is sadly defivient i9 ana: smical proportions. * De Sota himself is auytaing but a well formed man, while bis bor-e woulda 2 t pass muster | ina horse market,” &e., &3, &e. Some things exily well dooe,” sud others “ quite nicely. would imayine that this ar- tistic caitic was speaking of legs cf auton and the head ef calves, in alluaing to the proportions of figures in a painting. hat boy's leg is “quite nicely drawa;” that * nude felow's” arm ia “ really well do Mr. Powell, | would thank yon tora small piece of that Indian, “ pretty we! done.” Mr. Powel!, I will trouble you fora “realy well done’? piece of that “old tellow’s” wounded lez, prepared in the‘ true historic style.” Tobe serious, who ever heard, out of the le of this critic, of the “true historic style” of painting being ied or comprised ia one propertion of @ figure? Histeriv style consists Ju a great combinstion of figures, aud scenes, and in- cideuts. Who ever heard of the “trae nistoric style” of a Jeg cr an arm? De Sota hioself is sxy Ling bata well formed man, while his berse would not pass musterin 4 hor @ markst.’? Here the eritic of the Tribune adopts the lan- guage of the horse jockey; mor would any other part of the painting “pass waster ia a horse market.” it was pot painted for a “horse market;” though ove would imagine, from the criticism of the Tri iune, that bis Enowledge of ert was picked ap there. “Itis badly drawn to a degree, the uecsk being sbous as long as the body.” One of the most calebrated equestrians in Kurope, asd a mau versed ix horser, the late Count D'Orsey, pronounced this very horse to be oue of the floes; be had ever seeo on canvass. it was modelled from Abd-el Kader's Arab steed, | We cau readily anticipate the answer of the ‘l'ri- lune to this opinion, ix ite derision of ood authority in matters of taste. * What if Uount D’Orsey pro nounced it so? What if Abd-el Kader’s horse stood for it? What of that? We are avt to be bul- lied into opinions.” Simply, that asthe Tribune choores to refer to the ‘ horse market” ¢o enable ia critici-m to “pass muster,’ we are privileged to quote the opinion of an authority cele orated for his judgment upon such iyjects, and to assert that Abd-el Kader’s charger is a magnificent specinea ofan Arab steed. We take the artistic sicill of Mr. Powell, however, 98 a guarantee, aud our own visien as an evidence to our couvistion, that toe artist bay been particularly succcsstul in the drawing and painting of this hore. The expres-ion of “ the neck being about as long as the body,” is sim- ply a piece of, unmeaning hackuevedism of eriticiam, similar specimens of which abouad throughout this article. And so with respect to pisreund of the “half nude fellow” at she cannon. This figure has beea particularly admired for ita anatomical proportions; aud the strevgth of muscle and beauty ef symmetry which it exh bits, render it atonce an objec: of admiration to the speotator. But here again we may be Wee upon the “quite nicely done” ideas of the Yeilowplush pink of criti- ciem, in alluding to *‘ the reported ad nirasion of no matter who.” He would have had the middie ground of the picture painted with the sume force of the foreground, Had the artist executed toe otser portions of the pare with the same vigor he has displayed in the foreground, it ‘would have beeu an admirable piece of work.” The critic of the Tiibwne here betrays the grossest ignorance of the first priaciples of art; for had the artist displayed the same vigor of touch in execution of the other portions of the picture, the serial prospective of the work would have been en- trely Cestroyed, and the resuit would have been that | of a Chinese painting or screen. in which objects seen at a distance are painted with the sane distinctness and force as those on the first plane or f¢ Ho- garth, (we trust our critic wili nut deride “no matter who,”) hasiilustrated the priaciple of painting which evidently belongs to his suioo) of admiration, He represents &@ man on a hill, several miles distant from the foreground of the picturs, with the princi- pal figure in the composition lighting his pipe with that of the aforesaid gentleman on the hill. Bridges, too, are made to spau a river r mung through the centre of @ picture at various distances of from three quarters to a mile apart—the one nearest the horizon | is surmounted bya fishersan, whose rod and line teaches the foreground and hooks 4 fish near the figure directly under the eye of the spectator. To ilusuate sli this, we would add, for the benetit of the eritics ‘of the “Chawles Yellowplusii school,” that wherever an object comes rearest the eye it muet have more positiveness of execution —its tex- ture must be more strikingly ¢@eficed ov the sizht. As objects recede they become less definite to the eye—the details are lust in the general mass; aod as ey recede stiil farther, they become lost entirely, and a more soft outline of the object is all that re- mains. Had not the artist observed these positive laws of perspective, all the figures of the picture wonld have been heaped one upon the other, in a3 confused # msss of lines as the map of an intricate country. where toere is no aerial perxpective observed atall. But enough—quite too muco—will say the