32 MELAI, A TALE. May II, 



Melai, a Conjlantinopolitan 'Tale. 



The deftrufrion of the Images among the Greeks of the 

 middle empire, was a ftroke which the art of ftatuary, how- 

 ever flourifhing- before, was never able entirely to recover. 

 Painting was now the only ornament of their palaces and 

 temples ; a hundred pictures of unexceptionable beauty 

 were more eafily to be met with, than a fingle tolerable 

 ftatue •, and thofe who were defcended from Phidias and 

 Scopas, were as totally unacquainted with the art of their 

 anccftors, as they were with the bravery of Miltiades and 

 Themiftocles. 



The reign however of Conftantine X. promifed to this 

 art a more favourable dsfliny. Having vifited Italy, before 

 he mounted the throne, and acquired a fondnefs for the re- 

 mains of Roman magnilicence, he embraced every opportu- 

 nity of encouraging his fubjcfts in attempting to imitate 

 the models of antiquity. 



Nor did he fail in his defign. No fooner was it known 

 that in his court genius was fure of being protetled and re- 

 warded, than the artifts repaired to it from every quarter, 

 embelllfhed with their performances the place of his refi- 

 dence, and exerted their talents in obedience to liis will. 



Among all thefe labourers in brafs and marble, the moit 

 fortunate, and at the fame time, the mod deferving, was 

 Melonion j a man whofe reputation for integrity and vir- 

 tue was not inferior to his profefllonal abilities, and whofe 

 fenfibility of talle, however exquifite, was fully equalled by 

 the benevolence of his heart. 



One evening at funfet, as he was about to give over his 

 labours for the day, there came into his work-(hop a very 

 old man, and begged the permifTion to examine his perfor- 

 mances. The white hajr of this venerable figure, ? cer- 

 tain brilliancy and animation in his eyes, wliich age had 

 leTened, but had not been able to extin;;uilh ; his habit, 

 which, though coarfe, was yet ntat and becoming ; the 

 look which he threw upon tlic mailerjiieces before him, — -a- 



