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GOLD AND GEMS.
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in
ait was the didactic '. and that the attainment of beauty is only the
inevitable result of the successful artistic expression given to the
teaching thus sought to be conveyed. And the advantage of going back to
historical symbolism was that the hopeless striving after novelty and
invention was destructive of all successful artistic expression in
ornamentation, and forbidding to the true artistic temperament; while,
on the contrary, nothing renders the attainment of artistic effect in
decoration so easy as the use of traditional and familiar motives;
especially if used with knowledge, and not ignorantly.
"A thing of beauty is a joy for ever."
As
to symbolism, again: at least 5,000 years of speculation on the
subjects of highest interest to our human nature are focussed in such
ornaments as the nava-ratml and other talismanic Eastern
jewellery, and in the gala trappings with which English cart horses are
led forth on May-day ; and surely even perfected material beauty
receives an added charm, if it also be significant of the spiritual
beliefs, and aspirations, and duties, in which men have always found,
and ever will find, the only life worth living.
In conclusion, the Chairman proposed a cordial vote of thanks to the reader of the paper.
Mr.
Phillips, in reply, said that he rose with feelings of gratitude to
return thanks for the kind reception accorded to him. lie was proud to
acknowledge that to his father's training he owed the measure of his
success as an art goldsmith. To Sir George Birdwood, the chairman this
evening, he likewise conveyed the fullest sense of his appreciation of
the generosity shown in presiding over the present meeting. Sir George,
who was one of the sponsors of Oriental Art, would forgive him for
saying that he had come to regard him as his sponsor and mentor too in
many knotty questions, which he had ever been leady to solve with him,
in the cause Applied Art. To those who were, perhaps, unable to
subscribe to some of his assertions, he would say that in such
necessary divergence of opinion lay the true value of discussion. He
had been most carefully in stating only such facts as could be
sustained, while his assertions resulted from the practical experience
of several generations.—Journal of the Society of Arts.
THE REDUCTION AND TREATMENT OF AURIFEROUS QUARTZ.
A
lecture on the above subject, which is of so much interest at the
present moment, was delivered at the Cannon-street Hotel yesterday by
Mr. C. J. Harvey, whose intimate acquaintance with everything relating
to the mining and treatment of gold is well known.
The chair was occupied by Admiral Sir Leopold George Heath, K. C. B.
The Chairman, in
opening the proceedings, said that Mr. Harvey was a well-known expert;
and there was nobody in the City of London who could give a more
interesting lecture. Mr. Harvey, had been all over the world practising
the art of getting from the ore its utmost value. It was often said
that one ounce of practice was worth more than a ton of theory, and he
would at once ask Mr. Harvey to proceed to business. (Cheers.)
M. C. J. Harvey, who
on rising was warmly applauded, said : Gentlemen, in undertaking, at
the request of numerous friends, to delievcr a lecture on the reduction
and treatment of auriferous quartz—a task of no small responsibility—I
am aware that many persons would prefer what should rather be entitled
a " Lecture on the Wynaad Gold Fields, " with which my name has
recently been a good deal connected. But, as I hope to show you later
on, the subject of the reduction of Gold quartz is a matter of vital
importance to those who are interested in Indian gold mines, since it
is mainly on the application of the best and most suitable machinery and
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