On the Beautiful in the Grecian Statues. 433 
ness, simplicity of diet and simplicity of mane 
Ners, were eminently favourable to the primary 
production, and to the preservation of beautiful 
form. The concurrence of these advantages is 
so powerful as to resist the barbarism and op- 
pression of the Turkish government, and even 
to this day preserve to the native Greek race their 
pre-eminence of beauty. 
The Grecian games invited the most perfect of 
the species, in varied character and exhibition, 
_ with all the advantage of exposure, and with all 
the action proper either to strength or grace; 
which must have furnished to the Grecian artist 
models of perfection in nature, and of the truth 
of nature in her best specimens, such as modern 
artists can have no access to. Our modern man- 
ners admit not of such exhibitions, and if ina 
moral view we have gained thereby, the loss to 
the imitative arts of sculpture and painting is 
incalculable. Nor, if it were ‘otherwise, is it 
probable that in our climates and with our modes 
of life, any such specimens of the beautiful work- 
ing of nature can befurnished- It will be allowed 
at least, that the hirelings, which are exhibited in 
our modern academies, are no substitute for the 
ampler and richer display of form and character, 
from which the Grecian sculptor and_ painter 
copied their admired productions, 
The freedom of the Grecian mind: must also 
