Mr. Kendal’s account of the Dighton rock. 171 
the upper limb on the right this careful uniformity, and runs at 
once from right lines and angles into curvilinear figures of the freest 
sweep. : 
The curvilinear figures give birth to my second remark. I con- 
ceive them to authorise a conclusion, that the design has proceeded 
from an artist not unacquainted with pen or pencil; or at least from 
one, whose taste has been: influenced, though possibly without his 
knowledge, by the use of those instruments, in other hands than his. 
I rest this opinion on the general proposition, that curved lines in 
sculpture proceed from imitation of the other graphic arts, in which 
the material and the instrument used are of a nature to give less 
check to the suggestions of the fancy. ‘When therefore a sculptor 
forsakes the short road of right lines, he attempts, with his reiterated 
strokes and lagging pace, to follow the wanton excursions of an in- 
strument gliding over an unresisting surface, and leaving, without ef- 
fort, the traces of its course. This is what, I believe, may be affirm- 
ed of all sculptured inscriptions ; and yet, in the inscription pire us 
not only there are curved lines, which appear on the draughts, but in 
contemplating the rock with the advantage of certain lights, I have 
thought that I discovered in every part curvilinear ligatures, Conjoin- 
ing all, or nearly all the figures, which compose the inscription. But 
the very idea of joining-hand in sculpture presupposes, upon the prin- 
ciples laid down, the prior existence of a more facile mode of writing ; 
and even without this idea, the mere frequence of curved lines is suf- 
ficient testimony. 
Passing from the design to the drawing, I shall observe, that we must 
not depreciate the merit of the artist, because of the uncouthness, and 
still less of the unintelligibility of his picture. The figures are less 
ill drawn, than they are uncouth and unaccountable. The page of draw- 
ing appears to be technicaf or conformable to some artificial mode of 
