AMERICAN ABCIIITECTURK. 



matter what passing influences may prevent the perfect working of tliis tendency, 

 tlioro it txist-s, and with all its short-comings, is a vahiable proof of inliercnt good, 

 true, and hoaUhy taste; moreover the greater includes the less — an actual love for 

 nature, however crude it may be, speaks clearly of a possible love for art. 



A reference to the early history of the country seems to show that the dominant 

 spirit of Puritanism was ever in opposition to any advance in the fine arts, which 

 were considered pomps and vanities, closely connected with superstition, popery, aris- 

 tocracy, <kc., and eschewed accordingly. The result is not altogether undesirable, 

 though it has appeared to retard the advance of refinement and civilization. The 

 awakening spirit of republicanism refused to acknowledge the value of art as it then 

 existed — a tender hot-house plant, ministering to the delights of a select few — the 

 democratic element rebelled against this idea in toto, and tacitly but none the less 

 practically demanded of art to thrive in the open air in all weatliers, for the benefit 

 of all if it was worth anything, and if not, to perish as a troublesome and useless 

 incumbrance. This was a severe course to take, and the efl'ects are everywhere felt ; 

 but after all it had truth on its side, and candor must allow that no local, partial 

 class, recognizing advance in art, however individually valuable its examples might 

 have been, could in reality have compensated for the disadvantages that would have 

 attended it. Now every step in advance, slow though it be, is a real step taken by 

 the whole country. When we look at the ruins of old Rome, we say, what a great 

 people ! what temples ! what mighty works ! And undoubtedly Rome was truly great 

 in individuals — very great in a strong and clever minority, who spent with marked 

 ability the vnoney and labor of the weak and ignorant majority ; but the plebes — the 

 unlettered, unthought-of common people, the million — were not great, nor were they 

 taught to be so, and therefore Rome fell. 



During the last hundred years there has been a continuous effort to give to the 

 American million the rudiments of self-reliant greatness, to abolish class legislation, 

 and to sink the importance of individuals, "ylttf America aut 7iullus," — America 

 or no one, — luis been, is, and will probably ever be the practical motto. It is not 

 surprising, then, that the advancement in the arts has been somewhat less rapid than 

 the progress in commercial prosperity and political importance. The conditions were 

 new, and it must be confessed rather hard. Continuous ease and leisure readily 

 welcome art, while constant action and industry require time to become acquainted 

 with its merits. To the former it may be a parasite and yet bo supported, to the 

 latter it 7nust be a friend or nothing. The gi-eat bulk of the money that is laid out 

 on building in the United States comes from the million, and is spent for and by the 

 milhon. The result is therefore the taste of the million. The question tlien occurs, 

 how is this universal taste to be improved ? There is the sound, healthy material, 

 unprejudiced, open to con\iction, with a real, though not thoroughly understood 

 desire for what is good and true ; there is plenty of prosperity and opportunity ; plenty 

 of money and industry ; plenty of everything but education and the ditiusion of 

 knowledge. This language may seem inapplicable to Ajnerica to whom humanity is ^ 

 indebted for the successful introduction of the common school system, which lies at 



