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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:42:51 -0700 |
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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:42:51 -0700 |
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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/13755-0.txt b/13755-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4a3a850 --- /dev/null +++ b/13755-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6625 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13755 *** + +HOW TO SEE THE BRITISH MUSEUM IN FOUR VISITS + +by + +W. BLANCHARD JERROLD + +London + +1852 + + + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +INTRODUCTION + +VISIT THE FIRST + + SOUTHERN ZOOLOGICAL ROOM.--Hoofed Animals:--Giraffe; + Walrus; Rhinoceros; Buffalo; Antelope. + + SOUTHERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY.--Hoofed Animals:--Wild Ox; + Hippopotamus; Elephant; Llama; Bison; Armadillo; Deer. + + MAMMALIA SALOON.--Bears; Monkeys; Cat Tribe; Dog Family; + Bear Tribe; Mole Tribe; Marsupial Animals; Seal Tribe; + Corals + + EASTERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY.--Birds of Prey; Perching + Birds; Scraping Birds; Wading Birds; Web-footed Birds. + + NORTHERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY.--Bats; Reptiles; Serpents; + Tortoises; Crocodiles; Frogs. + + BRITISH ZOOLOGICAL ROOM.--Carnivorous Beasts; Glirine + Beasts; Hoofed Beasts; Insectivorous Beasts; British + Reptiles; British Fish. + + NORTHERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY--_(continued)_.--Spiny-finned + Fishes; Soft-finned Fishes; Cartilaginous Fishes; + Sponges; Shell-fish; The Beetle Tribe; Butterflies and Moths. + + EASTERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY.--Star-fish; Sea-eggs; Shells. + + +VISIT THE SECOND + + NORTHERN MINERAL AND FOSSIL GALLERY.--Fossil Vegetables; + Minerals; Fossil Animals; Fossil Fishes; Fossil Mammalia. + + THE EGYPTIAN ROOM.--Human Mummies; Animal Mummies; + Sepulchral Ornaments; Egyptian Deities; Sacred + Animals; Household Objects; Tools; Musical Instruments; + Toys; Textile Fabrics. + + THE BRONZE ROOM.--Greek and Roman Bronzes. + + ETRUSCAN ROOM.--Etruscan Vases + + ETHNOGRAPHICAL ROOM.--Chinese Curiosities; Indian + Curiosities; African Curiosities; American Curiosities + + +VISIT THE THIRD + + EGYPTIAN SALOON.--Egyptian Sculpture; Egyptian + Coffins; Egyptian Tombstones; Sepulchral Vases; + Human Statues; Egyptian Sphinxes; Egyptian Frescoes. + + THE LYCIAN ROOM.--Lycian Tombs; Lycian Sculpture. + + THE NIMROUD ROOM.--Assyrian Sculpture. + + +VISIT THE FOURTH + + Townley Sculpture; Antiquities of Britain. + + PHIGALEIAN SALOON.--Battle with the Amazons. + + ELGIN SALOON.--Elgin Marbles; Metopes of the Parthenon; + Eastern Frieze; Northern Frieze; Western Frieze; + Southern Frieze; Eastern Pediment; Western Pediment; + Temple of the Erectheum; Temple of Theseus; + Lantern of Demosthenes. + + +CONCLUSION + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +The money to found a British Museum was raised by a lottery in the +middle of the last century. Sir Hans Sloane having offered his books +and museum of natural history to Parliament, for less than half its +value (20,000£.), it was purchased, together with the famous Harleian +and Cottonian MSS., and deposited in Montague House, Bloomsbury, which +had been bought of the Earl of Halifax, for the sum of 10,250£. Of the +present British Museum this beginning forms a very insignificant part. +The nucleus was established however; and soon eminent men, who valued +their literary and scientific collections as storehouses that should +be accessible to all classes of students, began to turn their +attention to the collections in Montague House. Foremost among the +donors George the Second should be mentioned, as having made over to +the nation the royal library, together with the right of demanding a +copy of every book entered at Stationers' Hall. Successively, the +libraries of Sir Joseph Banks, Dr. Birch, Sir John Hawkins, Dr. Burney +and Garrick, and the Royal, Arundel, Lansdowne, Bridgewater, and other +MSS. were added to the great store. Captain Cook returned home with +additions to the museum of natural history; Sir William Hamilton's +collection of vases was purchased in 1772; the spoils of Abercrombie's +Egyptian campaign enriched the museum with some fine Egyptian +antiquities; grants of money secured the Townley marbles, the +Phigalian sculptures, and at last the Elgin marbles; and of late, the +accessions to the vast collection, including Layard's treasures, the +Xanthian marbles, fossils, birds, curiosities, from the frozen seas, +China, the solitudes of Central Africa, and other remote places, where +scientific men have been of late prosecuting their studies have been +received. In 1823 it was allowed by Parliament that the collection had +grown too large for the house in which it was crammed; and accordingly +in this year it was resolved to destroy the old residence of the Earl +of Halifax, and build a new structure on its site. Sir Robert Smirke, +the architect of the present structure, has certainly had good cause +to complain of the niggardly supplies voted from time to time for the +building, which has been twenty-eight years in progress. The +regulations for the admission of the public have fairly kept pace with +the progress of those liberal ideas to which the collection is greatly +indebted, and of which it is a monument. It will be interesting for +the visitor of to-day, to contrast the rules by which he is admitted, +with those that fettered his ancestors of the eighteenth century. In +the year 1759, the trustees of this institution published their +"Statutes and Rules relating to the Inspection and Use of the British +Museum." This instructive document may now serve to illustrate the +darkness from which, even now, we are struggling. Those visitors who +now consider it rather an affront to be required to give up their cane +or umbrella at the entrance to our museums and galleries, will be +astonished to learn, that in the early days of the museum, those +persons who wished to inspect the national collection, were required +to make previous application to the porter, in writing, stating their +names, condition, and places of abode, as also the day and hour at +which they desired to be admitted. Their applications were written +down in a register, which was submitted every evening to the librarian +or secretary in attendance. If this official, judging from the +condition and ostensible character of an applicant, deemed him +eligible for admittance, he directed the porter to give him a ticket +on the following day. Thus the candidate for admission was compelled +to make two visits, before he could learn whether it was the gracious +will of a librarian or secretary that he should be allowed the +privilege of inspecting Sir Hans Sloane's curiosities. If successful, +his trouble did not end when he obtained the ticket; for it was +provided by the trustees that no more than ten tickets should be given +out for each hour of admittance. Accordingly, every morning on which +the museum was accessible, the porter received a company of ten +ticket-holders at nine o'clock, ushered them into a waiting-room "till +the hour of seeing the museum had come," to quote the words of the +trustees. This party was divided into two groups of five persons, one +being placed under the direction of the under-librarian, and the other +under that of the assistant in each department. Thus attended, the +companies traversed the galleries; and, on a signal being given by the +tinkling of a bell, they passed from one department of the collection +into another:--an hour being the utmost time allowed for the +inspection of one department. This system calls to mind the dragooning +practised in Westminster Abbey, under the command of the gallant +vergers, to the annoyance of leisurely visitors, and of ardent but not +active archaeologists. Sometimes, when public curiosity was +particularly excited, the number of respectable applicants for +admission to the museum exceeded the limit of the prescribed issue. In +these cases, tickets were given for remote days; and thus, at times, +when the lists were heavy, it must have been impossible for a passing +visitor in London to get within the gateway of Montague House. In +these old regulations the trustees provided also, that when any +person, having obtained tickets, was prevented from making use of them +at the appointed time, he was to send them back to the porter, in +order "that other persons wanting to see the museum might not be +excluded." Three hours was the limit of the time any company might +spend in the museum; and those who were so unreasonable or inquisitive +as to be desirous of visiting the museum more than once, might apply +for tickets a second time "provided that no person had tickets at the +same time for more than one." The names of those persons who, in the +course of a visit, wilfully transgressed any of the rules laid down by +the trustees, were written in a register, and the porter was directed +not to issue tickets to them again. + +These regulations secured the exclusive attendance of the upper +classes. The libraries were hoarded for the particular enjoyment of +the worm, whose feast was only at rare intervals disturbed by some +student regardless of difficulties. To the poor, worn, unheeded +authors of those days, serenely starving in garrets, assuredly the +British Museum must have been as impenetrable as a Bastille. We +imagine the prim under-librarian glancing with a supercilious +expression upon the names and addresses of many poor, aspiring, +honourable men--men, whose "condition," to use the phrase of the +trustees, bespoke not the gentility of that vulgar age. In those days +the weaver and the carpenter would as soon have contemplated a visit +to St. James's Palace as have hoped for an admission ticket to the +national museum. + +These mean precautions of the last century, contrast happily with the +enlightened liberty of this. Crowds of all ranks and conditions +besiege the doors of the British Museum, especially in holiday times, +yet the skeleton of the elephant is spotless, and the bottled +rattlesnakes continue to pickle in peace. The Elgin marbles have +suffered no abatement of their marvellous beauties; and the coat of +the cameleopard is with out a blemish. The Yorkshireman has his +unrestrained stare at Sesostris; the undertaker spends his holiday +over the mummies, and no official suppresses his professional +objections to the coffins. The weaver observes the looms of the olden +time: the soldier compares the Indian's blunt instrument with his own +keen and deadly bayonet. The poor needlewoman enjoys her laugh at the +rude sewing-instruments of barbarous tribes: the stone-mason perhaps +compares his tombs with the sarcophagi of ancient masters. No +attendant is deputed to dog the heels of five visitors and to watch +them with the cold eye of a gaoler; no bell warns the company from one +spot to another: all is open--free! + +Through the bright new galleries of Sir Robert Smirke, crowded with +the natural productions of every clime, the printed thoughts of the +greatest and best men, the marvellous art of forgotten ages, and the +poor barbarisms of savage life, we propose to conduct the visitor, in + +FOUR DISTINCT VISITS. + + + + +VISIT THE FIRST. + + + +On arriving in front of the British Museum for the first time, the +visitor will not fail to notice the Grecian Ionic facade, ornamented +with forty-four columns, and rising at its extreme point to the height +of sixty-six feet. The sculpture which decorates the tympanum of the +portico is the work of Sir Richard Westmacott, and is an allegorical +representation of the progress of civilisation. The spiritual +influences that have successively worked upon the savage natures of +the dark ages, have here distinct types. Religion tames the savage; +Paganism makes him a crouching sensualist; the Egyptian sees a God in +the stars of heaven; and then the mathematician, the musician, the +poet, and the painter set to work, and these prophets of mysterious +beauties realise civilised mankind. The visitor enters the museum, +after ascending a noble flight of steps, by a massive carved oak door, +into a fine entrance hall, the ceiling of which is highly coloured, +and the general decoration of which is Grecian Ionic. Here he will +observe, in addition to one or two of the Nineveh sculptures, at once, +three statues: one of the aristocratic lady sculptor, the Honourable +Mrs. Damer; Chantrey's statue of Sir Joseph Banks; and Roubillac's +study of Shakspeare, presented to the museum by David Garrick. Before +entering the galleries of the museum the visitor should observe, that +the building faces the four points of the compass, and that the facade +forms the southern line. This observation will facilitate a careful +and regular examination of the interior. Branching westward from the +entrance hall, then eastward to the gallery, is a noble flight of +seventy steps, the walls of the staircase being richly inlaid with +marble. Having ascended this staircase, the visitor's attention is at +once arrested by two stuffed giraffes--the giraffe of North Africa, +and the giraffe of South Africa, given to the museum by the late Earl +of Derby. These striking zoological specimens at once introduce the +visitor to + +THE SOUTHERN (CENTRAL) ZOOLOGICAL ROOM, + +which is devoted, together with the next room to the east, to Hoofed +Animals. Looking eastward from the western side of the room he will +observe at once that his way lies down a passage, marked on either +side by formidable zoological specimens, which he would rather meet, +with their present anatomy of hay, than in their natural condition. In +the first room, near the giraffes, stand the walrus of the North Sea; +the African rhinoceros; and the Manilla buffalo. He will next observe, +that the walls of the room are lined with glass cases, about twelve +feet in height, and that in these cases various stuffed animals are +grouped. The groups in this room include the varieties of the +Antelope, Sheep, and Goats. Grouped together in two or three cases, +are the sable and other antelopes from the Cape of Good Hope; the +algazelle, and the addax and its young from North Africa; the +sing-sing, and the koba from Western Africa; the sassaybi; the chamois +of the Alps--the subject of many a stirring mountain song; the goats +of North Africa; the strange Siberian ibex; the grue and gorgon from +the Cape; varieties of the domestic goat, and the beautiful Cashmere +goat. Here also are specimens of sheep, including the wild sheep from +the Altai; the bearded sheep of North Africa; the American arguli; the +nahorr and caprine antelopes from Nepal; and upon the higher shelves +of the cases are grouped the gazelles from Senegal, Nepal, and Madras, +whose praises have been sung more than once. The beauty and grace of +these delicate creatures, with their taper active limbs, and the soft +expression of their heads, may be faintly gathered even from these +inanimate stuffed skins with the glassy eyes instead of "the soft +blue" celebrated by the poet. Grouped hereabouts are also the +four-horned antelope of India; the pigmy antelope from the coast of +Guinea; and the madoka from Abyssinia. Before leaving this room, or +ante-room, to the great zoological sections of the museum, the visitor +should notice the varieties of horns,--straight and tortuous, but all +graceful,--of different kinds of hoofed animals. + +Advancing eastward the visitor arrives in + +THE SOUTHERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY. + +Here the visitor is still in the midst of the hoofed beasts. The way +lies between two rows of animals. Of these the visitor should notice +particularly the wild oxen of India and Java; compare the Indian +rhinoceros with that of South Africa; and notice the hippopotamus +family, from South Africa, as well as a diminutive specimen of the +Indian elephant, and a half-grown elephant, from Africa. Having +noticed these ponderous creatures, the attention of the visitor will +be next attracted to the Llamas, which are arranged in the first two +wall-cases. Of these, the wild are generally brown, and the tame of +mixed colours. The next fourteen wall-cases are filled with specimens +of the different species of Oxen and the Elephant tribe. Among the +former the visitor should notice the white bulls of Scotland and +Poland: the splendid Lithuanian bison, with his shaggy throat, a +present from the Russian Emperor; the bison of the American prairies; +and the elando. The specimens of the elephant tribe, ranged in the +upper compartments of these cases, include the tapir of South America; +the tennu, from Sumatra; the European boar, with its young; the +Brazilian peccari: and other curious animals. Here, too, are specimens +of the Armadillo tribe. The attention of the visitor will, however, be +soon riveted upon an animal which, with the beak of a duck and the +claws of a bird, has the body of an otter. In Australia (its native +country) this singular animal is commonly called a water mole, but to +scientific men it is known as the mullingong; it is placed in the same +order with its neighbour, the spring-ant or echidra, also a native of +Australia. Before leaving these cases, the visitor should pause to +notice the Sloths, and particularly the repulsive aspect of the +yellow-faced sloth of South America. + +The visitor should now pass to the cases marked from 17 to 30. These +are devoted to the Horse tribe and Deer. Here the reindeer from +Hudson's Bay, the red fallow deer of Europe, the elk, and the cheetul +of India, will catch the eye immediately. The beautiful South African +zebra is here also, grouped near the Asiatic wild ass, and the +Zoological Society's hybrids of the zebra, wild ass, and common +donkey. The upper shelves of the cases are devoted, as usual, to the +smaller specimens of the tribe below. Here are the European roebuck, +the West African water musk, the Javan musk, the white-bellied and +golden-eyed musk. Having examined these zoological specimens, the +visitor should proceed on his way east to + +THE MAMMALIA SALOON. + +This saloon is one of the most interesting parts of the exhibition to +the general visitor, as he sees here at a glance the various classes +of the highest order of the animal creation, all grouped after their +kinds, and in that gradation of development which nature has assigned +them. Those specimens which are placed on the floor in the central +space of the room include some large varieties of the Bears, and a few +small specimens of Seals, including the young of the harp seal, with +the white fur, which clothes them on their first appearance in the +world, and the young of the Cape of Good Hope eared seal; but these +isolated specimens should not engage the attention of the visitor +before he has followed the systematic arrangement or classification +adopted with regard to the animals deposited in the wall-cases that +line the saloon. The first series or family of animals to which, +according to Cuvier, his particular attention should be attracted are + +THE MONKEYS, + +ranged in the first eleven wall-cases. These cases contain the species +of monkeys found in the Old World. The varieties in colour, shape, +size, and attitude, are endless. Here are the green monkeys from +Western Africa; the white-throated monkey from India; the bearded +monkey, with a republican air about him; and the monkey who appears to +have had his ears pulled, but is in reality known to scientific men as +the red-eared monkey; both from Fernando Po: the Risley of monkeys, +called the vaulting monkey, with his white nose; and the talapoin, +from Western Africa; the gaudy macaque, known as the brilliant from +Japan; that dingy gentleman, the sooty mangabey, from Africa: the +African chimpanzee (to whom satirical gentlemen with a turn for +zoological comparisons, are greatly indebted); the ourang-outan, with +his young, from Borneo; the presbytes, dusky and starred, from +Singapore, Malacca, and Borneo; and the drill and mandrill, from +Africa. The Monkeys of the New World are grouped in six cases (12-18). +Herein the visitor should particularly notice the curious spider +monkeys, from Brazil and Bolivia: the negro monkey; the apes, with +large eyes, like those of the owl, called night apes; the howlers, so +called from the incessant howling they maintain at night in their +native forests; the quaint marmozettes and handsome silky monkeys; and +the Jew monkeys. The next two cases contain specimens of the lemurs, +more familiarly known as Madagascar monkies. Of these the flying lemur +is the most remarkable species. Specimens of this species are grouped +in the lower part of the cases; they are from the Indian Archipelago; +and in the texture of their skin and the loose and light way in which +it connects their limbs, they resemble bats. They nurse their young by +forming a kind of couch with their body suspended downwards from the +branches of a tree. + +It now remains for the visitor to direct his attention to the fine +collection of + +RAPACIOUS ANIMALS, + +ranged in thirty-two distinct wall-cases in this room. The first +tribe, taking the cases in their order of succession, to which the +visitor's attention will be attracted on passing from the cases of +lemurs, is + +THE CAT TRIBE. + +The animals which he will find grouped in the first seven cases +(21-27) are properly Cats. Here is the South African lion, the fine +black leopard, which is pointed out to visitors as a beast that killed +its keeper; the lynxes of Spain, Sardinia, and America; the wild cats +of Europe; the curious booted-cat, imported from the Cape of Good +Hope; the American ocelots; and the Asiatic and African chaus. These +animals are picturesquely grouped in seven cases. In the next case, in +order of succession (28), are the hyaenas of South Africa and Egypt. +Here are the spotted hyaena, with its young; and the striped hyaena. +The three following cases are filled with varieties of the civet +family (esteemed for the strong scent which some of them, as the +African cibet and the Chinese and Indian zibet, yield), including the +hyaena civet from the Cape of Good Hope: genets and ichneumons, which +will be found on the lower shelves; and the Mexican house-marten. The +five following cases are filled with the varieties of + +THE DOG FAMILY. + +Here the sporting visitor may amuse himself by examining the points of +the Dogs of the four quarters of the globe. Here are the well-known +Newfoundland dog, the wild dogs of different climates, the four-toed +hunting dog of Abyssinia and South Africa, the Cape of Good Hope dog, +with its long ears; the varieties of fox and wolf; all expressing +great activity and extraordinary cunning. Ladies will be pleased to +notice a lap-dog almost hidden by his long hair, placed under a +particular glass-case: this exclusive little aristocrat is from +Mexico. + +In the next case to which the visitor will direct his attention (38) +are grouped the varieties of the Mustelina, or Martens, of America and +Europe. These lesser specimens of the cat tribe, include the weasels +of Himalaya, Mexico, and Siberia; the American and European polecats: +the lesser otters, from the north of America and Europe; and the +curious animal known as the false sable of America. It is amusing to +notice the sameness of expression--that of cunning--shown in the heads +of every specimen of the cat tribe. The next case (39) introduces the +visitor to those mammalia which are included in + +THE BEAR TRIBE. + +This tribe includes the Racoons, Otters, Badgers, Skunks, Gluttons, +and Bears. The case to which the visitor's attention is now directed, +contains the varieties of the glutton family--the Chinese musk weasel; +the European and North American badgers; the Javan stinkard, and the +American skunks and conepats. + +The next case (40) is devoted to the otter family. These ingenious +animals are found in the four quarters of the world. Here are the +common European otter; the otters of Java and India; the clawless +African otter, from the Cape of Good Hope; and the sea and muffled +otters, from America. Next to these interesting animals, are some of +the bears, including the savage Arctic white bear, the Malay bear, and +the Indian sloth bear. Next to these bears, the racoons are grouped, +and they close the collection illustrative of the bear tribe. In the +case following those which contain the racoons is one (43) in which +the varieties of + +THE MOLE TRIBE + +are arranged. These include Moles from the four quarters of the world. +There are the North American marsh moles and long-tailed star-nosed +moles; the golden moles, from the Cape of Good Hope; the varieties of +the shrew-mouse, including the remarkable blue shrew-mouse of India, +the African elephant shrew, and the Russian musk shrew; the Javan +insectivorous squirrel; and a curious variety of hedgehogs, from +opposite quarters of the globe. Having examined these inferior +mammalia, the visitor will pass in direct order of succession to the +cases in which + +THE MARSUPIAL ANIMALS + +are deposited. These fill nine wall-cases, and they should be +carefully examined, as exhibiting a peculiar economy of animal life. +The marsupial animals are placed by some zoologists in the lowest +class of mammalia. They include carnivorous, herbivorous, and +insectivorous families, and their head-quarters appear to be +Australia. In the first two cases (44, 45) which the visitor will +examine, are the varieties of Australian phalangers; and here also are +the New Holland bears, the Australian wombat, the flying squirrel of +Norfolk Island, the flying phalangers; and in the right corner of the +case are grouped those notable animals to which public curiosity has +of late years been so keenly directed--the kangaroos. In the next five +cases (46-51) the visitor will find more varieties of these strange, +awkward-looking creatures. Here amid the kangaroos of Australia are +the long-nosed, rock, and jerboa kangaroos, the New Guinea +tree-kangaroo, and below, the Australian koala. The two next cases +(52, 53) contain the varieties of Australian opossums, and below are +the opossums of America. + +These close the attractions of the wall-cases, and the visitor should +now glance round the saloon at the specimens of the varieties of + +THE SEAL TRIBE, + +which are arranged along the tops of the wall-cases. These include the +leonine seal of the Southern Ocean, the Cape porpoise and dolphin, and +the long-beaked dolphin of the Ganges. Having noticed these specimens, +the visitor should proceed to examine the extensive collection of + +CORALS, + +which are arranged upon the central tables of the saloon. To explain +the presence of coral in the midst of a zoological collection it is +necessary to remind the visitor that this beautiful substance, which +is chiefly a deposit of carbonate of lime, is also the fossil remains +of that animal known to zoologists as the polypus. These polypi put +forth buds, which remain attached to the parental polypus, and +generate other buds; and in this way countless polypi, linked +together, yet maintaining a separate and distinct existence, spread +themselves over miles and miles of submarine rocks, in endless +varieties of shape, and leave their remains to be dredged by the hardy +fisherman, for the adornment of beauty. These beautiful polypi +skeletons cluster in curious formations, as the visitor will perceive +on examining the fine collection of corals before him.[1] Among the +remarkable coral formations to which the general visitor's attention +may be directed, are the sea-mushroom, the remains of a single polypus +of great size; the brainstone, which presents a circular mass of long +winding cells, and altogether has the appearance of the masses and +veins of the brain; the sea-pen, and the sea-fan. In the cases, ranged +together in the saloon, the visitor who feels interested in the +infinite varieties of coral formation, will find specimens that-will +give him a full idea of the architectural abilities of the active +zoophytes that carry on their operations upon the rocks that lie not +far below the surface of the ocean. From the coral tables, the +visitor's way lies out of the Mammalia Saloon to the north, into a +gallery of which all Englishmen who understand the value of a perfect +museum, are justly proud. + + +THE EASTERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY + +of the British Museum runs the entire length of the building. It is +divided into five compartments, and its space is devoted to the +display of Birds, Shells, and a few Paintings. The birds exhibited in +this gallery fill no less than one hundred and sixty-six wall-cases; +and the shells which are distributed throughout the central space +occupy fifty large tables: the lesser tables which are placed here and +there near the birds, being devoted to the display of birds' eggs. The +pictures are hung above the wall-cases. This general glance at the +arrangement of the gallery, will prevent the visitor from falling into +the error of distracting his attention from one order of zoological +development to another at frequent intervals. Already he has examined +the various species of animal life which rank in the highest +class--the mammalia. Before him now, are ranged vast numbers of the +second class of animal life; and he will do well to pay these some +attention, and to get definite impressions regarding them, before he +turns to the other attractions which the museum offers. Before +proceeding to examine the first order of birds which are in the first +eastern room, the visitor should glance at the historical portraits +suspended above the cases. Among them he will find a Mary Queen of +Scots, by Cornelius Jansen; a Cromwell, presented by the Protector to +Colonel Rich of the parliamentary forces, by whose great-grandson it +was bequeathed to the trustees of the museum; William Duke of +Cumberland by Morier; Zucchero's Queen Elizabeth; Sir Peter Lely's +Charles the Second; and the Queen of George the Second by Jarvis. +Having sufficiently examined these works, the visitor should at once +begin his inspection of the Raptores or + +BIRDS OF PREY. + +These include some splendid ornithological specimens. They are divided +into two families: those who pursue their depredations by day; and +those which wait till night cloaks their proceedings. It is almost +possible to read the special instincts of the two families in their +formation, and expression. The daring expressed in the fierce glances +of the eagles and falcons, bespeaks the fearless spoliator, in broad +daylight and in the face of an enemy; whereas the large vacant eyes of +the owls, have a cruel, coward look, that stamps the midnight +assassin. + +In the first case the visitor will notice the strongbearded vulture of +the Alpine and Himalayan mountains. The next six cases (2-7) are +filled with the varieties of the Vulture, including the American, +carrion, black, and king vultures; the South African sociable vulture; +the angola vulture from Congo; and, towering above all, the great +condor of the Andes, with his immense breadth of wing. The vultures, +with their fierce and cruel aspect, are, nevertheless, cowardly birds, +and feed rather upon dead bodies than venture to kill for themselves. + +Next in order, after the vultures, the visitor will find the Eagle +branch of the falcon family distributed in ten cases (8-17). This +family includes some handsome birds. Foremost amongst these the +visitor will remark the athletic golden eagle of Europe, a frequenter +of Great Britain. This bird preys upon hares and rabbits, and has been +known to plant its claws in a young lamb with success. In this +vicinity are also the Indian Pondicherry eagle, sacred to the +Brahmins; the Egyptian booted eagle; the Brazilian eagle; the South +American harpy eagle; the European Jean le Blanc eagle; the marine +eagle of the Indian Archipelago; the South American crested goshawk; +the varieties of the osprey; and the short-tailed falcon from the Cape +of Good Hope. Next after the eagles, are ranged the Kites and Buzzards +(18-24). These include the South American caracaras; the European +rough-legged falcon; the European kite; the Indian colny falcon; +varieties of the honey buzzard; and the North American spotted-tailed +hobby. The true falcons follow next in order of succession (24-26). +The courage of these birds is familiar to all who have read of the +hunting days of old. In the cases before the visitor, are grouped the +European hobby and kestrel, and the peregrine and jet falcons. Many +visitors from the country will be familiar with some of the +sparrow-hawks in the next case (27). They may be often seen sweeping +swiftly along near the earth, intent upon their prey. The last cases +of diurnal birds of prey (28-30) contain the Harriers. These are birds +of prey that meet their victims on the ground, and frequent bog-lands. +The specimens here presented, include the secretary of the Cape of +Good Hope; the chanting falcon from the same region; the ash-coloured +falcon, hen-harrier, and Madagascar falcon. + +And now, proceeding on his easterly way, the visitor approaches the +Birds that Prey by Night. They are solemnly assembled in five cases. +Their reputed wisdom has its parallel in the human family: we also +have our owls, with their large eyes and solemn demeanour, who cheat +people into the idea that there must be something in all that +solemnity and gravity of expression. Poets of the dismal school, +however, owe a great debt of gratitude to these mysterious and +unsociable birds. The visitor will at once call to mind the usual +sequel of poems that open with the hooting of the owl, or with the +intimation that it is the hour when the wise bird opens his eyes with +some effect. Let us glance at the varieties of the dismal family +before which we have brought the visitor. Here are the snowy owl of +North America and the hawk owls. In the cases (32, 33) are grouped the +eagle owls, including the great-eared owls, and the North American +Virginian eared owl. The next two cases contain the howlets, including +the Tengmalm's owl of the north of Europe; the Javan bay owl, and the +barn white owls of various countries. These birds close the collection +of birds of prey; and the visitor, refraining from the temptation to +inspect the central tables, for the present, should advance into the +room, the wall-cases of which are filled with + +PERCHING BIRDS. + +The perching birds are subdivided into five families: the Wide-gaping; +the Slender-Beaked; the Toothed-Beaked; the Cone-Beaked; and the +Climbers, or Scansores. The family of wide-gaping birds, is that +ranged first in order, occupying cases 36 to 42. The visitor will +first remark the goatsuckers with their wide bills and large eyes, +adapted to catch the insects on which they feed. The varieties here +collected, include the great goatsucker; the goatsuckers of Europe, +New Holland, North America, and Africa; and the wedge-tailed +goatsucker. The next case (38) contains specimens of the varieties of +Swallows and Swifts, including those of North America; the esculent +swallow of the Indian Archipelago; and the sandmartin of Europe. In +the two following cases (39, 40) are grouped the varieties of the tody +and broadbills, from the West Indies, and Brazil; and the curncuis +from the southern parts of Asia and America. The visitor next arrives +before two cases (41, 42) of birds of brilliant plumage, suggestive of +the regions where the humming birds float in the air "like winged +flowers." The kingfisher at times startles the English pedestrian when +he is sauntering near a high-banked brook;--its gaudy plumage +contrasts so forcibly with the sober tints of our English song birds, +that he is at first inclined to take the gay fellow for a truant cage +bird. But the fisher is quite at home, and is probably diving for his +fish dinner. The kingfishers grouped in the two cases before which the +visitor now stands, include specimens of the Australian brown +kingfisher; the green and great jacamars of South America; the +European bee eater; the Javan night bird; and the Ternate kingfisher +from the Philippine Islands. Having feasted his eyes upon the gaudy +colours of these feathered fishermen, the visitor will find in the +next case (43) the first specimens of the slender-beaked perching +birds. These slender beaks are divided into sub-families of Sun Birds; +Humming Birds; Honey Eaters; and the Creepers, &c. The sun birds live +upon the pollen of flowers. The specimens here grouped together, +include the numerous species of African and South American sun birds; +the paradise birds of Molucca; the promerops of New Guinea and Africa; +the Sandwich Islands honey eater; and the Australian rifle bird. Next +in order are grouped the famous American humming birds (44). These +brilliant little creatures, not larger than moths, are famed for their +beauty all over the world. The delicacy of their structure, the +splendour of the colours in which they are habited, their poetical +diet, and the impossibility of keeping them alive in a confined state, +are the attributes of delicacy and beauty which have made them objects +of interest to all persons who have any insight to the mysterious +graces of animal organisation. So brilliant is the plumage of some of +the varieties, that they have been named after gems: thus, in the case +before which the visitor has arrived, he will find the garnet-throated +humming bird, and the topaz humming bird. Next to these brilliant +creatures of the south, in case 45 are the curious Australian honey +eaters, with their feathered tongues, made to brush the sweet essences +from flowers: and the two following cases contain the remaining +varieties of the slender-beaked family. Here are the Creepers of +Europe; the Nuthatches of North America and Europe; varieties of the +Wren; and the Warblers of Guiana and Patagonia. The visitor next +approaches the varieties of the family known as the tooth-beaked +perching birds. To this family our choicest songsters belong. They +fill five cases (48-52). The visitor will observe in the first of the +four cases, the tailor birds, remarkable for the fantastic domes they +form to their nests; the Australian superb warbler; and the Dartford +warbler of Europe. The common song birds of Europe are grouped here, +including blackcaps, wrens, the active little titmice, together with +the North American wood warblers. Next to these are cases (53-55) of +Thrushes, including the tropical ant thrushes; the Javan mountain +warbler; the Brazilian king thrush; the rock thrushes: the imitative +Australian thrush; the blackbird; the North American mimic thrush; the +Chinese and South American thrushes, celebrated for their babbling; +the yellow orioles, of Europe and the east; and here also are the +short-legged thrushes of the tropics. + +The two next cases (56, 57) contain the Flycatchers, which catch +insects on the wing. The varieties to be seen here include the South +American pikas and shrikes, with their gay plumage. These +shrikes[2]--better known as butcher-birds--are so called from the +cruelty with which they treat their prey. In the second case of +flycatchers are grouped the true flycatchers, which are mostly from +the old world; those from America being the solitary flycatcher, the +black-headed flycatcher, the king and broad-billed tody, and the +white-eared thrush. In the two next cases (58, 59) are the families of +the Chatterers, with their resplendent plumage. In the first case, are +groups of the Asiatic and American thick-heads, and the gorgeous +little Manakins of South America and Australia. They are called after +their colours, as the speckled manakin, the white-capped South +American manakin, the purple-breasted, variegated, purple-throated, +and rock manakins. Next to the manakins, are the Indian, African, and +American caterpillar eaters; the Malabar and African shrikes; and in +the two last cases of the tooth-beaked group, are placed the true +butcher-birds