have been more zealous in their researches persons yet few after such antiquities than he was; because he had for many years looked forward to the contribution they might offer to the taste and the literature of his country. Since his departure from Athens, some excavations made by the two rival artists, Lusieri and Fauvel, whose merits he has before noticed, began to realize the prospect so long, and so generally, formed. Their discoveries were followed by a still more extensive examination of the soil near Athens, conducted under the patronage of several persons from this country; but by none more successfully than by Mr. Dodwell, by Mr. Graham, and by Mr. Burgon. The representation of a fine vase belonging to Mr. Dodwell has been already published; but the more important discoveries of Mr. Graham, and of Mr. Burgon of Smyrna, as connected with the arts and the literature of Greece, and with a subject so often alluded to in these Travels, demand all the attention which it is now in the author's power to bestow upon a topic he has already discussed.

Mr. Graham, being at Athens, caused an excavation to be made near the supposed site of the Academy, on the lefthand side of the antient paved-way, leading from Athens to Thebes. Such was his success, that he discovered and brought to this country nearly a thousand vases, of a nature and quality so extraordinary, that in some instances, as will presently appear, nothing like them had ever been seen before.

(2) See Moses's Collection &c. of Vases, Plate 3. Lond. 1814. VOL. IV.

b

before. Their discovery amounts to nothing less than the development of a series of original pictures, painted upon the most durable of all substances, representing the arts, the mythology, the religious ceremonies, and the habits of the ATHENIANS, in the earliest periods of their history. Upon some of these vessels, the colours, the gilding, and the lettering, remain as fresh as when they were deposited in the tombs of Attica, more than two thousands years ago. Upon one Athenian tripod chalice is pictured the altercation between Minerva and Neptune for Attica; at which all the superior Gods of Greece presided: consequently, this chalice has been made to exhibit a complete PANTHEON, by a series of designs, equal in the style of their execution to any of the Grecian paintings preserved upon the terra-cottas of Nola in the South of Italy; and, to add to the value of this curious mythological document, the Greek names of all the assembled Deities are inscribed above their heads, in very legible characters.

The style of painting upon those vases varies so considerably, that almost every branch of the art known to the Greeks may be observed upon them; from the most antient specimens of the style called monochrome by Pliny', where the figures were delineated only as shadows, by a black colour traced upon a red ground; down to the period. in which more elaborate designs, in the monochrome style, were represented, by an outline of the liveliest vermilion,

(1) "Secundam singulis coloribus, et monochromaton dictam," &c. Plinio, lib. xxxv. Hist. Nat. tom. III. p. 417. L. Bat. 1635.

vermilion, upon a surface which is perfectly white. This last style of painting differs from every other, in one lamentable character; that, instead of sustaining the action of acids, which are commonly used in cleansing these vases', they will not bear even the application of water; and being found covered with dirt, it is very difficult to develop the vermilion painting uninjured. Fortunately, one of the finest pictures in this style has escaped; and the whole of the design has been rendered visible, by carefully scraping the surface with very sharp knives; changing them often, so as to preserve an edge as keen as possible*. The subject represented' appears to relate to the popular and affecting story of the visit paid by Electra to the tomb of her father Agamemnon, when she discovers the votive offerings already left there by her brother Orestes, previous to their interview; a story related differently by Euripides and Sophocles, and of course, like any other popular tale, liable to many varieties of relation and of representation.

The

(2) Murice tincta; the poivit of the Greeks. In more than one instance, regal robes are represented upon the Athenian terra-cottas, of a vermilion colour.

(3) The generality of the Grecian vases will sustain the highest temperature of a Porcelain furnace, without any alteration in the colours upon their surfaces.

(4) The whole success of this experiment is due to the patience and skill of ONE to whom the author has been before indebted for the embellishment of his Travels, and to whose taste and talents he owes the design whence the Frontispiece to this Volume has been engraved. First, by tracing the outline upon the vase itself, to ensure the utmost fidelity; and afterwards, by imitating the hue and disposition of the vermilion colour with all possible exactness; a faithful copy has been delineated of an Athenian monochrome picture.

(5) See the Frontispiece.

The journey of Orestes is denoted by the symbol of the staff which he bears in his left hand: and the curious circumstance of the chaplet, as connected with sepulchral vows, will not be viewed without interest', by persons who have noticed the frequent examples of resemblance between antient and modern customs; as it clearly proves, that the chaplets suspended in the hands of angels upon the old monuments of our churches had their origin, like many other of our religious customs, in Heathen superstitions and ceremonies'.

Another circumstance discovered by the paintings upon those vases, is too important to be omitted in a work which professes to treat of the antiquities of Greece. The origin not only of the Ionic volute in architecture, but of the symbol denoting water, as it has been figured by Grecian sculptors in their marble friezes and cornices, and upon antient medals and gems,

and was used for borders to their pictured vases, appears, from an entire series of designs upon the terra-cottas found by Mr. Graham, to have been derived from a superstitious veneration shewn to a certain aquatic plant, as yet unknown; but which will not long escape the notice of botanists, to whom the plants of Greece shall become familiar. It is represented under such a variety of circumstances, and with

(2) Such as the ornamenting of our churches with ivy and holly at Christmas, &c. &c. Wide Gregor. Nazianz. Orat. de Vitâ Greg. Thaumaturg. tom. III. p. 574.

so many remarkable associations, that no doubt can remain as to the fact. Sometimes this figure

alone is introduced, with an aquatic bird swimming towards it: in other instances Genii are represented as fostering it'; and the curvature is so formed, as to exhibit the origin of this well-known border.

In one example, the same volute is borne by a winged Genius in the right hand'; and in other instances, the plant appears terminated by its flower, as in a state of fructification; a Muse, or Genius, but without wings, being introduced as holding a mirror over it. When to the form of the flower, which is threefold,

the volute appears on either side, we have the representation of an ornament conspicuous upon the cornices of many of the most magnificent temples of Antient Greece; it then appears in this manner:

From all which it may appear to be evident, as the author

(3) See the Vignette to this Preface.

has

(4) See the Vignette at the end of this Preface; taken from one of Mr. Graham's Vases, now in the possession of the Rev. William Otter, M. A. Rector of Chetwynd in Shropshire.