The antiquities of Athens measured and delineated, by James Stuart, F. R. S. and F. S. A. and Nicholas Revett, Architects and Painters. V. i.

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HERE is fcarcely any object, which operates more powerfully on that curiofity, which is the great incitement to knowledge, than antiquities of every fpecies. If fome perfons have followed this ftudy with too much minuteness, or, by an enthufiafm naturally, and fomewhat excufeably, growing out of a favourite purfuit, have rated antiquities above their just value, their weaknefs cannot attaint the good fenfe of others, nor derogate from the advantage of rational and liberal enquiries. By the study of antiquities, hiftory is frequently explained and confirmed, and fometimes corrected. Facts and manners are rendered more diftinct, and their impreffion becomes infinitely ftronger, and more lafting. This ftudy becomes ftill more important, if the antiquities, which are the object of it, relate to a nation not only distinguished for its power and policy, but eminent for its cultivation of the rational powers, and its refinement on the

pleasures of the imagination. In fuch a cafe, monuments of antiquity not only illuftrate hiftory, but regulate tafte; and are capable of affording the most effential helps in the improvement of architecture, painting, fculpture, and all the arts which embellish life.

Advantages of this kind were naturally expected from a work on the antiquities of Athens; and, perhaps, no book, which had excited fo much of the public expectation, has difappointed it fo little. Monfieur le Roy's performance, though it preceded this work, did not at all pre-occupy its place. The work of meffieurs Stuart and Revett is, in every refpect, as original and informing, as if no other on the fubject had gone before it. Indeed, that which has preceded it rather afforded new and powerful reasons for the publication of this. The numerous and important miftakes, with which that book is filled, both in the difquifitions. and defigns, had rendered more exact enquiries, and more accurate drawings, abfolutely neceffary. Becaufe the name of Athens would have been impofing; and its monuments, thus reprefented, would have vitiated, instead of correct

ing our tafte; and inftead of enlarging our ideas, would have only milled them.

The work before us carries the moft evident marks of truth and exactness. The labour employed in it must have been immenfe. We do not remember ever to have seen any work, which manifefts fo much ingenuity in the refearches, and which discovers, at the fame time, fo guarded and punctilious an accuracy with regard to facts, on every thing which relates to the measurement and defign. As no antiquities extant deferve the public attention more than thofe of Athens, fo none have ever been treated with a more extenfive erudition, or explained with a greater yariety and choice of illuftration. This volume is, however, far from exhaufting the fubject. Several of the nobleft monuments of Athens ftill remain to be defcribed. When the whole fhall be completed, from the fpecimen of this volume we may conclude, that nothing will be wanting to form a complete idea of the Athenian architecture and fculpture; and that the world will be indebted to our ingenious countrymen for a true idea of thofe noble arts, as they were cultivated in the place, and in the period, in which, probably, they approached the nearest to their perfection.

The work is dedicated to the king, in a fhort, manly, and fimple addrefs, which does juflice to his majefly's protection of the arts, and to his other princely virtues, without offending his delicacy with any thing like the ftile of adulation.

The preface contains the motives of the authors to this undertaking, a fort of hiftory of the arts of design, and a comparative

view of the merit of the Grecian and Roman architecture.

The work itfelf is divided into five chapters. The first relates to a Doric Portico, which had hitherto been fuppofed part of a temple dedicated to Auguftus. The authors refute this opinion; they shew that this building was dedicated to Minerva, and was not a temple, but the entrance into one of the Ageras or Markets of Athens. This they prove from the form and difpofition of the building, from the proportions of the columns, and from the infcriptions on fome of the remaining walls. This portico furnifhes a moft elegant example of the Doric order.

The fecond chapter relates to an Ionic Temple on the Iliffus. The authors make it probable that this building was not a temple of Ceres, according to the common notion, but one dedicated to the hero Panops. This building is an example of the Ionic of a very fingular kind.

The third chapter is on the oc tagon Tower of Andronicus Cyrrheftes, commonly called, the Temple of the Winds. Upon this piece of antiquity the authors have taken great pains, and expended much erudition. When at Athens, they caufed a great quantity of earth to be removed, both within and from about the building, in order to find its true form and proportion, and afcertain its original ufe. They have made accordingly fome curious difcoveries; though from a view of their plate of the pavement (which they have first laid open) it appears that a good deal ftill remains to be explained. This building affords an example of an order hitherto entirely unknown;

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but which is far from being deftitute of tafte and elegance.

