It was not the work of the painting or cathedral-building Englishman.

We were led by Patrick Henry, the orator, Benjamin Franklin, the printer.
The more characteristic America became, the less she had to do with the plastic arts.

The emigrant-train carried many a Bible and Dictionary packed in beside the guns and axes.

It carried the Elizabethan writers, AEsop's Fables, Blackstone's Commentaries, the revised statutes of Indiana, Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, Parson Weems' Life of Washington.
But, obviously, there was no place for the Elgin marbles.

Giotto's tower could not be loaded in with the dried apples and the seedcorn.
Yesterday morning, though our arts were growing every day, we were still more of a word-civilization than the English.