DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52801#0013
MR. DAY’S COLLECTION.
9
met with, and it attracted that notice of which it
was worthy. The late Mr. President West used often
to remark to the proprietor of it, that after having
visited his Rooms in Brook-street, where the col-
lection then was, he used to march home as if
he felt himself some inches taller. Such is the
moral effect that works of a high class produce
in elevating the human mind, from a feeling of
raising the powers of man above himself.
Another remark of the same gentleman may
also be here cited, as it carries with it force and
truth, namely, that every picture of a high class
drawn from abroad, is worth two of equal value
which we possess at home, for the simple reason,
that the one is already our own, and most pro-
bably will remain so, while the other tends to add
to the general stock of those treasures of art which
we can already boast of, and, as the works of
the great masters are exotics to our own climate,
and not always to be obtained, we should secure
them while we have it in our power.
Among other capital pictures which Mr. Day
has been the means of sending to this country
may be mentioned that of the Coronation of the
Virgin, by Annibal Caracci, formerly in the Aldo-
brandini palace at Rome, and which also may be
regarded as a chef-d’oeuvre of the master. The
science with which this fine picture is composed,
9
met with, and it attracted that notice of which it
was worthy. The late Mr. President West used often
to remark to the proprietor of it, that after having
visited his Rooms in Brook-street, where the col-
lection then was, he used to march home as if
he felt himself some inches taller. Such is the
moral effect that works of a high class produce
in elevating the human mind, from a feeling of
raising the powers of man above himself.
Another remark of the same gentleman may
also be here cited, as it carries with it force and
truth, namely, that every picture of a high class
drawn from abroad, is worth two of equal value
which we possess at home, for the simple reason,
that the one is already our own, and most pro-
bably will remain so, while the other tends to add
to the general stock of those treasures of art which
we can already boast of, and, as the works of
the great masters are exotics to our own climate,
and not always to be obtained, we should secure
them while we have it in our power.
Among other capital pictures which Mr. Day
has been the means of sending to this country
may be mentioned that of the Coronation of the
Virgin, by Annibal Caracci, formerly in the Aldo-
brandini palace at Rome, and which also may be
regarded as a chef-d’oeuvre of the master. The
science with which this fine picture is composed,