OBSERVATIONS ON SCULPTURE. 469 
There was a little descent from the lofty ima- 
ginative, in the statue of Venus, by Praxiteles, 
at Cnidus. It is said to have been the model 
of perfect beauty; and the Ionians exclaimed 
that “‘ Venus had forsaken Olympus and come 
down to dwell with them!” After all it was 
Venus under the form of Phryne; and it was 
further discovered that the statue had the en- 
chanting smile of Cratine, another mistress of 
Praxiteles. I would therefore class this statue 
under the third head. 
The Statuary of the Greeks is characterised by 
grace and beauty. That of the Romans by 
strength and dignity. Thus, in the busts and 
statues of the Roman Emperors, we are enabled, 
with the aid of medals, to appropriate to every 
Emperor his marble likeness ; and to trace, in the 
expression of the features, those qualities which 
they displayed in their actions and which distin- 
guish them in history. Some of these are unem- 
passioned resemblances, whilst others represent 
action united with likeness, and these are called 
heroic. 
The statues of Roman Women, are equally 
distinguished by the character we associate with 
