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Combe's Descript. of the Terra-cottas in the Brit. Museum. 31

ing the subjects for delineation; and the reader will find several excellencies in them, such as scales of dimensions, explanations to letters of reference, ground plans, &c., for which he may vainly look in most of the plates of similar publications, and which add considerably to the utility of the present work.

ART. III. A Description of the Collection of Ancient Terra-cottas in the British Museum; with Engravings. 4to. pp. 39.; and 40 Plates. l. 11s. 6d. Boards. Large Paper, 31. 38. Sold at the British Museum, and by Messrs. Nicol. 1810.

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T may not be known to all our readers that our great national Repository, the British Museum, has lately received the addition of a magnificent Gallery; which contains, besides the antient works of art formerly deposited in other parts of the Museum, the whole of the late Mr. Charles Towneley's superb collection of antient sculpture, and now comprises, therefore, two portions of antient art which are very superior to any that are known to exist in Europe: the one, Sir William Hamilton's collection of Etruscan vases, together with the Barberini or Portland vase, of unequalled workmanship; and the other, the collection of antient Terra-cottas, of which the first part of a description is now before us. This work proceeds under the direction of the Trustees of that Institution; and we understand that it is only the commencement of a series which will exhibit the whole contents of this superb gallery of Antiquities. The publication, though very handsome, does not appear with all that costly splendor which often distinguishes a national produc tion, because the Trustees have obviously been guided by the more important motive of desiring extensively to diffuse a knowlege of the collection by a neat and appropriate description, and faithful representations; avoiding every useless exuberance, for the purpose of affording the book at a moderate price. The present volume is allotted to that portion of the gallery in which are deposited the Terra-cottas: the drawings being made by Mr. Alexander, and the descriptions being written by Mr. Taylor Combe; both of them officers attached to the Museum, and, in their several departments, of the first acknowleged abilities. The engravings are executed in the line-manner, by various artists, among whom we observe the names of C. Heath, L. Schiavonetti, Bromley, A. Smith, Skelton, Cardon, Fittler, and Moses.

The distinct subjects are in number 79; all of which are first generally represented in two side-views of the room in which they are deposited, marked with the numbers, as they are affixed in the gallery. Seventy-five are then engraved on

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a larger scale in the succeeding plates; in which fidelity of representation has been the ruling object, and in no instance have we seen it more satisfactorily accomplished: no liberty of any kind being taken for picturesque effect, but, such as the original is, so it is represented in the print, with a resemblance that renders nothing more to be desired after having viewed the originals. The same pertinacious care is observable in the written descriptions; in which no fanciful conjectures are obtruded on the reader, but which are in every instance confined to the developement of sound information.- Regarding the work, however, as only in the first stage of its progress, we shall defer more particular observations until it is farther advanced, and shall content ourselves at present with offering to our readers a few extracts from the text, as specimens of the general execution.

In the introduction, it is observed that

• Nearly the whole of the Terracottas, from which the engravings in this volume are made, were the property of the late Charles Towneley, Esq., and, at his death, were purchased, together with his Marbles, by Parliament, and vested in the Trustees of the British Museum, for the use of the public.

The foundation of Mr. Towneley's collection was begun in Italy, where a long residence enabled him to make many valuable acquisitions. After his return to England, the collection of Terracottas, belonging to Mr. Nollekens, was added to that formed by Mr. Towneley. This edition, both in extent and interest, was very con siderable, for Mr. Nollekens, when a student at Rome, had paid particular attention to the acquisition of Terracottas, and had met with great success.

All the statues here engraved, one only excepted, were found about the year 1765, in a well which was completely dry, near the Porta Latina at Rome. A labourer in digging red gravel, called pozzolana, with which the Italians harden their mortar, broke into the well, and discovered a heap of fragments of Terracotta. These fragments were purchased by Mr. Nollekens, who carefully joined the pieces together, and succeeded in restoring the figures nearly to their original state.