and bush shrikes. + +The next group of perching birds are the cone-beaked. This group +includes the large family of the Crows to which the birds of paradise +of New Guinea are allied; that of the Finches, with their relations +from every clime; and the Hornbills, remarkable for the size and +strength of their bills. The first two cases (62, 63) devoted to this +group, contain the varieties of the Crow family. Here the visitor +should notice the finely-marked jays from various parts of the world; +the noisy and piping rollers of Australia and New Guinea; the crows, +rooks, and jackdaws from various parts of Europe; the New Zealand +wattle bird; the African changeable crow; and the rufous crow of +India. The next case (64) is bright with the gleaming plumage of the +New Guinea crows, or birds of paradise; and here, too, are the curious +grakles--the foetid and the bare-necked from South America; and the +Alpine and red-legged crows, or choughs, of elevated lands. Next in +succession is a case (65) in which are grouped the shining thrushes of +Australia, Asia, and Africa, which include the ingenious and tasteful +satin bower birds, that form decorated bowers of twigs and shells to +sport in; and here amid the grakles of the Indian Archipelago will be +found those curious birds, that gather their sustenance from insect +larvas which secrete in the coarse skin of the rhinoceros: these birds +are known under the name of African beef-eaters. The Starlings, which +are also of the crow family, are grouped in the case (66) next to that +in which the visitor found the beef-eaters and shining thrushes. They +resemble the beef-eaters closely in their mode of life, like them +deriving their food from the insect life that congregates upon various +kinds of cattle. Starlings are found in all the quarters of the globe, +and present many varieties, as the observer of the case under notice +will see. Here are the rose-coloured thrushes of Europe; the grakles +of Malabar, India, South Africa, and South America; and the stares of +America and Europe. The next case contains the varieties of the +American Icteric Orioles, which lay their eggs in the nests of other +birds, like the cuckoo. Among the varieties, the visitor should notice +the red-winged, crested, and banana orioles. The African and Indian +Weavers, so called from the peculiar construction of their nests, +occupy the case (68) next to that filled by the orioles. Here are also +the African, European, and American grosbeaks, so christened from that +strength of bill which enables them to demolish hard fruits. Among +these are the African widow birds; the Galapagos ground sparrows. The +beauty of the Tanagers of North and South America is well known. In +order of succession they here follow the grosbeaks (68, 69), and +present a brilliant group, including the golden tanager, the +red-breasted, the summer, and the bishop. And then the Finches, in all +their varieties of colour and size, occupy two cases (69, 70). Here, +among the more sober and unassuming of the numerous family, the +visitor will notice the common sparrow that chirps cheerfully through +the smoke of London alleys; the brown linnet with its lively notes; +the gayer goldfinches, greenfinches, chaffinches, the North American +songfinch, and the many varieties of the buntings, including the +epicure's ortolans that are found in various parts of the world. Next +in order to the finches, the Larks are grouped in a single case (71) +with other varieties of the great finch family. These birds sing as +they soar into the air; and on cloudless days, how often do the happy +notes of the skylark come down to the wanderer upon earth, with a +cheerful influence:-- + + "... The lark that sings in heaven + Builds its nest upon the ground." + +Here, with the larks, are several curious birds, including the +crossbeaks of Europe, the grosbeak of the South Sea Islands, the plant +cutters of South America, and the colies of India and the Cape, that +sleep in companies each suspended by one foot. The two last cases of +the cone-beaked perching birds, are devoted to those birds known +collectively as Hornbills, from the size and formation of their bills. +These remarkable birds are said to be another off-shoot of "the great +corvine nest;" and the author of "The Vestiges of Creation" regards +the hollow protuberance upon the upper mandible (which is the +distinguishing feature of the family), as "a sounding-board to +increase the vociferation which these birds delight to utter." The +remarkable varieties in the cases, are the helmet hornbill of India, +and the African rhinoceros hornbill. These birds prey upon small birds +and reptiles, which they toss into the air and then swallow whole. + +The Scansores, or Climbers, form the last section of the perching +birds. This is an interesting group, since it includes all the +varieties of the parrot, cockatoo, and macaw species; the woodpeckers, +the toucans, and the cuckoos. + +The visitor will arrive first before the three cases (74-76) devoted +to the Parrots, Cockatoos, and Macaws. The gaudy colours which they +display, and their well-known habits and powers, always ensure them a +large circle of spectators. Here the visitor should notice the +red-crowned parrot, and ground parrot of Australia; the South American +yellow-headed, and hawk-headed parrots; the horned parrot from New +Caledonia and the racket-tailed parrot of the Philippines. Among the +Macaws are the hyacinthine macaw of South America, and the blue and +yellow varieties. Among the Cockatoos, the visitor should notice the +great white cockatoo from the Indian Archipelago; and here also are +the Alexandrine parroquet and the Papuan lory. The Toucans, which +inhabit the deep recesses of tropical American forests, here occupy +the next case (77). They are recognised as a branch of the great +corvine family. Their enormous beaks are peculiarly adapted for +searching in quest of eggs about the crevices of trees. The varieties +here, include the Janeiro toucan, and the yellow-breasted toucan. The +three next cases contain the many varieties of the Woodpecker. +Woodpeckers are represented by naturalists as crows with a structure +adapted to "an insect-eating life amidst growing timber." They are to +be found in all quarters of the globe, searching out, with their long +beaks, the minute life that gathers in the interstices of trees. The +first case of the series, contains the South American and African +barbets, and the groove-billed barbican; the minute woodpecker, the +North American three-toed and white-billed woodpecker, and the spotted +woodpecker common in Europe. In the second case are the larger +varieties of the woodpecker, including the well-known great black +woodpecker of Europe; the North American red-headed woodpecker, and +the South American yellow-crested variety; the Carolina woodpecker; +and the Cayenne woodpecker. The third case contains the African and +American ground woodpeckers; and the Wrynecks of Africa, Europe, and +India. The chief food of the wrynecks consists of ants, which they +pick up with their delicately tapered tongues. + +The three last cases devoted to perching birds, are occupied by the +varieties of the Cuckoo family. In this country, the notes of the +cuckoo are hailed as the announcement of the dawning summer; and the +solitary and peculiar habits of the bird, but particularly its custom +of placing its eggs in the nests of larks, finches, sparrows, &c., and +so getting alien birds to bring up its young, have always made it an +object of particular curiosity to people generally. This latter custom +has been explained, by a high authority, thus:--"The fact is, that the +cuckoo is obliged by its constitutional character to stay an unusually +short time in the northern regions where it produces its young. In our +country its normal stay is only from the middle of April to the +beginning of July. Belated in its approach to the nursing regions, it +is obliged to make use of the nests of other birds, which it finds +ready built. What is worthy of notice, it employs the nests of its own +nearest relations, the larks, pipits, finches, sparrows, &c.--an +arrangement we may suppose to be connected in some way with the early +history of the whole group of species--a family or clan sacrifice, as +it were, for the benefit of a less fortunate member."[3] In the first +case of cuckoos, are the African honey cuckoos, and the South American +rain cuckoos. The birds of the former of these varieties are noted for +guiding depredators to the wild honeycombs; and the latter live upon +insects, snakes, and fruits. Here too are the Coucals of Africa, Java, +South America, and Australia, including the Australian giant coucal, +the Asiatic, South American, and West Indian anis; and the two cuckoos +of the tropics, including the gilded cuckoo, the greatspotted cuckoo, +and white-crested cuckoo from Africa, and the common European cuckoo. +Before leaving the region devoted to perching birds, the visitor +should glance at a few of the pictures which are suspended above the +cases in this compartment. They include, amongst various portraits of +British Museum donors, three of Sir Hans Sloane, one by Murray; Robert +Earl of Oxford, by Sir Godfrey Kneller; and Edward Earl of Oxford, by +Dahl. + +The visitor's way now lies to the north, into the third, or central +compartment of the gallery, the wall cases of which contain the +gallinaceous, or + +SCRAPING BIRDS. + +This order is divided into four distinct families--the Pigeons, the +Curassows, the Pheasants, and the Grouse and Partridge tribe. Of these +families the museum contains a fine and complete collection. The +beauty of the pheasant family--its varieties ranging from the gaudy +splendour of the peacock to the more modest beauty of the common +hen--are here fully represented. + +In the first case (84) of Scraping Birds, are grouped the Asiatic, +African, and Australian tree pigeons, which inhabit the woods, and +live on berries and various kinds of seeds. The collection includes +the Javan black-capped pigeon, and the parrot and aromatic pigeons of +India. The two next cases (85, 86) are filled with the true pigeons +and turtles of various parts of the world, in all their varieties--the +Indian nutmeg pigeon, and the Australian antarctic pigeon. The next +case is devoted to the common European turtle and the North American +migratory pigeon. The next case is filled with the varieties of the +ground Dove, among which the visitor should notice the ground turtle, +the West Indian partridge pigeon, the great crowned pigeon of the +Indian Isles, and the bronze-winged pigeon of Australia. Leaving the +pigeons behind, the visitor's attention is next called to the two +cases of Curassows (89, 90), the poultry peculiar to South America. +They feed on fruit, worms, and insects; and live in small flocks. The +curassows are followed by the varieties of the pheasant tribe, grouped +in thirteen cases (91-103). The three first cases are given up to the +splendid East Indian Pheasants known to Europeans generally, as +peacocks. They were brought to the west and valued for the beauty of +their plumage many centuries before the Christian era, and no doubt +helped to inflame the imagination of the Mediterranean merchants who +dreamt of the untold wealth of the Indies. The specimens of these +birds here preserved, are fine samples of the species. They include +the iris and crested peacocks, the Japan peacock, the Thibet +crossoptilon, and the Argus pheasant. The two following cases (94, 95) +of the pheasant family contain the varieties of true Asiatic +pheasants; but the visitor's attention will be immediately riveted +upon the specimens of the splendid Chinese pheasant known as Reeves' +Chinese pheasant. The plumage of this pheasant is very beautiful, the +feathers of the tail measuring sometimes between five and six feet in +length. The three following cases (96-98) are filled with varieties of +the pheasant from Indian climes. In the first case are the pheasants +from the Himalayan Mountains, and the pencilled variety from China. In +the third case the visitor should notice the handsome fire-backed +pheasant of Sumatra, the superb pheasant, Sonnerat's wild cock, and +the cock of Java. The two following cases (99, 100) contain the +remainder of the pheasant varieties. Amongst these the visitor will +find, the horned and black-headed pheasants of India, the American +turkey, the pintados of Africa and Guinea, and the pheasants from the +north of Asia that live upon bulbous roots, known as the Impeyan +pheasants. The immediate successors of the pheasants, in point of +order, are the Partridges, of which the collection contains three +cases (101-103). These birds inhabit both hemispheres, and specimens +of the different varieties are grouped in the cases. In the first case +the visitor should notice the Currie partridge, from Nepal, the Cape +and bare-necked partridges of Africa, and the sanguine pheasant; in +the second case, the common European partridge and quail, the red +European partridge, the Indian olive partridge, and the Andalusian +quail; in the third and last partridge case, Californian and crested +quails, and the Indian crowned partridge. Next in order are the +Grouse, grouped in two cases (104, 105). In the first of these cases +the visitor will notice the wood grouse of Scotland, and the ruffed +and other grouse of America; in the second case, the sand-grouse of +the scorching deserts. The last case of the scraping birds is occupied +by the Sheathbills, which, as the visitor will perceive, closely +resemble grouse. They are from South America; the tinamous, from the +warmer parts of the Continent; and the megapodius, of Australia and +the Asiatic islands. + +It now remains for the visitor to notice a few of the paintings +suspended in this compartment, above the wall cases. These paintings +include a copy of Klingstad's portrait of Peter I. of Russia, three +historical portraits, presented to the museum by the Rev. A. Planta, +and a hunting scene by Geo. B. Weenix. + +The visitor should now advance into the fourth compartment of the +gallery, the wall-cases of which are devoted to the specimens of + +WADING BIRDS. + +Most interesting families of birds are included in this order. First, +there are the Ostriches, which are the envy of all people cursed with +weak digestive powers; then there is the Dodo, with its mysterious and +half-told history; also the Bustards, the Coursers, the Plovers, the +Cranes, the Storks, the Sandpipers, the Snipes, &c. These varieties of +wading birds are carefully classed, and represented in the compartment +of the gallery to which the visitor has now worked his way. First in +the order of arrangement stand the ostriches, occupying the cases +(107, 109). Some naturalists refuse to class ostriches with the order +of wading birds, and elevate them to the dignity of a distinct order, +Cursores, or runners; but in the museum, as the visitor will perceive, +they are at the head of the wading order. Unscientific people know +more about the ostrich than about most other birds of foreign climes. +Few people have not heard that the egg of the ostrich weighs three +pounds--that the sun is the bird's Cantelo--that he has only two toes +to each foot--that he sometimes exceeds six feet in height--and that +it would not be an act of madness to back a stout specimen, for speed, +against an average horse. The digestion of the ostrich has been +considerably strengthened in the minds of unscientific persons by +imaginative travellers; the fact being that these birds live upon +vegetable food, occasionally swallowing stones, or a bit of iron, in +aid of that digestion which has been so misrepresented. In the cases +before the visitor are the African ostrich, and his relations, the +Australian cassowary, and the American emu--all characterised by the +absence of a hind toe. Having noticed these fine birds, the visitor +will be anxious to learn something of the mysterious case (108), which +contains a foot, the cast of a skull, and a painting. Here he sees all +that has yet been traced of the extinct dodo, a bird which is believed +to have existed in vast numbers up to a recent period, chiefly on the +Bourbon and Mauritius islands. The painting is said to be an authentic +Dutch performance, taken from the living bird at the time when the +Cape of Good Hope was doubled by adventurous men heated with +exaggerated notions of the exhaustless wealth of the Indies. Its +precise position among birds has not been finally assigned. It appears +to have been incapable of flight, to have had a vulture's head, and +the foot of a common fowl. It is conjectured that the race was +extinguished by the rapacity of the first settlers in the Mauritius, +who, finding the dodo excellent eating and an easy prey, demolished +every specimen of the species. Near these wrecks of the dodo, and in +the same case, is the New Zealand wingless bird, now almost extinct, +but to scientific men an interesting link between the bird and the +mammalia. The Bustards occupy the two next cases (110, 111) to which +the visitor should direct his attention. Here are the two bustards of +the eastern hemisphere, the great European bustard, the African ruffed +and white-eared bustards, and the Arabian bustard. The next case (112) +contains the varieties of wading birds called, from their power of +running, Coursers. These are chiefly found in Africa; but the +varieties in the case include, in addition to the North African +cream-coloured courser, and the double-collared courser, the +thick-kneed European bustard. The Plovers are arranged next in order +to the coursers. The varieties included in the case (113) are from +Africa, North America, and Europe. Here are, amongst others, the +beautiful golden-ringed and dotterel plovers of Europe, and the +American noisy plover. In the case which next claims attention (114) +are the turnstones, that turn stones on the sea-shore in search of +food; the oyster catchers, that wrench shell fish from their shells; +and the South American gold-breasted and other trumpeters. The Cranes, +of which there is an extensive collection, now claim the visitor's +attention. They are from all parts of the world, and love the borders +of rivers and lakes, where they can prey upon small reptiles and fish. +In the first cases (115-118) are the true cranes, including the common +European variety, the Indian crane, the South American caurale snipe, +the common and purple-crested herons of Europe, the Pacific heron, the +crowned heron, the North American great heron, and the African +demoiselle heron. In the two following cases (120, 121) the visitor +will find the American blue heron, and the great and little egrets; +and in the next two cases given to the crane family (122, 123) are the +bittern and little bittern of Europe, the American lineated bittern, +the squacco and night herons of Europe, the American night heron, the +European spoonbill, and the South American cinereous boatbill. The +examination of these varieties will give the visitor a clear idea of +the peculiarities of birds that frequent marshes and the borders of +streams. + +The next case to which the visitor will direct his steps, is that +(124) in which the Storks of Europe and America, including the white +and black varieties, are grouped. In the case next in order of +succession to that given to the storks (125) are some interesting +branches of the crane family, including the Indian gigantic crane. +Here also are the jabirus of America and Senegal, and the +North-American ibis, which will introduce the spectator to the case of +ibises, among which is the sacred ibis of the Egyptians; the +black-headed Indian ibis; and that of New Holland. Next, in order +(127), are the Godwits, which follow the mild seasons from one country +to another; among them are the English red godwit; and the Australian +terek snipe. In the next case (128) the visitor should examine the +varieties of Snipes and Sand-pipers it contains. These birds hunt +their food in gravel and amid stones in most localities. The most +remarkable of the group are the lanky avoçets, with their long legs +adapted to hunt rivers for fish spawn and water insects: among them, +the long-legged plover should be noticed. The varieties of the +sand-piper, in the next case (129), now claim a careful inspection. +Sand-pipers inhabit various parts of the world, and, like the ibises, +love the neighbourhood of water, where they seek the food congenial to +them. The Phalaropes, which are also represented in this case, are +natives of the eternal ice of the arctic regions, where they subsist +upon crustacea. The visitor passes from the sand-pipers to the case of +Snipes (130), including the British varieties, and the snipe of India. +In the next case (131) the visitor should notice the Chinese and South +American jacanas, that walk about unconcernedly upon the floating +leaves of water plants; with these are grouped the South American +Screamers. The three last cases devoted to wading birds, contain the +varieties of the British and North American Rails: the varieties of +the Gallinule, including the European purple gallinule, the South +American variety, and the Australian black-backed variety; and the +Finfoots of Africa and America. All these birds inhabit marshy land, +or the banks of streams, and derive their food from the insect life +that swarms near the water. With the finfoots the collection of wading +birds closes; but before going on his way, the visitor should glance +at the paintings which are hung about the wall cases in this room or +compartment. These include portraits of Lord Chancellor Bacon; Andrew +Marvel; a copy from the picture at Wimpole of Admiral Lord Anson; +Camden; Matthew Prior; William Cecil, Lord Burghley; Sir Isaac Newton; +Archbishop Cranmer; and George Buchanan. Having examined these works, +the visitor's way lies in a direct line to the last room of the +eastern gallery--to that, the wall cases of which, are filled with the +families of + +WEB FOOTED BIRDS. + +This section of the birds includes all those which are able to support +themselves upon the surface of the water. The varieties include the +gaudy Flamingos; the Albatross that frighted the ancient mariner; the +Pelicans with their pouches; the impetuous Gannets, and the remarkable +Frigate Bird. And here, too, the visitor will find the varieties of +ducks, geese, and swans, all classed in regular order. The web-footed +birds occupy no less than thirty-one cases; to each of which the +visitor should pay some attention. The first case of the series (135) +is gay with the bright red plumage of the flamingos, with their +crooked upper mandible, and their long legs and necks. The next four +cases (136-139) of the series are occupied by the varieties of the +Goose. In the first of these cases the visitor should notice the +varieties of the spur-winged goose from various parts of the world; +including the black-backed goose. In the three following cases the +white fronted and grey-legged European geese; the Canada and +Magellanic geese; and the Indian barred-headed goose; and the +cereopsis from New Holland. The stately Swans from various parts of +the world, all graceful; including the handsome black-necked swan, and +the whistling swan, occupy the three cases next in succession +(140-142). The Ducks occupy no less than eight cases; and the visitor +will linger over the beautiful varieties, without once allowing the +unkind association of green peas to enter his head. In the first four +cases (143-146) are the sub-families of the true duck, collected from +various parts of the world;--the teal from China; the whistling duck +from South America, and the European varieties of the common teal, the +widgeon, and the sheldrake. Three cases (147-149) are filled with +those sub-families of the duck which prefer the sea or the great +lakes, including the handsome red-crested European duck; the eider +duck, which is robbed of its down for the comfort of mankind;[4] the +scoter and nyroca ducks; and, in the third case, the spinous-tailed +ducks of southern climes. The arctic birds, known as the Mergansers, +are grouped in the next case (150): and, proceeding on his way, the +visitor will arrive before the cases (151-152) of Divers, from the +north, so called from the strength with which they dive for the fish +upon which they live; but their powers in this respect are not +equalled by those of a sub-family of web-footed birds, which the +visitor will presently reach. Before reaching the cases in which the +interesting sub-families of the Gulls are exhibited the visitor should +remark the varieties of the Grebes in case 152; the two following +cases devoted to the Auks from the arctic regions; and the true Auks +of Britain; the varieties of the Penguins, or marine parrots; and the +Guillemots. From these birds the visitor's way lies in the direction +of the six cases (155-160) in which the sub-families of the gulls are +grouped. The contents of the first cases will at once strike him: here +are the Petrels, and the associations of shipwreck and disaster with +which they have ever been connected. The group includes the stormy +petrel, and the albatross. They have an altogether wild and singular +appearance. The true gulls of every sea are grouped in the next three +cases (157-159): they come from the ice of the polar seas, and from +our own shores, including the kittiwake gull, and the European +black-backed gull. The last case of the gull family (160) is given to +the Terns, which are caught in all parts of the world; and the +Skimmers, so called from the dexterity with which they skim the +surface of the water, keeping the under mandible immersed, and the +upper dry, in search of prey. Next to the gulls are placed the Tropic +Birds (161), the name of which indicates their native clime. These +birds prey upon fish; some, as the red-tailed tropic bird, darting +upon the flying-fish; and others, as the darters, boldly plunging into +the tide from overhanging boughs, in search of their favourite prey; +here, too, is the common Cormorant. Four more cases remain for +examination, and then the visitor will have closed his inspection of +the museum specimens of birds. These four cases contain, however, one +or two birds, the habits of which are singular. First, there are the +Pelicans with their capacious pouches. The rapidity with which these +birds swallow small fish has been witnessed by most people at our +Zoological Gardens. The visitor should notice next, the European +Gannet, of which strange stories of strength and prowess are related. +The velocity with which they dive in search of food has been variously +estimated. It is said that on the coast of Scotland, fishermen have +found them entangled in their nets at the extraordinary depth of a +hundred and twenty feet below the surface. Pennant relates a story of +a bird, which, on seeing some pilchards lying upon a floating plank, +darted down with such strength, that its bill pierced the board. And +now the visitor should turn to contemplate the grand and solitary +Frigate Bird. This bird appears to have the power of sustaining itself +in the air for an indefinite period, and to wander with the utmost +confidence on its broad pinions, over hundreds of miles of ocean, now +and then dipping to secure its prey. This slim, pale, and solitary +wanderer must have a noble appearance, when calmly sailing upon its +great expanse of wing, a thousand miles from any resting-place, its +food floating in the element below, to be taken at will. Before +leaving the last, or most northerly apartment of the eastern +zoological gallery, the visitor would do well to notice a few of the +pictures which are suspended above the wall cases. Here are portraits +of Voltaire; the hardy Sir Francis Drake; Cosmo de Medici and his +secretary (a copy from Titian); Martin Luther; Jean Rousseau; Captain +William Dampier, by Murray; Giorgioni's Ulysses Aldrovandus; Sir Peter +Paul Kubens; the inventor of moveable type, John Guttenberg (which +would be more appropriately placed in the library); John Locke; a poor +woman, named Mary Davis, who in the seventeenth century, was +celebrated for an excrescence which grew upon her head, and finally +parted into two horns; the great Algernon Sidney; Pope; Ramsay's +portrait of the celebrated Earl of Chesterfield, who, according to Dr. +Johnson, "taught the morality of a profligate, and the manners of a +dancing master," and a landscape by Wilson. At the northern door of +this gallery are, a painting of Stonehenge, and one of the cromlech at +Plâs Newydd, in Anglesea. + +The visitor's way now lies to the west out of the eastern zoological +gallery into the most southerly of the two northern galleries. This +gallery, which consists of five compartments, or rooms, is called + +THE NORTHERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY. + +The wall cases of this gallery, to which the visitor's attention +should now be exclusively devoted, contain various zoological +families. In the first eight wall cases of the room are distributed +the varieties of Bats. These are placed here, away from the mammalia, +on account of the pressure of room. They are not to be mistaken as +birds in any particular. They are essentially mammalia, inasmuch as +they produce their young in a breathing state and suckle them. The +bats of England and other cold climates remain in a torpid condition, +and only spread their wings of stretched skin when the songbirds +report the advent of the warmth of spring. The visitor will notice +amongst the varieties in the three first cases, the Brazilian bats, +including the vampire bat (which has been known to attack a man in his +sleep and suck blood from him), the remarkable leaf-nosed bats which +are ranged upon the upper shelves, and the Indian and African +varieties; and underneath are grouped the well-known horse-shoe bats +of the eastern hemisphere. In the next case (4) are the long-eared +European bats, with ears like curled leaves; and the American, +African, and Australian varieties. The fifth case is filled with +groups of the African and Indian taphozous; the South American +tropical bats; and the West Indian chelonicteres and moormops. The +last three cases, devoted to the varieties of the bat (6-8), contain +those sub-families which are known as Flying Foxes, from their great +size. These live on fruits, and inhabit Australia, and the southern +countries of the eastern hemisphere. + +The visitor's way now lies westward into the second compartment of the +northern zoological gallery; for in this room, as in the rooms through +which he has already passed, he should confine his attention, for the +present, to the wall cases, reserving the examination of all table +cases for his return visit, on his way out. And here the visitor may +well pause to think upon the zoological travels he has already made, +from the mammalia, which present the highest types of animal life; +through the sub-families of birds, which form Cuvier's secondary class +of vertebrata, or animals with a back-bone; to the threshold of the +room in which the tertiary class of back-boned animals are deposited. +This class includes the great families of + +REPTILES, + +of which there are no less than six hundred and fifty-seven varieties. +Reptiles are vertebrated animals belonging to Cuvier's first great +section, but distinguished from mammalia and birds, by their cold +blood, their oviparous generation, and the absence of either feathers +or hair from their bodies. They take precedence of fish in the animal +kingdom, having lungs for aerial respiration, and "a higher +circulatory organisation than the exclusive inhabitants of the water." +In the museum, Cuvier's classification has been followed, with slight +variations; that is to say, the reptiles have been re-divided into +four classes:--the Sauria, or Lizards (in which class some modern +naturalists, as Merrem and others, include serpents); the Ophidia, or +Serpents; the Testudinata, or Tortoises; and the Batrachia, or Frogs. +The lizards occupy the first ten wall cases in this room. + +The first case contains those lizards of India and Africa which have +long held the regard of eastern nations, upon the slender report that +they hiss upon the approach of a crocodile, and so warn the incautious +traveller to retreat in time. The truth is, these sauria prey upon the +crocodile's eggs, no doubt to the particular annoyance of the +crocodile, who are, therefore, it is more than probable, no friends of +the monitors. The Egyptian would love the monitor for feeding upon the +crocodile germ, as much as for his timely warning of the approach of +the uncouth enemy. The curious heloderms, from Mexico, with their +ophidian teeth, lie at the bottom of the fifth case: they are +supposed, but as yet on insufficient grounds, to be poisonous. In the +next case (6) are the lizards of tropical America, called safeguards. +Their reputed peculiarity is that, of beating beehives till they +compel the bees to retire, and then feasting upon the sweet booty: in +the same case with these, is the lizard with the double-keeled tail, +known as the crocodilurus. The visitor next faces a case (7) of +Serpent Lizards, which do not deserve their reputation for poisonous +properties, being quite harmless: here, also, are the Skinks and other +varieties, including the blind worms with their hidden legs. Having +dismissed the serpent lizards, the visitor will notice the Night +Lizards and Guanas. The former are inhabitants of warm climates, and +from the ease with which they can adapt themselves to any positions, +they may be troublesome visitors; they can run with ease about the +walls and ceilings of rooms, like flies; and their propensity is to +roam abroad in the darkness of the night. Their broad, ugly heads, and +repulsive general appearance, have won for them the character of +poisonous reptiles, but the truth is they are harmless. The Crested +Lizards which the visitor will notice hereabouts, are the American +fruit-eating species, celebrated for violent quarrelling among +themselves, and for their power of changing colour with great +rapidity. They do not crawl upon the earth, but live on trees, the +fruits of which sustain them. Here, too, are the Anoles, with their +distended toes, that enable them to imitate the crawling feats of the +night lizards. The tenth case devoted to the lizard tribe, is the most +interesting of the series. It contains the family of lizards known as +the Agama. This family boasts many famous scions. First, here are the +Indian dragons; their resemblance to the fabled monster slain by St. +George, consists of a loose skin over the ribs, which they can open or +fold at pleasure. These bat-like wings will not support them in the +air, but serve to steady their bodies when leaping from branch to +branch of a tree. From these lilliputian representatives of the +monster of fable, the visitor's attention will most probably be called +by an important-looking lizard, of which Mr. Allan Cunningham brought +the first specimens to this country, from Port Nelson, Australia. We +allude to the lizard with a frill round its neck, which has been +universally likened to that worn by Queen Elizabeth: it is called the +frilled agama. It is supposed that this harmless sauroid extends this +frill to frighten away its enemies; as old ladies, who can preserve +their presence of mind in the neighbourhood of a bull, open their +umbrella to frighten it into an opposite direction. Under these +interesting sub-families are grouped the varieties of a species of +agama that has won for itself an imperishable reputation--having +furnished imaginative minds with matter for the most extravagant +speculations--and yielded to the political writer abundant sarcastic +images. No politician who has thought proper in the course of a long +career, to change his old principles for new ones (as housewives +exchange worn-out apparel for new gilded pottery); no philosopher who +has by turns embraced conflicting principles of human action; no man +of science who has published two opposite theories of the formation of +our universe, can pause without emotion before this case of classed +Chameleons; for the politician, the philosopher, and the man of +science have inevitably figured in hostile reviews under the head of +colour-changing sauroids. The popular notion respecting the +colour-changing powers of these lizards is, that at will the chameleon +can habit itself in any colour of the rainbow; that by turns it is a +red chameleon, a blue chameleon, a green chameleon, and a yellow +chameleon. The fact of the case is very far-from this notion. +Chameleons are found chiefly in Africa and India, but also in some of +the tropical islands. In their habits they are sluggards, lounging +generally about trees, and distending their long tongues covered with +a glutinous secretion, to secure passing insects, upon which they +subsist. They have eyes of wonderful power, and can look backwards and +forwards at the same moment; but as regards their colour, it is well +to assure the visitor, that their usual tint when resting in the shade +is a blue-grey, which sometimes pales to a lighter grey, turns green, +assumes a brown-grey tint, or darkens to a decided brown. These are +the sober observations of observant naturalists on the subject. + +The class of reptiles to which the visitor should next direct his +attention are those classed by Cuvier and others under the head of +Ophidia, or + +SERPENTS. + +The particulars in which, the serpent differs from the lizard are, +that the former have no feet, cast their bright coats annually (like +our metropolitan postmen), and swallow their food without masticating +it. They occupy seven cases. The upper part of the first case contains +many of the most poisonous serpents. Among these are the well-known +and formidable Rattlesnakes of America, with specimens of their +rattles lying near them, which, as the visitor-will see, are a +succession of osseous joints. Here too are the terrible cobra di +capello, and other poisonous serpents of India; the South American fer +de lance; the vipers of Europe; the North African crested viper; and +the Cape of Good Hope and Western African puff adder; the Guinea +nosehorn viper, and the common viper found in England--our only +dangerous serpent. These serpents all inflict their poisonous wounds +by means of two fangs, which they protrude from the mouth, and from +the points of which they inject the poisonous matter into the wounds +they inflict. On the lower shelves of this case the visitor will find +some specimens of the Sea-Serpents, which frequent the East Indian +seas, and the coast of New Holland. They are dangerous reptiles, +having small fangs amid their teeth, with which they attack bathing +animals or men. Some of them have been found sleeping on the warm +bosom of a tropical ocean; and upon the warm sands of the shore they +are often found, coiled up in a torpid state. They vary greatly in +size: but the visitor will perceive none approaching in length to that +remarkable reptile which artists, despairing in their attempts to give +it the proper dimensions, lately coiled about the wide pages of +pictorial papers. + +The visitor will next have his attention drawn to that family of +serpents of which the Boa is the great representative. These are all +grouped together in cases (12-15). This family has what naturalists +call "the rudiments of legs." They are a nobler family than that which +the rattlesnake represents, inasmuch as they do not depend upon poison +to master their enemy; but fight legitimately, with their muscular +strength. The terrible pictures which adorn the pages of eastern +travels for children, of poor Indians with just their heads appearing +above the folds of a gigantic boa, will probably recur to the visitor, +as he surveys the tortuous folds of the placid specimens of the family +that lie before him. It is therefore hardly necessary to inform him +that the boa family destroy their prey by coiling round it, and having +secured their tail to a tree to give themselves additional strength, +by crushing every bone in its body. Having