touch them with his chisel." Since their arrival in this
country they have been laid open to the inspection of the public; and
the opinions and impressions, not only of artists, but of men of taste
in general, have thus been formed and collected.

From these the judgment pronounced by Canova has been universally
sanctioned; and all idea of restoring the marbles deprecated. Meanwhile
the most distinguished painters and sculptors have assiduously attended
the Museum, and evinced the most enthusiastic admiration of the
perfection to which these marbles now prove to them that Phidias had
brought the art of sculpture, and which had hitherto only been known
through the medium of ancient authors. They have attentively examined
them, and they have ascertained that they were executed with the most
scrupulous anatomical truth, not only in the human figure, but in the
various animals to be found in this collection. They have been struck
with the wonderful accuracy, and at the same time, the great effect of
minute detail; and with the life and expression so distinctly produced
in every variety of attitude and action. Those more advanced in years
have testified great concern at not having had the advantage of studying
these models; and many who have had the opportunity of forming a
comparison (among these are the most eminent sculptors and painters in
this metropolis), have publicly and unequivocally declared, that in the
view of professional men, this collection is far more valuable than any
other collection in existence.

With such advantages as the possession of these unrivalled works of art
afford, and with an enlightened and encouraging protection bestowed on
genius and the arts, it may not be too sanguine to indulge a hope, that,
prodigal as nature is in the perfections of the human figure in this
country, animating as are the instances of patriotism, heroic actions,
and private virtues deserving commemoration, sculpture may soon be
raised in England to rival these, the ablest productions of the best
times of Greece. The reader is referred to the synopsis of the British
Museum, and to the Chevalier Visconti's Memoirs, before quoted, for
complete and authentic catalogues of these marbles, but the following
brief abstract is necessary to give a view of what they consist, to
readers who may reside at a distance from the metropolis, or have not
those works at hand.

In that part of the collection which came from the eastern ped