The bas-reliefs were made use of by the ancients as decorations for their temples, tombs, and other buildings. They evidently formed the friezes. In the year 1761, a subterraneous place, divided into many chambers, was discovered at Scrofano, which is supposed to be the ancient Veii, and is about sixteen miles from Rome. The dome of the largest of these chambers was enriched with paintings, in fresco, representing animals. The whole of the frieze below the dome was ornamented with bas-reliefs in Terracotta, which were fastened to the wall with leaden nails. Many tombs in the Appian road, as well as the temple, dedicated to Honour and Virtue, near the Circus of Caraccalla, were ornamented in a similar manner with Terra-cottas; and there are several ancient chambers still visible in the neighbourhood

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Combe's Descript. of the Terra-cottas in the Brit. Museum. 33 neighbourhood of Rome, in which, though the bas-reliefs have been long since removed, the places which they occupied are perfectly distinguishable.

The bas-reliefs have been undoubtedly cast in moulds; they were afterwards baked, and perhaps occasionally retouched by the graver. Of the designs, some are of Roman invention, but the greater part of them appear to have been copied from the works of Greek artists.

A few of the Terra-cottas here engraved were originally in possession of Sir Hans Sloane. In the following description these will be particularly specified.'

The subject marked No. 13. is thus described:

A bas-relief, imperfect, representing a fragment of Medusa's head; on one side of it is a figure of Minerva holding up her shield, on the surface of which Medusa's head is reflected. This bas-relief, when perfect, probably represented the figure of Perseus standing on the other side of Medusa, and in the act of severing her head from her body. Minerva is not only said to have been present, while Perseus was engaged in this enterprise, but to have held up her shield, as a mirror, in order to direct his aim, and save him from the destruction, which the sight of Medusa would otherwise have occasioned to him. The assistance, which Minerva afforded Perseus in this particular instance, is represented on a coin of Caracalla, struck at Sebaste, in Galatia. The head of Medusa in this bas-relief is furnished with a pair of wings.'

No. 16.-A bas-relief, representing the goddess Minerva superintending the construction of the ship Argo. The figure, employed in using a chissel and hammer, is Argus, the builder of the ship; and the other figure, assisted by Minerva in fixing the sail to the yard, is Tiphys, the pilot of the vessel. The ship was built at Pagase, a sea port of Magnesia, in Thessaly, where there was a temple of Apollo; and the timber, with which the vessel was constructed, was cut from the forest of pines on the top of Mount Pelios. Winckelmann is, therefore, of opinion that the tree and part of the edifice, which are introduced into this bas-relief, represent both the forest of Pelios and the temple of Apollo. This forest, however, could hardly have been represented so close to the town, since they stood at a considerable distance from each other; and as the temple of Apollo would have no particular connection with the present subject, it is probable that the edifice rather represents part of the walls of the city of Pagas, namely, that part which fronted the sea. The style of the building coincides strongly with this supposition. This bas-relief, and two others similar to it, were found in an old wall of a vineyard, near the Porta Latina at Rome, where they had been made use of instead of bricks.'

No. 35.-A bas-relief, representing Egyptian hieroglyphics. These hieroglyphics, however, were neither made in Egypt, nor by an Egyptian artist, but are of Roman workmanship, and executed perhaps about the time of Hadrian. In the reign of that Emperor, the veneration of Egyptian divinities prevailed to a very considerable degree at Rome. Among the splendid buildings which Hadrian erected in the REV. JAN. 1812.

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grounds belonging to his villa near Tivoli, was a temple to which he gave the name of Canopus, and which he decorated with such statues as were held in adoration by the ancient Egyptians. The example thus set by the Emperor, was very generally followed by the people, and it is owing to this circumstance that so many imitations of Egyptian sculpture are found among the remains of Roman art.'

* No. 59.—A bas-relief, representing two Fauns treading out the juice of grapes in a wine-press. On the left is a Faun exhilarating them in their labour by the sounds of the double pipe, and of an instrument called scabellum, which was either fastened to the foot, as in the statue of a Faun in the Florentine Collection, or was placed, as in the present instance, on the ground, and occasionally struck by the foot. On the right is another Faun, somewhat aged in his appearance, and laden with a heavy basket of grapes, which he is carrying to the press. The custom of treading out the juice of the grape, which is still followed in many of the wine countries, was very generally practised by the ancients. The grapes, however, after great part of their juice had been expressed in this manner, were transferred to another press, which was worked by a lever, and was more powerful in its operation.'