thus taken the life out of +the victim, the destroyer, with some trouble, if the animal be large, +swallows it, and lies down for weeks to allow the process of digestion +to go on. Some of these boas are from Africa, some from India, and +some from America. The last two cases of serpents (16, 17) include +many varieties. Here are the common water and ring snakes of England; +the coach whip snakes, that live coiled about trees; the black and red +ringed snakes, known as the coral snakes; and the varieties of +serpents with which the famed serpent charmers of India exhibit their +skill. The juggler snakes have the peculiar power of inflating the +skin of the neck till it bulges over the head, and so forms a kind of +hood. The Indian varieties of these hooded snakes are poisonous, and +are distinguishable from the others by a yellow spot on the back of +the neck. + +From the serpents the visitor should turn to the families of the +Testudinata, or + +TORTOISES. + +Tortoises are broadly divided into three species, namely, land +tortoises; fresh water tortoises, of which there are no less than +forty-six varieties; and marine tortoises, well known to the citizens +of London, in the shape of turtle-soup. The land tortoises subsist on +vegetables, and are said to live occasionally more than two hundred +years. The two first cases devoted to Testudinata (18, 19) contain the +American, Indian, and African varieties of the land tortoise. Here is +the gigantic tortoise from Galapagos, for the flesh of which many a +sailor has been grateful. The visitor will remark that the shells of +some of the sub-families are handsomely marked. The fresh water +tortoises, having the greatest number of sub-families, occupy three +cases (20-22). This species is found in the marshes or rivers of warm +climates, where they prey upon small fishes and frogs. The thurgi +tortoise of India, and the American snapping-tortoise, grow to a great +size. In the lower part of case 22 are specimens of those tortoises +which sleep with their heads bent under the margin of their shell. In +the last case devoted to tortoises, are those hard tortoises known as +the three-clawed terrapins of Asia, Africa, and America. These are the +strictly carnivorous family that feed in the water; and may be seen +preying upon the human remains that float down the Ganges. Under these +terrible epicures are the marine tortoises or turtles; and among them +the green turtle of the tropics. Shellfish and sea-weed are its chief +food; of its flesh, all Londoners who have not tasted it, can speak +pretty confidently from hearsay. It grows occasionally to a great +size; those smaller ones which the citizens prize weighing generally +about 600 lb. Here too are the turtle of the Mediterranean, and the +hawksbill turtle of Arabia, to which ladies are indebted for the +choicest of their tortoise-shell combs. Having sufficiently dwelt upon +the interesting histories of the tortoises, the visitor's way lies +forward in the direction of the two cases next in order of succession, +which are devoted to the Loricata, or + +CROCODILES. + +The varieties of this family are not many; they are grouped in three +cases (24-26). Here are the terrible common crocodiles which have long +been the terror of the people whose native land they inhabit; the +alligators, which patronise America exclusively; and the gavials of +India. They are said to act as orderlies, in the rivers they frequent, +devouring all the putrid matter that would else infect the atmosphere. +Here too are those curious snakes which are equally thick at either +end--a peculiarity which has earned for them the appellation of +double-headed, and the supposed power of walking indifferently +forwards or backwards. The visitor now approaches the + +FROGS, + +called by zoologists after the Greek name, Batrachia. The author of +the Vestiges of Creation remarks, that the frog is the only animal +that, like man, has a calf on the hinder part of its legs. The +batrachian animals are here all grouped in one case (26). They have +many peculiarities. They are in the first place almost ribless; their +feet are in no way armed; many of the toads have no teeth, and those +of the frog are insignificant for its size; they have no tails; +neither the frogs nor the toads are venomous; the fiery expectorations +of the poor toads are matters of household fable only; and their +croaking choruses have startled many a poor traveller. One variety, in +the case with which the visitor is now engaged, is remarkable. Here +are specimens of the tree frogs that can walk with their backs +downwards on the most polished surfaces, and can slightly change their +colour; the paradoxical frog from Surinam, which is larger as a +tadpole than in its condition of maturity; the Brazilian horned toads; +the American bull frogs; and the Brazilian pipa, the female of which +deposits its eggs upon the back of the male, who carries them about +till they burst from their shells; the repulsive siren of Carolina, +which Mr. J.E. Gray likens to an eel with fore-legs; and lastly, here +is the blushing proteus, which in its native subterranean caverns is +of a pale pink, but when brought to the light of day, deepens into a +crimson blush; this is represented by a waxen model. It is strange +that political and controversial literature, so rich in chameleons, +asses in lions' skins, and other figures for human fallibility and +stupidity, should not contain a few, just a few, varieties of the +blushing proteus. + +The visitor has now examined all the wall cases of the second room; +and his way again lies to the west. The third or central room of the +gallery, which he is now about to enter, is to a large class of +country visitors, perhaps the most interesting apartment of the +museum. Herein is deposited a complete museum of the animal life of +Britain, comprehending the beasts and birds native to its soil, and +the fishes that swim in its waters. + +THE BRITISH ZOOLOGICAL ROOM. + +In this room, as in the previous rooms, the vertebrated animals are +grouped in the wall cases or on the top of the cases. It is hardly +necessary to guide the visitor systematically through the intricacies +of a collection, every beast, bird, fish, and shell of which is native +to his own land. In the wall cases devoted to British vertebrate +animals he will notice, first the Carnivorous Beasts, which include +the foxes; stoats; cats; &c.:--the Glirine Beasts, including rabbits; +squirrels; hares; rats; and mice:--the Hoofed Beasts, as the fallow +deer; the stag; and the roebuck:--and the Insectivorous Beasts, +including moles; hedgehogs; &c. + +The collection of British birds includes the Birds of Prey, as the +hawks; the eagles; and the owls:--the Perching Birds, as the swallows; +kingfishers; thrushes; butcher birds; rollers; and wagtails:--the +Scraping Birds, as pheasants; pigeons; quails; partridges; and +guinea-fowls:--the Wading Birds, including the woodcock; snipes; +herons; sandpipers; storks; &c.:--and the Web-footed Birds, including +swans; ducks, and sea ducks; grebes; divers; auks; petrels; gulls; +gannets; cormorants; &c. The eggs of the birds are in a table case (1) +and arranged like the birds. + +The British reptiles are all collected in the upper part of one case, +including toads; frogs; and lizards. + +The British fish occupy the remainder of the wall cases. These include +perch; bream; the john-dory; carp; barbel; salmon; pike; trout; +sturgeon; the shark; thornback; lamprey; turbot; plaice; sole; +flounder; cod; haddock; &c. + +INSECTS AND SHELLS. + +Three tables (2-4) are devoted to insects with jaws; the insects that +are furnished with a proboscis; and a collection of British Crustacea, +including lobsters; crabs; woodlice; shrimps; &c. On the table upon +which the Insects with Jaws are spread, the visitor will notice many +household torments, including beetles; crickets; earwigs, bees; and +wasps: and in the general collection, ants; grasshoppers; cockroaches; +dragon-flies; &c. The Insects with a proboscis include some beautiful +butterflies with their painted wings; gnats; and, to the horror of +many female visitors, bugs. + +The three next tables are covered with specimens of the shells of +British mollusca, or soft-bodied animals. Here are the shells of +snails, cockles, mussels, oysters, &c. + +The collection closes with a table case (8) which is covered with +specimens of those animals called by Cuvier radiated creatures, or +creatures whose nervous force is concentrated in a central point +whence it radiates, as in the starfish; sea eggs, &c; corals; sea +pens; corallines, &c. + +Having made this rapid survey of the animal life of Great Britain from +its highest to its lowest developments, the visitor should again +resume his journey westward, to the fourth room of the gallery, in +which the collection of + +FISHES + +begins. Here the Osseous or bony fishes are distributed in and on the +top of the wall cases. While taking a general glance at the +arrangement of the room, the visitor will at once be struck by the +specimens of Sword fish--especially by the Indian flying sword fish, +which are placed on the top of the wall cases on account of their +length--and some of the pikes or swords of these fish, one of which, +it is asserted, was driven, by the fish to which it belonged, into the +hull of a stout oak ship. On the top of one of the cases the visitor +should notice also the remarkable large head, from Mexico, with a long +dorsal ray. + +There are six orders or families of osseous or bony fish; and +specimens of all these will be found in the wall cases of this room. +First there is the family of + +SPINY-FINNED FISHES. + +This family occupies the first thirteen wall cases. Among the fishes +in the first four cases, the visitor should notice the flying +gurnards; the sea scorpions, and flying sea scorpions; the paradise +fish; and the perches, including the fingered variety. The next cases +(4-9) include, amid other varieties, the chaetodons, or +bristle-toothed fish; mackarel, and horse mackarel; tunny; scombers, +&c.; john-dories; and pilot fish. Then follow, next in succession, two +cases (10, 11) containing the lively dolphins, which are remarkable +for the rapidity with which they change colour when they are withdrawn +from the water; the sturgeons, with their lancet spine; and the sea +garters. The next two cases include the remaining specimens of the +spiny-finned fish. Among these are the wolf fish; the curiously formed +tobacco-pipe fish; the big-headed dolphins or anglers; the hand fish, +with its long fins; and the rook fish. + +THE SOFT-FINNED FISHES + +are deposited in nine cases. In the first two cases (14, 15) of the +series, are the fresh water fish of different countries, including the +voracious and long-lived pike: these form an interesting group for the +contemplation of anglers. The next case is devoted to hard-coated +fish, as the Callichthes, which are cased with a thick scale armour; +and the hard-coated Loricaria. The fish grouped in the other cases of +the series, are mostly familiar to the general visitor. Here are the +varieties of the salmon and the herring; cod; ling; turbot; flounders; +eels of various kinds; whiting; and the lump fish. The remaining four +cases of this room are devoted to a series of fishes including, in +cases 23, 24, the globe fish with a parrot's beak; and the ungainly +sea horses. The two last cases (25, 26) include the file fish; the +coffin fishes with their hard case of octagonal plates; and the +European and American sturgeons. Having examined the varieties of +osseous fishes, the visitor should continue his westerly course into +the fifth and last room, a compartment of the northern zoological +gallery. In this room he will find the wall cases devoted to + +CARTILAGINOUS FISHES. + +Many of the specimens of this division are placed on the top of the +wall cases, being too large to be placed inside the cases. The +Cartilaginous fishes here brought together include the varieties of +the ray; torpedos; and sharks. At the western extremity of this room +the visitor should terminate the onward course of his first visit, +and, remembering that the table cases of the northern and eastern +galleries through which he has passed, remain to be examined on his +way back to the grand staircase, should begin to retrace his steps, +confining his attention, as he returns, to the table cases placed in +the central space of the rooms through which his way lies. He should +now therefore face the east, and return, in the northern zoological +gallery towards its eastern extremity. The table cases deposited in +the room with the cartilaginous fish are covered with + +SPONGES + +of different kinds. It will be interesting to the visitor to know +something of the natural history of the sponge. It has been +ascertained, beyond a doubt, that the sponge is an animal that sucks +in its food and excretes its superfluities; that certain of its pores +imbibe, while others exude; and that according to the relative +positions of the two distinct sets of pores, is the shape of the +sponge determined. In a natural state, as it is found in the +Mediterranean, the sponge is surrounded with a thick glutinous matter, +which is its vital part; like coral, it is a zoophyte: it propagates +in the same manner, and its life is indestructible till it is removed +from its proper element, and the glutinous matter which makes its +vitality has been boiled out of its pores, leaving the soft and +beautiful skeletons, of which these cases contain many specimens. Here +also are some old sponges preserved in flint. Having noticed these +beautiful zoophytes, the visitor should proceed in an easterly +direction into the room he recently quitted, to examine the table +cases it contains. The first tables to which he should direct his +attention here, are those in which a series of Crustacea or +hard-coated animals are deposited. They are of Cuvier's order of +animal life, known as the articulata, or animals whose bodies consist +of a series of moveable joints. These are mostly inhabitants of the +sea, and rank in the animal kingdom as the highest class of the +Articulata, except the insects, who head the order. The tables upon +which the Crustacea or + +SHELL FISH, + +are deposited, are numbered from 13 to 24. The four first cases +(13-16) are covered with Crabs of various kinds, including the +long-legged spider-crabs, common crabs with oysters growing upon their +backs, and fin-footed swimming crabs. The next case (17) contains in +addition to the long-eyed or telescope crab, varieties of the +land-crab, which is found in various parts of India; one kind, that +swarms in the Deccan, commits great ravages in the rice-fields. The +two next tables are covered with Chinese crabs, square-bodied crabs; +those crabs with fine shells known as porcelain crabs, and the curious +death's head crab, which seems to build a kind of nest of sponge or +shells. But upon the next table (20) the visitor will find the most +remarkable of the crabs, together with an astonishing lobster. This +crab is known as the hermit crab. The visitor will perceive, that it +has a long naked tail; and he should know that the one all-absorbing +care of its life seems to be to find a place of safety in which this +unprotected part may be screened from the dire mischances of war. +Accordingly, at an early age, it sets out in search of a deserted +shell into which it backs its tail; or if an unoccupied shell be not +at hand, without much ceremony, the hermit contrives a summary +ejectment of the lawful tenant, that it may shield its tail and be at +rest. Upon the same table with this unceremonious hermit, lies the +tree-lobster, which is believed to climb cocoa-trees in search of the +nuts. Upon the next table (21) are the sea craw-fish and sea locusts; +and upon the succeeding table (22) the visitor will remark the +destructive scorpion-lobster of India, the excavations of which +seriously damage the roads of that part of the world; Shrimps in all +their varieties; the delicate alima, with its pale thin shell; and the +long king crab. Upon the last two tables devoted to shell fish, or +crustacea, are spread the goose shells or barnacles, whale lice, and I +the sea acorn. + +Having examined these crustacea, the visitor should turn his attention +to the twelve tables (1-12) upon which a fine collection of + +INSECTS + +is spread. The first eight tables are covered with varieties of + +THE BEETLE TRIBE. + +These include some beautiful insects. The care with which the many +thousand varieties have been classified by zoologists, and the +minuteness with which the habits of each variety have been traced, +have raised these insects to a conspicuous position in the great +Animal Kingdom. Their beauty, as they lie here in vast numbers before +the spectator, is dazzling. Every colour and every combination and +shade of colour can be traced upon them; and in these varieties of +tint there appears to be a wise provision of nature, the blue coloured +beetle being the frequenter of the bark of trees, the green beetle +revelling among the leaves; and the gay red and light beetles being +the _habitées_ of flower cups. Upon the first table of the series (1) +are some curious varieties. Here are the remarkable burying-beetle, +that deposits its eggs in the rotting flesh of small dead animals, and +then, with the assistance of some kindred beetles buries the body, +leaving its progeny to enjoy the carrion when they quicken; the sacred +scarabaeus of the Egyptians, and the British variety of the same +beetle, that bury their eggs in their dung. Upon the next table (2) +are the golden tropical beetles, whose wings are used by the natives +as ornaments; the celebrated glow worms, the females of which emit a +phosphorescent light, in order to attract the attention of the +males--thus these lights are love signals; the Brazilian +diamond-beetle, a splendid insect, and the harlequin beetle. The third +table (3) is covered with varieties of the kangaroo beetles, a +brilliant collection of ladybirds, the varieties of earwigs, +cockroaches, originally tropical insects only; the praying insects, +called so from their habit of erecting their fore legs and assuming a +prayerful attitude, when, in fact, they are preparing for an attack +upon their prey: and the insects which the uninitiated visitor has +already mistaken for pieces of stick, but which are the walking +leaf-insects; some with wings like dead leaves, and others wingless. +The fourth table (4) is covered with the varieties of the Cricket, +including the great Chinese cricket, dragon-flies, scorpion-flies, the +terrible tropical white ants, caddis flies, wasps, saw-flies, bees, +hornets, and sand wasps. + +BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. + +Then follow three tables (5-7) of splendid butterflies, with their +brilliant tints. The two tables (8, 9) ranged next in order to those +upon which the butterflies are distributed, are covered with varieties +of the moth. Here are the silkworm moth and its cocoon as kept in +Siberia; the ghost moth of our hop grounds; the hawk moth, the death's +head moth, and the large Brazilian owl moth. + +The next table (10) is covered with a great variety of flies and bugs, +including the Chinese lantern flies. + +The eleventh table is given up to Spiders in all their varieties, +including the tarantula, a formidable insect with a power of severe +biting; and the curious spider that bores a nest in the ground, lines +it sumptuously with its own silk, and then constructs a lid that +closes inevitably, as the insect leaves its house. Here too are the +scorpions. The last table of the series (12) is covered also with +varieties of the spider, including the land and shepherd spiders; the +African scarlet tick, and the centipedes. The visitor has now +completed his survey of the contents of this room, and should at once +pass forward in an easterly direction, traverse the British zoological +room, which he has already examined throughout, and pass into the +fourth room of the gallery. + +The table-cases in this room present nothing that can greatly interest +the unscientific visitor. They are covered with varieties of + + +STARFISH; SEA-EGGS, ETC. + +The sea-eggs are scattered over the first nine tables (1-9) in the +room. They live on small animals and sea-weed. The varieties include a +flat kind, vulgarly called sea-pancakes. The remaining cases of the +room are loaded with varieties of the star-fish. The mouth of the +star-fish is on its lower side, through which it takes its food. It +has innumerable feet, which it displays when in the water, and by +means of which it can climb rocks. Some of the varieties fall to +pieces on being taken from their native element, as the lizard, or +brittle star-fish. The gorgon's head, which has innumerable branches +from its central part, should be observed by the visitor; and the +sea-wigs, which are a kind of star-fish, somewhat resembling the +gorgon's head, with innumerable radii. They are placed upon table 24, +near a cast of a stem and flower, that has the appearance of a fossil +plant, but is in reality a cast of a crinoid star-fish that once +existed in great abundance. In the most eastern room of this gallery +are a few tables upon which are deposited the shells and tubes of +molluscous animals, to illustrate their changes, and the way in which +the animal adapts them to his position. The third and fourth tables +will, perhaps, interest the general visitor. Here he will find +specimens exhibiting the growth of Shells, and also how the animal +repairs any damage to its shell. Here, too, are the shells upon which +the modern cameo-cutters of Rome, work. As the visitor will perceive, +the design is engraved in relief upon the light outer layers of the +shell, leaving the darker under part exposed, as a back-ground. + +The visitor's way now lies out of the northern gallery, by its eastern +door, near which he should notice a remarkable sun fish, of a bulky +and squat appearance. Having regained the first, or most northerly +room of the great eastern zoological gallery, the visitor should turn +to the south, examining the table cases of this gallery as he returns +through its spacious rooms. All the table cases of this gallery, with +the exception of a few small side tables, are covered with the vast +varieties of the + +SHELLS + +of molluscous or soft animals. These shells, scattered over no less +than forty-nine tables, represent the architectural capacities of the +great order of soft-bodied animals, only inferior in rank, in Cuvier's +"Animal Kingdom," to the Vertebrate animals. + +Upon the first table, before which the visitor will find himself (49), +are some interesting specimens of the well-known Cuttle fish, +exhibiting its varieties, including the common cuttle fish found upon +our coasts; those which have the power of secreting a dark fluid, and +those from India, whose ink-bags furnish artists with that valuable +brown called sepia. Here, too, are the skeletons of the slender +loligos, or sea leaves, known also as sea-pens; and the crozier shell. +Upon the next six tables (48-53), proceeding southward, are the +varieties of the Oyster, the Mussel, and beautiful Mother-of-pearl +shells. But hence the visitor will probably proceed rapidly to the +south; inasmuch as the varieties of the mussel family, including the +Chinese pearl mussel and Scotch pearl mussel, the borers, the club +shell, and the cockle family, are not generally interesting; but he +will probably linger for a few moments near the pond mussels placed +upon some of the tables (38-41). The tables numbered from 24 to 30 are +covered with the varieties of hard shells, which, however, present no +points of interest to the general visitor, who may at once pass on to +the varieties of the Nautilus and Argonaut, (tables 23, 24). And here, +too, we must entreat the visitor to forget the poetic history of the +inhabitants of those beautiful shells, and learn that the extended +arms of the nautilus are used only to clasp its shell; that it has no +sails of any kind. The varieties of the paper nautilus, or argonaut, +are the most delicate and beautiful. The next table (22) displays the +shell of the curious carrier, that embodies all kinds of foreign +substances with its shell; the slipper shell, and the rose bud. Upon +the next table (21) are the Screws; the curious ladder shells from +China; and upon table 20, are the varieties of fresh water Clubs. The +next two tables (18, 19) display some curious and beautiful shells, +including Venus's ear, the pagoda shell, and varieties of Snails, +including the apple snails. Proceeding on his southern way, the +visitor should pause to notice the ear shells, placed upon tables 18, +17, including the beautiful rainbow; the button shells, the rainbow +eardrop, and the pyramid upon table 16; the pomegranate from the Cape +of Good Hope, New Zealand imperial, and pheasant, and the West Indian +golden sun, upon table 15; the weaver's shuttle and pig cowries, +including the Chinese variety, highly valued by the Chinese, as an +ornament; also upon table 15, more varieties of cowries, including the +money cowry of Africa, used there as money, and the orange cowry from +the Friendly Islands, where it is worn as an ornament; the five +varieties of the Volutes, including the red clouded volute, the +Chinese imperial volute, the bishop's mitre, and the papal crown, +distributed upon tables 12 and 13. The Melons, the large varieties of +which are put to domestic uses by the Chinese, the olives, and butter +shells, upon table 11; the magilus, whelks, and the needle shell upon +table 10; the purple shell that emits the colour from which it is +named, the mulberry shell, and the unicorn shell, distributed upon +table 9; the tun shell, the harps, the harp helmets, and the helmets +upon which cameos are carved, distributed about tables 8 and 7; the +spindle shells, including the great tulip shells, and the turnip +shells, occasionally used as oil-vessels in Indian temples, +distributed about the tables 5, 6, and 7 are all worth examination. +The splendid cone shells, which include the king of the collection, +pointed out to visitors as the glory of the sea, from the Philippine +Islands, and the African setting sun cone, upon tables 5 and 4; the +rock shells upon table 4: the trumpet shells upon table 3, so called +after the large kinds which savage tribes have been known to use as +horns; and upon the last two tables, the stombs, including the +beautiful varieties from the West Indies and China, close the list. + + * * * * * + +The visitor has now reached the Southern Extremity of the Eastern +Zoological Gallery, and brought his first visit to a conclusion. He +may well pause, however, before dismissing from his mind the objects +which have engaged his attention. + +First, then, he examined the varieties of MAMMALIA. The mammalia, of +which man himself is the highest type, are the leading class of the +great order of vertebrate, or back-boned animals, and fishes are the +lowest, the intermediate classes being birds and reptiles. VERTEBRATA +are of higher rank in the animal kingdom than the mollusca, or +soft-bodied animals, those having "red blood and a double-chambered +heart." The mammalia are the class which suckle their young; second to +them are the BIRDS; and then the blood cools, the organisation is +inferior, and the REPTILES are produced; and lastly come the FISHES, +with cold blood, and wanting aerial lungs. Philosophers, who have +settled the scheme of the world as one of progression, complication, +or development, trace animal life from the polypus, (which belongs to +the order of Radiata, or animals that have a central point in which +the vital force of the animal appears to preside, diverging in radii, +as in the sea-eggs, starfishes, coral, sponges); the polypus advances +to the Articulata, or jointed animals, including all kinds of worms, +leeches, or ringed animals, of which insects are the most highly +organised developments; next to the Mollusca, or soft-bodied animals; +and then from these, which include the shell-fish, the scheme +gradually progresses to the fish with backbones; and here the lowest +order of Vertebrata is developed: the fish merges into the reptile, +the reptile into the bird; the bird, as in the ornithorhyncus, into +the Mammalia. + +Thus the gradations of life may be clearly apprehended by the visitor. +The highest development of animal life he has seen in the MAMMALIA +SALOON, all the animals of which produce their young alive and suckle +them; the order of life immediately below the mammalia, he has +examined in the marvellous varieties of birds arranged in the NORTHERN +GALLERY; then he turned to the west, and examined the third order of +animal life in the REPTILES; then the fourth order represented by +FISH; and so on till he watched the simpler forms of life in the +STAR-FISH and the SPONGE. + +The history of this marvellous progress of animal life, so far as +scientific men have gazed into its deep mysteries, is surely worth +attention. Few have the courage and the enthusiasm to follow each +footstep of the tiny ant at his complex labours,--few are the Hubers +that dwell among us; but to us all is given the love of that knowledge +which opens our eyes to a few of the mysteries that lie thickly on our +path, in the formation of the gravel upon which we tread, the clouds +that grandly glide above us, and the leaves that gather upon the +trees. After all the labours of our learned men, we are only now +pressing, with trembling footsteps, the avenue to the endless schemes, +and systems, and wonders, that lie buried in and about our world. +Still let all who enter our museum, go there with the resolve to +accomplish something by their visit. Even in the common concerns of +life; in the petty matters that wear away the brain at last; in the +market-places of the world, this insight is not without its effect. +The heart is humbled as the eyes open to the grandeur of the scheme, +and to the consequent littleness of individual manhood; but again, the +breast swells with the purest of all pride, when the thinker says to +himself: I am the King--because the hero or highest type of the +Articulata, Radiata, Mammalia, or any order of vegetable or animal +life. All these great and complicated developments are the beautiful +works of the Great Unseen, but I am His masterpiece. One may well +dream in this zoological museum, amid the staring glass-eyed skins of +an inferior brotherhood--of the long, long time ago when the fossils, +which are now scattered here and there, to assure us of their former +vitality, moved about the world, before they were stricken with +universal death, and buried by nature, deep in her teeming bosom, to +flourish presently in the veins of plants--the plants to die again, +and be dug, long ages after, from our deep coal-fields. These thoughts +towards nature, towards the marvellous records of an antiquity, the +remoteness of which we cannot realise, will rise to the minds of all +visitors who can see in the vast collection of animal life through +which we have guided them, revelations of the endless forms and the +endless beauties that pass often unnoticed, because not understood, +under every step that man takes in the many journeys that lie between +his hopeful cradle and his inevitable grave. + +END OF THE FIRST VISIT. + + + + +VISIT THE SECOND. + + + +On entering the British Museum for the second time, the visitor should +ascend the great staircase, pass through the south, central, and +mammalia saloons; traverse the eastern zoological gallery, and +continue north, direct into the first room of the most northern +gallery of the northern wing;--where the studies of his second visit +should begin. His first visit was occupied in the examination of the +varieties of animal life distributed throughout the surface of the +globe. The greater part of his time on this occasion will be devoted +to the study of the wonders that lie under the surface of the earth; +of the revelations of extinct animal life made by impressible rocks; +and of the metallic wealth which human ingenuity has adapted to the +wants and luxuries of mankind. In the fossil remains he will be able +to recognise traces of an animal life, of which we have no living +specimens; of trees, the like of which never rise from the bosom of +the soil at the present time. The lessons that lie in these +indistinct, disjointed revelations of the remote past, are pregnant +with matter for earnest thought to all men. They are part of our +history--links that hold us to the sources of things, and recall us +again and again to the condition of our universe, as it trembled into +space, and as now we inhabit it--a great and marvellous globe, every +grain of which has an unfathomable story in it. Philosophers have +laboured long at the story of the earth; and their revelations have +tended to settle it, in a form not unlike the following:-- + +Originally, within the space bounded by the orbit of Uranus, a gaseous +matter was diffused at a high temperature. By laws, the origin of +which we have not yet traced, the condition of the diffused heat was +changed, and the particles of the gaseous matter, condensed and +agglomerated by attraction, into a series of planets, of which our +earth is the third in point of size. That the earth has undergone vast +changes, is evident to the most superficial geological student. We are +only able to investigate the crust of the earth, with all our +ingenious boring instruments: but even in this crust we may trace a +gradual change, and recognise the silent operations of nature in ages +never counted by man. According to the popular theory, the earth must +have been sixty times as large as its present size, and have cooled to +its present dimensions, retaining still, in its unfathomable bowels, a +burning heat. The conclusions of geologists, after long and patient +examination, are, that certain rocks mark the age of the world--that, +in fact, the crust of the globe consists of a certain number of +strata, each belonging to a certain era, as the rings of a tree tell +its years of growth. The more they test this theory, the more certain +are they that the history of our globe may be accurately read in the +strata which compose its crust. "A granitic crust, containing vast and +profound oceans, as is proved by the extent and thickness of the +earliest strata, was the infant condition of the earth. Points of +unconformableness in the overlying aqueous rocks, connected with +protrusions of granites, and other similar presentments of the +internal igneous mass, such as trap and basalt, mark the conclusions +of subsequent sections in this grand tale. Dates, such as +chronologists never dreamed of--compared with which, those of Egypt's +dynasties are as the latter to a child's reckoning of its +birthdays--have thus been presented to the now living generation, in +connexion with the history of our planet."