420 ‘Bibliographical Notices. 
these have been rudely carved to represent birds and beasts, and 
in some cases human heads. In the very minute description of 
embo ying. or example, the zigzag pecus on a figure assumed 
to be that of aswallow are suggested to be indicative of the lightning- 
like swiftness of the bird. It is equally possible they were crude 
efforts to represent feathering on the very intractable material of 
which this bowl is composed, the skill and tools of the workman 
being incapable of a more delicate rendering of nature. Again, the 
drawings of some Mind rude efforts at birds T the human face 
lieta an f dient of severity." We are far from fae that ated 
carving a fall and delicate mouth in “a compact black stone. 
greater hardness” would be, with indifferent tools, a matter of dif- 
fice aly ; and we think that the author, perhaps not unnaturally, in 
his dezve to furnish material for conjecture and research, has gone 
out of his way to discover forms and esthetic ideas of high art that, 
oe. tne first rude mouldings of a sculptor, rarely zi beyond por- 
traying very feebly the external appearance of the original; the 
ideas that make the picture something more than a mere piece of 
oe the sculptured form something more than a mere marble 
e, belong to a cultivation and intellectual elevation which of 
adr lead to a truer xg due of the first principles of art, 
e beauty of truthfulness of form. We fail to see that the Ohio 
relies fulfil this primary requirement ; and therefore we cannot agree 
with Mr. Stevens's ingenious efforts to discover in these humble 
imitations of life more than the fact that the inhabitants of these 
ancient cities were certainly great smokers, and equally great as 
indifferent carvers. 
It is indeed un wise to bi lves tolimited vi fty f form, 
whether of flint-chips or carved figures. We must remember that 
similar circumstances lead to similar results, and the siliceous rocks 
(jasper, agate, quartz, flint, and quartzite) will break under given 
blows with a similar fracture, and that an uncultivated genius will 
produce forms generally more or less of the same character, with 
certain accidental and individual characteristics 
pace fails us to do more than refer to the description of the other 
American relics, full as itis of facts and numberless details of savage 
bearing immediately on the subject; but, as an evidence of the 
ee uS. cii c iE Bs 
