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their origin, their progress, and their present condition 

 to that source and to religions enthusiasm. Their first 

 object was to personify the god-like forms of heathen 

 idolatry, and to hand down to posterity the image of 

 the heroes to whom a nation owed its gratitude. They 

 subsequently became the means of recording the mira- 

 cles of the true faith, and of spreading the history of 

 the Christian church over the world. In our favored 

 land, they would commemorate the heroic deeds of our 

 forefathers, their achievements and sacrifices in the 

 cause of independence, their deep devotion to the free- 

 dom of their country. To a certain extent, this has 

 been effected by the liberality of Government ; statues 

 have been erected, paintings executed, and medals struck 

 by orders of Congress. Copies of such pictures, statues, 

 and medals, should be spread far and wide over the land, 

 that they may penetrate into every hamlet, and inspire 

 the people universally with gratitude and emulation. 

 From the advancement of the fine arts, we may pro- 

 mise ourselves great improvements in the architecture 

 of our private and public buildings; in the former, a 

 better adaptation of the arrangements to the comforts 

 and conveniences of life ; in the latter, more suitable 

 forms and arrangements for the purposes of business. 

 We are led away by the imposing appearance of mas- 

 sive colonnades and splendid porticos, and apply them 

 equally to temples and to buildings intended altogether 

 for the transaction of public business. This is a mis- 

 take which the more chastened taste will correct. 



A collection of models and paintings at Washington 

 could not fail to be highly useful. It would aid the 

 cultivation of the art of design, which cannot be too 

 strongly recommended. It multiplies the resources and 



