culation of the mufcles, the defcription of the paffions; in fhort, every thing a fculptor has to reprefent, be fo accurately or fo be neficially understood and reprefented. "Under fimilar advantages, and with an enlightened and encouraging protection bestowed on genius and the arts, it may not be too fanguine to indulge a hope, that, prodigal as nature is in the perfections of the human figure in this country, animating as are the inftances of patriotifm, heroic actions, and private vir tus, deferving commemoration, fculpture may foon be raised in England to rival the ableft productions of the best times of Greece." P. 43. We prefume that the ultimate deftination of the Elgin marbles inuft be the British Museum, and as we well know that our rivals and enemies, the French, would think no pecuniary facrifice too great for their poffeffion, we hope that no mercantile computation of lofs and gain may obftruct their purchase for the nation. With two or three fhort extracts from the letters of Mr. Weft to Lord Elgin we shall conclude this article. "I have found in this collection of fculpture fo much excel. lence in art (which is as applicable to painting and architecture, as to fculpture), and a variety fo magnificent and boundlefs, that every branch of fcience connected with the fine arts, cannot fail to acquire fomething from this collection. Your Lordship, by bringing thefe treafures of the first and beft ages of fculpture and architecture into London, has founded a new Athens for the emulation and example of the British ftudent." P. 47. "From the Centaurs in alto relievo, I have taken the figures of moft diftinguished eminence, and formed them into groupes for painting; from which felection, by adding female figures of my own, I have compofed the battle of the Centaurs. I have drawn the figures the fize of the originals, on a canvas five feet fix inches high, by ten feet long. From the equeftrian figures in relievo, I have formed the compofition of Thefeus and Hercules in triumph over the Amazons, having made their queen Hippolita a prifoner. In continuation, and as a companion to this fubject, I have formed a compofition, in which Hercules beftowes Hippolita in marriage upon Thefeus. Those two are on the fame fize with the Centaurs. From the large figure of Thefeus, I have drawn a figure of that hero, of the fame fize with the fculpture. Before him, on the ground, I have laid the dead body of the Minotaur which he flew. As, by this enterprife, he was extricated from the labyrinth by the aid of Ariadne, I have represented that princefs fitting by his fide, gazing on him with affection. In the back-ground, are the Athenian youths, whom he delivered from from bondage; and near them, the fhip with black fails' (in the poetic fancy of Pindar), which brought him to Crete. The fize of this canvas is fix feet high, by nine feet long. From the figure of Neptune, I have formed a companion to the Thefeus. In this compofition, I have shown Neptune reclining, with his left arm upon the knees of Amphitrite, while with his right he ftrikes the earth with his trident, and creates the horse. Around him, is Triton, with his train of marine gods; in the back-ground, are equeftrian exhibitions; and in the distance, fhips at anchor. From the cafts in plafter of Paris, taken from the moulds which your Lordship had made at Athens, I felected fuch figures as I was enabled to form into a compofition; the fubject of which is, Alexander, and his horfe Bucephalus it is on a canvas fmaller than thofe before-mentioned." P. 48. "To your Lordship I have to return my fincere thanks, for the means you have afforded me of adding my name to that of Phidias, by arranging his figures in my own compofitions, and adapting them to fubjects, by which my sketches may be rendered more acceptable, as well as more improving to myfelf in the higher point of my profeffion. And may the materials from which thofe fublime fculptures have been produced, be preferved from accident, that men of tafte and genius, yet unborn, may be gratified with a fight of them; and that the admiring world may revere the Author of all things, for having bestowed on man those peculiar powers of mind and hand!" P. 52. "In the laft production of my pencil, which I now invite your Lordship to fee, it has been my ambition (though at a very ad vanced period of life), to introduce thofe refinements in art, which are fo diftinguished in your collection. And if I have achieved this, the obligation is to your Lordship, for bringing those marbles to London, and giving me the opportunity of studying them. Had I been bleffed with feeing and studying thefe emanations of genius at