Yellowplushes. Hogarth’s rules, as practiced by tome of the artists of his own day, would admirably apply to the Yellowplush school of criticism of the present. Perhaps we will some of these days “ex- emplify” it, both in literature and art; for of these elevated departments of knowledge seem to have been regarded of late in the aerial perspective style of ignorance, which overlooks, by a man in the foreground of a newspaper, the excellence of a mag- nificent work of art, to light his literary pipe by the insignificant fire of a reverend subject miles distant in the background. J.B. T. Reform in the Navy. TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD. New York, Dec. 3, 1853. In your paper of this date appears an article under | the above heading, in which are developed some of the canes to which are to be attributed the present. inefficiency of our navy. The subject has agitated the public mind for some time, and our citizens are now being roused to the absolute necessity of this much needed reform. One thing, however, seems to have escared the attention of those who, of late, hav writtea on the subject; the importance of which wil not be denied by avy one whose meutal vision ha not been impaired by fogyism. It isan undisputed and indisputable fact that on preeert naval contractors are equal in talent and abil ity to apy in their profession. If it be asked, “why, then, are our vessels of war inferior in model and gail- ing qualities ¢o our mercautile marine?” The an- swer is simple. The fault lies wholly in the existing ‘ystcm. The naval coatractors have not, nor have iLey ever bad, an opportunity to oxercise their ekill in naval architecture. Iustead of entrusting to them —as is the case when a merchant desires a vessel built—the modelling and entire supervision of the vessel, they are the mere superintendents of t wiik, and are expected to out other man’s ideas, no matter what may be the faults attached. Che modejs and plans are forwarded to the different stations ‘rom Washington, and the tenor of their in- strnctions ‘thus far sbalt thou go aud no farther.” ~ ‘This course of proceeding is radically wrong, aod until the entire system is changed, it is to be feared that very little progress will be made in ths models or seiling qualities of cur government vessels. Let seems hopelessly to be buried, we will make one more extract from this same historical acoount:— “While er cawped on the west bank cf the Mssiasippi river, De Sota was requested by the Indian chiefs to pray for raie to his goin, \t being a tims of droasht; »nd he canned a huge cross to be made cf the largest pine tree, #0 large tha! ove hundred men could not lift it. This Groans was raised om the highest elevation overlooking the waters of the Miesisippi and St. Francis rivers. A pro- ceasion, composed of the army and Indiana, was formed, led by priests and friars chaunting the Litany around the cross, and then ald knelt dewn in frontand offered up prayers, and then, ap; roa the aross, role: Hlentiy bnelt and kissed it. This {mpreasive «pest: platting the eross upon the bank of the Fath: tvers, and worshipping the Saviour more than thres hand: thers ago—was witcessed by 4 ten thoasand ty twenty heusand Indiaas,’? When the Tribune asserts that “‘the-e is no moral interest in the scene—no grand heroic pur in its character—no momentous co! nences flowing from it to render it memorable,” let it remember the above historical fact copied from ita own columns, as well as the equally interesting and important one we have cited for its benefit. With 89 much of historical misrepresentation and er tocondemn them, we might expect some- thing in the artistic knowledge of this wr.ter to commend his opinions to reapect; but in this di- vision of his criticism he is as devoid of artistic skill asin the other he ia destitute of historic ia- formation. He hin ned to high authority to substan- tiate the claims of a work of art to public appreeia- tion, and spesks contemptuously of the ‘re; admiration of no matter who.” We think there is no need for the exhibition of so much contemp; for the opinion of others when the Tribune's critic can find so much beneath jt in his owa. We shall, there = he crcbanrt Al rine to our — Fayed exercise al modelling ant vessels hereafter to be built, and then Pewill €n0e who is responsible. As things are at present consti- tated, the ibility rests nowhere, and the con- fa bee is, that our vessels of war, which ehould be officers, worthy, ‘as to their ideas ours, Ay Oxp Satt. Wurrrgp ro Death For Tevue THe Tavre.— A littie orphan boy of nine years died in Marq Miehi- ean, rather then Yen a lie, Heand his sister, two years older, were adoptet bya farmer. He discovered erimiaal conduct ¢n the part of the farmer's ; ahe hee husband that the boy slandered her, whea fed the child frem the rafters of mer whipped him till Mule victim repl we wrath 1 threw him, ecmplained of being of the maa and woman nothing but the truth. monsters were sent to They were professors of religion, suasicn, wife; her, the Hat Domestic Miscellany. A day or two since Mr. Samuel A. Manning, roubding indie een) seme, oleae ee on the of his , fell to the floor below, @ distance of some fifteen feet, and was so seriously injured that he died ina