Page:The Monthly anthology, and Boston review, volume 9.djvu/213

by the trustees of the Museum, is a female statue, supposed to be one of the Muses. Both the arms are lost; but the drapery is particularly fine and flowing. Among the amphorae in this room, some are more curious for antiquity than eminent for beauty. The basso-relievos are reliques of friezes, pannels, &c. and besides the beauty of their execution and fancifulness of design, many have elegant borders of the honeysuckle and other luxuriant foliage. The subjects are various, and in such a collection, the difficulty is not which to choose, but which to omit noticing. The bacchante dancing and playing on a tambourin in the group of Bacchus and Cupid (6,) is a very graceful and elegant figure. No. 7 represents, in half-length figures, nearly in alto-relievo, Perseus armed with a battle-axe, and an engagement between one of the Arimaspi and a griffin. It is repeated in another pannel (8,) but reversed, which occasions the shield to be on the right arm, and the battle-axe in the left hand, producing an awkward appearance. In No. 11 are seen two chimerae lapping water out of vessels held to them by two youths, kneeling on one knee. The contours of these youths, the folds of the drapery, and their general form, are above all praise. Some fine elucidations of the ancient mythology may be found in the bearded Bacchus, a head of Minerva, and another of Jupiter, uncommonly majestick. No. 16 is a fine historical subject, representing Minerva assisting the Argonauts to build their ship Argo. The goddess is seated, and finishing a sail, which is extended on a yard, and is directing the Argonaut, who observes her very attentively while another is carving the prow of the vessel. Venus riding on a sea-horse, in the ocean (17,) is a subject often repeated by the ancients both in their poetry and sculpture. In 19 are seen two priestesses, standing one on each side a candelabrum, which is lighted for sacrifice. With one hand they support the sacred fillets that decorate the candelabrum, and with the other they raise a small portion of their robe, like the figure of Hope on the coins of the Roman emperours. A singularly well composed group in basso-relievo of terra cotta (20,) proves the familiarity of the Romans with Homer. It represents Machaon wounded, sitting at the tent of Nestor, who administers a medical potion, as described in the eleventh book of the Iliad. The attendant females appear from their habits to be slaves. The grouping of this piece is uncommonly beautiful. No. 22 is a beautiful subject of two