PLAIN OF MARATHON. 17 
of Crocus — a singular sight for Englishmen upon chap. 
the second day of December; and in the midst of v * 
these we began our pleasing task". 
The view of the Plain of Marathon from this view of the 
Plain of 
emmence embraces an extent of three miles from Mara- 
(2) A Sketch, from which the Engraving; was taken that is anoexed 
top. 14, Vol. IV, of the Quarto Edition of those Travels, was soon 
completed ; having nothing to recommend it but the fidelity of the 
outline. But the Drawing which upon this spot exercised all the abi- 
lities of Lusieri, was of a very ditferent description: it comprehended 
every thing that truth and genius and taste could possibly bestow, upon 
the representation of scenery already ennobled and consecrated by 
deathless deeds of bravery and virtue; — of scenery which Nature 
herself has proudly and profusely adorned with every splendid feature, 
and by all those hues, and by that majesty of liglit and shade, which 
are so peculiarly characteristic of the Grecian landscape. The work 
undertaken hy Lunieri required, therefore, many hours for its comple- 
tion. As an artist, he was always slow in delineation ; but it was the 
tardiness of the most scrupulous accuracy; for he frequently laid on 
even his colours upon the spot; and he always introduced into his 
drawings the minutest details, without diminishing the grandeur of 
the principal objects. Perhaps while this is written, his View of 
Murathon, although calculated to form the ground-work of a picture 
which would be regarded almost with veneration in a national gallery, 
yet remains, with many other of his valuable designs, in his portfolio, 
at Athens reserved for additional touches by its fastidious master. 
However this may be, since it has fallen to the author's lot to bear 
testimony to its excellence, he is anxious that some memorial, 
however frail, may serve to snatch it from oblivion. Always prefer- 
ring the gratifications of genius before the acquirement even of a 
competency by the sale of his numerous productions, so long as the 
means of a livelihood are afforded by the small stipend he has obtained, 
Lusien 
VOL. VII. C 
