Mr. Kendal’s account of the Dighton rock. 173 
nature, or suggested by any thing incident to even any one of the graph- 
ic arts ; but necessarily indicates, either that the thing intended to be 
represented is a picce of statuary, or that the habit of contemplating 
statuary has introduced this servile following of one of its resources.* 
In surveying a monument, like this in question, the mind naturally 
becomes curious, as to its history and signification ; and more than 
one attempt has been made, as to the writing-rock, to satisfy us as to 
the first by clearing up all obscurity as to the second. For my own 
part I think, that we are still in perfect uncertainty, as to both. The 
few opinions, which, relatively to certain points, I venture — to 
entertain, I shall here submits =. 
It. to be x troverted, except by the i ighortince of some 
of those, >, Wha: live in the neighbourhood of the rock, that this is a mon- 
ument of an antiquity antecedent to the settlement of Europeans on 
this continent ; and I am of opinion, that it is of an antiquity consider- 
ably higher. 
I am of opinion also, that it was wrought on sotpe-solemn .o -ocCa- 
- sion, or for some solemn purpo , either civil, military : 
It may be a-mnemorial, a oqniiiod, or an oliine of piety. heed 
Iam of opinion further, that it bears, even now, salimierts traces 3 
of the people, by. whom it was produced ; and consequently, that, to 
ascertain this, we need only to discover from whom any similar works 
have proceeded. 
The first of these opinions is founded on a comparison. - the 
great durability of the stone with the great inroads of time ; the sec- 
ond, on the orderly and yet arbitrary arrangement of the figures, the 
unity of the composition, and the labour DAW, to the execution ; 
2 
\ © There is an Indian bust in the nature of a baise relievo in the museum at 
ee in iran da ane 4 Ames a Pe at Yale clleges pre 
P Sg tlk 