No. 60. —A bas-relief, representing a chariot race in the games of the Circus, which were instituted at Rome, in imitation of the Olympian games in Greece. Only one car is introduced, drawn by four horses, which are galloping towards the meta with great velocity. The car is already so close to the metæ, that the charioteer is on the point of turning his horses round them, which was the most difficult part he had to perform in the race. If he made too short a turn, he endangered the car, which was very frequently dashed to pieces, and if through the impetuosity of the horses, or his own want of skill, he overshot the meta, one of the rival cars immediately following, might, The instructions of by making a shorter turn, obtain the lead. Homer, which direct, that, in turning round the goal, the right hand horse should be urged on with a loose rein, are here exactly followed. The charioteer is dressed in the habit, usually worn on such occasions. On his head is a helmet, and the rest of his dress consists of a short close jacket and trowers. His body is swathed round with bands, which have the appearance of ropes. The reins pass entirely round him, in order that he may not only have more command over them, but that he may be in less danger of being thrown out of the car in the event of any accident. At the foot of the metæ part of a human figure is seen, but it is in too mutilated a state to be described. An equestrian figure is also introduced into this bas-relief; this figure has nearly cleared the metæ, and only the hind part of the horse and of the rider is visible. The inscription, ANNIAE ARESCVSA, written on a tablet over the heads of the horses, records the name of the artist, who appears to have been a female.'—

No. 73.-A bas-relief, representing Cupid pressing Psyche to his breast. Psyche is here represented in the form of a butterfly. The story of Psyche, as is well known, is an allegorical fable, under which the ancients intended to designate the soul. The word Psyche signifies in Greek both the soul and a butterfly, and it was in the

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simple form of that insect, that Psyche or the soul was personified in the earlier representations of this allegory. The human form was afterwards given to Psyche, but the wings of the butterfly, her original symbol, were affixed to her shoulders. It is remarkable that Apuleius is the first writer who relates the story of Psyche, but it is by no means a fair conclusion that the ancient figures of Psyche have been, therefore, borrowed from his description. There are extant many groupes of Cupid and Psyche, which are unquestionably of a period anterior to the time in which Apuleius lived. Of this description are the marble statues of Cupid and Psyche in the Flo rentine Gallery, as well as those which were formerly in the Capitol, but are now at Paris. The celebrated gem, engraved by Trypho, representing the marriage of Cupid and Psyche, at present in the pos session of the Duke of Marlborough, is one of the most beautiful specimens of ancient art, and evinces a degree of excellence in the design and execution, which is far superior to any effort of art in the time of

the above-mentioned writer.

No. 74.A bas-relief, representing Cupid flying with a palm branch in one hand, and a chaplet in the other. In Aristophanes, Cupid is described as having wings similar to those of Victory, but here he is represented not only with the wings, but also with the customary attributes of that goddess, in reference to his conquests over all the regions of animated nature. In several Greek poets he is styled the universal conqueror, and his triumphs are both frequently and variously expressed by the antient artists, who, in conformity to the attributes with which he is accompanied in this bas-relief, have sometimes represented him in the act of erecting a trophy.'"

We shall gladly hail the appearance of the next portion of this work; trusting that it will be conducted with the same spirit of correctness which is exhibited in the present spe cimen.

ART. IV. Baron De Humboldt's Political Essay on the Kingdom of New Spain, translated by Mr. Black. Vols. I. and II.

[Art. concluded from Review for December, p. 365.]

IN addition to those observations of the author on the condition of the Indians, with which our preceding article relative to this interesting Essay concluded, considerable light is thrown on the subject by an extract from a Memoir presented to the Court of Spain by the venerable Bishop of Mechoacan, in the year 1799. It appears, from this and other dotuments, that the whites do not form above a fifth of the Spanish American

*We have omitted a number of quotations from antient authors, with which, in the form of notes, Mr. Combe has illustrated his descriptions.

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