a drawing of a frieze, on which was carved a youth, alternately guided by a good angel, and tempted by a bad one. Whenever the good angel predominated, the youth appeared happy; whenever the bad one obtained the influence, the youth seemed wretched and tormented. The good angel was represented white; the bad one black, and bearing an instrument of torture.

During the sixth and some succeeding centuries, Greece supplied the whole of the west of Europe with artists. Towards the latter end of the sixth century, painting and sculpture revived greatly among the Greeks, but it was only a blaze before their final extinction. The productions of that time were certainly rude; but they were the productions of Grecian genius. It was the style of Raphael.

Before the invention of printing, men were instructed principally by verbal communication, together with reference to nature. There were no general records of the genius or prowess of any man. Perhaps the only thing that preserved the universal remembrance of a hero or a philosopher was a mound of earth. It was then that painting and sculpture were objects of absolute necessity: they were the only means of enlightening the minds of most men. Even at the present moment, in Catholic countries, many thousands received their only instruction, with regard to the circumstances related and the doctrine enforced in the Holy Bible, by these means.

Mr. Flaxman proceeded to speak of the influence of the arts of design upon the moral qualities. What could demonstrate that more than the enthusiasm which the representation of noble and virtuous characters and actions excited? Painting and sculpture were chiefly exercised on subjects of that description. The respective virtues were kept alive and cherished by the continual presentation of their semblances before the eyes of the people.

It had been said, that the arts of design were connected only with peace; -that their existence was only in peace. At the first view that did not seem improbable; but a little consideration would show that it was an erroneous opinion.

Witness the frequent and fine representations of martial exploits. For an example he would refer to the Elgin marbles. The arts of design had even entered the field of battle, as might be proved by the enumeration of a long series of exquisite armour; from the shield of Achilles down to the highly-wrought hatchet of the South-sea islander.

THIRD LECTURE.

Mr. Flaxman commenced by observing, that when one considered the devastation by northern barbarians of the productions of the genius, labour, and experience of the ancients; and that nothing, save ruins, remained of the once noble cities of Babylon, of Memphis, of Persepolis, of Alexandria, of Herculaneum, of Athens, and of Rome; it might be supposed that no monument of ancient splendour existed. Such an opinion would, however, be erroneous: the world still possessed sublime works, in numbers sufficient to rekindle the spirit which animated their authors.

In tracing the progress of Grecian sculpture, we might observe that rude stones were first cut into barbarous traces of the human form: the eyes were represented half open; the hands close to the sides; and the legs were but barely indicated. The first mention made of any individual sculptor of note in Greece was of Dædalus, who was a most ingenious artist, the contemporary of Theseus. Besides numerous useful mechanical instruments, he was said to have constructed figures, which, by means of quicksilver, moved of themselves, and appeared to be endowed with life. He made the labyrinth at Crete, which was one-fourth of the size of the famous one in Egypt. The execution of his works was exceedingly rude; but they partook of the sublimity of Phidias. The rigid and crude style of this artist, particularly with respect to drapery, was continued till the time of Phidias.

Poetry and oratory were the first of the arts that appeared among men. They scattered the seeds of knowledge, and were the dawn of human civilization. They laid the foundation of the other noble arts and sciences. The first mate

rial incidents for poetic genius in Greece were the Argonautic Expedition, the War with Thebes, and the Siege of Troy; but it was the battles of Marathon and Salamis that caused the elevation of the arts to that sublime height which procured for them the veneration of the world. After the destruction of Athens by the Persians, it was again built, and with additional magnificence. Phidias was the principal artist employed in the work. The finest production of this great master was the statue of Jupiter. So sublime was this in every respect, that it was said to do honour to the god himself. It was deservedly accounted one of the wonders of the world. The materials of it were ivory, enriched with gold and precious jewels; around the base were a number of appropriate figures; and on the base were represented an immense number of different expeditions, wars, and fables of antiquity. There was reason to believe that the Elgin marbles, now in the British Museum, were copies of a small portion of these, as they were produced a short time after them; and the works of artists of that age were almost universally either copies or imitations of Phidias.

