Mr. Kendal’s account of the Dighton rock. 189 
The diversities of the copies, of which I have taken notice only with the 
view of fixing your first thoughts on the original, are not always, as I 
have argued, to beattributed to the fault of the copyists, but often to 
the obscurity of the sculpture, in which every man will see something 
different from every other. Under these circumstances no perfect 
copy caneverbe made. The copy, which I have the honour to send 
you, pretends only to convey a general idea.* What I earnestly re- 
commend is the removal of the rock, or at least of its sculptured face, 
from its present site, into the care of some public establishment in 
Boston. "In Boston it will be accessible to every inquisitive spectator ; 
every Rhos will make Danoyenies for itself; and combinations of its 
OWRD. 52? 
I shall take the liberty of adding eel occurs to me, as to the prac- 
ticability of the removal. |The extreme height, as I have already de- 
scribed it, is five feet.one inch above the level of the soil ; beneath, 
in some parts there may be an additional two feet, or more. The ex- 
treme breadth is eleven feet seven inches ; the probable extreme thick- 
ness is six feet ; and the weight, as I conjecture, is from five to six 
tons. Inquiry will ascertain, whether the face can be separated from 
the body of the rock by the saw, or by splitting, or whether the whole 
block must be taken together. It may also be a question, whether, if 
the separation be practicable, the entire removal were not more eligi- 
ble. As to the method of transport, if any difhiculty present itself, as 
to water carriage, it may be brought with facility during the winter on 
asleigh. The expense may be readily known. The owner, as has 
been observed, is a Mr. Deane of Berkeley. 
~ Of the value of this monument, and the. or which it is there- 
_ * Fig. 13 isan engraving rae Mr. Kendal’s paintin: 
‘ ot tipi thinlalidi set 
rack in oil colours. oF ae tion oft 
