STATE PAPERS. 



453 



20,0001. is frequently referred 

 to in the examinations of ihe wit- 

 nesses, with some vaiiety of opi- 

 nion as to its intrinsic value ; 

 but it is to be observed of all the 

 principal sculptures in that col- 

 lection, that they were in excel- 

 lent condition with the surface 

 peifect ; and where injured, they 

 were generally well restored, and 

 perfectly adapted for the decora- 

 tion, and almost for the orna- 

 mental furniture of a private 

 house, as they were indeed dis- 

 posed by ]Mr. Townlcy in his life- 

 time. 



In what proportion th.e state of 

 mutilation in which the Elgin 

 Marbles are left, and above all 

 the corrosion of much of the sur- 

 face by weathei',re(hicetiieir value, 

 it is difficult precisely to ascer- 

 tain ; but it may unquestionably 

 be affirmed in the word< of one of 

 the sculptors examined (who rates 

 these works in the highest cli-ss 

 of art) that " the Townleyan 

 marbles being entire, are, in a 

 commercial point of view, the 

 most valuable of tlie two : but 

 that the Elgin IMarbles, as pos- 

 sessing that matter which artists 

 most lequire, claim a higher con- 

 sideration." 



The yEgina marbles, which are 

 also referred to, and were well 

 known to one of tlie membeis of 

 your committee, who was in 

 treaty to purchase them for the 

 British Museum, sold for 6,000)., 

 to the Prince Royal of Bavaria, 

 which was less than the British 

 government had diiected to be 

 offered, after a piioi' negociation 

 for obtaining them had failed ; 

 their real value however was sup- 

 posed not to exceed 400()1., at 

 which Lusieri estin\ated them. 



They are described as valuable in 

 point of i-emote antiquity, and 

 curious in that respect, but of no 

 distinguished merit as specimens 

 of sculpture, their style being 

 what is usually called Etruscan, 

 and older than the age of Phi- 

 dias. 



The Marbles at Phigalia, in 

 Arcadia, have lately been pur- 

 chased for the Museum at the ex- 

 pense of 1.5,0001. increased by a 

 very unfavourable exchange to 

 19,0001 a =um which yonr com- 

 mittee, after inspecting them, 

 venture to consider as more than 

 equal to their value. 



It is true that an English gen- 

 tleman, concerned in discovering 

 them, was ready to give the same 

 sum; and therefore no sort of 

 censure can attach on tho^^e who 

 purchased them abroad for our 

 national gallery, without any pos- 

 sible opportunity of viewing and 

 examining the sculpture, but 

 knowing them only from the 

 sketches which were sent over, 

 and the place where they were dug 

 up, to be undoubted and autiientic 

 remains of Greek artists of the 

 best time. 



When the first offer was made 

 by the Earl of Elgin to Mr. Per- 

 ceval, of putting the public in 

 possession of this collection, Mr. 

 Long, a member of your com- 

 mitiee, was autiiorized by Mr. 

 Perceval to acquaint Lord Elgin, 

 that he was willing to propose to 

 Parliament to purchase it for 

 :50,000l. provided Lord Elgin 

 should make out, to the satisfac- 

 tion of a committee of the House 

 of Commons, that he had ex- 

 pended so much in acquiring and 

 transporting it. 



Lord Elgin declined this pro- 

 posal. 