[5] These changing masses +have been discovered with remains of organic life wrapped in their +particles, each mass enclosing a petrified museum of the life that +flourished while it was in course of formation: thus not only have we +distinct proof of extinct forms of animal and vegetable life, but we +are also able to assign the dates of their existence. + +The MOST EASTERLY ROOM of the NORTHERN MINERAL and FOSSIL GALLERY, is +that to which the visitor's attention will be first directed. In this +room, as in the next three, the table cases are devoted to the +minerals; and the wall cases, along the southern side of the gallery, +are filled with + +FOSSIL VEGETABLES. + +The wall cases of this room contain the various strata which have +traces of vegetable life. The earliest vegetable life of which the +geologist has found fossil remains is in the form of sea-weeds, +specimens of which the visitor will notice in case 1. The grand +harmony of the world's development is shown in this adaptation of the +earliest vegetable life to that of the earliest animal life--the +polypus drawing its sustenance from the sea-weed. In the next three +cases the visitor will notice various remains of fossil ferns (in clay +slate) and horse-tails, all indicating the former high temperature and +moisture of the localities in which they are found, since they are of +large proportions, and it is observable that these plants grow in bulk +according as they near the tropics. That the ferns and club mosses +have diminished with the decrease of temperature of the earth, is +proved by comparing the fossil club mosses, which have been found as +large as beech trees, whereas at the present time the most gigantic +club moss rarely exceeds three feet in height. In the lower sections +of the third, fourth, and fifth cases, the visitor may notice some +fine specimens of polished fossil woods; but the varieties of +vegetable fossils can hardly engage his serious attention for any +length of time, unless he have some real knowledge of botany and +geology; yet he may gather the solemn teaching that lies in those dark +masses of early coal formation and clay slate, even though he be +unable to explain the first principles of botanical science. He may +notice, however, in the fifth and sixth wall cases, fossil specimens +of extinct plants, including the sigillaria, which, when living, is +supposed to have attained often to the height of seventy feet. Having +noticed these vegetable remains, the visitor should cross to the +northern wall of the room, and examine the sandstones upon which the +tracks of an extinct animal called the chirotherium--and footprints, +supposed to be of birds, are distinguishable. + +The central object in the room is a tortoise found in Hindostan, near +Allahabad. It is carved out of nephrite or jade, and is deposited upon +a curious table of inlaid ancient marbles. Against the eastern wall +are deposited some beautiful varieties of branched native silver from +Norway; Lady Chantrey's specimen of part of a coniferous tree, +semi-opalised; and a mass of websterite from Newhaven, Sussex. The +table cases now remain for examination. These are devoted to varieties +of + +MINERALS. + +and their combinations. The visitor should examine the cases in the +order in which they are arranged, beginning with the cases marked 1 +and 1A. These two cases contain specimens of native Iron. Native iron +has nearly always proved to be of meteoric origin; and the specimens +are here arranged in the order in which they have been found. They +have fallen from the heavens at different places, and at different +periods. The largest known aerolite is that which fell in Brazil, and +was no less than eight feet in length. These huge solid masses of +iron, discharged from the clouds in a burning state, may well set the +brains of philosophic men to work, to unravel the splendid mystery +that contrives laboratories high up in the air, from which dense tons +of pure iron are discharged upon our earth. Humboldt, discarding the +Laplaceian theory that aerolites were detached masses of the moon, +which ignited on reaching the oxygen that surrounds our globe, asserts +that they are Lilliputian planets, having their system as we have +ours; that they are identical with shooting stars, and that they +occasionally fall to the earth by coming within the attraction of a +body of overpowering magnitude. In the case with these meteoric +specimens of native iron are specimens of native Copper--not often +found in a pure state; native Lead, of meteoric origin; one specimen, +exhibited in the form of a medal, having been cast out of the crater +of Vesuvius about two hundred years ago; and native Bismuth, which +expands as it cools. + +In the second case the visitor will particularly notice the beautiful +threads of native Silver from the Hartz Mountains; and the various +forms in which pure silver is found; native Mercury, and combinations +of mercury and silver called native amalgam, some moulded into figures +by Mexican miners; native Platinum from Siberia; and Palladium. + +The third case of the series is resplendent with samples of native +Gold--a metal that plays so powerful a part in the affairs of +men--that has roused the fiercest passions of mankind, and been +coveted by human beings from the remote times when the Phoenicians +dreamt of golden lands in the east. Half of this table case is covered +with native gold and alloys. Pure gold is generally found in separate +crystals or grains, but the metal is mostly found combined with other +substances. It is alloyed, for manufacturing purposes, with copper and +silver. + +Half of the third case, and cases 4, 5, and 6 in this room, are +covered with various electro-negative metals and metalloids, classed +according to the system laid down by Berzelius. In the third case are +Tellurium and Tellurets. In the fourth are samples of native Arsenic, +and its combinations with nickel and cobalt; Carbon in its various +forms, pure as in the diamonds, which the visitor will notice +attentively, some imbedded in the earth in which they were discovered, +and models of celebrated diamonds; Black Lead in porcelain earth, for +which Cumberland is celebrated; Selenium in its combinations with +lead, mercury, sulphur, and other metals; and a medallion, in +selenium, of Berzelius, who discovered this metal in 1818. The sixth +case is covered with Sulphurets, chiefly of iron, these being commonly +known as iron pyrites. These specimens of the commonest of metallic +ores are from various parts of the world. Upon this table also are +deposited Lord Greenock's sulphuret of cadmium, commonly called +greenockite; and sulphurets of nickel. Having examined the first six +cases of the series ranged along the southern side of the room, the +visitor should turn to the six last cases of the series (55-60). The +first northern case (55) is covered with various Sulphates, or metals +in combination with sulphuric acid, exhibiting beautiful crystals and +colours, including sulphate of magnesia from Oregon; sulphate of zinc, +or white vitriol; sulphate of iron, or green vitriol; and the splendid +blue sulphates of copper from Hungary; beautiful sulphates of lead +from Anglesea; sulphates of alumina; common alum; and the splendid +specimens of lazurite, or lapis-lazuli,-- + + "Blue as the veins o'er the Madonna's breast," + +from which the beautiful pigment called ultramarine is extracted. In +1828 M. Guimet succeeded in making an artificial ultramarine, known +now extensively as French ultramarine, which is little, if at all, +inferior in beauty to lazurite. The next case (56) contains the +Arseniates, including arseniate of lime, crystallised; arseniates of +copper; arseniate of nickel; and red cobalt, or arseniate of cobalt. +The next case is devoted to the Phosphates, or metals mixed with +phosphoric acid, including crystals of the phosphate of iron from +Fernando Po, Bavaria, and Cornwall; phosphates of manganese; phosphate +of copper; yellow and green uranite; phosphates of alumina, including +the blue spar, which has been mistaken for lapis-lazuli, and the +phosphate of alumina known as turquois, found only in Persia, and +esteemed as an ornament. In the two supplemental table cases, 57 A and +B, the visitor may notice specimens of Pyromorphite, a combination of +phosphate and chloride of lead, and a combination of chloride of +calcium with phosphate of lime. These combinations, however, cannot +interest the general visitor. + +The case marked 58 contains the varieties of Fluorides, or +combinations of fluorine and the metals. These include the fluoride of +calcium, of which the most familiar variety to Englishmen is that +known as Derbyshire spar, of which many useful articles are +manufactured in this country. Ladies particularly will halt with +interest before the case marked 58 A, where the fluorides, better +known as the topaz, are deposited. These include a fine series of +crystals from the Brazils, Siberia, and Saxony. + +The 59th case is covered with Chlorides, or combinations of chlorine +with other substances, including rock salt, or chloride of sodium; +sal-ammoniac from Vesuvius; fine chloride of copper, exhibiting +beautiful crystals; and chlorides of silver and mercury. The two last +cases in the room (60 and 60 A) contain samples of coal, bitumen, +resins, and salts. Here will be found the honey-stone of Thuringia; +crystals of phosphate of magnesia and ammonia called struvite; +beautiful specimens of amber, some pieces of which inclose insects; +and copal, also containing insects; fossil copal; mineral pitch, from +naphtha to asphalt; the elastic bitumen of Derbyshire, exhibiting its +different degrees of softness; Humboldt's dapèche, an inflammable +fossil of South America; and brown and black coal. Having noticed all +these varieties, the visitor should advance at once westward into the +second room of the mineralogical gallery. + +Here, against the southern wall, are groups of + +FOSSIL ANIMALS + +ranged inside and upon the top of the wall cases. The most remarkable +of the remains inclosed in the wall cases of this room are the remains +of the carapace and other portions of the gigantic Fossil Tortoise +from the Sewalik Hills, Bengal, discovered by the enterprising Major +Cautley; and the gigantic fossil bones of an extinct genus of birds +that inhabited New Zealand in the remote past. But these wall cases +are mainly devoted to the exhibition of chelonian, or tortoise +fossils, which are the highest class of fossil reptiles, except the +serpents, and found only in the later or oolite formations of the +earth. The regularity with which the various families of reptiles are +discovered in the earth's strata, according to their order, is +remarkable. First the Lizards are found in the magnesian limestone, +immediately above the coal deposit, indicating their early appearance +on the earth; the next deposit, or new red sandstone, introduces us to +the Frogs; the oolite to the Tortoises; and the recent tertiary strata +to the Serpents. The bones of the tremendous wingless birds, which are +deposited in the third case of this room, have been recognised by +Professor Owen as the remains of an animal that must, when living, +have stood eleven feet high. By the windows in the northern wall of +the room are deposited the beautiful crystallised mass of Selenite, or +sulphate of lime, found in the duchy of Saxe Coburg, and presented to +the museum by Prince Albert; and a mass of carbonate of lime, +presented by Sir Thomas Baring. Having noticed these prominent +attractions of the room, the visitor should direct his attention to +the table cases, and first to those ranged along the southern half of +the room (7-13). Five of the tables are loaded with further specimens +of the Sulphurets, or metals in combination with sulphuric acid. In +the first case (7) are sulphurets of copper, and copper iron; in the +second case (8) are the series of sulphurets of lead, or galena, from +various parts of the world; in the third case (9) are specimens of +sulphuret of bismuth, needle ore, or sulphuret of bismuth, copper, and +lead, and sulphurets of mercury, or cinnabar, chiefly from Spain, the +light variety of which is the bright vermilion used by artists; in the +fourth case (10) are the sulphurets of silver, the beautiful +crystallised sulphurets of antimony, chiefly from Transylvania, and +the delicate plumose antimony, or feather ore; in the fifth case (11) +are the sulphur salts, including the ruby, silver, &c.; and in the +sixth case (12) are the sulphurets of Arsenic, red orpiment, of which +the best comes from Persia, cobalt glance, &c., bringing the series of +sulphurets to a conclusion. + +In the next case (13) the series of Oxides begins. Herein are the +oxides and hydrous oxides of manganese.[6] Having examined the +sulphurets and oxides, the visitor should cross to the northern suite +of tables marked from 48 to 54. Here are arranged a series of the +Carbonates, or combinations of carbonic acid with earths, metallic +oxides or alkalis. + +In the first case (48) are some specimens of brown spar from Hungary, +fibrous and crystallised carbonates of iron, and manganese spar; in +the second case (49) are the varieties of zinc spar, or carbonates of +zinc, lead spar, or carbonates of lead, and carbonates of bismuth and +cerium; in the third and fourth cases (50, 51) are the carbonates of +copper, the 51st case containing those splendid green carbonates of +copper from the mines in the Uralian Mountains, known commonly as +Malachite, and when in a polished state vulgarly mistaken for a green +and beautifully veined marble. Most visitors on examining these lumps +of malachite will think of the beautiful colossal furniture +manufactured of it by the Russians, and exhibited by them in their +department of the Great Exhibition. The next three cases (52-54) are +filled with series of sulphates, and some nitrates, including native +nitre, or saltpetre. The Sulphates in the cases include glauber salt, +or sulphate of soda; heavy spar or sulphates of baryta, among which +are some splendid crystallisations from Piedmont, Hungary, Spain, and +other countries; sulphate of strontia, known also as celestine, among +which are some delicate blue crystals from Sicily; sulphates of lime, +as gypsum, including some fine specimens of alabaster, and the fibrous +sulphate known vulgarly as tripe-stone. The visitor has now examined +the contents of the second room; the fossil tortoises and great +wingless birds; the mineral combinations--nearly all of which are +useful to man; and the way westward may be resumed to the third +department of the northern mineralogical gallery. In the wall cases of +this room are deposited some of the most interesting + +FOSSIL ANIMALS. + +Of these the celebrated fossil Salamander (which a German enthusiast +mistook for a fossil human skeleton), deposited in the first case, +will probably be most attractive to the general visitor. The first +three wall cases are devoted to the batrachian or Frog fossils; some +of the chelonian or Tortoise fossils; and the fossil crocodiles. +Fossil lizards are the most numerous of all fossil remains. Of these, +including the fossil crocodiles, the visitor will notice specimens in +the wall cases of this room, indicating the enormous size to which +these extinct reptiles must have grown. One, the Iguanodon (case 3) +was an animal that measured seventy feet in length. It existed in this +country; various bones of it are in this case. The remains of the +fossil Alligator, known as the mosasaurus, are also here, together +with the wealden lizard of Kent, which was about twenty-five feet in +length, and part of Cuvier's wonderful fossil Flying Lizard, or +sterodactylus, which is described as a reptile having mammalian +characteristics, a bat's wings, enormous eyes, and a bird's neck. In +the westerly cases of the room the visitor should notice the fossil +sea lizards divided into two families--the Plesiosaurus, and the +Ichthyosaurus. The plesiosaurus was an extraordinary reptile, of +gigantic size, the length of whose neck exceeded that of its body and +tail. It had ribs like a chameleon, and the body of a whale: it +chiefly inhabited the water; but as the visitor will find the chief +types of these extraordinary extinct reptiles in the next room, he may +at once, with the comfortable assurance that the Weald of Kent yields +nothing in the present day like the wealden lizard, turn to the table +cases of the room, in which he-will find further varieties of + +MINERALS. + +The southern range of tables is numbered from 14 to 23; and the +northern range from 38 to 47. The first three tables of the southern +range (14-16) are covered with the varieties of Oxides of Iron, +including magnetic iron ore; natural magnets; the salam-stell of the +East Indies; iron glance from Elba, Vesuvius, and Stromboli, some of +which are very beautiful; brown iron stones, including the variety +used as hair powder by natives of South Africa; and the pea ores that +fell in a shower, on the 10th of August, 1841, in Hungary. In the next +case (17) are the Oxides of Copper; bismuth; red oxide of zinc; cobalt +ochres; oxide of uranium; and pitch ore. In the nineteenth case are +the Oxides of Lead; and in the twentieth are the first of the oxides +of electro-negative substances. This case contains the valuable +alumina known as noble corundite, and to jewellers in its formations +of ruby, sapphire, and the oriental emerald, topaz, and amethyst. +Herein also is the kind of corundum known as emery, and esteemed for +its polishing properties. In this case also are the Aluminates of +Magnesia, including the sapphirine; the chrysoberyls from Brazil, and +those inclosed in quartz and felspar with garnets. The next four cases +(20-23) are loaded with the varieties of the Acid of Silicium or +silica, which constitutes the greater part of hard stones and minerals +with which the earth is encrusted. It is nearly pure in the rock +crystal, of which there are many specimens in the first case (20), +including those crystals called Bristol and Gibraltar diamonds, +cairngorms, the smoky topaz; rock crystals inclosing foreign +substances, and in a wrought state: of these Dr. Dee's snow-stone is +one. The next two cases (21, 22) are devoted to the varieties of +common quartz, including the flexible sandstones of Brazil (of which +there are some larger specimens upon a separate table) and to those of +the east; milk quartz; the Salzburg blue quartz, &c.; some varieties +of the cat's eye; hornstones, including wood changed into hornstone: +and herein begin the flints, including some specimens changing into +calcedony, smalt blue calcedony from Transylvania; the Icelandic +stalactical calcedony; and the fine Cornish calcedony. Upon the last +southern table (23) are ranged further varieties of calcedony. These +include the blood stone; the curious Mocha stones; and agates, +including the agate nodule from central Asia. Having sufficiently +examined these beautiful varieties of calcedony, the visitor should +pass at once to the northern range of tables. + +Upon the first of these tables (38) are some new scientific varieties +of mineral substances, in which the unscientific visitor will not take +any interest; herein also are Oxides of Antimony, including white +antimony from Bohemia; red antimony, or kermes, not to be mistaken for +the ancient dye used by the old Greek and Roman dyers, which was +obtained from the female _coccus illicis_; and tungstates of lime, +lead, and of iron and manganese. + +In the second case (39) are the Molybdates and molybdic acid; the +Chromates, including red lead ore from the Siberian gold mines of +Beresof; chromate of lead and copper, and crome iron from Var, in +France;--the Borates, including borates of magnesia, and borate of +soda, or borax. In the third case (40) are some remarkable varieties +of silicates, which contain borates from Norway and other countries; +and in the fourth case (41) are the first in order, of the carbonates, +including carbonates of soda, the beautiful crystals of carbonate of +baryta, carbonate of strontia and aragonites, from Aragon, Hungary, +Bohemia, and Vesuvius; and in the next case (42) are deposited further +varieties of aragonite, and some remarkable varieties of calcite, or +carbonate of lime. The next three cases (43-45) are chiefly devoted to +the various crystallisations of calcite, including that generally +known as the Fontainbleau crystallised sandstone, and the stalactic +and fibrous varieties from Africa, Sweden, and Cumberland; while the +two cases marked 45 A and B are covered with polished samples, known +to people generally as marbles, including the beautiful fire marble. +The forty-sixth case is also covered with calcites, including the +reastone, the limestone incrusted upon a human skull, found in the +Tiber at Rome. In the 47th case are varieties of carbonate of +magnesia, and magnesian limestone, including a remarkable one from +Massachusetts. Some marble tables are also in this room, placed here +to exhibit the beauties of various calcites. The table of Serpentine +is here: also the table inlaid with porphyries; one with a series of +bivalve shells (25); and in the centre of the room is the stalagmitic +table, from the Blythe lead mine, Derbyshire, with black marble legs +from Bakewell, given to the trustees of the Museum by the Duke of +Rutland. Before leaving this room the visitor should not fail to +notice the Maidstone Iguanodon deposited in a bed of sandstone, and +placed beneath the central north window of the room. The bones are +disjointed, but the general form of the reptile may be more perfectly +seen here than in any other fossil remains of the iguanodon. Having +noticed this fossil, and remarked the classed groups of gigantic dark +fossil bones, which cover the southern wall, the fossil turtles from +Sussex and other parts, and the great fossil thigh bones of reptiles +that have passed long since from the face of the earth, the visitor +should once more advance into the fourth room of the gallery. + +In this room the wall cases are devoted to + +FOSSIL ANIMALS. + +Of these the most interesting specimens are the remains of the Marine +Lizards known as ichthyosauri from the English lias formation. To the +right on entering, against the eastern wall of the room, the visitor +should first notice the fossil remains of various carnivorous animals, +including the skulls and other osseous wrecks of hyenas, bears, &c., +and also, carefully screened in an additional glass case, hereabouts, +the lower jaw of a marsupial animal on a slab of oolitic limestone--an +early deposit, in which the highest class fossils generally found are +the tortoises. + +In this room, however, the visitor will notice the progress of early +creation--first, the zoophytes; then the fish lizards; then the fossil +ruminants; then the fossil carnivora. Examples of these fossil remains +are all included in the room which the visitor has now reached. First, +he should examine the fossil remains of the ichthyosauri, or fish +lizards, ranged in the first three wall cases, particularly that +eighteen feet in length, deposited in the third case, one on the upper +shelf of the fourth case, and another on the upper shelf of the fifth +case. The case marked F contains fossils of a higher order than the +reptiles, as the bones and antlers of deer, found in later strata of +the earth's crust; and on the top of the case are the horn and skull +of a species of Texan bos. Having noticed these curious remains, +principally of extinct species of animal life, the visitor should at +once turn to the table cases which contain the last of the +illustrations of the mineral kingdom. + +MINERALS. + +The southern tables include the numbers 24 to 30. The first table +contains a very attractive collection of minerals, including the +varieties of jasper; all kinds of opals--the sun opal, the semi-opal, +wood opal, and wood partially opalised. The second table (25) is +covered with varieties of Silicates of Lime, magnesia, and alumina; +also soapstone, keffekil, or the meerschaum, highly esteemed by +smokers, serpentine, chrysolite, &c. The third case (26) is devoted to +Silicates of Zinc, magnesia, serium, copper, iron, bismuth, and other +minerals; the fourth and fifth cases (27, 28) to zoolitic substances; +the sixth case (29) to various minerals including samples of jade or +nephrite, of which the tortoise, in the first room of this gallery, is +manufactured; and the seventh case (30) to felspathic substances, +including amazon stone from the Urals, and Labrador felspar. The +northern cases are numbered from 31 to 37. In the first case (31) are +varieties of felspar; in the second case (32) are micaceous and other +mineral substances; in the third case (33) are basaltic hornblende, +tremolite, &c.; in the fourth case (34) are varieties of asbestus, +which defies the action of fire; jeffersonite; jenite from the Elba, +&c.; in the fifth case (35) are various pyroxenic minerals; in the +sixth case (36) are various kinds of garnets, including the lime and +chrome varieties; and in the 37th case are the silicates, including +beryls, and the emerald. + +Having brought his examination of the mineral kingdom to a conclusion, +the visitor should notice the fossil zoophytes and shells from various +deposits, arranged upon the other tables of the room. He will now +leave the mineral kingdom, and advancing once more westward, will +reach the fifth room of the gallery, which is entirely given up to +various fossil remains. + +FOSSIL FISHES + +The first object that will arrest the visitor's attention on entering +this fine apartment is the gigantic skeleton of the extinct elk of +Ireland, which towers above every other object, from its pedestal, +placed in the centre of the room. It is seven feet in height, and +eight feet in length. + +The southern wall cases and the southern table cases of this room are +covered with the fossil remains of various fishes. These are important +to the student as exhibiting high forms of animal life that existed at +the time of the formation of the most ancient strata in which organic +remains have been discovered. The visitor will notice the perfect +forms imprinted upon the various strata here exhibited. + +In case 7 he will be struck with the fossil remains of some of the +sauroids or lizard-like fishes, only two species of which survive to +the present day, but which, in remote ages, abounded in the seas, and +were particularly voracious. On the middle shelf of the wall case +marked B the visitor should notice the fossil remains of the enormous +and powerful carnivorous fish called the rhizodus; also the macropoma, +like a carp in shape, in wall cases 13, 14; the fossil bremus in case +19; the extinct species of fossil carps, in cases 24, 25; the fossil +pikes in cases 24-27; and the fossil herrings in the middle of cases +25-27. Having noticed these fossils the visitor should examine the +wall case in the north-eastern corner of the room in which are +deposited many bones of mammalia from the Sewalik Hills, including the +teeth and jaws of an extinct species of camel; and the skull of the +remarkable livatherium; and on the top of the case are various bones +of the same extinct monster. The tops of the southern cases display +various fossil remains, including the head-bones of the asterolepis; +the skull and antlers of the Irish elk; and various skulls of +different kinds of oxen. The western wall case is filled with a +curious collection of various fossil parts of an extinct species of +rhinoceros found in this country, also skulls of the rhinoceros dug up +in Siberia. There is something impressive in the effect--the +atmosphere of this and the sixth rooms. As crowds of holiday people, +inhabitants of an island in which no dangerous living animals now +abide, wander amid the fossil remnants of ages when the most terrible +monsters must have lived in British waters and crawled upon British +ground, curious contrasts rise in the brains of contemplative men. The +mind wanders back to the age of reptiles--to times when no human +footprint had sunk into the earth--and the great agents of nature were +silently depositing in the congregating and shifting earths dead +images of the prevailing life. Ages roll on as the reptiles give place +to higher animal organisation developed in carnivora, the quickening +blood warms, and then as the sovereign of all the grades of life, +erect and gifted with reason, comes man. Something of this vast and +half-told progress is shown in the range of fossil cases with which +the visitor is engaged. He has passed the era of reptiles and fishes, +and on entering the sixth and last room of the gallery, he will notice +the higher series of fossils. The distribution of the + +FOSSIL MAMMALIA + +in this room is very striking; the central space being fully occupied +by the cast of the wonderful megatherium of the Pampas, and the +skeleton of the North American mastodon. The megatherium is described +zoologically as having combined the characteristics of the armadillo, +sloth, and ant-eater. In height it averaged eight feet; its feet were +a yard in length; and its claws were of terrible strength; it was +encased in an impenetrable scaly armour; and it lived upon roots. The +mastodon was of the elephant kind. But the gigantic tapir described by +Baron Cuvier, or the dinotherium, supposed by the Baron to have +reached the extraordinary height of eighteen feet, of which only +partial remains have been found, and are here deposited, is the +largest fossil mammalia yet discovered. It is said to have had the +habits of the walrus. The southern wall cases of the room contain a +fine collection of the fossil remains of elephants and mastodons, +chiefly from the Sewalik Hills of northern India. The third case (c) +is filled with Brazilian fossils of varieties of the megatherium, +monkeys, &c. On the right of the entrance from the fifth room are some +fossil mammalia from Montmartre arranged by Cuvier. Having wandered +about amid these suggestive wrecks of the remote past, the visitor +should approach the central upright case placed against the western +wall of this noble room. Here is a fossil of part of a human skeleton, +the possession of which our geologists owe to the fortune of war--it +having been found on board a French ship captured by an English +cruiser. As the visitor will perceive, the skull is wanting, but this +important part is said to lie in an American museum. However, the +spine, the thigh bones, and the ribs are distinctly visible. This +precious relic was extracted, with other human fossils, from the +cliffs of Guadaloupe, about forty years ago. It is the skeleton of a +savage slaughtered about one hundred and fifty years ago, and buried +in the spot where it was found. As yet, the period when man first +appeared upon the face of the earth is not told in geology. No fossil +human remains have been found even in the ancient tertiary strata. The +story of human life is revealed in other records, if not in the +sepulchral strata of the earth's crust. In this very Museum, which the +visitor now treads--in these cases of fossil bones which in themselves +are common material enough, the lordly intellect that has traced their +deep significance, proves that, of all animal types, man is the +highest and the strongest--removed from the most powerful mammoth and +megatherium--the bones of which he has re-fixed, that they may, as +stones, tell the story of their wonderful characters when alive. A +curious resurrection this, by Cuvier and others, of long ages ago, to +be pondered well. Not a holiday matter, to be stared at--an hour's +wonder--and then forgotten, as of no value in the markets of the +living world; but a great and a serious science, with more romances in +it than shelves of novels. To know something of the early state of the +world which we enjoy--to have some evidences given to us that before +human animals began to play their part here, wonderful monsters, part +mammalia, part birds, part reptiles, gambolled upon the scene; that +wingless birds stalked upon marshy grounds; that strange and ghastly +lizards crawled upon our fruitful Kent; and gigantic fish floated in +our tranquil waters, but no beautiful humming birds, majestic lions, +and graceful horses--only crawling and swimming life, everywhere +preying, and the early sea-weed rising in the sea because the polypus +wanted its food: to think of these things is to have some knowledge. +In these dim regions of the past, what glimpses are there of the great +eternal laws, the natural progresses, the continual upward tendency of +all things! And then, taking this revealed book of the past in his +hand, how a man may sit and ponder on all that is to be--dream of +times when some future geological hammer will be rapping at the clay +about the stone relics of his bones, and a man will gaze upon his +hardened anatomy with a mild and holy joy--when all that breathes and +moves to-day will be entombed in ancient strata of the earth, and busy +life will be carried on a hundred feet above the ruins of the present. +These thoughts dwell happily with good men. + +Hence, proceeding on his way, the visitor returns east from the sixth +room into the fifth, and turns thence south, into the passage which +leads into the western gallery of the Museum, and immediately into + +THE EGYPTIAN ROOM. + +This room is always an attractive part of the Museum to the majority +of visitors. Here are arranged illustrative specimens of the arts and +customs of people who lived two thousand years before our era; and the +preserved bodies of men and women who trod the streets of Thebes and +Memphis, partakers of an advanced civilisation, when the inhabitants +of Europe were roaming about uncultivated wastes, in a state of +barbarism. Here are graceful household vessels, compared with the art +of which the willow pattern of the nineteenth century is a barbarism, +and fabrics of which modern Manchester would not be ashamed. Into this +room a vast collection of Egyptian curiosities is crowded; and, with +patience, the visitor may glean from an examination of its contents a +vivid general idea of the arts and social comforts of the ancient +people who built the Pyramids, and were in the height of their +prosperity centuries before the Christian era. The cases are so +divided and sub-divided that it is only by paying particular attention +to the numbers marked upon them that the visitor can hope to follow +our directions with ease. He will see, however, on first entering the +room, that the mummies are placed in cases occupying the central space +of the room; and that huge and gaudily painted coffins, having a +somewhat ghastly effect, are placed perpendicularly here and there on +the top of the wall cases. But the attention of the visitor on +entering this room is usually rivetted at once upon the human remains +of people that flourished more than two thousand years before our era. +The first thought that rises in the mind of the spectator on beholding +these wrecks of the human form, is,--why all this trouble, these +bandages, these scents, and these ornaments? It is as well, therefore, +to explain that the ancient Egyptians believed that there would be a +resurrection of the body hereafter. They believed that these poor +mummies would issue from these waxen bandages, and once more walk and +talk as of old; hence their gigantic excavations at Thebes for secure +tombs; hence the great Pyramids built to preserve the sacred forms of +their Pharaohs. Some of the ancient Egyptians retained the embalmed +bodies of their relations in their houses, enclosed in coffins, upon +which the face of the deceased was faithfully pourtrayed. Some +specimens of these representations are in the room, and some in the +Egyptian saloon below. The mummies of the poorer classes were not so +well preserved as those of the rich; therefore, remains of the plebs +have crumbled to dust, while those of the sacerdotal class, having +been deprived of the intestines, and the brain having been drawn +through the nose, having been filled with myrrh, cassia, &c., soaked +in natron,[7] and then securely bandaged, have remained in a +comparatively sound state to the present time, and may be found in +every museum of any note. + +HUMAN MUMMIES. + +The first five cases to which the visitor would do well to direct his +attention are those marked from 46 to 50. In the first division is +deposited the mummy of a female, with a gilt mask over the head and an +oskh or collar about the neck; and mummies of children, and fragments +of coffins, with paintings of Egyptian deities upon them. In the +second division of the cases, lies some of the kingly dust of the +builder of the third pyramid, King Mencheres; also, part of his +coffin; the sides of a coffin decorated with drawings of deities; +clumps of mummied hair; and mummies of children. In the third division +are tesserae from Egyptian mummies of the Grecian period, with various +figures, including one of Anubis, the embalmer of the dead; a mummy of +Amounirion covered with a curious network of bugles in blue porcelain; +the upper part of a coffin with dedications to the Egyptian god +Osiris; a small coffin containing the mummy of a child; the mummy of a +female, Auch-sen-nefer, upon which is a scarabaeus, the sacred beetle +of the Egyptians. In the fourth division the principal object is the +coffin of the last-named mummy, with representations of various +deities, including Nutpe, or the Abyss of Heaven, a female figure with +a vase on her head; and linen wrappers from mummies of the Greek +period. Having examined these human relics of remote antiquity, the +visitor should pass at once to cases 63, 64, leaving the intermediate +cases for future examination, where he will find scraps and fragments +of the coffins, wrappers, and ornaments of various mummies. In the +first division are fragments of the mask of mummy coffins; fragments +from the lower end of coffins with the Egyptian bull Apis carrying a +mummy upon it; and hands (one holding a roll) from mummy coffins; +sepulchral sandals, one with a foreign figure bandaged, in token of +the enemies of the deceased being at his feet. In the second division +are a variety of sepulchral tablets to Osiris, Isis, Anubis, and other +Egyptian deities. The next twelve cases are filled with human mummies +and their coffins. In the first case is a mummy (1) of Pefaakhons, an +auditor of the royal palace during the twenty-sixth dynasty. This +mummy is about two thousand two hundred years old. Upon it the visitor +may notice the representation of Egyptian deities Osiris, the Hawk of +Ra, Isis, the embalmer Anubis, and the bull Apis. Mummy number two, in +this case, is that of a priest of Amoun, Penamoun, swathed in its +bandages, and here also is the outer linen case of the mummy of +Harononkh. The next case (66) is devoted to the mummy and coffin of +Tatshbapem: the figures here represented are the deceased praying to +Osiris, the usual figure of the embalmer of the dead, Anubis, and a +scarabaeus, or sacred beetle, made of beads. The next case contains +the coffin and mummy of a priestess of Amoun, named Kotbti. The hair +is attached to the mask of the face, as the visitor will observe, by +two ivory studs: there are wooden models of the hands and arms +decorated with bracelets and rings; each hand upon the coffin holds a +nosegay, and here again the black Anubis with, his golden face appears +in company with Thoth (a figure of a man with the head of an ibis), +the Mercury of the Egyptians, god of the moon and inventor of speech, +Isis, the Egyptian Ceres, and Nutpe, the Abyss of Heaven. The next +case (68) is the highly decorated coffin of the incense-bearer of the +abode of Noumra. Here the judgment scene of the Amenti is pourtrayed; +Osiris, in the shape of a sphinx; and other sacred figures. The +following case (69) contains a mummy (l) of a Theban priest of Amoun, +swathed in its outer linen coverings, which are decorated with various +Egyptian divinities, and with Asiatic captives at the feet: the second +object in this case is the coffin of an incense-bearer of the temple +of Khons, with the usual representations of the sepulchral deities. +Advancing in the regular order in which the cases are numbered, the +visitor will next notice in case 70 the inner coffin of a supposed +Egyptian king, with the bandages with inscriptions at the side. Three +mummies are placed in the next case (71) the first of which is +crumbling rapidly, the feet being already gone: and the bandages of +the second present pictures of Anubis embalming the deceased, and Isis +mourning over the ceremony. The next four cases (72-75) are also +filled with mummies and their appendages, of which the mummy and +coffin of a sacred functionary with a gilded face, and a picture of +the deceased adoring King Amenophis the First, in the 73rd case, and +the mummy and coffin of a musician of the Roman era of Egypt in case +74 are the most remarkable. The last case of mummies (76) contains +three mummies. The first is that of a priestess of Amoun, whose form +is discernible through the bandages, the feet of which are visible, +and the third is that of a woman named Cleopatra, of the family of +Soter, Archon of Thebes, with a comb in the hair, and upon the +bandages the usual sepulchral deities, including the black Anubis, and +in the next case is her coffin. + +The visitor having completed his survey of the human mummies should +return to the series of cases marked from 52 to 58, in which he will +find a curious assortment of + +ANIMAL MUMMIES. + +Animal life was venerated by the Egyptians. Certain animals were +sacred in certain parts of the country; but the ibis and the hawk were +generally worshipped. The sacred birds were attended to by the +priests. Seven cases in this room are entirely filled with the mummies +of these sacred birds. Here are mummies of dog-headed baboons, +worshipped at Hermopolis, and sacred to Thoth; a head of the +cynocephalus from Thebes; mummies of jackals, sacred to the sepulchral +Anubis; the head of a dog in bandages, and one with the bandages +unrolled. Mummies of oats, the female being sacred to the goddess +Pasht, or Diana, and the male to the sun; a wooden figure of a cat +containing the mummy of one; and bronze cats from the cat mummy pits +of Abouseir. In the fifty-fourth and fifty-fifth cases are mummies of +parts of bulls; gazelles; unrolled heads of rams; and the mummy of a +lamb. In the two following cases (56, 57) are a variety of mummies of +the ibis, perhaps, the most sacred bird of the Egyptians, and the +emblem of Thoth: these include Sir J. G. Wilkinson's present of the +black ibis and two eggs; and conical pots containing mummies of the +ibis. The last case (58) contains some strange mummies, including +those of crocodiles, emblematic of the Egyptian Sevek, the subduer; +mummies of snakes sacred to Isis, in the shape of circular cakes; and +in case 60, the visitor may notice more specimens of mummy snakes and +fish. The next two cases are filled with the specimens of some dried +birds of ancient Egypt, some stamped with the names of Sesostris, +Amenophis, and Thothmes; and some from the Pyramids of Illahoun, +Howara, and Dashour. The visitor should now direct his attention to +the large collection of + +EGYPTIAN SEPULCHRAL AND OTHER ORNAMENTS. + +These are interesting as illustrative of the Egyptian art of remote +period. These fragments occupy no less than twenty-four cases +(77-102). In the first case (77) the visitor should notice the coffin +of the mummy Cleopatra, ornamented on the outside with ordinary +emblematical drawings and on the inside with a Greek zodiac. The three +next cases (78-80) are filled with sepulchral tablets representing +various Egyptian divinities, among which the embalmer of the dead, +Anubis, ever figures prominently. The cases marked 81, 82, are filled +with a collection of rings of ivory, jasper, and cornelian; gold, +silver, and porcelain earrings and bracelets; signets with scarabaei, +or sacred beetles, in gold, silver, bronze, and some of the +Graeco-Egyptian period, in iron; necklaces, ornamented with various +religious symbols, in gold, jasper, amethyst; and in the 83rd case are +some specimens of old Egyptian glass. The next six cases (84-89) are +entirely devoted to sepulchral ornaments, including sepulchral tablets +showing priests adoring the sun, scenes of the embalmment of the dead, +and devotees adoring their favourite deities; pectoral plates; patches +from the network outer coverings of mummies, including the popular +scarabaei, wings, sceptres headed with, the lotus flower, and the +crowns of upper and lower Egypt, all in porcelain--all taken from the +coffins of various mummies. Case 90 contains the coffin of the archon +of Thebes, Soter, with the hawk of the sun on the top, and the +judgment scenes of the Amenti on the sides. The next three cases +(91-93) are filled with more specimens of Egyptian ornaments, +including four sides of a sepulchral box in wood (92), and sepulchral +tablets. The three cases next in succession (94-96) are filled with +amulets of all kinds, chiefly in the form of the scarabaeus, cut in +stone. The scarabaeus of the Egyptians was an emblem of the Divinity, +which the devout wore about their necks, and hung round the necks of +their dead relatives, as in the present day an