THE ARUNDEL1AN MARBLES. 39 



MRS. F. 



The Arundelian consist of a series of sculptured marbles, 

 collected in Greece at the expense of Thomas Howard, who 

 was Earl of Arundel in the reigns of James and Charles the 

 First. They comprise statues and gems as well as inscrip- 

 tions. The latter are those to which you allude, and which 

 are the objects of our present attention. They were inserted 

 into the walls of the garden at the back of Arundel House in 

 the Strand, and were examined by Seldon, who deciphered 

 and published several of the inscriptions in 1628. During 

 the civil wars, the Arundel family being obliged to leave 

 their mansion, the parliament put it under sequestration, and 

 suffered the marbles to be plundered and defaced. It is even 

 asserted that part of the Parian Chronicle was worked up in 

 repairing a chimney; and it is supposed that not more than 

 half of these valuable inscriptions escaped destruction. Those 

 that were preserved were presented to the University of 

 Oxford, where they still remain. 



HENRIETTA. 



What is the nature of the inscriptions'? 



MRS. F. 



Principally records of treaties, public contracts, public 

 thanks of the state to individuals, &c.; but the most curious 

 inscription is that to which I have just alluded the 

 Parian Chronicle which gives a chronological account of 

 the principal events in Grecian (particularly in Athenian) 

 history, from the time of Cecrops* to the year B. C. 264; a 

 period of 1318 years, f But to return to engraving upon 

 metals. 



FREDERICK. 



Aunt, I can give you an instance: the Roman soldiers were 

 allowed, on the field of battle, to write their wills upon their 

 bucklers or scabbards. 



* B. C. 1582. 



t Elme's Dictionary of the Fine Arts. 



