IDENTIFICATION OF THE ARTISAN AND ARTIST. 303 



contain all the most perfect specimens of art antiquity in every age has 

 left us of beauty in design and elegance in form. We wish that our 

 artisans should have frequently before them what may be considered not 

 merely actual models to copy, but likewise such objects as may gradually 

 impress their minds with feelings of taste. Now, I should like to have 

 the construction, the forming, of such a museum. And, in describing 

 it, I will confine myself entirely to one small department — that of classi- 

 cal nrt, classical antiquity — because I know, that, for a museum in- 

 tended to be practical to the eyes of artisans, there is a far wider range 

 of collection to be taken than that to which I -will confine myself. Weil, 

 now I imagine to myself a hall at least as large as this, and of a more 

 elegant and perfect architecture. I wil! suppose it to be fornn^d itself 

 upon classical models; and around it shall be ranged, not merely i)laster 

 casts, but real marble statues and busts collected from antiquity. I 

 would range them round the throne so that each could be enjoyed at 

 leisure by the student. There should be room for the draughtsman to 

 take a copy from any side. In the center 1 w^ould spread out a beautiful 

 mosaic, such as we find in the museums, for instance, of liome, a pave- 

 ment in rich colors, representing some beautiful scene, which should be 

 most carefully railed off, that it might not be worn or soiled by the pro- 

 fane tread of modern men. There should be cabinets in which there 

 should be — but inclosed carefully with glass, so that there would be no 

 danger of accidents — the finest specimens of the old Etruscan vases, of 

 every size, of every shape, plain and colored, enriched with those beau- 

 tiful drawings upon them vrhich give them such rich characters, and at 

 the same time such price ; and on one side 1 would have collected for you 

 some specimens of the choicest products of the excavations of Hercula- 

 neum. There should be bronze vessels of the most elegant form and the 

 most exquisite carving, and there should be all sorts even of household 

 utensils, such asare found there, of most beautiful shapeand exquisite fin- 

 ish. On the walls I would have some of those paintings which have yet re- 

 mained almost unharmed after being buried for so many hundred of years, 

 and which retain their freshness, and would glow upon your wnills, and 

 clothe them with beauty, and at the same time with instruction. And 

 then I would have a most choice cabinet, containing medals in gold and 

 silver and bronze, of as great an extent as possible, but chiefly selected 

 for the beauty of their workmanship ; and engraved gems likewise, 

 every one of which should, if possible, be a treasure. Now, if such a 

 museum could be collected, you would say, I am sure, that so far as 

 classical antiquity goes — classical art — you have everything that you 

 could desire, and you have as noble, as splendid, as beautiful a collection 

 of artistic objects as it is within the reach of modern wealth and inlluence 

 to collect. In fact, you would say, if you could not make artists now by 

 the study of these objects, it was a hopeless matter, because here was 

 everything that antiquity has given us of the most beautiful. 

 Now, I am afraid that, while you have been iJollowing me in this 



