On the Animals^represented on Ancient Monuments. 161 



the natural conclusion that they must be lost, like certain of 

 our fossil species or human varieties; and, ^dli/, from the frag- 

 ments of animals buried in antique tombs, and which are no 

 longer found amongst existing races. 



That the first of these conclusions be accurate, it is especially 

 necessary to prove, that the statuaries and painters of antiquity 

 had just and precise ideas of the different conditions of existence 

 to which organization is submitted, and that these aVtists in all 

 their productions, even in those that appear the most fanciful, 

 have had the imitation of nature in view, and a desire not to 

 wander from the truth. A study of the paintings and statues of 

 the Greek and Roman schools, not only with the interest which 

 their beauty excites, but still more with the intention of discover- 

 ing their correctness, soon conveys to the mind of a naturalist the 

 most entire confidence. Indeed, this confidence should not be 

 less than that which we grant to the drawings of our modern 

 artists, destined to produce the new species which we are dis- 

 covering every day. 



The antique monuments of Egypt, and still more those of 

 Greece and Italy, present a great number of sculptured and 

 figured animals. Some of these belong to real species, others 

 to imaginary beings. These latter, however, are not solely the 

 creatures of fancy. The different parts of which they are com- 

 posed are always portions or halves of real and existing animals, 

 each of which gives an exact representation of the animal which 

 it represents. If, then, in the composition of these imaginary 

 beings, the ancients have so closely followed nature, can we doubt 

 that they have done it for ike real beings, all whose parts they 

 have combined, in such a way as not to represent different ani- 

 mals ? 



If among these last, there are some of which no traces can be 

 found upon the earth, ought we not to conclude that their spe- 

 cies are extinct, since the era of history ? For apprehending 

 the justness of this conclusion, it will suffice to prove, that the 

 artists of antiquity had exact ideas of the relations which exist 

 betwixt the different parts of the same animal, and the end ir 

 was to accomplish. Though they had not constructed a com- 

 plete system of doctrine, yet they at least constantly applied the 



VOL. XVI. NO. XXXI. JANUARY 1834. L 



