1799-] Defeription of the 
«© It is fweet, it is glorious, to die for 
our country.*** The execution of this 
group is adequate to the dignity of the 
idea: the expreffion is eloquent ; the effect 
is grand. 
On the right hand of the gate, ftands a 
figure by Roland—The Law. This figure, 
ina fitting pofture, with an air of com- 
mand, and with the greateft ferioufnefs in 
her expreflion and attitude, has her right 
hand extended, grafping a general’s trun- 
cheon, while her lett is placed on the tables 
ot the law, on which are engraved thele 
words: ** Mankind are equal by nature, 
and in the eye of the law.” Baflo-rilievo, 
by Froatin. he Country prefents the law 
to the people, as the expreffion of the ge- 
neral will. An aged fenior bends the 
knee before the law; a foldier {wears to 
defend her. Infcription : ‘* Under the go- 
vernment of the law, Innocence is fecure.”” 
On the left of the gate, Strength, afigure 
by Boichot, which hardly rifes above me- 
diocrity : a Hercules in a refting attitude, 
his right hand leaning on a table, with 
thefe words, ‘* Strength through the law.”’ 
Baffo-rilievo, by Roland: The country, 
feated at the gate of the temple of the law, 
points out to Innocence the ftatue of Juf- 
tice. Infcription: ** To cbev the law, is 
to reign with her.” 
The majeftic character of the facade of 
the Pantheon has been heightened by ftop- 
ping up the great windows which were 
in the lateral walls near the portico. They 
now prefent two great mafies befide the 
parvis which was too rich and overloaded 
with ornaments by Soufflot. Inftead of 
the lantern furmounted by acolofial crofs, 
which terminated the dome, has been 
placed a great pedeftal deftined to fupport 
a ftatue of Fame, of the height of twenty 
feet, which Dejoux has been commiflioned 
to caft in bronze. This pedeftal is walled 
in, and furrounded by an open gallery. 
Within the pedeital, which is ofa femicir- 
cular form,a chamber is conftruéted, which 
is deftined for an obfervatory, to be uled 
on particular occafions; this being one of 
the moft elevated points in the whole city. 
Figure to yourfelf the extent and beauty of 
the profpeét over the city and the circumja- 
cent territory, after you have afcended 
four hundred and {ixty fteps to reach that 
gallery. 
A falient colonnade of thirty-two co- 
Jumns furrounds the cupola, but does not 
fupport it: a circumftance which gives 
* The reader hardly needs to be reminded 
that this fentiment is from Horace, Od. iii. 2. 
23. dulce ct decorum cf pro patria mort. 
French Pantheon, 439 
the dome a paltry appearance. To reme- 
dy that defect, a project is entertained of 
charging that colonnade with allegoric 
figures of coloffal lize, reprefenting the Vir- 
tues that lead to Fame, which 3s to rife 
in the middle of them. 
No defcription can equal the grandeur 
and attractive beauty of the perfpeétive of 
the fagade, the parvis, and the dome which 
majeltically crowns them. It is impoffible 
to pafs by this edifice without ftopping to 
enjoy the noble coup d’a@il which it pre- 
fents, and feeling the pleafing fenfations 
awakened by the in{cription—‘‘ To great 
men, their, grateful country.” 
In the interior of the temple, the hand 
of reform is bufily employed in wall- 
ing up feveral ufelefs windows, and re- 
moving a redundance of ornaments, of 
ftuccoes, flutings, and fimilar frivolities, 
with which the old French architecture 
was overloaded. By thefe prudent alte- 
rations they diminifh that character of ex- 
ceffive gaity, which forms fo ftrong a 
contraft with the grave deftination of the 
building: and by the produétion of great 
mafles, and the admiflion of only a mode- 
rate light from above, they feek to impart 
to it that fevere afpeét which is beft 
fuited to its prefent circumftances. Buty 
notwithftanding all the pains beftowed, 
all the labour and the expenfe lavifhed on 
it,they will never be able to accomplifh 
that object. The obftacles arifing from 
the original plan of the edifice, againft 
which they have to ftruggle, are too great, 
and fome of them wholly infurmountable. 
The form of the building, which is that of 
a crofs furcharged with angles and pro- 
jeCtions, is inconvenient, and will never 
fuffer the eye freely to embrace the whole 
at a glance. Complaints are already 
heard again{t the very expenfive alterations 
made within, and againft the innovating 
projetors who carry them into execution,. 
The dire€tors of the works at the Pan- 
theon are accufed (I know not how far the 
accufation may be well grounded) of. 
adopting thofe changes with a facility 
which betrays fuperficial levity and a want 
of found judgment. Mercier in particus 
lar is decidedly hoftile to the whole under~ 
taking. I have heard him declare that, 
the deftination of that temple is an, 
idolatry. In the council of the five’ 
hundred, he lately exclaimed with pee- 
vith exaggeration, ** That edifice is a 
monument of our incorrigible ficklenefs 
and frivolity. Itis a difgrace to architec- 
ture. From the day when the corpfe of 
that deftroyer Marat entered the Pantheon, 
it {cems as if its fatal influence had marked 
the 
——— 
ae 