effigy of the Virgin +rests often upon the cold breast of a Catholic corpse. As the visitor +will perceive, the collection of amulets comprehends representations +of various sacred animals, including the hedgehog. They are, in some +cases, nearly four thousand years old. The collection of scarabaei +includes one recording the marriage of Amenophis III. to Queen Taia, +and several bearing the name of Rameses, or Sesostris, according to +the Greeks. These ornaments are in various substances; the more +valuable being in cornelian, and basalt. The following three cases +(97-99) contain sepulchral tablets in wood, with various sacred +drawings upon them; and in the 100th case are inclosed the sepulchral +scarabaei, usually engraved with a prayer, and found inserted in the +folds of mummy bandages. Several are costly, as for instance that +marked 7875 of green jaspyr, said to have been extracted from the +coffin of King Enantef. The next two cases (101, 102) contain various +interesting fragments from mummies, including plain scarabaei and +other symbolic amulets, and ornaments inscribed with the names of +early Egyptian kings. Having noticed these revelations of Egypt's +sepulchres, the visitor should turn at once to the eastern wall cases +in which he will find a vast collection of + +EGYPTIAN DEITIES. + +The innumerable little figures scattered throughout the first seven +cases are all Egyptian deities with their appropriate symbols, +including those in porcelain and stone with holes bored in them for +the purpose of attaching them to mummy bandages; those in wood which +were carved generally to decorate tombs, and those in bronze which +were the household gods. It would be impossible for the general +visitor to examine this collection in detail, but he may notice the +chief deities with the extraordinary jumble of human and brute life +which they present. First of all the visitor will remark, in the first +division of the first case, a sandstone figure, seven inches high, +seated upon a throne with lotus sceptres, and attendant deities; this +is Amenra, the Jupiter of the Egyptians; and in the same case Phtah, +the Vulcan of the Egyptians, with a gour, or animal-headed sceptre in +both hands, and an oskh, or semi-circular collar, about his neck; the +Egyptian Saturn, Sabak, with the head of a crocodile, with the shenti +about his loins; and Thoth, the Egyptian Mercury, with an ibis head +surmounted by a crescent moon. In the second division, or case, amid +the strange figures, the visitor should remark the Egyptian Juno, +Mout, or mother, represented in the act of suckling, and wearing the +pschent, or cap, worn only by deities and Pharaohs; the Egyptian +Minerva, Nepth, on a throne, with the teshr, or inferior cap on her +head; a human form with a goat's head, wearing a conical cap +ornamented with two ostrich feathers, and disk on goat's horns, +representing Num, or water, called Jupiter Chnumis by the Greeks; +Khem, the Egyptian Pan, standing on nine bows; a youthful figure with +one lock of hair, and supporting the lunar disk, representing Chons, +or the Egyptian Hercules; an Egyptian Venus, Athor, in gold, +cow-headed; Ra, the sun, seated, and hawk-headed; Nefer Atum, with the +lotus flower and plumes for head ornaments, from Memphis, and +reverenced as the guardian of the sun's nostril; and the Egyptian +Diana, Pasht, or Bubastis, a bronze female figure with the head of a +cat. The third division includes a group, in vitrified earth, +representing Amenra seated on a feathered throne; a triad, in blue +porcelain, of Amoun Mout, the mother, and Chons, or Hercules; a figure +in lapis-lazuli of the Egyptian Minerva, Nepth; Num, ram-headed, +walking; Ptah-Socharis standing upon two crocodiles, and supporting +two hawks on his shoulders; and Pasht, the Egyptian Diana, +lion-headed. The third and fourth cases are filled with more specimens +of ancient Egyptian deities. In the first division the visitor should +remark a stone figure of the Egyptian Pluto, Osiris Pethempamentes, +with the atf, or conical cap, on his head, and the curved sceptre, and +three-thonged whip in his hand; a figure in stone, seated, wearing a +conical cap, and holding the sceptre called a gom, which represents +the Egyptian Bacchus, Osiris Ounophris; and a painted wooden figure, +kneeling, and supporting a building and a basket, representing the +Egyptian Proserpine, Nepththys, mistress of the palace. The second and +third divisions contain some remarkable figures, including bronze +groups of Osiris-ioh, or the moon, with the lunar disk; a walking +figure of Anubis, with a jackal's head; the ibis-headed Thoth, and +Har-si-esi with a hawk's head, each pouring a flood of water upon the +earth; various hawk-headed and other deities, in the beautiful lapis +lazuli, blue porcelain, and green felspar, including Isis suckling her +son Horus, and walking with a throne on her head; Nephthys walking; a +porcelain Horus with the mystic lock; a blue porcelain plate, +representing a procession of female deities; a snake-headed deity, +also in blue porcelain; and a porcelain Thoth carrying a scarabaeus. +In the fourth division the visitor will at once notice a small +monument in calcareous stone, about one foot two inches in height, +with various deities represented upon it; also other monuments, one +decorated with a flying scarabaeus; Horus seated upon a throne flanked +with lions; and Pasht upon a throne supported by two negroes and two +Asiatics. The fifth case is devoted also to deities, which the visitor +will recognise, and here he should notice the terra-cotta figure, with +a buckler and sword, which represents the Mars of the Egyptians, known +as Onouris. The principal object in the sixth case is the mummy-shaped +coffin of a Theban priest, called Penamen, and grouped near it are +offering stands and fragments. The seventh case contains one or two +remarkable groups, including some sacred animals; statues of Horns and +the son of Horus supporting three vases upon goat's horns; various +figures of Khons, one standing on a lotus flower; an extraordinary +figure of Phtah-Socharis upon two crocodiles; Ta-ur, an erect +hippopotamus, with human breasts, and the back covered by a +crocodile's tail; Typhon, ass-headed; and the tortoise-headed guardian +of the third hall of the Amenti, recovered from the tombs of the kings +at Thebes. Having noticed these remarkable combinations and symbols of +the religious idea of ancient Egypt, the visitor should rapidly +examine the extraordinary collection of + +SACRED ANIMALS, + +which exhibit, in their infinite variety, a confusion of species so +ingenious and astonishing, that the spectator who has the least +zoological enthusiasm is utterly confounded by the strange sights that +are here. These animals are collected into four cases (8-11), the two +first of which are chiefly devoted to the quadrupeds; and the two last +to the birds. Among the former, or quadrupeds, the visitor will +particularly remark the cynocephali, or dog-headed baboons, in bronze +and stone; various lions; cats, with bored ears; jackals; shrew mice +bearing the winged world; bulls; gazelles; a kneeling ibex; a ram +walking with the conical cap on its head; a sow with pigs, in bronze; +a quadruped with a viper's head; sphinxes, one covered with a lotus; +and various models of hares, ram's heads, &c. These animals, that is +to say the sacred animals that actually had life, were waited upon by +the priests, and the pain of death was inflicted upon any person who +killed them. Among the birds are many figures of hawks, some with +human faces, others with the solar disk on the head, or the conical +cap; the ibis, variously decorated; snakes and fishes; uraei; wooden +fragments of vipers; frogs; scorpions; a bronze crocodile; scarabaei, +in lapis-lazuli and other substances; emblems of stability; a wooden +head of the hippopotamus from the Tombs of the Kings at Thebes; +vultures; and snakes. + +Next to the cases of sacred animals are two (12, 13) devoted to small +statues of various kinds, in various substances. In the first division +of these cases are stone heads of priests, and officers of state with +long hair; and in the second, many curious objects are arranged, +including figures of men seated on thrones; a standing figure of a +Pharaoh; a long haired officer of state carved in ebony; rowers, with +moveable arms, taken from the models of boats. The third division +includes a dark green figure of a royal scribe, kneeling and holding a +tablet on which the prenomen of Rameses is visible; kings in various +attitudes; the bronze figure of a kneeling priest supporting a bowl +containing loaves; an altar of libation, with sacred animals, and +vases, cakes, &c.; various figures of scribes and others; a female +figure with a calf suspended about the neck by its legs, and the hand +resting upon the horns of a gazelle; reclining female figures; parts +of two females supporting monkeys; a seated female with blue hair; and +fragments of figures. The fourth division contains other Egyptian +figures. Having examined these two cases the visitor should approach +those in which the larger + +EGYPTIAN HOUSEHOLD OBJECTS + +and other curiosities are deposited. These cases are six in number +(14-19). From these cases the visitor will have an opportunity of +gathering a general idea of the domestic comforts of the ancient +Egyptians. Here are arranged their chairs, stools, and head-rests, as +they were used three thousand years ago. In the first division are, an +inlaid stool from Thebes, with a maroon-coloured seat; and a +high-backed chair, inlaid with ivory and dark woods, and a seat of +cordage, also from Thebes; but the most curious objects in this +division are the Egyptian pillows or head-rests, called uls. These are +hollowed clumps of wood or metallic substance, supported upon a +column, and used by the hardy ancients as rests for the head. In the +present day the poorest beggar would think one of these uls a sorry +rest for his weary head: yet some of the specimens have the titles of +men of distinction engraved upon them. Pillows, however, were not +unknown luxuries to the Egyptians, as a pillow of linen, stuffed with +water-fowl feathers, and deposited in the second division of the cases +under notice, testifies. In this second division are fragments of +couches, the decorations chiefly representing animals; fragments, in +calcareous stone, from the propylon of the brick pyramid of Dashour; +cramps, from Thebes and the temple of Berenice; iron keys from Thebes; +bronze hinges; porcelain tiles from the door of a pyramid; an +interesting stone model of a house; a model from Upper Egypt of a +granary, with a covered shed at one corner from which a man apparently +surveyed the operations of the workmen below. A Leghorn mouse, setting +aside the feelings of enthusiastic antiquaries + +THE EGYPTIAN ROOM + +consumed the grain that lay in the model granaries. From this curious +relic the visitor will turn with some astonishment to an ancient +Egyptian wig: it is curled on the top and plaited at the sides, and is +in all respects a well manufactured article. It is a state wig, worn +only on great occasions--the Egyptians going habitually closely +shaven. In the third division of the cases are assembled various bulky +figures, which the visitor will recognise as various Egyptian deities: +there is Pasht with his lion's head; Num, ram-headed; Thoth, +ibis-headed, and others; also the figure of a Pharaoh, or Egyptian +king, with the teshr, a royal cap, all taken from the tombs of the +kings at Thebes. + +In the two next cases (20, 21) the visitor will find various specimens +of the dresses and personal ornaments of the ancient Egyptians. In the +first division are a leather cap, cut into net-work from a single +piece, the ordinary male head-dress; a leather workman's apron: a +palm-leaf basket, and a linen cloth tunic that was found in it at +Thebes. The toilet vessels of various substances and shapes, used to +contain the metallic dye for the eye-lids, called sthem, worn by the +ancient Egyptians, including the cylindrical case, bearing the royal +names, are arranged in the second division, together with ivory, +porcelain, and other hair studs, and a pair of cord sandals from +Memphis. The third division is filled with varieties of Egyptian +mirrors, pins, combs, and sandals. The mirrors of the Egyptians +consisted of circular metallic plates, with variously ornamented +handles. The specimens in this case, which have lost their lustre +under centuries of rust, include one with a lotus handle, ornamented +with the Egyptian goddess of beauty, Athor; one with a tress of hair +as a design for the handle: and others ornamented with the head of the +much reverenced hawk. The pins are in bronze and wood, and were used +by the Egyptian ladies either to bind the hair or to apply the sthem +to the eyelids. The combs show a double row of teeth, and are of wood. +The shoes and sandals are of various kinds, but the greatest variety +of these articles is deposited in the fourth division of the cases. +These are made of palm leaves, wood, and papyrus: those with +high-peaked toes are the most ancient, having been worn in the +eighteenth dynasty, about fourteen centuries before our era. + +The nine following cases (22-32) are devoted to the vases and other +domestic vessels of the Egyptians; an intervening case (27) being +filled with the cedar coffin of a prophet priest of Amoun in Thebes, +elaborately ornamented with various religious symbols. Some of the +vases are inscribed with royal names of early dynasties, proving their +great antiquity: some of the most elegant dating so far back as +fourteen centuries before our era. These specimens of ancient Egyptian +workmanship suggest a state of high artistic refinement of a remoter +antiquity than the Grecian, wrecks of which lie in the Elgin and other +saloons on the basement of the museum. Of the large collection here +arranged the visitor will only care to notice the more remarkable +specimens. The uses to which these cups and bowls and vases were put, +may be inferred partly from their shapes, and partly from the material +of which they were made; those of a costly kind being probably the +receptacles of the unguents with which the ancient Egyptians of both +sexes anointed their persons after the bath; and the larger and less +costly varieties being the wine vases, &c, in common use. Two ancient +vases are in the first division of the case (22, 23) one with the name +of a king before the twelfth dynasty, and the more modern one of the +twenty-fifth dynasty. In the second division the visitor should notice +the small aragonite vases, resembling wine-glasses; in the third case +a slab, upon which are six vases of various shapes in calcareous +stone; in the fourth a vase from Lower Egypt, with the quantity it +holds inscribed upon it. In the next five cases, 24-27 are filled with +cups, and bowls, small vases, and lamps, including pottery vases +shaped like the pine cone; blue porcelain vase with a pattern; a +highly ornamented porcelain jug; vases in the shape of the hedgehog +and the ibis; glass, long-necked vases; a large blue bowl, ornamented +with leaves; a porcelain vase of the time of Sesostris, ornamented +with petals of the lotus flower; polished terra-cotta vases; double +vases; a lamp shaped like a bottle: a vase for libations in +terra-cotta, with a spout shaped like a bird's beak; bottle-shaped +vase in painted pottery, with three handles, and symbolic decorations; +and curious perforated cups on feet. The three cases marked 30-32 +contain also some curious vases and lamps, including a vase shaped +like a woman playing a guitar, from Thebes; a vase issuing from a +flower, in red pottery; a, lamb reclining as a vase; gourd-shaped +vases; earthenware bowls covered with various deities; and lamps +ornamented with toads, boars' heads, children, and leaves, in relief. +Other vases are arranged here and there about the five next cases +(33-37) together with agricultural implements; and, strange to say, +viands prepared perhaps for some of the mummies that lie in the +immediate neighbourhood, together with odd bits and fragments, all +illustrative of times before Alexander had bequeathed the Ptolemies to +Egypt. In the first two divisions, the remarkable objects are various, +bronze buckets with ornamental outlines of various deities and sacred +animals; a rectangular bronze table, perforated to receive vessels; +bronze lamps, &c.; and in the third division the visitor should +certainly notice the two-staged stand of papyrus and cane from a +private tomb at Thebes, with trussed ducks and cakes of bread upon it; +baskets containing fruits, as figs, pomegranates, dates, cakes of +barley, &e. The fourth division contains some old agricultural +implements, including the fragments of a sickle found by Belzoni under +a statue at Karnak; a wooden pick-axe; an Egyptian hoe; a yoke of +acacia wood; eight steps of wood from a rope-ladder, and specimens of +palm-fibre rope. + +Passing from these interesting relics of ancient manufacturing skill, +the visitor will next arrive before two cases (36, 37) of Egyptian +fragments of tombs, and weapons of war, illustrating the means of +killing and the fashion of burial. In the first division are various +goms, or Egyptian sceptres and staffs, some of ebony and some of wood; +and the blade of a war-axe, with the name of Thothmes III. inscribed +upon it. A variety of offensive weapons are arranged in the second +division, including bronze war-axes, one with a hollow silver handle; +daggers; bows and arrows, the arrows pointed with triangular bronze +heads, and fragments of flint-arrow-heads; fowling-sticks; handsome +bronze bladed knives, with agate and other handles, some worked with +gold, &c. The fragments in the third division include a knotted rope; +a piked club; wooden fan handles; wooden paddles carved with heads of +jackals; a mast for the model of a boat; and in the fourth division +are a curious cuirass and helmet, from the tombs of Manfaloot, +fashioned from a crocodile skin. At this point is another intermediate +case containing a mummy, coffin, and boards. The coffin is shaped like +a mummy, with a green face, and Netpe, between Isis and Nephthys on +the breast, with the deceased being introduced to the deities, among +whom he is to be divided by Thoth. This coffin was presented to the +Museum by George III. + +Having peered into the fragmentary establishments of ancient Egypt, +followed the contemporaries of Sesostris into their dining-rooms, even +noticed specimens of their dishes, and seen them in their waxen +winding-sheets, the visitor may now pass to the next case (39) and +notice some of the remains of the materials by the means of which they +recorded their actions, and traced their lineaments. Here are +displayed the ancient Egyptian pens and pencils, colours and ink, all +shrivelled and discoloured with the mould of centuries, but remaining +still to bear witness to the early love of knowledge and of art, that +urged the Egyptian scribe and the Egyptian artist to fashion them. In +the first division are the rectangular pallets, with grooves for the +wooden pens or reeds, and hollows for the colour or ink; and here, +too, are the kash, or pens used by the ancient scribes. The pallets +have inscriptions upon them; on one there is an invocation to the +goddess of writing. Fragments of one or two colours, with the +palm-leaf baskets in which they were deposited are also in this case; +together with stands with small colour vases; slabs with colour jars; +mullets for grinding, a basket with paint-brushes made of palm-fibres; +and upon a thin piece of cedar wood is a portrait of an Egyptian +female of the Greek period. Amidst other minute objects lie Egyptian +folding wax tablets for writing; a cylindrical ink-box, with a chain +attached to hold the pen case; seals of various kinds with impressions +of bulls, jackals, and hieroglyphics; portion of a calendar on stone; +and fragments of Egyptian writing on stone, and chiefly from tombs. +These fragments illustrative of the Egyptian character are continued +in the first two divisions of the cases marked 40, 41, including a +panel and stud from an ebony box inscribed with the titles of +Amenophis III. and his daughter; and a fragment in ebony, with an +inscribed dedication to Anubis. Among the miscellaneous objects also +in these divisions are various boxes in wood, papyrus, one veneered +with white and red ivory, some inscribed with names; and one with a +pyramidal cover, veneered with ivory and ornamented with figures and +birds. The next or third division is filled with varieties of Egyptian +spoons. Some of these are curious. They are chiefly of wood; but some +are of ivory. Among them are wooden spoons, shovel, egg and +cartouche-shaped; one with the handle carved in the shape of lotus +flowers; one with a moveable cover from Memphis; one with the handle +representing a gazelle, and within fish demolishing a water plant, +from Thebes; one in the shape of a fish; one circular, with a lotus +handle and a hawk cynocephalus on its edge; one with the form of a +fish for a bowl, and a fox seizing the fish for a handle; and others +equally curious in point of design. The last, or fourth division of +the case is full of ancient Egyptian building materials, including +fragments of painted plaster; stamps for bricks; palm-fibre brushes +for colouring walls, and smoothing tools. + +EGYPTIAN TOOLS + +are disposed through the two cases (42, 43) which the visitor should +now examine. In the first division are some palm-leaf baskets; wooden +mallets, one found in the masonry of the great pyramid at Abooseir; +and staves; in the second division a large variety of curious tools is +exhibited, including Egyptian saws, bradawls, chisels, an adze, axe +blades, knives of bronze, generally inscribed with hieroglyphics, +hones, bronze nails; mysterious bronze tools, the use of which is +unknown, all interesting to those who are in any way interested in the +history of the wonderful people who inhabited the valley of the Nile, +and wielded these tools there, when our island was an untilled desert. +The third division of the case contains strange handles decorated with +the popular lotus flower, fragments of an ivory gorget, with figures +of various animals oddly grouped upon it; various fragments of +carving, and pedestals bearing inscriptions; and in the fourth, or +last, division of the case are various baskets, coloured and plain. +The first division of the next case (44, 45) is also given up to +palm-leaf baskets of various descriptions, which the visitor should +examine as illustrating the perfection to which the workers of the +palm-leaf brought their handicraft. Leaving the tools and baskets +behind, the visitor will now approach the + +EGYPTIAN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, + +which occupy the second division of the case. It is well known that +music was generally cultivated by the ancient Egyptians, even before +Terpander had devised a system of musical notation: and that in their +religious ceremonies music was much used. The sistrum, of which the +visitor will notice one or two samples in the division, was the +instrument most generally used. It consisted of wires suspended +through the sides of an arch, to which a handle, generally highly +ornamented with the head of Athor, as in the one in the case, is +fixed:--the wires terminating with heads of sacred animals, upon which +rings were suspended that produced sounds by being shaken backwards +and forwards. + +There are also some Egyptian harps; portions of flutes found in the +northern brick pyramids at Dashour; a pipe with seven burnt holes in +it; and a pair of bronze cymbals tied together by a band of linen. The +division next to that in which the musical instruments are arranged, +is filled with + +EGYPTIAN TOYS. + +Perhaps, no portion of this interesting Egyptian room so forcibly +impresses the spectator with the truth and reality of its revelations, +as these rude toys, that must have been handled by prattling Egyptian +children, when all was dark throughout Europe, save on the shore of +the southern sea, where glimmered fitful lights of awakening +civilisation, and Homer was enshrining the poor knowledge of his +period in the splendid fancies of his poet soul. Not vastly different +from the rude dolls of the present century must these of Egypt have +been when fresh from the workman's hand. They are in a very disabled +state now, however; one being a rude representation of an Egyptian +Miss Biffen, altogether guiltless of legs; and others, the flat +variety, having hair made of clay beads. In the case with these relics +are porcelain models of eggs, balls, fruit; wooden fish; leather and +palm-leaf balls, stuffed; dice, and various draughtsmen, with the +heads of cats; and one with the figure of a jackal. The last two +divisions of the case under notice are entirely filled with a variety +of specimens of + +ANCIENT EGYPTIAN FABRICS. + +This division is always interesting to visitors who have any knowledge +of the essential excellences of textile fabrics. There can be no doubt +of the high repute in which the linens of ancient Egypt were held of +old; but the samples which have remained in a state of preservation up +to the present day, being mostly bandages of the coarse cloths from +mummies, it is hardly possible to estimate fairly the excellence of +the fabrics with which, the great men of ancient Egypt adorned their +persons and those of their wives. However, one or two samples of +linen, as fine as the celebrated muslins of India, remain, and the +visitor should notice particularly those clothes in the case with fine +blue selvage. In the case also are part of the bandages of an Egyptian +mummy of the Greek period, and a sample of ancient Egyptian linen +bleached by the modern process. With these specimens are skeins of +thread, spindles, and knitting-needles; bronze sewing needles; and a +hackle for flax-dressing. With this case the visitor closes his +examination of the wall cases of the Egyptian room. On taking a +general survey of the room, the objects that will first attract his +attention are the casts of the remarkable sculptures from the entrance +to the temple at Beit-onally near Kalabshe, placed over the wall-cases +against the eastern and western walls. These are faithful +representations of the painted sculpture for which the ancient +Egyptians were famous, about thirteen centuries before our era. The +specimens in the room represent the triumphs of the second Rameses. +The cast against the eastern wall is in two distinct compartments. In +the first, Rameses, accompanied by his sons, is driving his vanquished +Ethiopian enemies into a wood: in the second part the conqueror is +investing the vanquished Ethiopian prince with a gold chain, and +behind are the spoils of war, and Ethiopians leading strange oxen to +the victor; while, in the lower division, the vanquished prince is +presenting a load of tributary treasure to the king, followed by a +crowd of Ethiopians, leading all kinds of animals. These paintings, as +the visitor will observe, are painted without regard to light and +shade, the figures are huddled together, and the drawing is of the +most rigid description. The casts against the western wall are in five +compartments, and celebrate the victories of Rameses over the Asiatic +nations. In the first compartment Rameses is receiving his Asiatic +captives; in the second he is about to decapitate a prisoner; in the +third, in his kingly cap, he is defeating an Asiatic army, who are +represented in active flight; in the fourth he is attacking an Asiatic +fortress; and in the fifth the king is again receiving Asiatic +prisoners. Having noticed these remarkable antiquities, the visitor +should examine the plaster models, placed upon the central table of +the room, of the obelisks of Karnak and Heliopolis. Above the door is +a leather cross, from the dress of a Copt priest, supposed to be about +twelve hundred years old. Above various cases are placed mummy +coffins, and figures of deities too large for the cases; but the +mummy-case deposited over case 31 is worth special attention. It is +scooped out of the trunk of a tree, has the face painted black, a +vulture on the chest, and other ornaments and symbols. Near it, over +cases 30-32, are deposited four sepulchral vases of a military +officer, containing the parts removed from the body in the process of +embalming. Each vase was sacred to a deity; the first, containing the +stomach and appendages, was sacred to Amset the first genius of the +dead; the second, containing the lesser intestines, was presided over +by the second genius of the dead, Hapi; the lungs and heart, deposited +in the third vase, were sacred to Siumutf, the third genius; and to +the fourth genius the vase containing the liver and gall-bladder was +dedicated. + +The visitor having noticed these objects has done with the Egyptian +room. It is well, however, to pause upon the threshold, and before +dismissing these interesting glimpses into the life, long since +scattered as dust, upon the soil of Egypt, to call to mind the +prominent points of the impressive story that may be read in the room +he is about to quit. He may wander back through the histories of ages +upon ages; pause before the revelations of Herodotus; and recall the +mighty romances of Homer; and, pausing even there, where all is so +dim, and little understood, turn once more to these fragmentary +monuments of a civilisation that existed even centuries before the +great Greek poet. So silently, for us of the present hour, time rolled +by in those days, that we fail to grasp the measure of the distance +which separates our fret and toil of the nineteenth century, from that +busy valley of the Nile; when the second Rameses reigned in all his +glory; when precise artists were ruling geometrical lines upon stones +to make their careful drawings; and painters, with their palm-fibre +brushes, all unconscious of the critics that lay yet silently in the +womb of time, who would shovel the dust and dirt of centuries from +before their works, and tell the story of Rameses from these rude +revelations. Curious thoughts crowd in every busy brain, before these +strange relics. Lost in the depths of the past, the mind, with a leap, +often grasps at the future; and men will be found seriously saying to +themselves, as they notice how we depend for our knowledge of ancient +Egyptian fabrics upon the shrouds of ancient Egyptians,--what, if we +looked forward, and in the remote centuries that are rolling toward +us, see all our vast and busy Lancashire some layers underground, and +archaeologists busy with our winding sheet! Well, at the least, these +thoughts are not idle. It does all of us good to think often of what +has been, and to dream of the future to which we are driving "down the +ringing grooves of time"--to think sometimes of the fine people who +had their glorious days, when London was distributed, untouched by +human hands, in clayey strata, and remote stone quarries; and +hereabouts, to the minds of the Greeks, lay the islands of the +blessed. + +The visitor should now proceed southward into the room called The +Bronze Room. Here are collected the ancient bronzes of which the +Museum trustees are in possession; including specimens of the fine +castings of ancient Greece, which, with all our modern contrivances, +we cannot surpass in the present day. The cases to the left are filled +with a supplementary collection of the remains of ancient Egyptian +art, for which space could not be found in the Egyptian room. These +occupy no less than twenty-six cases. The first eleven cases (1-11) +are filled with various sepulchral fragments in various substances, +and porcelain and terra-cotta figures, which the visitor who has just +emerged from the Egyptian room will again recognise. Here the strange +figures of the Egyptian deities occur again and again; but the visitor +should pause before the case 10, 11, in which are deposited models of +the Egyptian funeral boats, in stone and wood, from Thebes, and on the +fourth shelf a Roman caricature on papyrus, representing lions and +goats playing at dice, and foxes driving geese. In the Egyptian cases +are more specimens of cynocephali, jackal, and hawks' heads, models of +the four sepulchral vases, in pottery and wood; more mummy coffins, +fragments of inscribed pottery, large Egyptian terra-cotta vases, and +in cases 24, 25, are deposited some fragments in terra-cotta, and +bronze excavated by Mr. Layard, in ancient Assyria. Having glanced at +these Egyptian cases the visitor should turn at once to the collection +of + +GREEK AND ROMAN BRONZES, + +which fill the cases numbered from 29 to 112. The visitor particularly +interested in Greek and Roman art, might here spend an entire day. +Bronze, a mixture of copper and tin, was used by the ancients for the +manufacture of all kinds of edge-tools, long before iron was smelted +from the earth in which it is invariably found; and mineralogists of +the present day are surprised to see the works which the ancients +executed with a material, that no modern workmen could use as a +cutting medium. Stone masons' chisels, and fine edged weapons of war, +were made of bronze in those days. The collection of bronzes which the +visitor is now about to examine, cannot be said to be a perfect +collection; yet it contains some beautiful specimens, and one that is +said to be the finest bronze in Europe. The antiquarian pauses with +delight before these marvellous specimens of ancient skill; and +reflecting upon the difficulties which beset the caster in bronze, it +is astonishing to see the precision and the exquisite finish with +which the artists of ancient Greece and Rome performed their labours. +Some of their bronze manufacture were hammered, but most of those +works from which we derive a knowledge of their greatness as artists +were cast. Of those colossal bronzes which were studded about Rome, +Athens, and Delphos, few remain at the present day. The material of +which they were composed was too valuable to escape the clutch of +barbaric conquerors; therefore the bronzes which remain are chiefly of +a small size, but still sufficiently perfect to assure us of the great +works that filled every open place in the towns of ancient Greece and +Rome. In these cases the visitor will find a great number of bronze +utensils and personal ornaments: metal mirrors; lamps; incense +vessels, or thuribula; the saucers for pouring libations, called +paterae; tripods of all kinds and variously ornamented; candelabra; +and the clasps of the Romans called fibulae. + +Beginning with the first case, 29, 30, the visitor will first remark +three ancient vases or amphorae, and five jugs, from Corfu, aged about +five centuries before our era; and in the same cases, on the third and +fourth shelves, Athenian vases, variously ornamented with geometrical +designs, animals, and birds, in the most ancient style. The next case +also contains vases of the most ancient style, from Athens, including +a fine specimen surmounted by two horses. In cases 33, 34, are further +specimens of the vases of ancient Greece, on some of which red figures +are traced upon a black ground, and on others a red ground is adopted, +with the ornamental figures in black: among the ornaments on those +vases the visitor should notice the cupids represented in blue and +white on one of these vases, and on another the figure of a crawling +boy, with a low stool and an apple before him. The vases in the next +cases (35, 36) contain some fine specimens of Athenian art about the +time of Pericles, with figures traced red and black, representing +Orestes and Electra at the tomb of Agamemnon. In these cases also are +some Athenian glass vases, and opaque glass vessels from Melos; +terra-cotta bas-reliefs, representing Bellerophon destroying the +Chimera; Perseus destroying the gorgon Medusa, and other classical +subjects; and upon the third shelf, amid unguent boxes, terra-cotta +lamps, and a terra-cotta doll, is a curious vase containing bones, +with a silver Athenian coin, attached to the jar by careful relatives, +to pay for the deceased's transit across the Styx. A collection of +terra-cotta figures are arranged upon the four shelves of case 37. +These include an ancient comic actor as Hercules; Athenian ladies +bearing water jugs, called Hydriophorae; Ceres; a dancing group from +Athens; animals; stools; and dancing figures from the south of Italy. +No less than three hundred and thirty-three handles from the wine +vessels or amphorae of ancient Rhodes are deposited in cases 38, 39. +Some are inscribed with the names of the chief magistrate. Varieties +of vessels in terra-cotta fill the two first shelves of the cases 40, +41, from Etruria; upon the third shelf are fragments of large bronzes, +including the staff of AEsculapius with the serpent; and the bronze +groups distributed upon the fourth shelf include three figures of +Hercules; and two figures supposed to be a Ptolemy and his queen +arrayed as Fortune. The cases 42-45 are filled with bronze weapons, +including spear-heads from the sepulchres of Etruria; arrow-heads and +bronze swords of the Roman time; standards with the famous Roman +eagles; helmets, including a famous one dedicated to Jupiter Olympius, +by Hiero I. on the occasion of gaining a victory over the Tuscans at +Cumae, upwards of four centuries before our era; and one found at +Olympia, dedicated by the Argives; bronze plates, and military belts, +from Vulci. The next six cases (46-51) are filled with various Grecian +and Roman antiquities, of which the visitor should particularly notice +amid bronze amphorae, tripods, glass beads, weights in the shape of +busts, sacrificial knives, and bronze hatchet heads, three cistae or +boxes, with classical groups in relief upon them, the subject of one +being Hercules grasping serpents. These cistae were the toilette boxes +of the ancients. Here too the visitor should remark the hearth (a +tripod) with charcoal still upon it, with fire-irons and cooking +utensils; and a variety of tripods variously ornamented with sphinxes, +Boreas carrying away Orithyia; and leaden vases from Delos, holding +the ashes of the dead. An interesting collection of candelabra, from +the Etruscan sepulchres, is arranged in the next cases (52, 53). These +candelabra were highly esteemed throughout ancient Greece. They are +decorated chiefly with mythological subjects, and have, attached to +them, vessels for dipping into larger vessels. Those in the next case +(54) are of the Roman period. Having glanced at the censers and bronze +lamps in the next cases (56-57) the visitor may pass on to the case +numbered 58-64, in which is a large collection of bronze vessels, +including unguent vases, which are the most highly decorated, +braziers, cauldrons, and jugs. The two next cases contain a great +number of bronze figures of various heathen deities, representations +of mythological events. Here are, a winged Victory holding an egg; +figures of Juno Sospita; figures for mirrors; Apollos; a giant hurling +a rock; one of the Gorgons; figures of Mars, in the old grotesque +style; a reclining Dionysus, drinking; satyrs; Aphrodite; Aurora +bearing off Tithonus or Cephalus; Hercules; Ariadne playing on the +lyre; Hercules killing the Maenalian stag; Minerva; and other figures, +all drawn from Grecian mythology. These cases present, at a glance, +more than any other in the collection, the various excellences of +ancient bronzes. The ancient mirrors are arranged in the next two +cases (68, 69)--one polished to show their old effect; and in the 70th +case are Etruscan and Roman fibulae or clasps in general use in the +olden time, in lieu of buttons or hooks. The drainings of the lake of +Monte Falterona brought to light the most attractive objects of the +next three cases (71-73), including the fine Etruscan statue of Mars, +the large statue of a youth; and here also are a group of Aurora +bearing off Memnon; and a satyr and a bacchante for the top of a +candelabrum. Finely ornamented mirrors, with figures