their poffeffors. But fortunately this loss is in fome measure compensated by the ample and minute defcriptions of their most excellent performances preferved in the writings of the Greek Poets, Travellers, Geographers, and others'.

These precious monuments of Antiquity comprehend the most certain teftimonies of domestic life, in the representation of their marriage ceremonies, funerals, and facrifices*. From the fame fources, efpecially from the remains of Sculpture, is derived the most authentic intelligence of religious and political inftitutions.

The strict connexion which the ftudy of the CIVIL LAW has with claffical learning and the mutual affiftance which they lend to each other, appears no where more evident than from a diligent study of Coins and Mar

• Winkelman's "Reflections on the Painting and Sculpture "of the Greeks." p. 2, and 76.

f Several of the Anthologic Poets; Paufanias; Strabo ; Philoftratus, Lucian, &c.-among the Latins, Pliny.

Taylor's Elements, p. 278. Spanheim. Differtat. IX. P. 757. and Van. Dale Differtationes.

Taylor, Pref. p. 7, 8.

bles;

bles1; on which so many important decrees were infcribed, and thus tranfmitted to pofterity. And it has been remarked by a very learned civilian, (one who perhaps owed the folid reputation, which his writings have acquired him, to uniting with his profes fional knowledge the most accurate and extenfive claffical erudition,) that the many great difcoveries in antiquity, and the use of feveral curious monuments, which were unknown to former Ages, have afforded the prefent Times many happy opportunities of improvement on the wifeft fyftems of preceding Lawyers.

HISTORY has particular obligations to thefe Antiquities; by which its deficiences have been supplied, its obfcurities illustrated, and its Chronology and Geography often accurately afcertained. Their great importance

i A quorum numifmatum ac marmorum ftudio nunquam abhorrui, quinimo huic, non minus ac aliis fcientiis multis abhinc retro annis omni meo conatu incubui, quod fummopere ad exa&tam et omnibus abfolutam Romana Jurifprudentia intelligentiam pertinere cognoverim. PASCHAL, CARYOPHILUS de Thermis Herculanis But there can be no better teftimony of the great Utility of Coins and Marbles in illustrating the Civil Law, than the very useful application, which TAYLOR has made of them in every part of his Elements.

is fufficiently manifested in that fingle monument and fovereign record, by some efteemed the most precious remain of ALL Antiquity, on which Auguftus describes the principal actions of his Life.

But the Study of these Antiquities is never more amufing than in its connection with POETRY. A Painter is able to discover beauties in a picture invisible to another who is unacquainted with the principles of the Art, or unconverfant with the works of the best masters. He fees a Goddess" in the Helena of Zeuxis, whofe excellence is ill understood by ordinary eyes. In the works of Nature, the archetype of Art, he perceives exquifite forms and colours, and fine effects of lights and shades, which communicate to

* Monumentum Ancyranum.-vide Chifhull. p. 156, &c. -Annos undeviginti natus exercitum privato confilio et privata impenfa comparavi, &c.

The improved tafte, and the fuperior infight into the latent beauties of Art and Nature, derived from a knowledge. and experience in the arts, from their comparison and mutual illuftration, the Greeks call divrigov oppa, an elegant expreffion, by which they diftinguifh this alter oculus, this eye of art and difcipline, from the natural undifcerning eye of the illiterate and unintelligent.

Winkelman, p. 3.

him

;

him the most lively and delicate fenfations while others overlook the fame objects, or behold them with indifference. The fame advantage refults to poetry from a careful examination of the remains of antient Sculpture. The images of the poets receive new life and spirit from a comparison with the works of their kindred artifts. Their conceptions seem to acquire beauties which before were unknown: a delicacy and grace, which would otherwise have escaped the acutest judgement, and most refined fenfibility of Tafte. After fuch a comparison we fee the whole of a poetic Attitude, or defcription, with more enlightened eyes, and, as it were, like those of Diomed ", purged of the film, too grofs before to discern the fine texture of celeftial forms. It is thus the reader of Virgil's very affecting defcription feels the powers of his imagination enlarged after studying the Laocoon at Rome. And thus in the flourishing days of Greece, the aftonished fpectator turned from the ftatue

Iliad. V. 127. et Parad. Loft. XI. 412.

:

of Phidias to the awful and majestic Jupiter of Homer°.

By studying the works of the best masters, the imagination becomes converfant with images of beauty and grandeur, the combination of which enables the ARTIST to approach nearer to the perfect ideal form, than the most exact imitation of ordinary individual beauty. From the invaluable remains of Antiquity Michael Angelo derived the excellence of his best performances. And Raphael ftudied their noble fimplicity and fedate grandeur of expreffion with the moft diligent attention: and, as he more correctly imitated the Antique than his great contemporary, more fuccessfully expreffed its beauties.

Many of the finest representations on Coins were taken from fome of the most celebrated Statues and Pictures of Antiquity. Among the moderns many an elegant figure compofed by the Statuary and Painter in the fpirit

• Addifon's Difcourfe on Ancient and Modern Learning, P. 9.

Winkelman, p. 2. 19.

of