Book Description

Excerpt from Biographical Encyclopedia of Massachusetts of the Nineteenth Century No modern achievements of art have been so universally welcomed by all classes of people as those of photography. This is natural, and it displays a gratifying feature of humanity. It illustrates the pleasures of memory, and the sacred associations of the soul in its activity, - in all the beautiful relations of friendship, love, kindred, and parental affection. All alike take pleasure in looking upon the face of the absent, or deceased beloved one, or of the admired and respected person, who has made for himself, or herself, a record of public honor and usefulness, or has been the instrument of good, charity, and happiness in the domestic or social circle. Although the portrait is a counterfeit, it is the nearest approach to the reality that artistic skill can give. If it be so prized for what it represents, 'why should we omit the record of character that commands our respect, or endears the person represented? The record illustrates the beauties of character which afford us pleasure to remember, and profit to contemplate. There is no personal merit in the features, or complexion of the face, nor in the form of the body. They come from nature, wherein the laws of God give birth to physical perfection, and to forms of beauty. But, in the formation of character, the faculties of the human soul are placed in the count less relations of skill, taste, judgment and duty. The high prerogatives of religion and government, the sacred privileges and enjoyments of civil, social and domestic life, are to be carefully studied, observed and practised. As we are true to these perpetual duties and responsibilities, principles are developed which constitute the elements of character, and these are to be found in the examples of men who have made for themselves a record that will be useful to a grateful posterity. As it has been truly said by a distinguished orator, that man is simply a trustee of property, that he is the owner of nothing, not even of himself, so it may be asserted with truth, that all human beings, however great, humble, or insignificant in the eyes of mortals, have a mission to fulfil in the life that has been given them by their Creator. They make a part of the universe, and if they are not made known by any visible record here, no one will presume to question the Infinite Wisdom by denying them a record wherein all will find a place in eternity. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.