chased, +bas-relief, representing, among other subjects, Minerva before Paris; +Achilles arming before Thetis; a winged Hercules killing the Lernean +Hydra; Juno and her rivals preparing for the judgment of Paris; +Hercules bearing off a female figure; Venus holding a dove, as a +mirror handle; the Dioscuri, Clytemnestra and Helen; Aphrodite nursing +Eros; and Dolon, Ulysses, and Diomed. Bronze figures of Greek and +Roman divinities fill the next case, including a silver group of +Saturn devouring his children; no less than nineteen Jupiters, one in +silver with a goat at his side. These are continued in the following +case (78), including Isis; Ganymede and the eagle; Terpsichore; +Apollos; Junos; a fine Apollo from Paramythia; a Triton, with crab's +claws, and a face turning into sea weed; Dianas, one, in silver, +holding a crescent; and Neptune, distinguishable by his trident. Three +cases, next in order of number (80-82), are devoted to ancient Roman +horse-trappings. Busts of Minerva occupy the most prominent positions +in the 83rd case; and in the next case (84) are no less than +twenty-one figures of Mercury, one of which, distinguishable by the +gold collar about the neck, is reputed the most beautiful bronze in +Europe. These figures of Mercury are in various attitudes. Here the +cocks, emblematic of the athletic games, are before him--there he is +flying on Jupiter's eagle; and near these figures are arranged +twenty-eight figures of Venus; in one place the goddess is rising from +the sea, in another she is arranging her sandal, or riding her swan. +Playful Cupids, thirty-five in number, and gambolling variously, +occupy the position next in order to the figures of Venus. Here the +little god is running, there he bears the anointing-box of +Venus--there he is laughing, in another corner his laughter is turned +to tears, and in another he is ingloriously intoxicated. In another +direction he is exhibited in his amiable moods, feeding a hare with +grapes, or toying with a swan. The next case (86) contains an +assortment of ancient glazed articles including glass studs, buttons, +&c., from the sepulchres of Etruria; bronze sandals from Armentum; and +glazed ware of various shapes. In the 87th case are deposited four +curious fragments from Perugia, of chariot chasings, representing +various warlike emblems and doings; and an ancient scabbard engraved +with an outline of Briseis led by Achilles. Deities fill the next case +(89), including fourteen figures of Harpocrates; a Pan; and figures of +Bacchus. Silenus, with silver eyes and a crown set with garnets, will +be found in the next case (90) where Hercules is strangling the Nemean +lion; and another Silenus kneeling on a wine-skin. Cupid is seizing +the weapons of the strong Hercules while the latter sleeps; in the +next case (91), here also he is grappling with the Maenalian stag, and +Pan shows his goat's legs. The 92nd, 93rd and 94th cases are filled +with various mirrors from Athens; the anciently prized knuckle bones +of a small animal; bronze earrings from a tomb in Cephalonia; sling +bullets found at Saguntum; part of a lyre, and wooden flutes +discovered near Athens; a gilt myrtle crown; glass mosaics from the +Parthenon; iron knives and fetters from Athens; a jar that once held +the famed Lycian eye ointment; one of the bronze tickets of a judge; +and leaden weights. Hercules is vigorously at work in the groups of +the next case (95), and herein are figures of Victory and Fortune; two +sphinxes, and other groups. The head of Polyphemus appears prominently +in the 96th case; and in the remaining cases miscellaneously grouped, +are ancient dice, some of which have been loaded, suggesting the +antiquity of roguery; ivory hair pins; bronze needles; glass beads; +fragments of cornelian and other cups, and glass; bronze figures of +animals; inlaid and enamel work; styli for writing upon wax; ancient +medical instruments; and old Roman finger-rings. + +Over the Egyptian cases are deposited fac-similes of paintings of a +tomb at Vulci, discovered in the year 1832. These represent various +ancient games of racing and leaping. Over the cases 38-58 are other +fac-similes from a tomb, also at Vulci, in a mutilated condition; and +against the southern wall are the ceilings of the tomb. Having +examined these things the visitor should proceed on his southward +course, and, passing through the southern entrance of the bronze room, +enter the fine apartment, known as the Etruscan room, in which the + +ETRUSCAN VASES + +are arranged. These are a series of earthen vases discovered in Italy. +These painted vases are the spoil from the tombs of the ancient +Etruscans. The Etruscans inhabited the northern parts of Italy, and +flourished there in a state of comparative civilisation, when the rest +of the Peninsula, save where the Greeks were busy on its southern +shore, was in a barbarous state. The Etruscan tombs present various +degrees of ornament according to the wealth of their occupant, but in +all of them painted vases of some description are found. It is +maintained by many learned men that these beautiful vases were not a +native manufacture, but were bought by the Etruscans of the Greeks of +Southern Italy, who imported them from the famous potteries of Athens. +The Greek inscriptions on some of these vases, and the Greek subjects +from which the decorations are taken, tend strongly to confirm this +hypothesis. It is, however, altogether a mystery why the Etruscans +surrounded their dead with these vases. They were not used to hold +human bones, nor to contain food for the deceased; but that the +Etruscans held them in high estimation as sepulchral ornaments is +certain from the fact that they are found universally in their tombs, +the finer and more elaborate in the sepulchres of the rich, and the +coarser and plainer kinds in the graves of the poor. The visitor will +do well to walk carefully round this room in which the Etruscan vases +belonging to the Museum are deposited. They are arranged in the +supposed chronological order in which they were manufactured; the +clumsy and coarse ware being placed in the first case, as exhibiting +the dawn of the potter's art, and the more elaborate and +highly-wrought specimens being arranged in regular order of +improvement in the succeeding cases. + +The first five cases are filled with clumsy black ware, ornamented in +some cases with figures in relief, and extracted from tombs discovered +on the site of the oldest Etruscan towns, which circumstance has led +antiquaries to allow the Etruscans the honour of having fashioned +these rude specimens of pottery; but as the samples display a higher +degree of skill they refuse to allow the Etruscans the merit of having +improved the clumsiness of their early handiwork. In the sixth and +seventh cases are pale vases with deep red figures, chiefly of animals +upon them, chiefly from Canino and Vulci. The exertions of the Prince +of Canino in excavating on his estate in search of Etruscan tombs and +their treasures are well known; and the enthusiasm with which Sir +William Hamilton, while on his embassy at Naples, bought the +curiosities of Etruscan tombs, should be remembered. Few Englishmen, +however, can think pleasantly of those times when the Hamiltons were +at Naples, when Lady Hamilton did her country great services; then +recall the picture of the poor woman fed by a charitable neighbour at +Calais, think of Horatio's last words, and then of the country that +forgets the woman's service, and the hero's dying words. Well, the +visitor may pass on his way amidst these spoils from Etruscan tombs, +and forgetting the family to whom we owe many of them, serenely watch +the gradual improvement in the manufacture. The best have black +figures upon a dark ground. The glass cases in the centre of the room +contain those vases which are painted on both sides. On the walls of +the room above the cases are fac-similes of paintings from some of the +Etruscan tombs. Some of them represent dances and games; but one +represents a female in the act of covering the head of a man who has +just expired, while a male figure is drawing a covering over the feet, +and two spectators are in attitudes of grief in the neighbourhood. +Having roamed amid the spoils of Etruscan tombs, the search after +which is now a settled business in parts of Italy, the visitor may +take a southerly direction through two empty rooms into that at the +southern extremity of the western wing. Here a few miscellaneous +objects are deposited, amongst which in the eastern cases he should +notice some curious old enamels, and the frescoes from St. Stephen's +Chapel, Westminster, and on the floor, a model of the Victory. He +should then turn in an easternly direction into the Ethnographical +room, which, to the visitor without a guide has very much the +appearance of a confined curiosity shop; but on inspection proves to +be an interesting compartment of the Museum, in which curiosities +illustrative of the civilisation of various countries and continents +are arranged. Before applying himself to the wall cases, however, the +visitor would do well to advance to the eastern extremity of the room, +noticing the objects deposited in the central space by the way. These +consist of Flaxman's cast of the shield of Achilles; a model of the +Thugs fashioned at Madras by a native artist; a model of a moveable +temple; her Majesty's present to the museum of a great Chinese bell, +surmounted by the Chinese national dragon, and decorated with figures +of Buddh, from a temple near Ningpo; and various cromlechs or +sepulchres of the ancient Britons, ruder in their construction than +those with which the visitor has lately busied himself. Having arrived +at the eastern end of the room, the visitor should advance to the +northern wall cases, and begin his inspection. He will at once remark +that the first five cases (1-5) are devoted to + +CHINESE CURIOSITIES. + +These are distributed with particular regard to the economy of space, +and accordingly the visitor may see at a glance objects huddled +together, the uses of which are of the most opposite nature. On the +first shelf of cases 1, 2, are distributed the tally of a Chinese +soldier describing his age and place of residence; ladies' gloves; +military boots; bows and arrows; and the mock spears shown above the +walls of Woosang in 1842 to intimidate the British forces. The second +shelf exhibits the grotesque varieties of Chinese deities and leaders +of sects; and in other parts of the cases are endless Chinese +curiosities, including Chinese scales and weights; padlocks; mirrors; +a pair of Chinese spectacles in a leather case; shoe brushes from +Shanghai; chopsticks; a brass pipe; Chinese mariners' compasses; a +Chinese bank-note, value one dollar; Chinese needles; agricultural +implements; joss sticks; the sea-weed eaten by the Chinese; ancient +bronze bell; vase in shape of a lotus leaf; and an advertisement for +quack pills. The visitor should remark the great royal wicker shield +that is on the top of the case, ornamented with the head of a tiger; +and the model of a junk. The third case contains Chinese divinities, +of which the goddess of Mercy, Kwan-yin, on the first shelf, is the +most noticeable figure. The two last cases 4 and 5 given up to +Chinese, are filled chiefly with Chinese musical instruments, +including the pair of sticks used by Chinese beggars as castanets to +attract attention to their petitions; Chinese shuttlecocks, made of +feathers and lead, the Chinese battledores being the soles of their +feet, suggestive of vigorous exercise; fly-flaps; surgical +instruments; paints; boxes; and Japanese shoes. Over these cases is a +circular stand, in twenty-two parts, representing, in relief, the +chief deities of the Hindoo mythology. The four next cases (6-9) are +given up to + +INDIAN CURIOSITIES. + +Among the miscellaneous collection of objects crowded into these four +cases are many figures of Buddha in earthenware, wood, alabaster and +ivory; bronze divinities of the Hindoo Pantheon; Hindoo playing cards; +copper-plates containing grants of land; a Hindoo mathematical +instrument; a powder-horn from Burtpoor; Affghan cloak and pistol; +bows and arrows; baggage and accommodation boats; and early Arabian +bronze water ewers inlaid with silver. Over the Indian cases are +figures of Hindoo deities, including a bronze figure of Siva with four +arms, and Lakshmi, the wife of Vishnu. The four following cases +(10-13) are chiefly filled with + +AFRICAN CURIOSITIES + +of a miscellaneous description, and from various parts of the +continent. These include, in cases 10, 11, Nubian and Abyssinian +baskets; Arabic quadrants; Egyptian water-bottles; sandals, and a +variety of other manufactures from Ashantee, including a shuttle, and +specimens of native cotton cloth; an iron bar used as a medium of +exchange, and worth about one shilling on the African coast; gourd +boxes and calabashes; cloths and other curiosities collected on the +Niger Expedition; specimens of native silk from Egga; a skin bottle +for holding galena to colour the eyelids; opaque glass beads from +Abyssinia; all kinds of arms from French Guiana, Fernando Po, +Abyssinia, and Nubia, including a Nubian spear, enveloped with a +snake's skin from Thebes. Over the cases an Ashantee loom for weaving +narrow cloth, and Abyssinian baskets, and at the side an Indian inlaid +cabinet. Passing from these cases, the visitor at once reaches those +devoted to + +AMERICAN CURIOSITIES. + +The cases numbered from 14-21 are filled with articles illustrative of +the life and climate of the Esquimaux, and the extreme northern +regions of America, including the native fishing-hooks and lines; +models of canoes; skin dresses, men's boots from Kotzebue's Sound; +Lapland trousers; utensils made of the horn of the musk ox; Esquimaux +woman's hair ornaments; over the cases hereabouts the sledge which Sir +E. Parry brought from Baffin's Bay, and a canoe from Behring's +Straits; waterproof fishing jackets, made from the intestines of the +whale; harpoons of bone tipped with meteoric iron; specimens of rude +sculpture from these northern regions; clubs; hatchets; the magic dome +of an Iceland witch; baskets and mats; calumets of peace; scalps; a +model of a cradle, showing the method adopted by the Indians of the +Columbia River to flatten their children's heads. The cases 23, 24, +are filled with curiosities from more southernly parts of the North +American continent; and chiefly with various objects from the most +interesting of the old inhabitants of America--the Mexicans. The +collection from Mexico, including their divinities, specimens of their +arts, &c., are arranged in seven cases (24-30). The objects from +Guiana occupy the greater part of cases 31-34; and the remarkable +objects in the 35th case are the dried body of a female, from New +Granada; a mummy from New Granada wrapped in cotton cloths; a curious +Peruvian mummy of a child, the legs curiously bound up; and silver and +gold Peruvian sepulchral ornaments. The cases marked 36, 37, are +devoted to objects from South America, including black earthern +vessels from cemeteries in Peru; bows and poisoned arrows; and a +sacrificial bason, ornamented with serpents, supposed to be one from +the temple of the Sun at Cuzco. The rest of the cases contain +miscellaneous objects from groups of islands. The contributions from +the Marquesas and Sandwich Islands are in cases 53-56; the war +dresses, of feathers, &c., from Tahiti, in case 57; and the nets and +baskets, clubs and tatooing instruments from the Friendly Islands will +be found arranged in cases 65, 66. On the second shelf of cases 66, +67, is deposited a tortoise-shell bonnet, made in imitation of an +European bonnet from Navigator's Island. Cases 68, 69, are devoted to +objects from New Zealand; and those marked 70, 71, were collected +during an exploring expedition into Central Australia. The last cases +are devoted to miscellaneous objects from the Fiji Islands, Borneo, +and other localities; and with these the visitor should close his +second visit to the Museum; regaining the ante-room to the Southern +Zoological gallery, by passing out of the Ethnographical room through +its eastern opening. He has now completed the examination of the +galleries of the Museum with the exception of the print and medal +rooms, which are not open to the public generally, but are reserved +for the use of artists and antiquarians. He has dipped into many +sciences on his two journeys; made some acquaintance with the history +of the animals that frequent the different parts of the world; dwelt +amid the fossil fragments of long ages past; examined the elementary +substances of which the earth's crust is composed; been with the dust +of men that lived before Jerusalem was made for ever memorable; +surveyed the spoils of Etruscan tombs; and lingered amid the varieties +of household things from the barbarous nations of the present hour; +and not wholly profitless have the journeys been, even if the +scientific mysticism be not mastered, so that there remains in the +mind a general impression of the time that has gone by, the great laws +that govern the universe, and the humility that becomes man, when he +sees his individuality, in relation with the mighty past, and the +great progresses of Nature. + +END OF THE SECOND VISIT. + + + + +VISIT THE THIRD. + + + +The visitor, on entering the British Museum for the third time, will +commence his examination of the massive Antiquities, which are +scattered throughout the noble galleries that stretch along the +western basement of the building. His spirit must again wander to the +remote past. Again must he recur to the ancient civilisation of +southern Europe, and the busy people that covered the valley of the +Nile before Alexander breathed. He has already examined the household +utensils, the bodies, the ornaments, and the food of the ancient +Egyptians, and has had more than a glimpse of the artistic excellence +to which they attained long before our Christian era. Of the +sepulchral caves of Thebes, of the massive pyramids sacred to the +ancient Pharaohs, of the strange images of beasts and men, of the +sacred beetles, and the universal Ibis, he has already examined minute +specimens arranged in the cases of the Egyptian Room; but he has yet +to witness those evidences of power, and scorn of difficulties, +exhibited in the colossal works of the Egyptian people. + +On entering the Museum for the third time, the visitor should turn to +the left, and passing under the staircase, enter the galleries devoted +to Ancient Sculpture. He will at once be struck with the strange +allegorical figures clustered on all sides, the broken bodies, the +fragments of arms and legs, the corners of slabs, and other +dilapidations. Here a fine figure is without a nose, there Theseus +holds aloft two handless arms, and legs without feet. The visitor who +has not the least insight into the heart of all these collections of +fragments from tombs, and temples, and neglected ruins, is perhaps +inclined to laugh at the enthusiasm with which they are generally +examined, and the rapturous strains in which the greatest critics have +written of them. Not to all people is the enthusiasm of Lord Elgin +comprehensible. Why not allow the fragments of the Parthenon to be +ground into fine white mortar, and the busts of ancient heroes to be +targets for the weapons of Turkish youths? are questions which a few +utilitarians may be inclined to ask; and it would certainly be +difficult to show, for instance in figures, the gain the country has +made by expending 35,000£. on the Elgin marbles: in the same way that +it is difficult to appraise the beneficial influence of beauty, or to +test the developments of the universe by double entry. + +But let the visitor pace these noble galleries of his national museum +with a reverent heart, let him learn from these beautiful labours of +long ago, that not only to him and his fellows of the proud nineteenth +century, when fiery words are flashing through the seas, and steam +fights like a demon with time, were the living years pregnant with the +glories of art; but that the Egyptian, with his rude bronze chisel, +cut his native rocks with no unskilful hand, before the Son of God lay +cradled in a manger. + +Past the bewildering fragments of art in the south-western gallery to +the south-western corner of the building, then south like an arrow to +the northern end of the sculpture rooms, should the visitor at once +proceed. He will pass by fragments of Assyrian, Greek, and Roman art, +but to these he should now pay little heed, as his immediate business +is with the fine gallery of + +EGYPTIAN SCULPTURE, + +which is the most northernly apartment or gallery of the western wing. +Here he will at once notice the rows of Sarcophagi, which are ranged +on either side of the central passage of the gallery. These colossal +outer-coffins contained the mummies of distinguished Egyptians. Along +the walls of the room are ranged the sepulchral tablets, or tombstones +of ancient Egyptians, and the inscriptions generally record the name +and age of a deceased person; and in some cases, points of domestic +history and pious sentences. Their dates range over a space of time +amounting to more than twenty centuries. Interspersed with these are +other sculptures, chiefly of Egyptian deities; but the attention of +the visitor will be probably attracted first to the + +EGYPTIAN OUTER COFFINS. + +The visitor, having reached the northern end of the Egyptian Saloon, +should turn to the south, and begin a minute examination of its +contents. The sarcophagi, or outer coffins of stone, in which the rich +ancient Egyptians deposited the embalmed bodies of their relations, +occupy the greater part of the ground space of the saloon. They are +massive shells, hewn from the solid rock, polished and engraved +skilfully with hieroglyphics, which, so far as the learned have been +able to decipher, record the exploits of the great men they contained. +Some of them are in the shape of common boxes with raised lids; while +in others, attempts to represent the features of the deceased, and a +rough outline of a mummy are apparent. These massive coffins, which +are upwards of three thousand years old, and are eloquent with the +mystic written language of that remote antiquity, deserve more than a +transient notice even from the unscientific visitor. Mummies were +found in most of these, proving their use. Some were discovered placed +in an erect, and others in a recumbent posture, in the tombs of +Thebes, or on the sites of ancient cities. + +Of the sarcophagi or coffins, fashioned in the shape of a mummy, the +visitor should notice that in calcareous stone, numbered 47, which was +discovered at Tana; another, with the paintings restored, marked 39; +another in green basalt, marked 33, known to be that of a female +called Auch, decorated with the embalming deities, and inscribed with +a prayer on behalf of the deceased woman; and one of later date which +has held the remains of a member of the priestly class, numbered 17. +To arrive at a fair estimate of the average art displayed in these +ancient sepulchral remains, it is worth the trouble of the visitor to +wander a little about the saloon from one specimen to the next +immediately connected with, or proximately resembling it. Having +examined the coffins shaped like mummies, the visitor should next +direct his attention to the massive oblong cases which lie upon the +ground on either side of him. + +The first of these which he may examine is that marked 32. This +sarcophagus was excavated from the back of the palace of Sesostris, +near Thebes. Athor appears in bas-relief upon the lid; the sun is +represented in the interior, together with Heaven represented as a +female, and a repetition of the goddess Athor. + +The names of several royal ladies have been deciphered from the +inscriptions, which are the addresses of deities. The black granite +chest of a sarcophagus, numbered 23, is that of a royal scribe named +Hapimen. Here the well-known figures of the Amenti, the embalmer +Anubis, and other deities and symbols, will remind the visitor of the +Egyptian room up stairs, with its strange green little images of +figures half human and half bestial. Round the interior are the +deities to whom the various parts of the human body were severally +dedicated. Since this massive granite was the coffin of Hapimen, it +has been known to the Turks as the "Lover's Fountain," and used by +them as a cistern. The Syenite sarcophagus of a standard-bearer, is +marked 18. The chest of a royal sarcophagus that was taken from the +mosque of St. Athanasius at Alexandria, and which contained the mummy +of a king of the twenty-eighth dynasty, is marked number 10. On the +exterior, the Sun is represented, attended by appropriate deities +travelling through the hours of the day; and on the interior the +visitor will recognise the quaint symbolic forms of the usual +sepulchral gods and goddesses. The two remaining sarcophagi are those +of a scribe and priest of the acropolis of Memphis, and a bard. That +of the former, marked 3, is covered with the figures of Egyptian +divinities and inscriptions to the deceased; that of the latter, in +arragonite, is in the form of a mummy, like those first examined by +the visitor. This coffin has five distinct lines of hieroglyphics +engraved down the front, expressing a chapter of the funeral ritual: +and the face bears evidence of having been gilt. + +Having sufficiently examined these massive coffins, upon which the +proudest undertaker of modern times must look humbly, and deplore the +decline of his business as an art, the visitor should at once turn to +other specimens of the sepulchral art of the ancient Egyptians. Of +these, the most interesting are the sepulchral tablets, which are +literally + +ANCIENT EGYPTIAN TOMBSTONES. + +Our modern tombstones record only the virtues of the dead. If future +generations have to rely upon the revelations of our churchyards for +facts connected with the people of modern times, they will write that +we were all of us faultless as fathers, irreproachable as husbands, +and devoted and self-sacrificial as children. Every tombstone is +engraved with a catalogue of human virtues; and idlers wandering round +about our country churches, find themselves surrounded by the ashes of +fond husbands, innocent angels, and adored wives. These prattlings of +sorrow have their happy significance, since they show the universal +forgiveness that follows even the worst and basest of mankind to the +grave. But viewed as historical records, tombstones are sadly erring +guides. They tell histories of men, written by their mistresses or +their children. The sculpture which adorns the graves of modern races +in this country, generally represents urns, or weeping cherubims, +broken flowers, or fractured columns, or grieving angels. These +symbols of death and grief contrast often oddly with the hopeful +scriptural sentences which they surmount. In some instances the +occupation or calling of the deceased is typified on his tomb--the +unstrung lyre telling the whereabouts of a dead musician; and a +palette indicating the resting-place of a defunct painter. Little that +is great in sculpture has of late marked burial-places. + +The Egyptians, on the contrary, employed their choicest workmen to +decorate their tombs. The visitor may, gathering together the +scattered fragments from this saloon, picture to himself one of the +massive solemn vaults of the old Egyptians--the walls decorated with +sepulchral tablets, and beneath each tablet a massive sarcophagus, +containing the mummy of the deceased whose actions the tablet records. +Not altogether unlike the vaults of the present day, save that +perishable materials suffice for modern notions; whereas the Egyptian +provided comforts for the long, long rest, that, according to his +creed, would elapse, before the mummy would shake off its bandages, +and walk forth bodily once more. The Egyptian tablets, of which there +are a great number scattered about the saloon, are, as the visitor +will perceive, of small dimensions, but crowded with mystic +hieroglyphics, and ornamental groups of the funereal deities and other +subjects. The writing records the actions and the name of the +deceased, together with various religious sentiments; and is +therefore, in form and spirit, not unlike the modern epitaph. This +resemblance is not so wonderful as it at first appears, seeing that +the same circumstances acted upon the dictator of the old Egyptian +epitaph, as those which make the modern widow eloquent. The most +modern of the tablets in the present collection are those executed +while Egypt was a Roman state, many are of the time of the Ptolemies, +and one is believed to be of a date before the time of Abraham. This +tablet is to the memory of a state officer: it is marked 212. The +examination of the sarcophagi, will have led the visitor to the +southern end of the saloon; and from this point he should once more +turn to the north, and examine the sepulchral tablets on the eastern +and western walls. He will notice that numbers of them exactly +resemble one another in certain forms; that certain sepulchral scenes +are frequently repeated, and that therefore the tablets cannot be said +in many cases with certainty, to represent either passages in the life +of the deceased, or symbolic images of his career. + +First let the visitor remark, numbered 90, a basalt slab, presented to +the museum by the Lords of the Admiralty. It is supposed to have been +originally the cover of a stone coffin, in the time of the Ptolemies. +It is remarkable for a Graeco-Egyptian recumbent figure, executed in +bas-relief. The sepulchral tablets marked 128-9-31-32, are in +calcareous stone. The first is that of a scribe, who is receiving a +funeral offering from his son; the second is that of Akar-se, who is +receiving the offerings of his bereaved family; the third, from +Abydos, has similar representations of family offerings, and the +fourth is that of the chief keeper of the cattle of Rameses II., named +Hara, who prays to Horus, Isis, Nephthys, and Osiris. The first three +tablets are dedicated to Isis. The visitor may also remark in this +neighbourhood a fragment in bas-relief from the tomb near Gizeh, of +Afa. Afa was a palace officer, who is supposed to have flourished +about the period of the fourth dynasty. He is here represented, in +company with various members of his family. + +The next tablet to which the visitor should direct his attention is +from Thebes, and is marked 139. It is that of a priest named Rames, +who flourished during the reign of King Menephtah. Here the priest is +represented in the act of adoring various deities, and accepting +funeral honours from his family. The tablet marked 142 is of the time +of the nineteenth dynasty. It bears an inscription referring to a +governor of the Ramesseium, named Amen-mes. The next tablet that +deserves particular remark is one in calcareous stone, from Abydos. It +is in honour of a military chief of the twelfth dynasty, named Nechta. +The pictorial embellishments represent the chief before a table of +offerings, with his wife, mother, and nurse, seated before him. On the +next tablet (144) a judge named Kaha, is adoring funeral deities, and +receiving the usual honours from his family. Passing the tablet of the +commander of the troops of the palace of Sethos I. (146) the visitor +should pause before the interesting tablet marked 147. This tablet +records the date of the birth and marriage of a female named +Tai-em-hept, of the advent of her son Tmouth, and of her death which +took place in the tenth year of the reign of Cleopatra. As the visitor +progresses with his inspection of these tablets, he will be more and +more struck with the minute revelations they afford of the subdivision +of labour among the ancient Egyptians. For instance, one tablet (148) +is that of a superintendent of the builders of the palaces of Thothmes +IV. in Abydos; another (149) is that of a scribe of the royal +quarries; a third (150) is that of a Theban judge, on the lower part +of which are representations in yellow, in the style of the nineteenth +dynasty, of the transport of the corpse, and other funeral ceremonies; +a fourth (154) is that of a royal usher; a fifth is that of Pai, a +queen's officer, among the illustrations of which a tame cynocephalus +may be noticed. The tablet marked 159 is a very ancient specimen. It +is that of Rutkar a priest, who is represented, in company with his +wife, surveying the domestic occupations of his dependents. The tablet +from Thebes, of Baknaa, a master of the horse in the reign of +Sesostris is marked 164. Here the deceased is represented adoring a +group of deities. The other tablets in this vicinity are chiefly of +the time of Rameses II. or III, and are in honour of scribes and other +functionaries immediately connected with the court. Two sepulchral +tablets from Sakkara are interesting. That marked 184 is in honour of +a priestess of Phtha named Tanefer-ho. The pictorial embellishments +represent the priestess about to be introduced to Osiris and other +deities by Anubis and other presiding spirits of the tomb. This +specimen bears the date of the nineteenth year of the reign of Ptolemy +Auletes. The second tablet from Sakkara (188) is that of an ancient +pluralist named I-em-hept, who is represented introduced to Osiris and +other deities by Anubis and his brother spirits or genii. The +inscription below, in the vulgar character of the ancient Egyptians, +is supposed to begin with the sixth year of Cleopatra. Near these +tablets is one in dark granite, of a date before the twelfth dynasty +(187) in honour of Mentu-hept, a superintendent of granaries and +wardrobes. The next tablet to which the visitor's attention should be +directed, is one crowded with symbolic animals and deities (191). It +is that of a functionary named Kaha, who is adoring Chiun, standing on +a lion, and grasping snakes, with Horus and other deities. Asi, a +military chief and priest of a very remote period, is represented on +the next tablet (192), with food before him, and the next (193) is +that found before the great sphinx at Gizeh. On it the sun is +represented, and a Greek inscription tells that it was erected in the +time of Nero, by the inhabitants of Busiris to the Roman governor of +Egypt, Tiberius Claudius Balbillus. The next tablet (194) is that +discovered by Belzoni, near the temple of Karnak, on which a line of +adoring deities are represented. The tablets marked 548, 9, 51 have no +particular points of interest; the visitor may therefore at once pass +to the group, most of which are coloured yellow, and are elaborately +embellished, marked from 555 to 598. The first of these worth especial +notice is that (555) of a Theban judge of the eighteenth dynasty. It +is coloured yellow and the deceased is represented with the boat and +the sun's disc above, and in company with his sister adoring the cow +of Athor; the second (566) is in the form of a doorway, is of the +nineteenth dynasty, is coloured, and is in honour of a conductor of +the festival of Amen-ra; the third and fourth (557-8) are of earlier +date, or the twelfth dynasty, and represent the deceased before tables +of viands; the fifth tablet (560) is in honour of Her-chen, who is +represented with his relations, and Phtah-kan, a scribe, also +represented and similarly attended, all well finished and coloured; +the three following tablets represent the deceased before tables of +viands, coloured; the next (564) is that of the keeper of the +treasury, or "silver abode," in the twelfth dynasty--he too is before +a table of food in company with his relations; the next remarkable +specimen is that marked 569, which is in honour of Athor-si, a +functionary supposed to have been the superintendent of mines in the +twelfth dynasty, who is here represented in one part before a table +loaded with food, and in another part seated, with his hands humbly +crossed upon his breast; the next tablets presenting particular points +for remark are those of Eun-necht, (575) a superintendent of corn and +clothing, of the twelfth dynasty. Senatef, chief of the palace to +Amen-emha II., who is represented receiving a goose, a haunch, and +other food from his relations. Eunentef, a chief and his son standing +face to face, bearing wands and sceptres--a sculptor named User-ur, +who is represented with his wives and parents, and upon which the +square red lines used by the precise Egyptian artists are still +visible on the unfinished parts. After several other tablets of the +twelfth dynasty, is placed (584) a small square one of an earlier date +in honour of Chen-bak, an architect, who is seated with his wife, +receiving the duty of his children. Near this is a good specimen of +old Egyptian bas-relief on calcareous stone, in honour of a palace +officer named Amen-ha (586); and next to it (587) is a tablet in +honour of a superintendent of all the gods, named Seraunut. Hereabouts +also is the tablet from Thebes in honour of Hera, a royal scribe +(588). On this tablet the deceased is represented bearing an +appropriate feather sceptre before Nameses the ninth of the twentieth +dynasty, who is seated on his throne, under the particular +guardianship of the God of truth. + +The tablet from Thebes marked 593 is that of a judge and his wife, and +is dedicated to Osiris and Anup. Hereon, the lotus flower is +represented, with corn and bread. The next tablet (594) is one in the +shape of an altar of libations, and is dedicated to Amenophis I. and +the queen Aahmes-Nefer-Ari. It is ornamented with representations of +various foods, including vases of figs. In this neighbourhood are a +few more tablets, including one on which are jars, water-fowl, and +bread cakes, (596) and a fragment upon which the head of a king is +traceable, marked 595. The visitor should also notice now the two +early Saracenic tombstones presented by Dr. Bowring. Having examined +these, the more remarkable of the sepulchral tablets, or tombstones of +the ancient Egyptians, the visitor, still lingering amid the funereal +relics of long ages ago, should turn to the + +EGYPTIAN SEPULCHRAL VASES. + +As we explained when the visitor was in the Egyptian room, better +known as the Mummy room, up stairs, in the course of his second visit, +the ancient Egyptians, when they embalmed their dead, extracted the +viscera, and deposited them, apart from the body, in four vases, over +which the genii of the dead severally presided. Thus every mummy had, +properly, four sepulchral vases; and the collection arranged in the +saloon amply illustrates the varieties of ornament expended upon them. +As the visitor has probably forgotten the particular parts assigned +separately to the genii, it may be well to repeat here that Amset (who +is human-headed,) had the stomach and large intestines under his +especial protection Tuautmutf with his jackal-head presided over the +heart and lungs; Kebhsnuf, with the fierce head of the widely +worshipped hawk, took the gall, bladder, and liver, in charge; while +the baboon-headed Hapi reserved to himself the care of the small +intestines. There does not appear to have been any supernatural +protector of the brains, which, as we have noticed, were drawn through +the nose by the embalmer. These vases are of the most ancient times, +chiefly before the advent of Alexander, after which event the people +began to enclose the entrails of their dead in wax cloths, and +fastening to the various parts the appropriate genius, to have been +content to deposit them in the same case with the body. The vases +which the visitor is about to examine are carved in different +materials, the more costly and highly finished being of arragonite, +and the less important, in wood, stone, or clay. They are all +ornamented with appropriate inscriptions, consisting of exhortations +of the deities to the dead, or comforting syllables from the genii of +the intestines to the departed. The visitor will not care to examine +all these vases in detail, nor would any purpose