d Athenadorus,
Rhodians, executed the principal figure, the sons, and the wonderful
folds of the serpents, out of one piece of marble." Doubts exist
respecting the era of this work. Maffei places it in the 88th Olympiad,
or the first year of the Peloponnesian War; Winckelmann, in the time of
Lysippus and Alexander; and Lessing, in the time of the first Emperors.
Some doubt whether this is the work mentioned by Pliny, because it has
been discovered that the group was not executed out of one block of
marble, as asserted by him. In the opinion of many judicious critics,
however, it is considered an original group, and not a copy, for no copy
would possess its perfections; and that it is certainly the one
described by Pliny, because, after his time, no known sculptor was
capable of executing such a perfect work; and had there been one, his
fame would certainly have reached us. It was found in the place
mentioned by Pliny, and the joinings are so accurate and artfully
concealed, that they might easily escape his notice. There are several
copies of this matchless production by modern sculptors, the most
remarkable of which, are one in bronze by Sansovino, and another in
marble by Baccio Bandinelli, which last is in the Medici gallery at
Florence. It has also been frequently engraved; the best is the famous
plate by Bervic, engraved for the Musee Francais, pronounced by
connoisseurs, the finest representation of a marble group ever executed,
proof impressions of which have been sold for 30 guineas each.

MICHAEL ANGELO'S OPINION OF THE LAOCOOeN.

It is said that Julius II. desired Angelo to restore the missing arm
behind the Laocooen. He commenced it, but left it unfinished, "because,"
said he, "I found I could do nothing worthy of being joined to so
admirable a work." What a testimony of the superiority of the best
ancient sculptors over the moderns, for of all modern sculptors, Michael
Angelo is universally allowed to be the best!

DISCOVERY OF THE LAOCOOeN.

There is a curious letter not generally known, but published by the
Abate Fea, from Francesco da Sangallo, the sculptor, to Monsignore
Spedalengo, in which the circumstances of the discovery of the Laocooen
are thus alluded to. The letter is dated 1509. He says, "It being told
to the Pope that some fine statues had been discovered in a vineyard
near S. Maria Maggiore, he sent to desire my father, (Giuliano da
Sangallo) to go and examine them. Michael Angelo Buon