representing the Theban Sphinx. 3 



the Colonia Catnulodunum of the Romans at Colchester, to the 

 Archseologia. Mr. Walford, adducing several authorities upon 

 whose judgment and learning the most scrupulous may be will- 

 ing to rely, has, in the 16th volume of that publication, concluded 

 an interesting dissertation upon the situation of Camulodunum 

 in these terms : *' I hope the preceding observations, which 

 from my own personal inspection I have found very accurate, 

 will be the means of preventing any future'controversies or differ- 

 ence in opinion upon the subject ; and that all will agree with 

 Bishop Stillingfleet, Dr. Stukeley, Dr. Mason, Mr. Morant, Mr. 

 Gough,and theRev.Mr.Leman,that Colchester,and not Maiden, 

 was the Colonia Camuloduyium of Richard of Cirencester*." 



Having premised thus much, I proceed to present such 

 hypotheses upon the probable age, authors, and history of 

 the monument under review, as may be fairly deduced from a 

 consideration of its own character, of various remains of anti- 

 quity found near it, and of the historical records immediately 

 applicable to the place of discovery. 



The adjustment of the hair of the Sphinx, is the same as that 

 of the younger empress Faustina ; yet it resembles almost as 

 closely the dress that we have frequent occasion to notice upon 

 Roman monuments of an earlier time. But when we consider 

 the evidence of the sculpture itself, whose chaste, yet cultivated 

 character is as far distant from the rude operations of the earliest 

 British workmen, ,as it is from the meretricious style of any 

 middle time in this country ; we need not hesitate to ascribe 

 our Sphinx to the chisel of some eminent Roman sculptor, and 

 of the best age. 



The coarse nature of the material militates against the proba- 

 bility of this fine piece of work having been imported from 

 Italy. We may therefore be allowed to conclude, that it was 

 wrought in this island ; for it is acknowledged that the Romans 

 brought artists hither with them, and they may also have been 

 invited over by the British Princes f- 



• See Pegge on the Coins of C'urwbelin, and Ruding's Annals of the 

 Coinage. i See Pi'gge on the Coins of Cvnohdin, p. 01, Sfv. 



b2 



