Oxford Democrat

From our Regular Correspondent.

PORTLAND LETTER.

ART AND MUSIC.

PORTLAND, June 16, 1882.

The Art Exhibition mentioned last week is attracting a good deal of attention from all lovers of beauty and art. One may spend hours of each day at the rooms with profit. The range of subjects is surprising for the size of the collection, three hundred works, and a good opportunity is presented for contrasting the past style of painting with its elaborateness of detail with the present bold, free fashion. An excellent specimen of the former is a distant view of the Rocky Mountains by Casilear. Here everything is clear and well defined from the carefully painted foreground to the snow-capped summits of the distant mountains. On the contrary, we have Bricher's "Grand Menan," as an example of the new style.

The picture every one would be sure to see is "Tuckerman's Ravine." H. B. Brown, artist. A cool deep emerald pool reflecting in its crystal mirror the brilliant tints of the autumn and the sombre hue of the evergreens, great gray boulders heaped up as only New Hampshire boulders are heaped, and away in the distance a glimpse of the grand old granite hills.

"Waiting," by Hamilton Hamilton, is full of suggestions. A sweep of a fishing coast with the surf rolling in. Seated, and leaning against the rocks sits an old fish-wife, her rude basket by her side. The attitude is one of pathetic watchfulness, and the eager, anxious gaze is directed far over the treacherous billows as if by its persistence to fetch the sail she has grown gray in watching for. A little beyond is a sweet young mother and her rosy babe. The graceful repose and fond, proud look of the mother is only exceeded by the wise expression of the little eye so knowingly turned up in answering love as the little morsel goes on with his delicious repast.

"Comin' Thro' the Rye," by Geo. A. McKinstry, is a song on canvas. A field of golden grain with wild poppies scattered through it. in the background a "lassie and her laddie," while in the foreground, idly plucking at the heads of rye, comes the lone lassie. On her other hand she carries a basket and her hat suspended loosely by its strings. Her sunny beauty set off by the picturesque Scotch dress, lends easy credence to her assertion,

"All the lads they smile on me,

When comin' thro' the rye."

"Snow-Bound" I. M. Wiles, is likewise a painted poem, representing so exactly the scene Whittier describes in his "Snow-Bound." one can no better describe it than by quoting the entire poem. It is all there.

"June," by H. B. Brown Is a masterly production. A description is utterly impossible. Imagine a bend in a country road: just around the curve the gables of a white farm house are seen above the billows of green: great trees lean over the road and a low stone wall skirts either side; at our left a pair of country bars made of little birches lead into the pasture and over all is the June greenness and gladness.

The Mascotte at City Hall, Monday, was listened to by a well-filled house. The success of the performance must have been highly satisfactory to the home talent producing it.

Tuesday, the Haydens gave the grand Oratorio of the Creation to a delighted audience. The chorus, under the lead of Kotzschmar, was perfect in time and movement. "The Heavens are Telling" was given with grand effect. The soloists Miss Milliken, Messrs. Stockbridge and Coyle, were generously applauded. Miss Fanny Jordan as pianist, and the Germania Orchestra of Boston, rendered the evening a most perfect season of musical enjoyment.

Crowds attended the Musical Festival at Maranocook, Wednesday. The weather was unexceptional. The accommodations first-class, and the music of a surprising degree of excellence.

To-night, we have the Cary concert without Cary. The gifted singer is scarcely able to speak above a whisper. Mrs. Ada Cary Sturgis has come from Durham to take a part. The programme will be carried out as advertised with this exception. The ticket-holders are given permission to return tickets if not satisfied with the arrangement. Miss Cary has generously offered to pay out of her own pocket for any talent the managers might select to fill her place. This the Hospital Directors would not, of course, allow. They have endeavored to obtain Mme. Gerster, but were unable to do so. But the Weber Club, Cecilia Club, Miss Long and Mrs. Sturgis are an attractive array of talent, and it is hoped a large attendance will aid in making the concert a financial success for the benefit of so noble a charity.

H. S. A.