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[inserted: heads,] and bids fair to excell -- There are others here of lesser degrees of talent but these stand highest -- sculpture is peculiarly cherished in Cincinnati the muse of Powers & Blevenger who is inferior to him, as as as I have seen -- At the Art {Main?] room I saw a fine landscape by Kensett of N York & a good hunting scene by Ranney of NY. There is also an exquisite head by professor Shroeder of Dusseldorf which is a model for our artists as regards effect, drawing & all the technical parts of the art -- It is a female head & bust & arm & hand, very beautiful- highly finished yet broad & transparent. Cincinnati is one of the most beautiful & attractive cities I have yet seen, situated in a gently rising plain & surrounded on three sides by hills, the fourth bounded by the river which here takes a semicircular curve - The hill to the east commands a fine view of the town & surrounding country & is the site of the observatory where an astronomer is stationed to make observations etc. The city is regularly laid out and its architectural adornments are in excellent taste