an earlier period of life, the fentiment of their pre-eminence would have animated all my exertions; and more character, and expreffion, and life, would have pervaded all my humble attempts in hiftorical painting. Let us fuppofe a young man at this time in London endowed with powers fuch as enabled Michael Angelo to advance the arts, as he did, by the aid of one mutilated fpecimen of Grecian excellence in fculpture; to what an eminence might not fuch a genius carry art, by the opportu nity of studying thofe fculptures in the aggregate, which adorned the Temple of Minerva at Athens? It is therefore my devout with, that they fhould reft in the capital of this empire: and that their refting-place fhould be as acceffible as poffible to public infpection, in order to impart, generally, a true notion of what is claffical in art. Such a depofit would not only be of infinite advantage to young artifts, by rendering them familiar with fuch excellence; but it would be the means of diffufing a correct know. ledge ledge of art, whereby real merit in it might be appreciated, and judiciously rewarded." P. 55. In a fecond Appendix we have, from various claffic authors, extracts illuftrative of Phidias and his School. Thefe are judiciously felected and happily applied. A third Appendix exhibits a defcription" d'un Bas relief du Parthenon actuellement au Mufée Napoleon." Par A. L. Millin. ART. III. The Sabine Farm, a Poem: into which is interwoven a Series of Tranflations, chiefly defcriptive of the Villa and Life of Horace. Occafioned by an Excurfion, from Rome to Licenza. By Robert Bradstreet, Efq. M. A. 8vo. 240 pp. 9s. Mawman. 1810. A TRAVELLER exploring claffic ground with a fa. vourite author in his hand, an author who lived among the scenes before him, enjoyed, praised, and defcribed them, is an object fo attractive to the fympathies of a critic, that he muft be allowed to dwell with fome complacency upon it. On a new and very pleasing plan, Mr. Bradstreet has formed a volume which does credit, in various ways, to his abilities and taste. The etched illuftrations, with the exception of only two plates, are faid to be by the author himfelf; and his poem which celebrates the famous "Sabine Farm" of Horace, is introduced by a letter written on the spot, and giving an account of the excurfion which occafioned that poetical effufion. The following natural anecdote, from the latter end of this letter, is worth repeating: "The Temple of Fortune was naturally an object of the vows of the ancient failors, and my guide informed me with much fimplicity, that they always "fired a gun" as foon as they came in fight of it." P. 36. The poem on the Sabine Farm is in three books, and includes feveral tranflatious from the Epiftles and other works of Horace, introduced and connected by original poetry. opens thus: It "Not from the wealth of Rome,' her smoke and noise*, For thefe no more Earth's fallen queen enjoys, Fumum, et opes, ftrepitumque Romæ. H h But BRIT. CRIT. VOL. XXXVII. MAY, 1811, But from the miracles of Art, that rife To where behind Vacuna's mould'ring fane' * Whofe ruins mark the claffick ground between." P. 41. If the ftyle of the author be not always highly polished, it has yet the merit of fimplicity, and is free from all affectation: and there are paffages which feem to fhow that he is capable of higher efforts. The following apoftrophe to his own country will afford fufficient proof of this affertion: "Bleft ALBION! though lefs wond'rous fair the fmile Though on thy chilly Tiburs of the North, Wakes and rewards fair Culture's fruitful care : "Not yet HER Martyrs from their clouds complain, Britons are Britons ftill; and dare not yield The CHARTER which their patriot-blood has feal'd! "Hæc tibi dictabam poft fanum putre Vacunæ. +"Statuo effe optimè conftitutain rempublicam, quæ ex tribus generibus illis, regali, optimo, et populari confufa modicè, &e. CICERO, frag. de Republicâ, lib. 2.” What What though an honeft, yet mifguided few, The general heart is found: the general cry ONE MONARCH reigning, and ONE PROFLE free." P. 65. Some remarks which we might make on Mr. B.'s Martyrs' of Liberty we withhold, as rendered unneceffary by the fine conclufion of the paffage. We give alfo a fpecimen of the manner in which this elegant traveller tranflates Horace. "The Poet-fage would grieve, In words like thefe * "How do I curfe my doom, When hated bus'nefs drags me back to Rome! What I may one day rue-muft pierce the crowd; Vid. Hor. Sat. 6. Book 2. V. 23. et feq. + On the Efquiline hill there was a place of burial for crimi nals. The registers or fecretaries, of whom it appears that Horace was one, Hb z I answer, |