the Earl of Elgin’s Collection of Marbles, @&c. 283 
hands, particularly some very correct ones by Mr.C. R. Cockerelt, 
brought by Mr. Frederick North, all attesting the beauty of the 
composition, and eminently satisfactory with regard to the age 
im which they had been made. These drawings I saw frequently 
exhibited to persons the most competent to form a judgement of 
the merit of the originals; and they met with universal admira- 
tion, both in general society, and particularly at the meetings of 
the Dilettanti Society. It was on all hands hoped that they 
might be purchased by the British government, and that they 
would not be deterred by the bad success of the negotiation tor 
the Aigina marbles, from becoming competitors also for these : 
these feelings were also expressed by several of the trustees of the 
British Museum, but in such general terms, that 1 was not very 
sanguine of what seemed to be the wish of all being brought 
about by the efficient co-operation of a few; though I was aware 
that this offered the only chance of success. Perhaps the failure 
of the two successive attempts, which had been made tor the 
purchase of the gina marbles, damped, in some measure, the 
disposition of those who, from their public situation, and correct 
judgement in all matters of taste, were qualified and entitled to 
interfere. However it was, the time for the public sale en- 
nounced for the lst May 1814 was fast approaching, and no 
steps were taken for the attainment of the object, of which I was 
aware, beyond a few visits, which I received about that time 
from General Turner, to express the hopes of the Prince Regent, 
to whom the drawings, brought home by Mr. North, had been 
submitted by Mr. Cockerell, the father, that the marbles in 
question would be purchased; and from Mr. Planta, to express 
the same hopes on the part of the British Museum, though un- 
authorized officially by the trustees. 
‘© With regard to the supposed value of these marbles, as none 
had been seen in England, and scarcely any traveller of taste or 
judgement who had seen them at Corfu, except Mr. North, had 
given his opinion in this country as to their relative or compa- 
rative merit; the only criterions that any one could go by were, 
first, a comparison between the drawings of them and the ori- 
ginal works of Phidias in the Elgin collection; and secondly, 
the price put upon them by the proprietors, below which it was 
formally declared that they would not be parted with; anda 
sum equal to which I was assured that one of the proprietors 
had offered to give, if the public sale could be dispensed with, or 
if no larger sum were offered. His price was 15,000/. or 60,000 
Spanish dollars; the collection might in fact be worth that sum, 
or more or less; it was not possible to anticipate. However, I 
felt confident, from the degree of merit which it was evident 
they 
