CHAP. I.

Village of
MARATHON.

Charadrus.

five hours from Athens. Hence we descended a mountain, by an antient paved way; having the sea and a port in view. Then crossing over a rocky hill, the village of Marathon appeared, in a beautiful plain below. Traces of the old paved-road again occurred; and the earth appeared, in many places, to be stained with the red oxide of iron. Lusieri made a hasty sketch of this renowned village, in the author's pocket-volume of Notes'. From this spot it appeared to be surrounded. by mountains; because the extensive plain which afterwards opened towards the right, as we advanced, and at the north-western extremity of which Marathon is situated, was then concealed from us, by part of a mountain to the right of the village. We passed some ruined chapels, and a tower, at the base of the mountain; and continued our route to the Village of Marathon by the side of a small river, whose present appellation is Keynurios Potamos, or New River. Its antient name was Charadrus: it descends from mountains which are now called Kallingi, traverses the Plain of Marathon, and then falls into the sea. Wheler did not visit this village; but going by a different road into the plain, passed by it, leaving it upon his left hand; by which he lost the finest view, not only of the Plain of Marathon, but of all the interesting objects which

associate

(1) See the Plate annexed, shewing the appearance of Marathon village, in the approach from Athens, along the antient paved-way, before the prospect of the Plain opens upon the right; etched from the original Sketch by Lusieri.

associate in the same prospect. It is three hours distant from Stamata, and eight hours from Athens, or about twentyfour miles2; and it is situated at the north-western extremity of a valley which opens, towards the south-east, into the great PLAIN OF MARATHON. The plain itself is quite flat; and extends along the sea-shore, from the northeast towards the south-west. Our first employment, after arriving here, was to delineate the whole of this grand perspective with as much accuracy as possible; and for this purpose, upon the following morning (Dec. 2), we ascended the mountain which is immediately behind the village, proceeding about half a mile farther towards the north-west. The earth was covered with the blossoms of a beautiful species of Crocus,—a singular sight for Englishmen upon the second day of December; and in the midst of these we began our pleasing task'.

The

CHAP. I.

(2) It would exactly equal twenty-four miles, if three miles were allowed, according to the usual computation, for each hour; but the country is uneven and rocky, and perhaps the rate of travelling across it, with horses, does not here exceed 24 miles per hour. This therefore allows an interval of twenty miles, or 160 stadia, which greatly exceeds the measurement antiently allowed for the distance between the two places. "If we suppose," says Mr. Hobhouse, (Journey through Albania, &c. p. 438. Lond. 1813.) "that there was formerly a nearer road by Vraona (Brauron), the difference will be considerably diminished."

(3) A Sketch, from which the annexed Engraving has been made, was soon completed; having nothing to recommend it but the fidelity of the outline; and this, it is hoped, will be found to be correct. But the Drawing which upon this spot exercised all the abilities of Lusieri, was of a very different description: it comprehended every thing that truth and genius and taste could possibly bestow, upon the representation of scenery already ennobled and consecrated by deathless deeds of bravery and virtue; -of scenery which Nature herself has proudly and profusely adorned with every

splendid

CHAP. I.

View of the

PLAIN OF
MARATHON.

The view of the Plain of Marathon from this eminence embraces an extent of three miles from the village to the sea. Upon the right are seen' the villages of Marathon and Bey, a mountain called Croton, a part of Pentelicus, and the more distant summits of Attica towards Sunium. Upon the left is a mountain called Stauro Koraki, or Raven Cross. In front lies the plain, intersected throughout its length by the Charadrus, as before mentioned. The opening between the mountains into this plain is twelve stadia, or a mile and a half English, in width. Beyond the village of Bey, at the extremity of the plain towards

splendid feature, and by all those hues, and by that majesty of light and shade, which are so peculiarly characteristic of the Grecian landscape. The work undertaken by Lusieri required, therefore, many hours for it completion. As an artist, he was always slow in delineation; but it was the tardiness of the most scrupulous accuracy; for he frequently laid on even his colours upon the spot; and he always introduced into his drawings the minutest details, without diminishing the grandeur of the principal objects. Perhaps while this is written, his View of Marathon, although calculated to form the ground-work of a picture which would be regarded almost with veneration in a national gallery, yet remains, with many other of his valuable designs, in his portfolio at Athens, reserved for additional touches by its fastidious master. However this may be, since it has fallen to the author's lot to bear testimony to its excellence, he is anxious that some memorial, however frail, may serve to snatch it from oblivion. Always preferring the gratifications of genius before the acquirement even of a competency by the sale of his numerous productions, so long as the means of a livelihood are afforded by the small stipend he has obtained, Lusieri is not likely to invite the notice of amateurs, either to the merits or even to the existence of his own performThis is one cause why so little has been known of his best works: and another may originate in the opposition made to his fame, by that rivalship from which the path of merit is rarely exempt, but which has never been more conspicuous than among candidates for distinction in the graphic art, from the days of Protogenes, down to the time of Don Battista.

ances.

(1) See the engraved Plate.