AND THE WRITERS OF HIS AGE; BEING A COURSE OF LECTURES DELIVERED (IN FRENCH) TO A SELECT AUDIENON BY THE REV. J. F. ASTIÉ. INTRODUCTION AND TRANSLATION BY THE REV. E. N. KIRK. BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY JOHN P. JEWETT AND COMPANY. CLEVELAND, OHIO: JEWETT, PROCTOR AND WORTHINGTON. NEW YORK: SHELDON, LAMPORT AND BLAKEMAN. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1855, by JOHN P. JEWETT & CO. In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. CAMBRIDGE: ALLEN AND FARNHAM, STEREOTYPERS AND PRINTERS. INTRODUCTION. OUR native artists have produced several truly national statues. Among them is "the dying Indian;" emblem of a noble, simple race of savage chiefs, over whose undefined empires another dominion is now extended; into whose inheritance the stranger has entered; and on whose sepulchre the white man now rears his dwelling. Another introduces us to the pioneer settler; tall and brawny; of frank and generous countenance; altogether pervaded with the dignity of conscious manhood. Yet another is "California," with smiling face, holding before her, in one hand, the divining-rod which points, to the golden loadstone at her feet, and concealing behind her figure, in the other hand, a scourge. Perhaps still another emblematic statue might be made, representing the Genius of America, young, bold, elastic; rather firm and nervous than graceful; with an earnest, forward gaze, indicating the attractive influence of those brilliant prospects of wealth and power which the future presents; while he scarcely notices the venerable figure of Wisdom, who holds to his view a mirror reflecting the Past. The wise will welcome every judicious effort to create among us a taste for history; for they well know that "Young America" cannot dispense with it; since he cannot thoroughly (7) |