t58 The Earl of Elgin's Pursuits hi Greece. 



restored ; and in ihat view he went to Rome, to consult 

 and to employ Canova. The decision oF that most eminent 

 artist was conclusive. On examining the specimens pro- 

 duced to him, and making himself acciuainted with the 

 •whole collection, and particularly with what came from the 

 Parthenon, hv means of the persons who had been carrying 

 on lord Elgin's operations at Athens, and who had returned 

 with him to Rome, Canova declared. That however greatly 

 it was to be lamented that these statues should have suifered 

 so much from time and barbarism, vet it was undeniable, 

 that they had never been retouched ; that they were the 

 work of the ablest artists the world had ever seen ; executed 

 under the most enlightened patron of the arts, and at a 

 period when genius enjoyed the most liberal encourage- 

 ment, and had attained the highest degree of perfection; 

 and that thcv had been found worthv of forming the de- 

 coration of the most admired edifice ever erected in Greece: 

 that he should have had the greatest ddight, and derived 

 the greatest benefit, froni the opportunity lord Elgin offered 

 him of having in his possession, and contemplating, these 

 inestimable marbles: but, (his expression was.) it would he 

 sacrilege in him, or any man, to presume to touch them 

 with a chisel. Since their arrival in this country, they 

 have been thrown open to the inspection of the public ; and 

 the opinions and impressions, not oidy of artists, but of 

 men of taste \n >;eneral, have thus been formed and col- 

 lected. From these, the jiidgeinenl pronounced l)v Canova 

 has been universally sanctioned ; and all idea of restoring 

 the marbles has been deprecated. JMeanuliile, the most 

 distinguished painters and sculptors have assiduously at- 

 tended this museum, and evinced the most enthusiastic ad- 

 . miration of the perfection to which these marbles now 

 prove to them that Phidias had brouaht the art of sculpture, 

 and which had hitherto only i;een known through the me- 

 dium of ancient authors. They have attentively examined 

 them, and they have ascertained tliat thev were executed 

 with the most seruyiulous anatomical truth, not only in the 

 liuman tigure, but in the various animals to be found in 

 this collecti(jn. 'Ihey have been struck with the wonder- 

 iul accuracy, and at the same lime the great effect of the 

 minutest detail ; and with the life, and exprcss^ion, so di- 

 stinctly priiduced in every variety of attitude and action. 

 Those moie advanced in years have testified the liveliest 

 concern at not having had the advantage of studving these 

 inodcls. And manv who have had the opportunity of 

 furujiug the cotuparitiun (among tUciC are the most emi- 



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