236 Josiah Wedgwood CHAP. 



preparation are Peter the Great, Lord Bacon, Mr. and 

 Mrs. Wedgwood ; Mr. Stubbs, the modeller of the 

 tablets ; Edward Bourne, my old Bricklayer, a study." 



Wedgwood was also paying great attention to orna- 

 mental chimneypieces, which were more eagerly bought 

 up in Ireland than in England. He introduced his best 

 compositions into those ornaments, which were truly 

 works of art. His bas-relief medallions, from four to 

 six inches in height, were of the highest class of 

 workmanship ; they were simply beautiful. His life- 

 size busts of distinguished men were admirable, and 

 in great demand. 



Wedgwood wrote to Bentley in August 1778, and 

 informed him what he was making for next year's 

 exhibition. There are Dancing Hours for tablets or 

 friezes ; Etruscan vases with Apotheosis of Homer ; 

 Choice of Hercules, in different sizes ; Triumph of 

 Bacchus, of the largest size, with attending Fauns ; the 

 Sacrifice to Flora, new and large; the Sacrifice to 

 Bacchus, new and very large ; and the Triumph of 

 Ariadne, which was then in hand, together with other 

 new works. 



" We cannot," he added, " master Achilles. I have 

 had him demolished more than once, but he still rises 

 again, the same heavy, unmeaning figure, and I rather 

 think we shall be obliged to drop him, but not without 

 another trial when opportunity occurs. We are under 

 the same difficulty in attaining the character of the 

 genii of Virgil in his bust, which is now modelling. . . . 