be served were the +unscientific spectator to hover in this corner for a whole day; it is +sufficient for him to understand the passage these vases occupy in the +ancient history of Egypt, and to notice cursorily the degree of +excellence displayed in the manufacture of them. He will find the +hawk-head of Kebhsnuf in one direction, and the baboon-head of Hapi in +another, and from these pictorial revelations he will know what part +of a deceased Egyptian was deposited in each vase. + +With these preliminary words we may leave him to examine the +collection, reserving to ourselves the task of pointing his attention +to one or two of the more remarkable specimens. First let the visitor +notice the complete set of four, in arragonite, marked 614-17. These +were for the internal parts of prince Amen-em-api, the eldest son of +Rameses II., and as the visitor will notice, have severally their +presiding genius, with sacred inscriptions. Another remarkable vase is +that in arragonite marked 609, with its cover fashioned in the form of +a human head, and the remains of an inscription which had been laid on +with a thick kind of colour. That marked 629 with the jackal-head of +Tuantmutf, bears an inscription in which the standard-bearer of Plato +named Hara, part of whose body was inclosed, is reminded that the +genius attends him. One (635) of arragonite has a green waxy paint, +and belonged to a royal bow-bearer of the nineteenth dynasty, named +Renfu. There is another complete set, which do not appear to have been +opened, marked 636-39. The arragonite vases are the most expensive, +and, as we have remarked the most highly finished; but the visitor may +notice also those in coarser material. + +Having sufficiently examined these vases, the visitor may take a +general glance at the contents of the saloon, and prepare to examine +the Sphinxes, and colossal figures that are crowded into it. In these +he will recognise only colossal copies of many of the little figures +he saw in the Mummy room up stairs. He will see huge granite +representations of the strange gods and goddesses to which the +ancients devoutly knelt; and in many of these forms he will trace a +placid beauty that reveals often the soul of the sculptor fettered by +the strange formulas of his religion. The visitor having examined the +high reliefs on the tablets and sepulchral monuments of the ancient +Egyptians, has now to examine the specimens that remain of their +statuary. But first of + +EGYPTIAN HUMAN STATUES. + +In viewing cursorily the statuary of the ancient Egyptians, the +investigator is first struck with the colossal proportions adopted by +their sculptors. In those days, when iron was unknown, and when bronze +was the manufactured metal, men contrived without the use of +gunpowder, to remove vast masses of granite from their quarries, and +to shape these masses into the form they chose. Had they a hero to +whom they would pay honour? Forthwith his figure was immortalised in +colossal granite. How these vast masses, when separated from the rock, +and chiselled into statues, were removed to their destination in the +court, or at the entrance of a temple, is a point not satisfactorily +determined. That thousands of lives were spent, year after year, in +the production of the vast monuments which now lie scattered in +confusion about the valley of the Nile is certain; and some men +contemplate this large expenditure of human muscle upon these rude +masses, with a gentle melancholy that is not altogether called for. +There was a spirit in the work that made it noble. And here it is well +that the visitor shall see the opinion of a man whose conclusions were +based upon profound erudition in his art, on the subject of ancient +Egyptian art, artistically viewed. In his lectures on sculpture, +Flaxman says, "Their (the Egyptian) statues are divided into seven +heads and a half, the whole weight of the figure is divided into two +equal parts at the _ospubis_, the rest of the proportions are natural +and not disagreeable. The principal forms of the body and limbs, as +the breasts, belly, shoulders, biceps of the arm, knees, shin-bones, +and feet, are expressed with a fleshy roundness, although without +anatomical knowledge of detail; and in the female figures these parts +often possess considerable elegance and beauty. The forms of the +female face have much the same outline and progression towards beauty +in the features as we see in some of the early Greek statues, and, +like them, without variety of character; for little difference can be +traced in the faces of Isis, in her representations of Diana, Venus, +or Terra, or indeed in Osiris, although sometimes understood to be +Jupiter himself, excepting that in some instances he has a very small +beard, in form resembling a peg. The hands and feet, like the rest of +the figure, have general forms only, without particular detail; the +fingers and toes are flat, of equal thickness, little separated, and +without distinction of the knuckles; yet, altogether, their simplicity +of idea, breadths of parts, and occasional beauty of form, strike the +skilful beholder, and have been highly praised by the best judges, +ancient and modern. In their basso-relievos and paintings, which +require variety of action and situation, are demonstrated their want +of anatomical, mechanical, and geometrical science, relating to the +arts of painting and sculpture. The king, or hero, is three times +larger than the other figures; whatever is the action, whether a +siege, a battle, or taking a town by storm, there is not the smallest +idea of perspective in the place, or magnitude of figures or +buildings. Figures intended to be in violent action are equally +destitute of joints, and other anatomical form, as they are of the +balance and spring of motion, the force of a blow, or the just variety +of line in the turning figure. In a word, their historical art was +informing the beholder in the best manner they could, according to the +rude characters they were able to make. From such a description it is +easy to understand how much their attempts at historical +representation were inferior to their single statues. What has been +hitherto said of Egyptian sculpture, describes the ancient native +sculpture of that people. After the Ptolemies, successors of Alexander +the Great, were kings of Egypt, their sculpture was enlivened by +Grecian animation, and refined by the standard of Grecian beauty in +proportions, attitude, character, and dress. Osiris, Isis, and Orus, +their three great divinities, put on the Macedonian costume; and new +divinities appeared amongst them in Grecian forms, whose +characteristics were compounded from materials of Egyptian, Eastern, +and Grecian theology and philosophy." + +First, to give the visitor an idea of the magnitude of the colossi of +the ancient Egyptians, let him notice from the southern extremity of +the saloon the gigantic cast of the face of Sesostris, placed against +the southern wall of the central saloon. This face is a cast from a +colossal statue of that great king of the Egyptians, which was one of +four discovered by the energetic Belzoni, in front of the great temple +of Ibsamboul in Nubia. It is a sitting figure, fifty feet high. These +colossal figures of the great Egyptian monarch were plentiful +throughout Egypt. As the visitor stands before this fragment of a +stupendous piece of sculpture, he may recall to mind the points in the +career of Giovanni Battista Belzoni. First, the boy helping his father +to shave the beards of the Paduans; then the young adventurer flushed +with hope, jogging on his way to Rome; then the grave young man, with +his vast physical development shrouded in the monkish habit; then, in +1800, when Napoleon was busy in Italy, the monkish garments thrown +aside, he wanders about the continent, stared at everywhere for his +size and strength of limb; then as lecturer on hydraulic machinery, +and exhibitor of feats of strength at Astley's Theatre; then, under +the patronage of the Pasha, constructing a machine to water some +gardens on the banks of the Nile; then engaged by the English Consul +in Egypt, Mr. Salt, to prosecute some of the investigations into the +monuments of antiquity, upon which that gentleman was expending much +time and money; and here he is for the first time recognised in his +true position. Of his labours as explorer of the tombs and temples of +ancient Egypt few people are ignorant. How, dressed as a Turk, he +transported the colossal granite bust of Memnon to Alexandria, and saw +it safely on its way to England; how he penetrated into the Temple of +Ibsamboul; how he patiently explored the rocks of the valley of +Beban-el-Malouk, beyond Thebes to discover the entrances to tombs, and +took exact copies of the thousands of figures he discovered upon +sepulchral walls; how he penetrated into the bowels of the pyramid of +Cephrenes, and found in the inmost chamber only the bones of a sacred +bull; how he was honoured on his return to his native city; and how a +desolate grave on an African shore was the end of his chapter--are +matters of exciting adventure that are read by thousands of young +people in the present day. + +The visitor will see a strong family likeness in the colossal heads +that are in the saloon. Proceeding northward from the southern end of +the saloon, the visitor may rapidly notice the colossal fragments of +the statues of kings and high officers, which are all distinctly +marked. First, let the visitor examine two colossal heads (4-6), +wearing the kingly head-covering, and said to resemble the features of +Amenophis III., which were excavated under the superintendence of Mr. +Salt, at Gournah; and then the visitor may turn to a fragment marked +9, which is a colossal fist, found among the ruins of Memphis by the +French, and which fell, together with other valuable relics, into the +possession of the English on the capitulation of Alexandria in 1801. +This fist may well excite the admiration and respect of the most +determined pugilist of the present day. Hereabouts also are a +remarkable monument (12) found in the ruins of Karnak under the +superintendence of Mr. Salt, placed upon a white stone pedestal in an +angle of the wall of the great temple, and showing on each of its +sides representations of Thothmes III. of the 18th dynasty, holding +the hands of deities, said by some to be the moat curious specimen of +Egyptian bas-relief in the Museum; a fractured colossus (14) in black +granite, from Thebes, supposed to be part of a statue of Amenophis +III.; the colossal head (15) discovered at Karnak by Belzoni in 1818, +supposed to represent the features of Thothmes III.; the head and +upper part of a statue of Sesostris, known as the Young Memnon. Before +this, the most celebrated of the Egyptian specimens in the saloon, the +visitor should pause to learn something of it, and notice its +peculiarities for himself. Its name, 'Memnon,' is that given by the +Greeks to many of the colossi which they saw scattered about the +country when they made their way into Egypt. Memnon was the name given +by the ancient Greek writers to an Egyptian hero who had a great +reputation for his conquests, and was said to have done his share of +work in the famous Trojan war. This name having been given +indiscriminately to various statues, conveys no proof of their +identity, since it represents only a mythical hero, whose fame reached +Greece many centuries before our hero. Generally, this young Memnon is +held to be a portrait of the great Sesostris, who was either the first +or second Rameses; but some authorities declare that the weight of +evidence goes in favour of Amenophis III., who was a pharaoh, or +monarch, flourishing more than fourteen centuries before Christ. It is +certain, however, that we have here a carefully-elaborated portrait of +an Egyptian hero who flourished many centuries before our era. The +features have all the prominent parts noticed by writers on Egyptian +sculpture as characteristic of the Egyptian style. Here are the +wonderfully high and prominent ears (which must have been invaluable +peculiarities to Egyptian wits), the thick Ethiopian lips, the coarse +nose, and the full eyes, all carefully and skilfully chiselled. +Certainly, when we recall the time, realise fully the antiquity and +the social state in which this great work was performed, we may see +the sculptor's dawning soul in the majestic repose of this head. The +lines are hard and stiff--have not the flow of the Parthenon +decorations; but here is nothing mean or poor,--all large, solid, and +carved with the force of a giant. The picturesque accounts of its +transmission from the Memnonium at Thebes to Alexandria are familiar +to the majority of readers, with the great Belzoni, with his +marvellous strength and energy, urging on the workmen. "I cannot help +observing," he tells us, "that it was no easy undertaking to put a +piece of granite of such bulk and weight on board a boat that, if it +received the weight on one side, would immediately upset; and, what is +more, this was to be done without the smallest help of any mechanical +contrivance, even a single tackle, and only with four poles and ropes, +as the water was about eighteen feet below the bank where the head was +to descend. The causeway I had made gradually sloped to the edge of +the water, close to the boat, and with the four poles I formed a +bridge from the bank into the centre of the boat, so that when the +weight bore on the bridge it pressed only on the centre of the boat. +The bridge rested partly on the causeway, partly on the side of the +boat, and partly on the centre of it. On the opposite side of the boat +I put some mats well filled with straw. I necessarily stationed a few +Arabs in the boat, and some at each side, with a lever of palm-wood, +as I had nothing else. At the middle of the bridge I put a sack filled +with sand, that, if the Colossus should run too fast into the boat, it +might be stopped. In the ground behind the Colossus I had a piece of a +palm-tree planted, round which a rope was twisted, and then fastened +to its ear, to let it descend gradually. I set a lever at work on each +side; at the same time that the men in the boat were pulling, others +were slackening the ropes, and others shifting the rollers as the +Colossus advanced. + +"Thus it descended gradually from the mainland to the causeway, when +it sunk a good deal, as the causeway was made of fresh earth. This, +however, I did not regret, as it was better that it should be so, than +that it should run too fast towards the water; for I had to consider +that if this piece of antiquity should fall into the Nile, my return +to Europe would not be very welcome, particularly to the antiquaries; +though I have reason to believe that some among the great body of its +scientific men would rather have seen it sunk in the Nile than where +it is now deposited. However, it went smoothly on board. The Arabs, +who were unanimously of opinion that it would go to the bottom of the +river, or crush the boat, were all attention, as if anxious to know +the result, as well as to know how the operation was to be performed: +and when the owner of the boat, who considered it as consigned to +perdition, witnessed my success, and saw the huge piece of stone, as +he called it, safely on board, he came and squeezed me heartily by the +hand." + +On the back of the statue are hieroglyphics describing the titles of +Rameses. Marked 21, is a colossal black granite statue of the third +Amenophis, also called Memnon, found also at Thebes in the year 1818. +The next remarkable object to which the visitor's attention may be +drawn is the sandstone statue of a monarch of the 19th dynasty, known +as Leti Menephta II. (26), found at Karnak by Mrs. Belzoni. Here the +characteristics of ancient Egyptian sculpture are strictly preserved, +the figure having the arms close to the body, the hands resting upon +the knees, and in the hands an altar, upon which is a ram's head. +Hereabouts, also, is the lower part of a kneeling statue of Sesostris, +supporting an altar, with the scarabaeus, or sacred beetle. Of the age +of the 18th dynasty (of which Amenophis III. was the most notable +monarch) is the restored group marked 29, which represents a guardian +of the temple of Amenra and his wife, seated upon a throne ornamented +with dedications to various deities. Having glanced at the limestone +bust (30), from Gournah, of a statue to a king, the visitor may turn +to a group (31) which represents an ecclesiastic, with his sister (who +is a priestess), and his little son, a priest to Amenophis II.--the +sister holding a bunch of lotus flowers. This group was found in a +tomb near Thebes. A headless statue, marked 35, with red colouring +matter upon it, extracted from a sepulchre in the neighbourhood of the +pyramids of Gizeh, is the next remarkable object deserving the general +visitor's notice; and hereabouts, also, is another group, in the old +Egyptian style (36), of an officer seated beside a female relation. +Passing some remarkable objects which remain for notice under a +separate head, and the lower part of a statue of Sesostris from Abydos +(42), the visitor should next pause before a figure marked 43. This +black granite statue is that of a queen of the 18th dynasty, and +mother of the great Amenophis III. She is represented, as the visitor +will perceive, seated upon a throne. A vulture, in an Athor-headed +boat, hovers over her; and upon the boat the learned may read her name +and dignities. Passing the upper part of a grey granite statue, +representing a king, probably of the 12th dynasty (44), which was +found in the neighbourhood of Gizeh, the visitor should halt before +the statue of an Egyptian scribe, marked 46. This sitting figure is +loaded with symbols. The pectoral plate suspended from his neck +describes the dignities of the great Sesostris; in his right hand is a +symbol of life, and in his left he holds a blade of corn. Near the +scribe the visitor will notice a heavily-draped figure of black +basalt, with the arms solemnly crossed, which was excavated from +behind the Memnon at Thebes. This statue represents a military chief +of the early part of the 18th dynasty, named Banofre. The figure +numbered 51 is that of a prince named Anebta, who lived in the 18th +dynasty: it is of calcareous stone, and was found at Thebes. The two +next statues are those of a royal scribe of the 19th dynasty, and an +officer connected with the libations to the god Amen-ra, both from +Thebes. Two fragments, marked respectively 54 and 55, are the feet of +a statue, and a colossal arm in red granite belonging to the colossal +head, conjectured to be that of Thothmes III., found in the sand in +the Karnak part of Thebes. Having examined these ponderous fragments, +the visitor should next notice the colossal red granite statue of +Sesostris found at Karnak (61), the kingly rank of the monarch being +marked by the hat and the royal apron; and the upper part of a statue +of the same monarch wearing the Pschent or crown of the Pharaohs, and +holding a crook and whip. The small statue of Bet-mes, a state officer +of the sixth dynasty, found in a tomb at Gizeh, is remarkable for its +extraordinary antiquity; and in this neighbourhood, also, is a statue +of an Ethiopian prince of the time of the great Rameses, named Pah-ur, +which was found by Belzoni in Nubia. The figure is kneeling, and +holding an altar. Passing the fragment, in grey granite, of a monarch +of the 18th dynasty (75), the visitor may pause before another object +taken from the French (81). It is the statue, from Karnak, of a high +priest of Amen-ra, seated, holding an ear of corn, and, like his +companions in stone, resting his arms upon his knees. Another +fragment, of green basalt, may be passed (83), which is from a +comparatively modern statue--that of a chamberlain in the reign of +Apries, of the 26th dynasty; and then the visitor should pause before +a white stone statue of the Ptolemaic period (92), which represents a +priest of the god Chons, or Hercules, holding an altar upon which is a +figure of the god; and hereabouts, also, he may remark another +specimen of white stone sculpture, being the colossal bust of a queen +of the 18th or 19th dynasty (93). Passing another fragment of a statue +of the great Rameses, the visitor should next direct his attention to +a dark granite statue, mutilated, of a high military officer, supposed +to have flourished about the 12th dynasty. Among other fragments +hereabouts, the visitor should not fail to examine the fragment (104) +found in Alexandria, at the base of Pompey's Pillar, upon which are +clearly traceable the figure of the great Rameses, being crowned by +divinities, and a list of his dignities; the red granite colossal fist +(106), presented to the Museum by Earl Spencer; and a curious +fragment, which represents parts of a royal scribe, with his writing +slab attached to his leg (103). Passing the curious double statue +(110), of a State officer of the time of the eleventh Rameses, the +visitor should once more halt before a basalt statue of a functionary +(111), of the 26th dynasty, found in 1785, in the Natron Lakes, near +Rosetta, and a granite group (113), representing, side by side, a +chief, and a royal nurse, with the chief's daughter. Amid another +group of fragments, the visitor should remark particularly an +arragonite torso (121); the upper part of an officer, holding a +standard (122); and a red granite bust of a monarch wearing the neumis +(125). A small black basalt statue, of the period of the 26th dynasty +(134) should be noticed. The figure, that of a palace officer, is +kneeling, and has dedications to the deities. Further on is a statue +of the third Thothmes, of the 18th dynasty (168), the head of which +has been restored. Here the visitor should remark the nine bows which +symbolise the enemies of the Egyptians. Having thus far noticed the +collection of statuary which represent human beings, the visitor will +gladly turn to those strange revelations of the ancient Egyptian mind +developed in the + +EGYPTIAN SPHINXES. + +In these strange conglomerations of various races of animals--the +lions with human heads and hawks' heads--there is generally preserved +that majestic repose, and that mighty force of execution, which rescue +the most incomprehensible of the ancient Egyptian monuments from +contempt. Not at all farcical or barbarous could the effect have been, +when the Egyptian approached his place of worship through an avenue +formed by rows of these colossal sphinxes--all grandly fashioned and +full of majesty. Mr. Long says: "Most speculations on the origin of +the compound figure, called a sphinx, appear unsatisfactory; nor, +indeed, is it an easy matter for the modern inhabitants of Western +Europe to conceive what is meant by the symbolical forms which enter +so largely into the ancient religious systems of the Eastern world. It +seems to us altogether an assumption without proof, that either the +andro-sphinx, or the sphinx with the female head, ought to be +considered as the original type of this compound figure. The sphinx +differs from other compound figures, which occur very often in the +Egyptian pictorial representations, in always having the body of a +lion, or, it may be, a panther, or some such animal as might be +considered a symbol of strength and courage. The whole history of our +species bears testimony to that tendency of the human mind, when not +restrained and guided by better knowledge, to pourtray in some visible +form its conceptions of Deity. However far many superior minds of the +heathen world might advance, in deducing from the contemplation of all +around them more correct views of the goodness and wisdom of an +all-ruling power, these were ideas far too refined for the mass, who +felt the want of something more apparent to the senses--something on +which the mind could repose from vain imaginings and real fears. Hence +the Deity was invested with various forms of familiar objects, under +which he was venerated as a protector and friend, or feared as an +avenging and angry power. Under the form of a ram, and the name of +Ammon, we find a deity worshipped along the banks of the Nile, from +the temple of the ancient Meroe to the sand-girt oasis of Siwah. The +mild and benignant expression of the sacred ram would indicate the +diffusion of tranquillity and peace, nor would the essential value of +the symbol be changed by finding the head of the ram placed on human +shoulders, or attached to the body of a lion. In the first case it +would, in accordance with the Egyptian tradition of gods having +assumed the forms of animals, commemorate, as in the Hindoo mythology, +an incarnation of the superior power; and in the second, the union of +strength and courage with mildness and the arts of peace. The +crio-sphinx, then, belongs to the Ammonian mythology, and is a +distinct symbol from the andro-sphinx and female sphinx, which, +probably, are connected with the worship of Osiris and Isis." +Something of the effect may be comprehended from the two large red +granite lions which mark the southern boundary of the saloon (1-34.) +They are of the time of the third Amenophis, and were discovered at +Mount Barkal by Lord Prudhoe, in 1829. As specimens of the mechanical +skill of ancient Egyptian sculptors, they are worth particular remark. +Here there is little of that angular stiffness characteristic of the +statues the visitor has already examined. And now, making one more +progress through the saloon, the visitor may rapidly notice the +varieties of strange animal forms--all of which, in ancient Egypt, had +their religious meaning. They were, at all events, symbols of divine +instincts, and for this reason a deep interest rises in the modern +mind in the contemplation of their proportions and expression. The +figure numbered 7 is a colossal head of a ram, emblematic of Amen-ra; +that numbered 8, is Hapi, the god of the Nile of the period of the +22nd dynasty, with allegorical waterfowl and plants hanging from the +altar he is holding; two strange figures of gryphons, or hawk-headed +sphinxes, found by Belzoni in the great temple of Ibsamboul (11-13), +and emblematic or Munt-ra, will next engage the visitor's attention; +and from these specimens the visitor should turn to a black granite +fragment of the Egyptian Diana--Pasht, of the time of Amenophis; but +as he will have an opportunity of observing more finished +representations of this popular divinity, he may at once pause before +a second statue of this goddess, also of the time of the third +Amenophis (37), where Pasht is represented in black granite, upon a +throne, with the head of a lion, and in her hand the emblem of life. +Hereabouts, also, are two specimens of the strange cynocephalus, or +dog-headed baboon (38-40), sacred to the Hercules and Mercury of the +Egyptian Pantheon. The figures marked 41-45 are two more specimens of +Pasht, who appears to have been the most popular subject for the +Egyptian sculptor's chisel; these are erect figures, holding lotus +sceptres, and are both from Karnak. The figures marked 49, 50, 52, 53, +57, are all representations of the popular Pasht; in 52 she wears the +disk of the sun. And now the visitor may well pause before a fragment +marked 58. This is a piece of the beard of the Great Sphinx. Peeping +above the sands which surround the famous pyramids of Gizeh, is the +upper part of a man-headed sphinx. This sphinx is said to measure no +less than 62 feet in height, and 143 feet in length; this Colossus has +been plucked by the beard, and the result lies before the visitor. +Hereabouts, in passing, the visitor may glance at another object +wrested from the hands of the French (59). It is a fragment of a +column in porphyry, supporting a colossal areonite hawk, sacred to the +sun. More statues of Pasht! (60, 62, 63, of the 22nd dynasty; 65, 68, +69). A column found in a house at Cairo, the capital of which is +formed in the shape of a lotus flower (64), deserves notice; also +(70), the basalt statue of a god, conjectured to be Amen-ra, holding a +small figure of a monarch of the 28th dynasty. More statues of Pasht +(71, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9; 80, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9); and then the visitor may pause +before the colossal scarabaeus, emblematic of the world and creation +(74); and a broken sphinx, of Roman work (82). Not far off are +deposited the legs of Truth (91), the goddess Ma of the Egyptians; +some altars from Aboukir and Sais, that marked 135, from the Temple of +Berenice, having steps leading to it; entrances to tombs (157), +ornamented with figures; and more statues of Pasht, amongst them a +colossal bust from a statue (521). + +Having noticed these specimens, the visitor should pass into the lobby +at the northern end of the saloon, to notice the two small obelisks +placed here, brought from Cairo; they stood before a temple to Thoth. +The hieroglyphics upon them are carefully executed, but these +specimens give the spectator no idea of the colossal obelisks of +ancient Egypt, of which that of Alexandria, 63 feet high, is a fair +specimen. These obelisks were generally in pairs, and were placed on +each side of the great entrance to Egyptian temples. Having returned +to the saloon, the visitor should, before finally passing from it, +notice the famous tablet of Abydos (117), found by Mr. Banks, in 1818, +in the Temple of Abydos. It is the work of the great Sesostris, and +the inscription on it is a record of his predecessors in the kingly +office: hence it has been long an attractive object to chronologists. +Also, before glancing at the few paintings, and closing the +examination of this interesting saloon, the visitor should inspect the +Rosetta stone (24), inscribed in three characters (of which one is +Greek), by order of the high priests, recording the services of the +fifth Ptolemy. And now, with a glance at the + +EGYPTIAN FRESCOES, + +the visitor should rapidly close his survey of this chamber. These are +rude performances enough, and, as the visitor will see, bear a close +resemblance to those we introduced to him in the Egyptian rooms up +stairs. Mr. Long, while on the subject of Egyptian art, thus mentions +their paintings:--"Sculpture and painting were closely allied, both +among the Egyptians and in the old schools of Greece; and both arts +were intimately associated with architecture. Sculptured and coloured +figures formed in ancient Egyptian edifices the decoration and the +finish of the larger masses of the architecture which served as a +framework within which they were placed. The edifices, from their +massy forms and the magnitude of their component parts, were well +calculated to produce a general impression of grandeur; and this was +not destroyed by the smaller decorated parts, which were always +strictly subordinate to the general design, and were not, like it, +comprehended at a glance, but required to be studied in detail. + +"Painting, in the proper sense of the term, that of the +representations of objects by colours on the flat surface, appears to +be an art of less antiquity than that of sculpture. The Egyptians +probably first coloured their reliefs and statues before they +attempted to represent objects with colours on a flat ground. But, +however this may be, paint was most extensively used by them, not only +in making pictures, properly so called, but in painting the surfaces +of tablets and temples, as well as colossal statues and sculptured +figures of all kinds and sizes. Indeed, an Egyptian temple, in its +complete state, bedizened with so many bright unmixed colours, must +have been rather a curious object, and would hardly, perhaps, have +pleased the taste of modern times; though, it must be admitted, that +the effect of these colours under a brilliant sun would be very +different from their appearance in such a climate as this. The +pureness, permanence, and brilliancy of Egyptian colouring are the +only qualities that we can admire; for they never, apparently, +compounded colours so as to produce a greater variety from the simple +colours. It has also been frequently remarked that they did not soften +them off so as to form various degrees of intensity, or to make any +attempt at contrasts of light and shade. This is probably true as to +the representation of human figures, which are coloured pretty much in +the same style that a child paints uncoloured engravings, making one +part all red, another all blue, and so on, without any softening of +the colours at their common boundary. But in the representation of +animals, as we shall afterwards observe, more care was taken in +softening and blenching the colours, so as to produce a better +representation of nature. + +"The colours used in the painted relief, and on the stuccoes are +black, blue, red, green, and yellow; these are always kept distinct +and never blended. Of blue, they used both a darker and a lighter +shade. Red was used to represent the human flesh, apparently from its +being nearer the natural tint than any other simple colour; but many +of their colours were evidently applied with a conventional meaning, +for the representation of different races. The conquered people +represented in the great temple of Abonsambel, or Ipsambul, have +yellow bodies and black beards. In the grottoes of El Cab, the men are +red, and the women yellow. Black men also sometimes appear in the +paintings. The five colours above enumerated seldom occur all in one +piece or picture; but in this matter there is perhaps no general rule. +The Nubian temples have often a very rich colouring, as in the case of +one at Kalapsché, where yellow, green, red, and blue, have all been +used in painting the reliefs in one of the inner chambers; and in some +single figures in this temple we may observe all these four colours. + +"The materials of which the colours were made would no doubt change +with the improvements in the arts; and after the Macedonian occupation +of the country, new colours, both vegetable and mineral, may have been +introduced. But the tombs of the kings at Thebes may undoubtedly be +considered as containing specimens of ancient Egyptian colouring, as +well as the painted reliefs in the oldest temples, and the colourings +about the ancient mummies. By a careful examination of these +specimens, we may attain a very adequate knowledge of the materials +used, and of the mode of applying them." The first of these frescoes +(169-170-1) are from the walls of a tomb of the western Hills of +Thebes. The tomb is that of a scribe of the royal granaries and +wardrobe, and the pictures represent the inspection of oxen by +scribes, a scribe standing in a boat, the registration of the +delivering of ducks and geese and their eggs. The fragment marked 175 +represents an entertainment, with female instrumental performers; here +(176) an old man is leaning upon a staff near a cornfield; there (177) +is the square fish-pond woefully deficient in prospective; there is a +second entertainment (179), where the wine is freely circulating; +dancing is going on to music--the picture of a social evening enjoyed +thousands of years ago; and here, at a third entertainment (181), +servants are bringing in wine and necklaces--a kind of hospitality to +which, as regards the latter object, modern ladies would in no way +object. The ancient Egyptian ladies had their bouquets, their +ornaments, and their couches, and exacted a plainness of costume from +their servants, as in the present time. On passing south from the +Egyptian Saloon, between the two great lions, the visitor at once +gains the central saloon, but without pausing here, or turning to the +right into the tempting Phigalian and Elgin Saloons, he should proceed +rapidly on his way to the south-western extremity of the building, at +which point he will find himself at the entrance to the + +LYCIAN ROOM. + +In a few preliminary words we may indicate the points of Lycian +history. Situated in Asia Minor, Lycia is said to have taken its name +from the Athenian prince Lycus, who conquered it, and laid it open to +his countrymen. This Greek period of its history was interrupted by +Cyrus, who added it to the Persian empire about five centuries and a +half before our era; it was only regained about two centuries after by +Alexander the Great. It subsequently became a Roman province, then +yielded to the Byzantine empire, and now owns the rule of the Turk. +This eventful history gives an interest to the country that has +excited the curiosity of the learned for ages. The period of its +greatest prosperity ensued upon its being reconquered by Alexander, +when it included no less than seventy cities, of which Xanthus was the +capital. Of all these cities, only scattered ruins under Turkish +villages now remain. Of Lycian remains it may be said nothing was +known before Sir Charles Fellows started on his exploring expedition +in 1838. One or two travellers had made some scattered observations +with regard to the sites of ancient Lycian towns before that time, and +their hints first drew the attention of the learned in this direction; +but, we repeat, it cannot be said that anything was known of Lycian +remains before Sir Charles pressed the soil of Asia Minor, and looked +about for the sites of some of the seventy towns mentioned in ancient +history. He succeeding in fixing the sites of many of the cities, +including Xanthus, and on his return to England prevailed upon the +government to send out vessels to bring home the remains he saw +scattered about the rocky site of the ancient Lycian metropolis. +Messrs. Spratt and Forbes subsequently added eighteen sites of towns +to the list made by Sir Charles. The collection of sculpture now +popularly known as the Xanthian marbles, are a few ruins gleaned from +the rocky eminence which is the site of ancient Xanthus. These +fragmentary remains of an ancient people consist chiefly of sculptures +from their temples and their tombs; upon which, like the Egyptians, +they appear to have expended a vast amount of labour, and to have +employed their greatest artists. The Greek mind is clearly traceable +in these Xanthian marbles,--the Greek imbued with local traditions and +feelings. The first object that will attract the visitor's attention +on entering the room, is the most remarkable of + + +LYCIAN TOMBS, + +called the Harpy Tomb. This tomb, which occupied the highest point of +the hill on which Xanthus stood, is described by Sir Charles Fellows +in his account of the Xanthian marbles, published in 1843. The tomb +was a square shaft, in one solid block, weighing no less than eighty +tons. "Its height," says Sir Charles, "was seventeen feet, placed upon +a base, rising on one side six feet from the ground, on the other but +little above the present level of the earth. Around the sides of the +top of the shaft were ranged bas-reliefs in white marble, about three +feet three inches high; upon these rested a capstone, apparently a +series of stones, one projecting over the other; but these are cut in +one block, probably fifteen or twenty tons in weight. Within the top +of the shaft was hollowed out a chamber, which, with the bas-relief +sides, was seven feet six inches high, and seven feet square. This +singular chamber had probably been, in the early ages of Christianity, +the cell of an anchorite, perhaps a disciple of Simeon Stylites, whose +name was derived from his habitation, which, I believe, we have +generally translated as meaning a column, but which was more probably +a _stele_ like this. The traces of the religious paintings and +monograms of this holy man still remain upon the backs of the marble +of the bas-reliefs." By reference to the model of the tomb, of which +the bas-reliefs are in the room (1), the visitor may verify the +remarks of Sir Charles, who goes on to say that the monument was never +finished, having been only half polished, and that it bears the traces +of a shake from an earthquake. The general conjecture is that the tomb +is the labour of a Lycian Greek sculptor. The subjects of the +bas-reliefs have been variously interpreted: