SCULPTURE. 
when confined to objects intended merely 
for ornament, approached very near perfec- 
tion; in this instance, the sculptures of the 
wings of birds, variously and tastefully dis- 
posed, deserve the approbation of the en- 
lightened observer. 
We must now turn our attention to the 
acknowledged masters of the sublime art 
of sculpture, the ancient Greeks, to whom 
every nation of the earth still pays willing 
homage, and front whose matchless works 
each sculptor is happy to concentrate and 
improve his observations on the human 
figure, piresented by them to his contempla- 
tion in its most graceful perfection. Such, 
indeed, has been the excellence and cor- 
rectness of their imitations of nature, and 
‘ the refined elegance of their taste, that many 
Uges have elapsed, not one of which have af- 
forded a single instance of improvement, 
even in the disposition of their scrolls, or 
other fanciful ornaments. 
As modelling figures in earth has been a 
practice for ages, previous to their sculpture 
in stone, it may be supposed that this was 
the original method of making isolated re- 
semblances of men ; indeed, the facility with 
which alterations and improvements might 
be accomplished, seems to point out the 
propriety of using that material before the 
art of cutting stone was invented. Calis- 
thenes, who was an Athenian, made a num- 
ber of models, w’ith which he adorned his 
residence ; but it is of the sculptor, and not 
the modeller, that we are to treat at pre- 
sent. Of the latter, we might mention a very 
considerable number, whose names have 
reached us with their works, were they 
necessary, and yet compared with the statues 
distributed in every part of Europe, they 
•are a very inconsiderable portion of the 
eminent men who have flourished in the 
different states of Greece. When we con- 
template the beautiful specimens of their 
■consummate art, w'e are at a loss which most 
to admire, the softness and delicacy given to 
the marble, or the exquisite skill demon, 
strated in every feature and muscle, which 
could only have been acquired by the most 
attentive observation of living subjects 
' placed in each natural and easy attitude. 
Had not the people generally admired and 
respected the arts, so great a degrees of per- 
fection would never have been attained, 
for the operation of producing a fine figure 
requires a mind at ease, and the means of 
.subsistence beyond the mere wants of the 
day ; it is therefore extremely probable that 
tliose who employed statuaries to perpe- 
tuate the memory of great men, and t« 
honour their gods with tlieir representations 
as votives to the numerous temples, made 
liberal remuneration, and it Is to be hoped 
equal to the merit of the work. 
The Romans were fully sensible of the 
superior excellence of the Greeks in sculp- 
ture, and although we cannot approve of 
their motives in plundering them of their 
best works, yet we involuntarily feel satis- 
fied that it is through their rapacity that 
we now possess those fascinating models 
for imitation, which has formed the taste of 
the Italian sculptors, and excited that emu- 
lation which enabled artists to rouze the 
public mind to a state of enthusiasm suffi- 
ciently powerful to crowd churches and 
palaces with mementos of the great and 
the good. Besides this superior branch of 
the art, we are not less indebted to the 
ancient Grecians for the invention and dis- 
tribution of the most refined taste in the in- 
ferior parts of sculpture : under this head 
we )ieed only remind the reader of the 
grand conceptions distributed from the base 
to the summit of Grecian buildings, in reliefs 
of various rich ornaments. 
It appears almost superfluous to mention 
the LaocOon, the Venus di Medicis, the 
Apollo Belviddre, the Meleager, the Anti- 
nous, the Niobe, &c. &c. of tlie Grecian 
school, as efforts never to be exceeded, or 
perhaps equalled. How does this fact ex- 
alt the character of the people thus fa- 
voured, and how does it humble the pride 
of the moderns ! And yet the knowledge of 
infinite superiority attached to them should 
not depress the efforts of the student, but 
rather rouze him to increased exertion ; at 
all events recollecting, that Phidias, Praxi- 
telies, Agesander, Polydore, and Atheno- 
dorus studied models far beyond the reach 
of perfect imitation, even the animated hn- 
man form. 
Our limits will not permit us to enlarge, 
ox enter into an inquiry as to the compa- 
rative merits of the different modern schools 
of Europe, of which Italy bears away the 
unrivalled palm through several concurrent 
circumstances, and of tliose it is imme- 
diately obvious, that piety and superstition 
ar’e the principal; the legends of their 
saints produce an incredible variety for 
illustrating the violent emotions of the soul 
in ardent devotion and the pangs of mar- 
tyrdom, and it cannot be disputed, that 
they have in many instances very nearly 
approached the expression and excellence 
of their masters; of those Michael Angelo 
