The ancient Athenians demanded a last statue by their great
sculptors, Alcamenes and Phidias. When the two Minervas were
unveiled in the public square, the people declared the statue of
Alcamenes to be perfect, believing it to be living. The judges
were about to award the prize. Phidias calmly approached the
tribunal and said: “Is it not for the top of a column the chosen
statue is designed?” “Certainly,” replied the magistrates.
“Then,” said Phidias, “is it not from the effects produced by
its height that judgment should be pronounced?” The statues were
raised to their positions by machinery. The Minerva of Alcamenes
lost her charms in the ascent. The statue of Phidias, which had
shocked the spectators by its massive, unpolished appearance in
the Forum, from the column’s height took on such grandeur and
majesty that the multitudes shouted with one accord, “Phidias is
the sculptor of the gods!” (Text.)
(2398)
* * * * *
In “Stories of English Artists” we are told that Gainsborough’s
pictures can only be properly appreciated when viewed at the
right distance. As Sir Joshua Reynolds remarked in one of his
famous “Discourses,” all those odd scratches and marks which on
close examination are so observable in Gainsborough’s pictures,
and which even to experienced painters appear rather the effect
of accident than design, this chaos, this uncouth and shapeless
appearance by a kind of magic at a certain distance assume form,
and all the parts seem to drop into their proper places.
No doubt the apparent chaos and disorder of human events and careers,
and of the natural world, would fall into order and express to us God’s
wise designs if we could place ourselves at the right point of view!
(2399)
* * * * *
Two old darkies, lounging on a street corner in Richmond,
Va., one day, were suddenly aroused by a runaway team that
came dashing toward them at breakneck speed. The driver,
scared nearly to death, had abandoned his reins, and was
awkwardly climbing out of the wagon at the rear end. One of
the old negroes said: “Brer’ Johnson, sure as you born, man,
de runaway horse am powerful gran’ and a monstrous fine sight
to see.” Johnson shook his head doubtfully, and then replied,
philosophically, “Dat ’pends berry much, nigger, on whedder you
be standin’ on de corner obsarvin’ of him, or be gittin’ ober de
tail-board ob de waggin.”--MARION J. VERDERY.
(2400)
See DISTANCE.
* * * * *
A skilful artist was traveling in Egypt, painting pictures as
he went. One day he showed to a gentleman who had lived in that
country for many years one of his pictures of the Nile. The
friend criticized the picture somewhat severely, maintaining
that it was not true to nature. Here on the canvas the Nile
appeared blue and clear; whereas, through all the years of his
residence by the very banks of the river, he had never seen
its waters otherwise than brown and muddy. The artist replied
that he had painted it as it had appeared to him. He invited
his friend to a place situated at some distance from the stream
and then turned round to look back. To the astonishment of the
critic, there lay the river, clear, blue, and sparkling; however
muddy it might be at close quarters, when surveyed from afar
its surface reflected the brilliance of the sky overhead. The
gentleman admitted that he had always been content to gaze down
into the muddy waters by the bank and so had missed the charm of
the best view of the Nile.
Would it not be better for many of us, supposing some things seem to be
unpleasant, or ugly, or unnecessary, to view them from a more favorable
position?
(2401)
=Poison, Disguised=--See DEATH MASKED IN BEAUTY.