i'jgt. MEtAt, A THLE. 33 



look which betokened both Intelligence and feeling j and 

 the few; Jjut pertinent remarks which he made, all united 

 to raife the arti'.l's curiolity, and to render him more atten- 

 tive to his prefent vifitor, than he was accullomed to be to 

 thofe whb ufually intruded. 



.' The llranger had now taken a deliberate view of the 

 ■^orks which were at prefent in. the artiiVs poiTeflion •, and 

 it happened by a ichance, which was rather unufual, that 

 tnoil of them were.^ngroficd in the celebration, of victories. 

 The continual wars between the Greeks and the Arabs, 

 which "were 'never intei^rupted but by a temporary truce, 

 €ould not fail of intereltiixg the cotemporaries of Melonioit: j 

 ftnd the grateful Coiiilantine had, by the aililtnnce of Sculp- 

 ture, endeavoured toimniQrtalrz.ehisnioft illuilrlous comman- 

 ders. This llriking iimilarity in the ' performances befoft 

 him did- not ..efcape the obfervation of the ftranger, .who, 

 imraedte*ely afirer having finilhed his- crircuit^ turned about, 

 and addrelied himfcif to Meloniou'. ■ 



■■ 1 lee-, faid he, that thefe ekceilent perforrhinces of yours 

 reprefeiit none but conquerors and heroes ; have you con- 

 fecrated your talents entirely to their fervice ? 



Me/. Far from itx I am too- great a. friend to the inter- 

 efts of mankind, to (behold their deftroyers with a favour^ 

 able eye. That my work-ihop fliould at prefent be fo fuU 

 of their images, is a circumilance, I afiure you, merely ac- 

 cidental ; a circumilance, to fpeak freely, which I feel rather 

 dilagreeable. When I was occupied in commemorating 

 thefe deilruclive achievements, I could not help frequently 

 regretting my employment, aud dropping ray chiiTel with 

 vexation and difgull. 



0/i/ Alan. Deferved indeed is the reputation of the artift, 

 who thus unites fenfibility to genius. You would not then, 

 I imagine, be unwilling to be employed in celebrating fi- 

 delity and afieaion, under whatever (liape thefe virtues 

 might appear ? 



Me/. Surely not, provided they were really difplayed. 

 0/^ Man. That they were, and in lo high a degree, that 

 neither of us could have difplayed them more conlpicu- 

 oufly. ' ' 



Vol. III. f ■ E 



