ISLAND OF NAXOS. 107 
works of art executed in the marble of these CHAP. 
islands 1 . Age had given to all a warm and - T _ > 
beautiful tint of a yellow colour : and, to the 
eye, every fragment seemed to possess the 
softness and consistency of wax or of alabaster. 
The Chancellor told us, that in the interior of Colossal 
Statue. 
the island, at the distance of three hours from 
the town, near to some antient marble quarries, 
there yet remains an unfinished colossal statue, 
as he said, of Apollo, but evidently of Bacchus, 
with a bearded countenance, sixteen feet in 
length*. A public fountain near to the town 
is still considered by the inhabitants as THE 
FOUNTAIN OF ARIADNE, and it is called by that 
name. Some traces of antient works which 
may yet be discerned near to this fountain 
shew that it has long been held in more than 
usual consideration. 
Being unable to undertake a journey into the Temple of 
interior, we next visited the ruins of a TEMPLE 
(1) " Le marbre Grec est a gros grains crystallins, qui font de faux 
jours, et qui sautent par petit 6clats, si on n le menage avec soin." 
Tournef. Vmj. duLev. I^tt.V. torn. 1. p. 241. Lyon, 171T- 
(9) Mr. Hamilton, author of rfZgyptiaca, with his companions, after- 
wards visited Naxos, and saw this statue of Bacchus. It is of such 
enormous size, that Mr. Hamilton's party spread a cloth upon the 
heard, and made it serve as their table for breakfast. 
