326 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



i 



which belongs to this building — It 

 is the only existing specimen of 

 jnire Greek architecture, uncor- 

 rupted by Roman or Gothic appen- 

 dages. — It is filled up as it were 

 from the remaining shell of the 

 Acropolis at Athens. — Mr. Smirke 

 has caught from the temple of Mi- 

 nerva the general idea; the propor- 

 tions, the parts, the finishing, are 

 all Mr. Smirke's own ; in a word, 

 it is a building of which Athens 

 would not have been ashamed, and 

 of which England, therefore, may 

 be reasonably proud. — Like every 

 true work of art, it does not com- 

 mand attention by its mere mass ; 

 the effect is purely given to it by 

 the art, the harmony, the mind of 

 the workman. 



The mass, the brick, and mortar, 

 and all that was done by the trowel 

 and the plane, belong to Mr. Cope- 

 land; the order and effect, the mens 

 agitans molem, to Mr. Smirke, jun. 

 It is he that has lifted the mass into 

 lightness, and like the Atlas in the 

 fable, cai'ries it with majesty and 

 simplicity on his shoulders. 



The Basso-Relievos in front of 

 the Theatre. — The specimens of 

 the fine arts exhibited in the sculp- 

 ture of the front are representations 

 of the ancient and modern drama, 

 in basso relievo. The designs are 

 classical, and the execution master- 

 ly. The piece representing tlie an- 

 cient drama is to the north of the 

 porticO; and that representing the 

 modern drama is on the south side. 



The ancient Drmi.a, — In the cen- 

 ter three Greek poets are sitting; 

 the two looking towards the porti- 

 co are Aristophanes, representing 

 the old comedj', and (nearest to 

 the spectator) Menander, repre- 

 senting the new comedy. Before 

 them Thalia presents herself with 



her crook and comic mask, as the 

 object of their imitation. She is fol- 

 lowed by Polyhymnia playing onthe 

 greater lyre, and by Euterpe on the 

 lesser lyre, Clio with the long pipes, 

 and Terpsichore, the muse of ac- 

 tion or pantomime. These are suc- 

 ceeded by three nymphs crowned 

 with the leaves of the fir-pine, and 

 in succinct tunics, representing the 

 hours or seasons governing and at- 

 tending the winged horse Pegasus. 

 The third sitting figure in the cen- 

 ter, looking from the portico, \i 

 ^schylus, the father of Tragedy. 

 He holds a scroll open on his knee; 

 his attention is fixed on Wisdom, 

 or Minerva, seated opposite to the 

 poet. She is distinguished by her 

 helmet and shield. Between iEs- 

 chylusand Minerva, Bacchus stands 

 leaning on his fawn, because the 

 Greeks represented tragedies in ho- 

 nour of Bacchus. Behind Minerva 

 stands Melpomene, or Tragedy, 

 holding a sword and mask; then 

 follow two Furies, with snakes and 

 torches, pursuing Orestes, who 

 stretches out his hands to suppli- 

 cate Apollo for protection. Apollo 

 is represented in the quadriga, or 

 four-horsed chariot of the sun. 

 The last-described figures relate 

 to part of TEschylus's Tragedy 

 of Orestes. — The Modern Drama* 

 In the center (looking from the 

 portico) Shakspeare is sitting ; the 

 comic and tragic masks, with the 

 lyre, are about his seat ; his right 

 hand is raised, expressive of calling 

 up the following characters in the 

 Tempest ; — first Caliban, lader\ 

 with wood; next.Ferdinand, sheath- 

 ing his sword ; then, Miranda, en- 

 treating Prospero in behalf of her 

 lover. They are led on by Ariel 

 above, playing on a lyre. This 

 part of the composition is termi- 

 nated 



