AT HOME

The "Fifty Immortals", having completed their new fireproof home in New York, moved in last Friday. The completion of this building marks the beginning in the United States of efforts to "uphold esthetic standards and to reward noble craftsmanship". There are numerous art museums and libraries, but this is the first building in this country for an Academy which will recognize and preserve without danger of destruction, the distinguished handiwork of the representatives of the five creative arts.

France, Belgium, Spain and Brazil have preceded us in similar attempts to gather for permanent preservation all the really excellent work of those artists, authors, sculptors, and architects which the Immortals may deem worthy of recognition. The American Immortals are fifty in number, and form "a comradeship of the leaders of the arts in America". It is the decision of this group that they recognize everything for its esthetic value, regardless of the public popularity or vogue that it may have. In this way only the truly literary and esthetic records of the nation are chosen.

It is not the purpose of the Academy to seal up these records beyond access, but to keep them where they may become the "most valuable source of information of the personal and biographic and critical sides of American esthetic history in years to come". The members propose to pick out that which is the best of this day and age, and to put it where it may become a stimulus to the genius of the future generations which are to carry on the admirable work begun by the Academy of the present. As such it should be a source of inspiration to every serious minded student of the Arts and ought to take a place in the front rank of "things to see in New York".