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spire ill Brittany, "a tower from whose floor one looks up 

 to the finial at the extreme top, through a hollowed shell 

 of stone tracery work three hundred feet high, entirely 

 clear of brace or buttress, pier, beam, or bracket, nothing 

 to break the astonishing sight but the doves flying in the 

 dizzy cavity, and the sun flashing here and there through 

 the open carvings, while the wind breathes, from age to 

 age, a grand reolian chant through that organ of granite." 



The comparative merits of painting from models, or 

 from memory and imagination, received attention, and 

 great stress was laid upon the importance of proficiency 

 in drawing, before attempting to work in colors. The 

 proper canons of art criticism and judgment on the part 

 of the general public were very succinctly and fairly 

 stated. It should be unprejudiced, and take into account 

 the artist's purpose, with constant remembrance that we 

 may be tempted to condemn what is really admirable in 

 its way, but not addressed to our personal taste, which 

 may be one-sided and partial. 



The lecture closed with a brilliant characterization of 

 art, as the embodiment of the " life blood of master 

 spirits," as a historic record, giving events an immortality 

 in form and color, and as a minister to man's highest na- 

 ture. It was finely written, and well delivered, and those 

 who were not present may comfort themselves with the 

 thought that they missed one of the most exhaustive and 

 instructive lectures that has ever been given in Salem. 



W. H. Simonds, Jr., of Salem, and E. P. Robinson of 

 Saugus were elected resident members. 



