THE ACADEMY OF PAINTING AND SCULPTURE. 267 



great World-Book ; not skipping any, because they were 

 common, or tedious, but reading all. 



They fouDd in Mexico a School of Mines, like the 

 Mineralogical Academy of Freyberg, (the director, by 

 the way, was a pupil of Humboldt's old teacher, Wer- 

 ner) a Botanic Garden, and an Academ}^ of Painting 

 and Sculpture. The last bore the title of Academia de 

 los Nobles Aries de Mexico. It owed its existence to the 

 patriotism of several private citizens, and the protection 

 of the minister, Galvez. The government had assigned 

 it a spacious building, which was enriched by a finer 

 and more complete collection of casts, than was at that 

 time to be found in any part of Germany. Humboldt was 

 surprised and delighted when he saw the Apollo Belvi- 

 dere and the Laocoon. There were no fees for entrance 

 at the Academy : it was free to all, even mulattoes and 

 Indians. The rooms were lighted every evening with 

 Argand lamps, and filled with hundreds of young peo- 

 ple, who drew from reliefs, or living models, or copied 

 drawings of furniture, chandeliers, or ornaments in 

 bronze. The director of the class of sculpture, Don 

 Manuel Tolsa, had just completed a bronze equestrian 

 statue of Charles IV., the then reigning king of Spain. 

 Humboldt was present when it was cast, and saw it 

 moved to the Great Square — a five days' task. As the 

 buildings around the Square were not lofty it looked 

 admirably on its pedestal, standing grandly out from its 

 blue background of skv. 



This royal statue, the Viceroy's palace, and above all 

 the new Cathedral with its massive towers, made the Great 

 Square an imposing place. Humboldt did it full justice, 

 we have no doubt, for his tastes like his powers were 