From Grecian artists, Mr. Flaxman proceeded to those of ancient Rome, in his observations upon which he particularly adverted to the casts which had been presented to the Royal Academy by the Prince Regent (his present majesty). The history of these casts was somewhat interesting. When the originals of them were carried away from Rome to decorate another capital, the Pope obtained permission to have a cast of each, and place it on the pedestal from which the original had been removed. Casts were accordingly made with superior accuracy by the ablest persons. When British policy and arms caused the restoration of the originals to the city to which they belong, the Pope, in gratitude, sent the casts to England, as a magnificent present to the Prince Regent.

In describing the various excellent statues in Rome, Mr. Flaxman observed, with respect to the Apollo Belvidere, that it was not very popular among the ancients. The reason

appeared to be that there was another Apollo nearly in the same position, but considerably more animated. The Venus de Medicis was always universally admired.

In conclusion, Mr. Flaxman adverted to those wonderful monuments of ancient talent-groups in sculpture. It was not until sculpture had arrived at its height, which was four hundred and ninety years before the Christian era, that these were executed. The finest was, unquestionably, that of Laocoon and his sons.

FOURTH LECTURE.

The Professor began by considering the relations which the arts of design bore to the various branches of knowledge; the illustration they afforded to philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, geography, anatomy, and natural history, and their powers in communicating to posterity, by their remaining monuments, the theologies and heroism of ancient times and countries; enlivening early ages with a twilight of knowledge, and pouring the full blaze on succeeding generations. He next entered into an inquiry concerning the successful means of practising those arts (according to the advice of Socrates) by the study of the human form, animated by the human soul; because the human was the most perfect of forms, comprehending the principles and powers of all inferior forms. In all countries the early attempts to represent the human form had been barbarous and deficient; because in that state of society in which the chief care is to obtain requisite food, or to avoid the assaults of an enemy, objects were generally imperfectly conceived and rudely executed. Inferior animals had been well represented only in proportion to the power possessed of representing the human figure. The horses in the Elgin marbles were extremely animated and beautiful; and the animals in the Pope's museum seemed like nature transmuted to stone: both were collections of Grecian workmanship. The human figure, which comprehended such an extent of parts, powers, and organization; so beautiful a display in its contour, motion, and colours; and,

above all, such a variety of expression, sentiment, and passion, could never be adequately represented from a transitory view, or by the efforts of comparative ignorance. The Greeks did not excel until a knowledge of the bones and muscles enabled them to understand the structure, which was only indicated on the surface of the living figure; and until geometry and mechanics had assisted them in ascertaining its forms and movements, and determining the harmony of its proportions. After rude stones had been honoured with the names of divinities, the earliest attempts to copy the human figure had the arms attached to the sides, and the legs close together. The limbs first received motion in the school of Dædalus: the legs were extended as in progression; the right arm was raised to strike; the most projecting parts of the body were expressed; and the principal muscles of the lower limbs were rendered turgid. Mr. Flaxman then referred to the writings of Hippocrates and Galen, Pliny and Vitruvius, and Borelli, as illustrative of ancient anatomy, technical rules and proportions, and the motion of animals; and concluded with an explanation of the anatomical details of some of the antique statues which were the most remarkable for appearances of

muscular exertion..

FIFTH LECTURE.

The subject of this lecture was beauty. Throughout every link, from the commencement to the known extent of the great chain of nature, beauty connected and harmonized the whole. Beauty was especially centered in man above all other animals; as in his formation and powers, moral and physical, he approached more nearly to the Deity.

If we surveyed the starry heavens, if we launched into immensity of space, we still traced objects influenced by the same principles. But as the utmost stretch of the human faculties was inadequate to form a conception of the amazing parts of the universe, our studies were more effectually directed to the immediate objects surrounding us; the earth and its productions, the sea and its phenomena, had employed,