Page images
PDF
EPUB

THE

STUDY OF ANTIQUITIES.

Claffical and British Political and Monumental Illuftrative of ancient Manners and conducive to elegance in the Arts.

The pleasure arifing from the contemplation of Antiquities in general — The study of Antiquities conducive to elegance in the Arts in fome of its branches tends immediately, in all ultimately to the illuftration of ancient Manners.

CLASSICAL ANTIQUITIES: POLITICAL; Connection between the Arts and Manners of a People between Language and Manners influence on each other. MONUMENTAL; Architecture-Paintings-Marbles and Coins.

[blocks in formation]

POLITICAL and NATIONAL; Juridical

Poetical.

PROVINCIAL and MONU

MENTAL; Caftles Monafteries

Churches, &c.

Connection between the feveral Branches in

the Study of Antiquities

Advantages arifing from fuch an union Conclufion.

ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS: 1. On local attachments . II. On Mythology, its connection with the history of ancient nations, with Morals, Phyfics, &c. III. On the comparative character of Archi

[ocr errors]

and progress of the Arts;
tecture and Mufic IV. On the style of
ancient and of modern Epitaphs—V. On
the origin of Languages, especially of the
Greek; and on the utility of a gramma-
tical, Etymological Analysis and investi-
gation of their first principles.

ON

ΟΝ ΤΗΕ

JDY OF ANTIQUITIES.

HE mind of Man always active and inquifitive feems feldom to exert itvith more pleasure than in retracing the ory of thofe Ages which are past, and hofe events and characters, which are ER TO RETURN. There is an involunattachment to that which is irrecoverfnatched from our prefence, and reed beyond the reach of our hopes and es, which we daily experience, while iew the monuments of thofe, who have d, perhaps but few years, to the IRRESIBLE deftiny of human nature and Tenfations, which we feel are feemingly ed not more by the fuggeftion of the -al lot of humanity, than by the reflecthat they are GONE FOR EVER.

[blocks in formation]

of the prefent, induces us to behold with a kind of religious awe the obscurest vestiges of ANTIQUITY.

But these fenfations of the Mind are then more powerful and poignant, when arifing from the contemplation of places, once the scene of actions, that, perhaps, decided the fate of Empire, established the laws of Government, or rescued an oppreffed people from flavery and fuperfttion: Or were once frequented by fome of the few, who have distinguished themselves from the great body of mankind, and commended their names to the reverence and admiration of posterity, by the invention of Arts, which contribute to the use and ornament of Life; or ftand foremost in the Annals of Science.

And further, these impreffions become doubly powerful, when confirmed by the immediate inspection of any furviving monument of Antiquity, the profpect of which excites our reverence in a manner perhaps

lefs

less rational, yet seemingly not diffimilar to that natural and irresistible impulse, which we feel, to respect the hoary honours of Age.

Of the various monuments of Antiquity fome are public; and fome domeftic. They record the tranfactions and conventions of States; and preferve memorials of private Life, and specimens of domestic convenience. Some are immediately connected with the scene of Action, and exifted, as prefent and perpetual monuments of the events, which they record. Some preserve in sculpture and other specimens of ancient Art, the memory of actions, the confideration of which carries us back to the remotest Ages of Antiquity.

A diligent examination therefore of the remaining monuments of Antiquity must be productive of great utility, if taken in that view only, by which the progress of ART may be ascertained, and a comparison of the feveral periods and their different productions, be formed, conducive even to the ordinary purposes as well as elegance of modern Life; as new modifications of Art may be ftruck

out

« PreviousContinue »