MERGE TO GYRENE. 
453 
drawing of the figures is in excellent style, and the actions at once 
expressive, easy, and graceful ; what we have most failed in is the 
expression of the countenances, which, though produced merely by a 
single outline, we were wholly unable to copy at all to our satisfaction. 
The characters and features are what are usually called Grecian, and 
remind us strongly, in the originals, of those of the figures repre- 
sented on some of the most highly finished Greek (or in other w ords, 
Etruscan) vases. The draperies are well arranged, and executed 
with great taste and freedom ; they appear, like the other parts of 
the compositions, to have been painted at once, without any altera- 
tion, and with the greatest facility imaginable. It will be observed 
that the turban has in several instances been adopted; and the 
shape of some of these is more oriental than any which w e remember 
to have seen in Greek designs. It is singular also that all the 
figures appear to have been black, with the exception of that of the 
old man in the last group, which has certainly been red ; yet there 
is nothing either Moorish or Ethiopian in the characters represented ; 
which, from the outlines, we should suppose to be Grecian. We 
have no solution to offer for this apparent inconsistency; and will 
not venture to suggest what may have been the subjects of the 
several pieces. They appear to represent some connected story ; yet 
the same persons are not certainly introduced in all, if indeed in any 
two of the compositions. In the first group two females, both of 
them young, appear engaged in some interesting conversation. The 
second may perhaps represent the same persons, but it is difficult to 
say whether the rod in the hand of the standing figure is raised for 