The fourth chapter is a differtation on a monument, called by the vulgar of Athens the Lanthorn of Demofthenes, but which the learned of Europe have confidered as a temple of Hercules. The authors fhew the mistake of both thefe opinions; and prove it to be a choragic monument, erected to fuftain a prize tripod won at the exhibition of a public entertainment of mufic. They demonftrate that it has no relation to Hercules. but that it was built in honour of Bacchus, to whofe history all the ornaments of the building belong. This chapter will afford extraordinary entertainment to all lovers of polite antiquity. The monument itself is one of the most exquifite pieces, both for the architecture and fculpture, any where extant; it feems to be most highly finished, and was certainly the work of a very enlightened period. The order is the Corinthian, though differing a good deal, both in the proportions and the ornaments, from the ordinary examples of that order.

The fifth and laft chapter is on the portico, fuppofed to be the remains of a temple of Jupiter Olympius. The authors fhew the common notion concerning this antiquity to be alfo erroneous, and, indeed, make out their point beyond controverfy, from the dimenfions, fituation, and every circumftance relative to that building. They have proved it to be

the celebrated portico, called the Poikile.

The plan of each chapter in this work is as follows: Firft, A differtation on the antiquity, which is the object of it. Secondly, An illuftration of their plates. Thirdly, A criticifm on the accounts of other travellers and antiquaries.

In perufing this work, the reader will obferve with pleasure, that there is not a fingle monument treated of, which is not fet in a light abfolutely new, and the opinion of the authors fupported by reafons, which caunot fail of giv ing entire fatisfaction to every ingenious reader.

This book contains feventy copper plates, engraved in such a manner as to do honour to our English artists. Nothing can be executed in a more perfect manner than the baffo relievos on the little temple called the Lanthorn. They are a confiderable acquifition to those young artifts, who would acquire the taste of the antique. These figures are drawn with a truth and exactness in the anatomy and proportions, far exceeding any thing of the kind hitherto published. The prints from the most celebrated ftatues and reliefs, even those by great names, though otherwife meritorious, are most of them incorrect and faulty in the drawing; and ferve for little more than to give a loofe general idea of the originals. This will appear obviously to thofe who have had opportunity, and would take the trouble to compare them.

The

fomething to you of the quitrents: the receiver general puts into his certificate of the ftate of the cash, what he has received of those rents fince the preceding certificate; but the commiffioners do not mention those rents in the abftracts they make up quarterly; neither do they take any notice in thofe quarterly abstracts of the hearth-money; but I fay, I will enlarge more upon this ere long. I only mention it now, that you may fee we have difcourfed of every branch of the revenue at the first meeting. Though the revenue be in management, yet the commiffioners farm out the hearth-money all the kingdom over, except only the city of Dublin, which they have put into collection these laft fix months. They fay, that revenue would not come to fo much by collection, as by farm, which feems very strange; for certainly the farmers and fubfarmers would not lofe by their bargains, as they must do, if they did not receive more than will pay their rent; but with this particular I will likewife in a very little time entertain you more largely. I fend you here enclosed a copy of what I have written to my lord Sunderland, and I do beg you to concern yourself, that the commiffion for the vacant company may be fent to me, which the king was pleased to declare fhould be the rule; and if it be kept at first, men will not be fo eager to run into England for preferment, but will expect with patience the king's pleasure from his chief governor, which will certainly be as much for his majesty's fervice. My lord Granard, with whom I have had as much difcourfe already as the time will permit, tells me the foldiers cannot bear the deduction of

2d. per diem for their cloathing; that by means of other deductions to the hofpital, &c. the poor foldiers will not have above 2 d. a day to live on: and that a penny a day will cloath them twice in three years; which he thinks will be fufficient. He has defired me to hear him, and fome other of the officers upon this point; which I have promised him to do to-morrow; and do refolve to allot one day in a week certain for the affairs of the army: I only tell you this now, that you may take notice of it or not as you think fit: by the next probably I may have fomething ready to lay before the king, if the officers think fit; for it shall be theirs."

To the Lord Treasurer.

Dublin Castle, Dec. 21. 1686.

Though I have not at prefent much to fay to you, yet I think you will not be difpleafed, when I repeat to you what I writ in mine of the 16th, that I fhall, at the fame time I fend you a ftate of this year's accompt, (which fhall be at the beginning of February) let you fee likewife, that the army is completely paid to the laft day of this month: which will be with the money of this year: and, if the doing that, and, which is more, the paying eighteen months pay to the army in the compafs of twelve, will not be attributed to my pains and diligence, I muft for ever give over the hopes of having my industry approved; and I will fay no more of this matter, but that the army was never in fo good condition, let who will have the credit of it. If I shall be thought too vain, I will venture to say, I do now begin to under

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