Homer was a great describer of
works of art." Mr. Bowles contends, that all his great power, even in
this, depends upon their connection with nature. The "shield of
Achilles derives its poetical interest from the subjects described on
it." And from what does the _spear_ of Achilles derive its interest?
and the helmet and the mail worn by Patroclus, and the celestial
armour, and the very brazen greaves of the well-booted Greeks? Is it
solely from the legs, and the back, and the breast, and the human
body, which they enclose? In that case, it would have been more
poetical to have made them fight naked; and Gulley and Gregson, as
being nearer to a state of nature, are more poetical boxing in a pair
of drawers than Hector and Achilles in radiant armour, and with
heroic weapons.

Instead of the clash of helmets, and the rushing of chariots, and the
whizzing of spears, and the glancing of swords, and the cleaving of
shields, and the piercing of breast-plates, why not represent the
Greeks and Trojans like two savage tribes, tugging and tearing, and
kicking and biting, and gnashing, foaming, grinning, and gouging, in
all the poetry of martial nature, unencumbered with gross, prosaic,
artificial arms; an equal superfluity to the natural warrior, and his
natural poet. Is there any thing unpoetical in Ulysses striking the
horses of Rhesus with _his bow_ (having forgotten his thong), or
would Mr. Bowles have had him kick them with his foot, or smack them
with his hand, as being more unsophisticated?

In Gray's Elegy, is there an image more striking than his "shapeless
sculpture?" Of sculpture in general, it may be observed, that it is
more poetical than nature itself, inasmuch as it represents and
bodies forth that ideal beauty and sublimity which is never to be
found in actual nature. This at least is the general opinion. But,
always excepting the Venus di Medicis, I differ from that opinion, at
least as far as regards female beauty; for the head of Lady
Charlemont (when I first saw her nine years ago) seemed to possess
all that sculpture could require for its ideal. I recollect seeing
something of the same kind in the head of an Albanian girl, who was
actually employed in mending a road in the mountains, and in some
Greek, and one or two Italian, faces. But of _sublimity_, I have
never seen any thing in human nature at all to approach the
expression of sculpture, either in the Apollo, the Moses, or other of
the sterner works o