they decorated, as the +visitor will perceive by reference to the model, the four sides of a +square shaft. First, let the visitor turn to the western face, marked +(B). Here the scene represented is supposed to be Juno holding a cup +before the sacred cow Io, and Epaphus, Aphrodite, and the three +Charites, which have been interpreted also as the three Seasons, and +the Erinnyes or Furies. The eastern side marked (A), is supposed to +represent Tantalus, bringing the golden dog stolen from Crete to +Pandarus in Lycia: Neptune seated, with a man leaning on a crutch, and +a boy offering a bird before him, and Amymone and Amphitrite behind +him; and AEsculapius seated with Telesphorus in front, and two of the +Graces behind him. The northern side (C), shows at the corners, two +Harpies making off with two of the daughters of Pandarus, while their +sister Aedon, on her knees, is deploring their abduction. Here, too, +is a god seated, conjectured to be Pluto, holding a helmet with the +help of another figure, and having a wild animal under his chair. The +south side (D), discloses two Harpies bearing off the daughters of +Pandarus; and in the centre is a god, to whom a female figure is +offering a dove. By the side of these bas-reliefs, the visitor cannot +fail to remark the tomb of a Satrap of Lycia from Xanthus. From the +fact of horses being clearly traceable among the figures sculptured +upon this interesting relic, Sir Charles Fellows christened it the +Horse Tomb, and by this appellation it is popularly known. Its strange +shape, with its highly decorated roof and plain base, makes it an +object of curiosity to most visitors. It appears to be of the time of +the Persian dominion in Lycia, and was, as two inscriptions record, +erected by the satrap Paiafa. Upon the roof are groups of fighting +warriors, and at each side are figures in chariots and four. Sphinxes +occur in the lower sculptures, and on the north side below, is a mixed +combat of foot and horse soldiers; and the Satrap Paiafa himself, +attended by four figures, is here represented. The roof is drained by +water-spouts in the shape of lion's heads. The visitor, having now +examined the two most remarkable remains of Lycian tombs in the room, +should rapidly notice the fragments of sepulchres placed here and +there, but legibly numbered. First, let him remark (17-21), a frieze +conjectured to be from a tomb found inserted in the wall of the +Acropolis of Xanthus. Here he will find in bas-relief a procession +consisting of a horse and horseman, priest and priestesses with wands, +an armed female figure, and two chariots, with youthful charioteers +and old men. A triangular fragment of a tomb will next occupy his +attention (23); this has distinct vestiges of colour, and represents a +male and female figure separated by an Ionic column, surmounted by an +harpy, and other fragments in the immediate neighbourhood; (24-27) +have representations of the Sphinx, with a woman's head, wings, and +the body of a lion, as the daughter of the Chimaera, from the Xanthian +Acropolis. A curious relic is the _Soros_, discovered placed on the +top of one of the Xanthian pillar tombs. Here, amongst the +bas-reliefs, the visitor will notice a man stabbing an erect lion; a +lion playing with its young; and a figure on horseback followed by a +pedestrian; and on the next fragment (32), a lioness is again +represented fondling her progeny. The roof of a tomb (143), closely +resembling that which covers the Horse Tomb, is worth observing. It is +part of the tomb of an individual named Merewe, from Xanthus, and the +scenes represented include that of an entertainment, divinities, and +sphinxes, warlike encounters, and on the sides Bellerophon attacking +the Chimaera. Those casts marked (145-149), may next engage the +visitor's attention. They were taken from a tomb carved in solid rock +at Pinara, and include the frieze, upon which warriors are carved +leading captives, the walls representing a walled city, and the +Gorgons' heads which decorated the extremities of the dentals. The +three next casts that demand particular remark (150-152), were taken +from the decorations of a rock tomb at Cadyanda. To the learned these +groups are particularly interesting, because the figures are +accompanied with inscriptions in the Greek, as well as the pure Lycian +language. The first cast is that from the panel of the tomb door, upon +which Talas is represented standing: the second represents a group of +females; and the third an ancient entertainment with figures reclining +on couches with children; a figure playing the double flute, and to +the right a nude figure called Hecatomnas. Six casts from tombs +hereabouts (153-6), exhibit inscriptions, two of which are in two +languages--the Lycian and the Greek, declaring that the owners have +built the tombs for themselves and their relations; the second marked +156, in the Lycian language, expresses a threat that a fine will be +imposed on any person who may violate the tomb. Bellerophon, riding on +Pegasus, may be remarked launching his dart at the Chimaera, upon the +cast (158); nymphs are dancing upon the gable end marked (160); and +upon that marked (161), which is a cast from the gable end of a tomb +discovered at Xanthus, near the Chimaera tomb, two lions are +represented devouring a bull. The casts of the sculptures which +decorate an ancient rock tomb at Myra, are interesting. Here a young +man, attended by a boy, is offering a flower to a veiled woman, +attended by two women; in another part a boy attends with wine upon a +figure, conjectured to be that of Pluto, and a veiled female form, +supposed to be either Proserpine or Venus, is draped by an attendant, +in the vicinity of a nude youth. The remains of sarcophagi are marked +(168-171). The first of these are the relics of a Roman sarcophagus, +discovered in a mausoleum, containing three other sarcophagi, at +Xanthus. On the top have been reclining figures of a male and female, +and at the sides combats of warriors. The next relic is a fragment of +a sarcophagus, amongst the ornaments of which boys are shown at play; +and the third fragment discovers the lower part of the representation +of a hunt. An exceedingly explicit inscription is that marked (176,) +and found at Uslann, near the mouth of the Xanthus, which informs +modern generations that some two thousand years ago, Aurelius Jason, +son of Alaimis, and Chrysion, daughter of Eleutherus, purchased a tomb +for themselves, in the thirteenth month Artemisios, during the +priesthood of Callistratus, and dwelling upon this piece of +information, which is striking as a voice from the tomb of unknown +people speaking to us of the present century, not from any remarkable +deed achieved by Aurelius Jason, but simply because his name occurs +upon his tomb, plainly written in his own language. A strange +immortality! Having examined these relics of the ancient tombs of +Lycia, the visitor should take a general glance at + +LYCIAN SCULPTURE. + +The time during which the Lycians may be said to have enjoyed their +highest civilisation dates from about five centuries before our era, +up to the period of the Byzantine empire. During this long interval, +most of the monuments of which this room contains some remarkable +specimens were conceived and executed. Of the sculpture, not +immediately illustrative of tombs, in the Lycian room, the most +interesting, undoubtedly, is that gleaned from the site of an ancient +building on the Acropolis of ancient Xanthus, by Sir Charles Fellows. +Passing a few fragments, including that marked (33), from Xanthus, +which represents the foreparts of two lions issuing from a square +block, the visitor should pass at once to the model of a Xanthian +Ionic peristyle building, surrounded by fourteen columns and +ornamented with statues, made under the direction of Sir Charles +Fellows, from the remains found on the site of the original building, +which lie about the room, and which the visitor is about to examine. +The original building was thirty-five feet in height, measuring from +the pediment to the base. Its object has been variously stated, but +cannot be said to be clearly and satisfactorily known. Of the +conjectures which have obtained certain credit, we may mention that +which described it as a trophy raised, in 476 B.C., to celebrate the +subjugation of Lycia by the Persians; and that which describes the +subject of the decorative sculptures as that of the suppression of the +revolt of the Cilicians by the Persian Satrap of Lycia. The remains of +this mysterious building are ranged in groups about the room; and the +visitor will observe indications of the flow of the lines, and the +artistic grace, which subsequently marked Grecian sculpture from every +other on the face of the earth. Here it is not impossible to recognise +the Greek mind: far below that of the decoration of the Parthenon, it +is true; but yet elegant and thoughtful. The groups of sculpture +marked (34-49) are the sculptures of the broader frieze which, it is +conjectured, surrounded the base of the building. Here are represented +a series of warlike encounters in which the Greek arms are +prominent--their helmets, crests, and Argolic bucklers; while other +soldiers are represented nearly nude, and in some instances wearing +the Asiatic pointed cap. This frieze undoubtedly represents the Greeks +at war with Asiatic tribes. The fragments of the narrow frieze which +bordered the upper part of the frieze are marked from 50 to 68. The +first four fragments represent the attack of a town, supposed to be +the Lycian town Xanthus. Here the besiegers may be observed scaling +the wall, and the officers cheering on the men. The five following +fragments represent various scenes of warfare between Greeks and +Asiatics. Then a walled city is represented, with the heads of a +besieged party looking over the ramparts; then a figure of a Satrap +occurs (62), supposed to be that of the Persian conqueror of Lycia, +Harpagus, who is screened with an umbrella held by a slave, which is +the emblem of his sovereignty, and is in the act of receiving a +deputation from the besieged city. The next two fragments represent a +sally from the besieged town; and upon the 67th fragment is some +carving supposed to illustrate the retreat of the besieged to their +city. The groups marked (69,70,74) are fragments of the capping-stones +of the east front of the base, and columns and fragments of columns +from the peristyle. Those groups, however, marked (75-84), which +consist of the statues originally placed in the intercolumniations of +the building, are figures of divinities, with various symbols at their +feet, as the dolphin, the halcyon, &c., and are meant to represent, by +the flow of the drapery, that they are flying through the air. They +have been variously interpreted, but never satisfactorily; some +authorities asserting that they were meant to celebrate the arrival of +Latona at Xanthus, and others that they symbolise the great naval +victory over Evagoras. Passing over one or two unimportant groups of +fragments, the visitor should next examine the remains of the narrow +frieze (95-109), upon which an entertainment is represented--the +guests, perfectly used to luxuries, reclining upon couches, and taking +wine to the strains of female musicians; also, a sacrifice of various +animals. Passing the coffers of the ceiling (106-109), the visitor +should next examine the remains of another narrow frieze, where a +Satrap is represented receiving presents; and bear and boar hunting +scenes occur. The fragment marked (125) is the eastern pediment, +sculptured in relief with various figures; and that marked (126) is +half of the western pediment sculptured with figures of six +foot-soldiers. The groups numbered (132-135) are fine specimens of +Lycian sculpture: on the first a draped female figure is shown in +rapid flight; and on the second, youths are shown bearing off women. +The group marked (138) is one of the samples of the roof-tiles with +which the building was covered in. Two crouching lions (139, 140), +supposed to have occupied intercolumnar space in the building, are the +last of the fragments. These fragments, however, together with Sir +Charles's interesting model, and the landscape (also in the room), +realise more vividly to the mind of the general spectator the ancient +Xanthus, than all the other detached and solitary fragments. Near the +two lions just mentioned are the paws of another lion, and a fragment, +found near the Harpy Tomb, of a crouching warrior and bull. Having +noticed these, the visitor may occupy himself for a few minutes with +the fragments of Byzantine architecture (177-183). These remains were +discovered amidst the ruins of a Christian village; and, it is +conjectured, were buried by an earthquake. These objects being +discussed, the visitor should repair to the glass case at the end of +the room, and examine some small curiosities from the Xanthian +Acropolis, which are placed therein. These consist chiefly of a +Parian-marble torso of a Venus; the left elbow of a female, and the +left side of a female head, in Parian marble, found built into the +walls of the Acropolis; leaden and iron cramps found in the oldest +sculptures of the Acropolis; four small lamps; vases; a cup; fragments +of glass vessels; fragment of a vase of the Byzantine period, stamped +with a cross; bronze vessels; lead grating for a drain pipe; a +fragment of a terra cotta amphora, inscribed, in the Doric dialect, +with the name of Hippocrates; fragments of painted cement from early +Christian buildings--all found in the excavations made for the ruins +of the building of which the model and fragments have lately been +noticed. Some sickles, a leaden weight, fragments of glass windows, +and terra cotta fragments, also included in the glass-case, were +discovered among the ruins of the houses, buried by the fall of the +great building. And in this case, also, are some curiosities from +Pinara, including fragments of human bones, tiles, and cement, all +amalgamated by a deposit of lime filtering through the rock of a tomb; +cement used to line a water cistern, and to block up the door of a +rock-tomb. With an examination of these relics, the visitor will close +his inspection of the Lycian remains, and proceed at once to the + +ASSYRIAN REMAINS. + +Having examined the monumental remains of the Egyptians and the +ancient inhabitants of Persia, the visitor, in order to complete a +general impression of the sculptures of remote antiquity, should now +direct his attention to the remains recently discovered on the site of +ancient Nineveh and Nimroud. Most readers have read something of the +history of Assyria, of the effeminate Sardanapalus, of Semiramis, and +of the more fabulous Ninus. These three names are the three landmarks +of Assyrian history; and the long lapses of time which separate them +are shrouded in mystery, and up to late years have been filled up only +by fanciful histories but slenderly based on fact. Men have written +confidently on the fall of the Assyrian empire, and of its invasion by +the Medes; but the discrepancies of rival authorities, who differ as +much as ten centuries in their dates according to Mr. Layard, show how +insufficient were the materials upon which they pretended to found +histories. Where was the site of Babylon? where that of the renowned +Nineveh? These questions were often mooted by antiquaries. Mounds of +earth were long observed by travellers in Assyria and Babylonia; and +one of these, which was formed by a mass of ruined brickwork, was +heralded to the world as the remains of the tower of Babel! But the +ruins of the great Assyrian capital were for a long time unobserved. +For many years had travellers to modern Mosul looked with wondering +eyes at gigantic mounds of earth that lay opposite the city. The first +traveller who did more than take a cursory view of these mysterious +hillocks was Mr. Rich, who, on his way from Kurdistan to Baghdad in +1820, crossed the river, and arrived at the mounds; visited what the +inhabitants asserted to be Jonah's tomb on the summit of one of them; +saw inscribed relics in the houses of the adjacent village. Among the +fragments on the largest mound he picked up some bricks with +cuneiform[8] characters upon them, and fragments of pottery; and on a +subsequent occasion he found a small stone chair. He left these mounds +without suspecting that he had been treading above the palaces of the +ancient Assyrian monarchs--that he had been over ancient Nineveh. But +the ground was too fruitful in remote traditions to remain altogether +unexplored in this century. The lands watered by the Tigris and the +Euphrates, where the early Asiatic colonies of Scripture were founded, +and where Nimrod, the grandson of Ham, flourished and founded Babel, +and whence, according to Scripture, Asshur went forth to build +Nineveh, are interesting ground. Of these great Assyrian towns it was +natural to seek some ruins. Of all these cities, however, founded so +far back before authentic history begins, only Nineveh, which +flourished many centuries later, and of which we have always had more +authentic histories than those of any other Assyrian city, attained to +a comparatively modern prosperity and renown. The records of this +magnificent city, from which historians have derived their +information, describe its walls as reaching no less than two hundred +feet in height, and broad enough to be a chariot-way. These walls were +sixty miles in circumference, and guarded by fifteen hundred towers; +and in the eighth century before the Christian era the city is +estimated to have included a population of more than half a million +souls. But many centuries before this, Nineveh was a wonderful city, +of which the great monarch Ninus was king, and of which his celebrated +wife, Semiramis, was afterwards queen. Ninus is the reputed founder of +the Assyrian empire, and to him the magnificence of the capital is +chiefly attributed. He is the Sesostris of Assyrian history, and is +supposed to have flourished about twelve centuries before our era. The +names of many Assyrian monarchs occur in the Sacred Writings: +Sennacherib, who, seven centuries before our era, besieged Jerusalem +and invaded Judea; and Shalmanasaar, who carried away the ten tribes +of Israel. Later, the sovereignty of the Assyrian nation was +transferred to Babylon by Nebuchadonosor; and afterwards the Medes and +Babylonians laid the magnificent Nineveh in ruins, over which, many +centuries afterwards, Herodotus wandered wonderingly, and endeavoured +to glean from the pitiful wreck an idea of the bygone glory. The +centre of the ancient Assyrian empire was the present Turkish province +of Mosul; and hereabouts the researches of travellers have therefore +been concentrated. Opposite Mosul, the capital of the province, are +the two mounds which Mr. Rich hastily explored in 1820. These mounds +have long formed the subject of animated controversies; but it was not +before the year 1842 that any serious attempt was made to penetrate +beneath the grass that covered them. In this year M. Botta, the French +consul at Mosul, made some insignificant opening, but without +discovering any remarkable remains; and rumours having reached him +from Khorsabad, a few miles off, of some remains there, he caused some +vigorous excavations to be made there, and, aided by his government, +contrived to lodge an excellent collection of Assyrian sculptures in +the Louvre. About this time Mr. Layard was travelling through the +Turkish Asiatic provinces; and in the course of his wanderings paid +considerable attention to the mounds situated at Nimroud and near +Mosul. Convinced that under these hillocks lay precious relics of +antiquity, he procured an official letter to the Pasha of Mosul, and +in 1845 repaired to Nimroud, and hired Arabs to make excavations in +the mounds there. Even the first day's search disclosed valuable slabs +ornamented with bas-reliefs and inscriptions in the cuneiform +character, of the remotest antiquity, dating so far back as nineteen +centuries before our era, and conjectured to be part of the ruins of +the chief palace of Nimroud, destroyed about twelve centuries before +our era. If so, this point was the original centre of the great city +of Nineveh--that part said to have been built by Asshur; while the +surrounding mounds of Mosul, Khorsabad, and Kouyunjik, cover ruins of +a later date. Of Mr. Layard's discoveries in Assyria, that room, which +the visitor should now enter (called the NIMROUD ROOM), is full. The +room, as the visitor will at once perceive, is divided into eleven +compartments--the first being that to the left on entering. Here he +will begin his inspection of + +ANCIENT ASSYRIAN SCULPTURE. + +The first slabs to which the visitor will direct his attention in the +compartment (1), are from the north-west edifice, excavated from the +Nimroud Mound, which Mr. Layard conjectures to be the most ancient of +all the Assyrian ruins, dating, as we have stated, so far back as +nineteen centuries before our era. On one slab the visitor will notice +two standing draped figures, divided by the sacred tree, or tree of +life, generally worshipped in the East, and adhered to in the +religious systems of the Persians, here more like trellice-work than a +tree, holding chaplets in their hands; on two other slabs figures with +the sacred tree; and on a fourth we recognise the symbol of royalty +among the ancient nations of Asia Minor, the umbrella borne by an +eunuch over a monarch, who is represented returning from the chase, to +the airs played by two musicians. Five figures are respectfully +meeting him, and a dead animal lies at his feet. These specimens of +the state of art in Asia, twenty-seven centuries ago, may well excite +the curiosity of all classes of spectators. Proceeding to the second +compartment, the visitor will find eight more slabs, the first of +which from the north-west edifice, represents a battle-piece. Here +warriors are discharging their arrows, the king with the winged symbol +of divinity in a circle above him is proceeding at full gallop, and a +dead figure lies near him pierced with arrows. This scene is continued +on the second slab, where there are two chariots, each containing two +figures, and one decorated with the ferouher, or divine symbol. A +siege is represented upon the third slab. Here the besiegers are +applying the battering ram; figures are falling from the walls, while +from the three tiers of battlements the besieged are vigorously +discharging arrows. The visitor will notice the figures of two bow-men +on the fourth slab, before a lake, with part of a tower in the +distance, and the next three slabs have representations of the fall of +the city, picturesquely indicated. The deserted battering rams stand +near the walls; female prisoners are leaving the town, drawn by three +oxen; eunuchs are driving away the cattle of the vanquished, and +conducting prisoners with their hands bound. + +The third compartment is occupied with slabs, the sculptured subjects +of which closely resemble those just described, except that marked 7, +where the king, in his chariot, is hunting the lion. He has had some +success, as one royal beast lies dead under his horse's feet, and +another is pierced by four arrows. + +The fourth compartment contains some interesting slabs. The first two +represent one continuous subject. First, the visitor will notice the +figure of an Assyrian monarch, with his chariots and attendants behind +him, holding up arrows in token of peace to an advancing group, the +first figure of which is addressing the king, while on one side a +eunuch is introducing four captives. The two following slabs present +illustrations of the crossing of a river. A boat, in which the royal +chariot containing the king is deposited, is being dragged by two men +ahead, while others are rowing, and behind follow horses and smaller +boats. In their delineations of battles, the Assyrians were sagacious, +since they vividly pourtrayed the horrors of war, by carving dead +figures in the back ground, with birds preying upon them, even before +the fray is over. Of this kind of vivid representation the visitor has +a specimen on the next slab; where, while warriors are discharging +their arrows, a dead soldier is being devoured by a bird in the +back-ground, while another, as a pleasant suggestion of the impending +fate of the survivors, hovers above their heads. The passage of troops +over mountainous country, or through jungle, is the subject +illustrated in the two following slabs (6,7); these are from +Khorsabad, and include an inscription with the name of the monarch of +that locality. Two slingers appear on the eighth slab, with archers +attacking. On the next slab (9) enemies are represented in full +flight, with a chariot containing two figures in hot pursuit: and on +the last slab in this compartment, a city, with four battlemented +towers is represented, with women standing between the towers, and +chariots outside the walls. + +Some curious fragments of large figures are included in the fifth +compartment. First, there is a bearded head covered with a horned cap; +also, the bust of a figure with the conical cap of the Assyrians: then +the head of a figure, with traces of paint yet upon it, crowned with a +tiara of rosettes. Here also is a fragment representing a king +attended by a strange symbolical winged figure holding the popular +fir-cone in his right hand, and in his left a basket, of which the +visitor will remark a perfect specimen presently. The examination of +these fragments will conduct the visitor to the end of the room, and +before turning to examine the contents of the opposite compartments, +he should pause to notice an obelisk placed hereabouts, which was dug +from the centre of the great mound at Nimroud. It is seven feet in +height, and is inscribed elaborately in the cuneiform character. On +its surface are also engraved representations of various animals +bearing presents. + +The visitor will now turn and proceed back towards the door, +examining, by the way, the compartments on his left hand. + +The first of these, or the sixth compartment, contains, in addition to +the fragments of figures including the head and shoulders of a king, +and the upper part of an eunuch, two slabs (1,2) upon which is +represented that fruitful subject of the Assyrian sculptor's chisel, +the siege of a castle. The castle, which is represented in the middle +of the battle-piece, and at the water's edge, is attacked by soldiers +on all sides. The vigour of the assailants is well described. On the +left the king directs the attack, with weeping women behind him; the +walls are being scaled by ladders; the besieged are hurling stones +from the ramparts, and casting fire upon a tower and ram, while the +assailants are quenching the flames with water, and two figures are +quietly picking holes in the walls in another direction. Hereabouts +the visitor should notice, placed against the window, a pastoral +subject--a man driving cattle. Upon the next slab, a war chariot in +full speed, passing over a dead lion, is represented; and on the sixth +and last slab of the compartment is another battlepiece. Here the +besieged castle is surrounded by water; one of the besieged is holding +arrows aloft in token of peace, while figures, on inflated skins, swim +towards the walls, and soldiers from the banks are aiming arrows at +them. + +The fragments in the seventh compartment may be easily understood from +the descriptions of previous slabs. + +The eighth compartment contains some remains which demand particular +notice. The first slab introduces us to a knowledge of the interiors +of Assyrian dwellings. Here the interior of a building is represented +divided into four distinct compartments, and exhibiting various people +at their several household duties. We have even a glimpse at an +Assyrian groom, who, in an adjoining building, is cleaning a horse. +Prisoners are introduced even here, in this domestic scene, conducted +by a warrior to an eunuch; and in the distance are soldiers, with +lions' skins, dancing to the vibrations of a guitar. The second slab +is a continuation of the first. Here men are mounted in war chariots, +while others holding the heads of their enemies in their hands are on +foot: and a bird, grasping in its claws a human head, soars above. +That slab marked 3, and placed against the window hereabouts, was +extracted from the centre of the great mound of Nimroud. Here camels, +preceded by a woman, are pourtrayed. The slab marked 5 bears the +representation of an Assyrian divinity, with four wings, the head +surmounted by the conical cap with two horns, and the left hand +holding a circlet of beads. A winged figure occurs also on the sixth +slab of this compartment, holding a bearded ear of corn in one hand, +and a goat in the other. The slabs of the ninth compartment have also +representations of winged figures. The fourth, with the eagle head, +and holding a fir-cone and a basket. This figure is thus described by +Mr. Layard: "A human body, clothed in robes similar to those of the +winged men already described, was surmounted by the head of an eagle +or of a vulture. The curved beak, of considerable length, was half +open, and displayed a narrow-pointed tongue, on which were still the +remains of red paint. On the shoulders fell the usual curled and bushy +hair of the Assyrian images, and a comb of feathers rose on the top of +the head. Two wings sprang from the back, and in either hand was the +square vessel and fir-cone. In a kind of girdle were three daggers, +the handle of one being in the form of the head of a bull. They may +have been of precious metal, but more probably of copper, inlaid with +ivory or enamel, as a few days before a copper dagger-handle, +precisely similar in form to one of those carried by this figure, +hollowed to receive an ornament of some such material, had been +discovered in the S.W. ruins, and is now preserved in the British +Museum. This effigy, which probably typified by its mythic form the +union of certain divine attributes, may perhaps be identified with the +god Nisroch, in whose temple Sennacherib was slain by his sons after +his return from his unsuccessful expedition against Jerusalem; the +word Nisr signifying, in all Semitic languages, 'an eagle.'" + +The slabs arranged in the tenth compartment are interesting. On the +first, two horsemen, whose peaked helmets suggest that they are +Assyrians, are charging another horseman with their spears. Behind is +a bird carrying off the entrails of the killed. The second slab, +covered with an inscription, formed part of the northwest palace. +Winged figures are traceable on other slabs in this compartment; and +in the centre the visitor should remark the only Assyrian statue yet +discovered. It is a seated figure, headless. Between the tenth and +eleventh compartments are placed some painted bricks, used in adorning +the interior of Assyrian edifices. The eleventh and last compartment +contains two slabs, on the first of which is a monarch holding two +arrows in token of peace. Having fully examined these objects, the +visitor has done with the Nimroud room. Of the romantic stories +connected with the researches for the invaluable fragments it +contains, we should be glad to give the reader a faint sketch. How Mr. +Layard struggled against all kinds of difficulties; slept in hovels +not sheltered from the rain; used his table as his roof by night; rode +backwards and forwards from Nimroud to Mosul to expostulate with the +vexatious interferences of a tyrannical old pasha; cheered the labours +of his superstitious workmen; celebrated the discovery of certain +remains with substantial feastings and music: made peace with a +wandering Arab who threatened to rob him: these, and a thousand other +adventures, recorded in his narrative of his discoveries, give an +additional zest to the curiosity with which visitors enter this +Nimroud room. + +And now the visitor may make his way back to the great entrance-hall +of the Museum, where his third visit should close. In the hall are +deposited four colossal specimens of sculpture from Nimroud. The first +of these, to which the visitor should direct his attention, is a +colossal figure of a winged human-headed bull, found by Mr. Layard at +the portal of a door at Nimroud. Of the discovery of this marvellous +specimen of ancient Assyrian art, Mr. Layard gives a graphic +account:--"I was returning to the mound, when I saw two Arabs urging +their mares to the top of their speed. On approaching me, they +stopped. 'Hasten, O Bey!' exclaimed one of them, 'hasten to the +diggers; for they have found Nimrod himself. Wallah! it is wonderful, +but it is true! we have seen him with our eyes. There is no god but +God!' and both joining in this pious exclamation, they galloped off, +without further words, in the direction of their tents. On reaching +the ruins I descended into the new trench, and found the workmen, who +had already seen me as I approached, standing near a heap of baskets +and cloaks. Whilst Awad advanced and asked for a present to celebrate +the occasion, the Arabs withdrew the screen they had hastily +constructed, and disclosed an enormous human head, sculptured in full +out of the alabaster of the country. They had uncovered the upper part +of a figure, the remainder of which was still buried in the earth. I +saw at once that the head must belong to a winged lion or bull, +similar to those of Khorsabad and Persepolis. It was in admirable +preservation. The expression was calm, yet majestic; and the outline +of the features showed a freedom and knowledge of art scarcely to be +looked for in works of so remote a period. I was not surprised that +the Arabs had been amazed and terrified at this apparition. It +required no stretch of imagination to conjure up the most strange +fancies. This gigantic head, blanched with age, thus rising from the +bowels of the earth, might well have belonged to one of those fearful +beings which are pictured in the traditions of the country as +appearing to mortals, slowly ascending from the regions below. One of +the workmen, on catching the first glimpse of the monster, had thrown +down his basket, and had run off towards Mosul as fast as his legs +could carry him." The marvellous fidelity and power with which this, +and the colossal human-headed bull are executed, must astonish the +most uninstructed observer. For an account of the marvellous labour at +the cost of which these colossal Assyrian works were conveyed from +Asia Minor to the British Museum, we must refer the reader to Mr. +Layard's excellent condensed account of his researches, published by +Mr. Murray. And with the contemplation of these mysterious monuments +of the past, the visitor should close his third visit to the national +Museum. + +He may usefully recapitulate the points of his present visit. He has +been travelling for hours amongst the wrecks of the remote past. Over +vast tracts of land, where now the Turk lazily dreams away the hours, +or moves only to destroy the remains of the ancient civilisation of +his Asiatic provinces. Throughout this, his third visit, the visitor +has been exploring the revelations of the past, written upon the face +of Turkish provinces. The bigotry with which the explorers of Thebes, +Nimroud, and Xanthus had to contend, is written in their histories of +their labours. How when the human-headed bull was disclosed by the +pick-axes of the Chaldaeans, the Arabs scampered off, and how all the +natives thought that Nimroud himself--the mighty hunter--was rising +grimly from the earth, are points in the discovery of this treasure +which all should read. The vigour with which English and French +explorers have possessed themselves of the treasures of ancient Egypt, +the master-pieces from the Parthenon, the strange stone revelations of +Lycia, and the majestic colossi of ancient Assyria, contrasts forcibly +with the indolence of the Turk, who sat at hand to wonder at the +enthusiasm of his Christian visitors. No more pitiful exhibition of a +national character could be furnished by any passage in the history of +the world than that which describes the ignorant and superstitious +Turk grinding the sculpture of the Parthenon into mortar for his +dwelling house. Truly, in all respects, is this a matter to be +pondered by the general visitor, as he retreats from the national +Museum for the third time. He has not passed an idle day here, +wandering amid sphinxes, and tombs, and temples, and ancient gods. +From the confusion he may gather something that shall not be +altogether a useless subject for reflection as he wanders homewards. +He may link himself with the remote past, recognise the elements of +modern society in these stone revelations of the remote history of the +world, feel the vibration of the great human heart coming to him even +from the bowels of Egypt's pyramids. There he has their family +histories written on their tombstones by weeping relatives; their +religion, with all its debasing idolatry, strong in death, exhibiting +pleasantly the firmness of their faith; splendid sarcophagi tardily +wrought from massive rock, yet perseveringly accomplished in the +strong conviction that the dead would shake off the mummy bandages, +discharge the natron from their pores, reclaim their scattered +intestines, pass the brain back through the nose into the skull, and +once more feel quickening blood in the veins. Proudly men of the +passing century look back upon all this worship of animals, upon the +Egyptian Anubis, and the intestine genii with their animal heads; but +even here, in this field of speculation, where the historian's hand +wanders unsteadily about his page, and all wears a mythical air, +pulses of human emotion are felt that assure us of the remote past. +Strange that the chief chapters of ancient Egypt's history should have +been written for moderns by her undertakers! + +END OF THIRD VISIT. + + + + +VISIT THE FOURTH. + + + +The visitor will now enter the museum to complete his inspection of +its contents. His way lies once more to the west on entering the great +hall, into the first Sculpture Gallery, or that which he will +recognise as leading into the great central saloon. Here, as he pauses +on the threshold of a noble room filled with splendid specimens of +Greek art, he may recur to the historical points which these works +illustrate. Throughout this, his last visit, he will be occupied with +the examination of the works of the ancient Greeks. These works, as he +will notice, are of various degrees of excellence. Already has he +examined the rude labours of the Greek sculptors of Xanthus; and +to-day his journey will be amid those more modern and perfect labours, +performed when the talent of the Greeks was chiefly concentrated upon +European ground. Although these glories of remote antiquity are here +mostly in an admirable state of preservation, historians are generally +lost in contradictions when they attempt to point to any particular +piece of statuary as the labour of any known sculptor. The sculptor of +the Venus de Medici is not known; and the Apollo Belvedere is a +masterpiece, the author of which lies shrouded in the depths of the +past. Rude and harsh were the early performances of the Greeks. We +have histories of Greek sculptors who flourished many hundred years +before our era; and of these the mythical Daedalus is the oldest and +most renowned. This sculptor is reported to have flourished fourteen +centuries before the Christian era. He is said to have fashioned +colossal wooden statues; and Pausanias mentions his statue of Hercules +in the possession of the Thebans, and his wooden Venus in the +possession of the Delians. His Hercules, however, appears to have been +considered his masterpiece; and Flaxman, commenting upon the antiquity +of the figures of Hercules found on some coins, seems to think that we +may not unreasonably conjecture that these are copies from the +masterpiece of Daedalus. Other sculptors of the same name, appear to +have flourished in the Achaic period of Grecian history. Indeed it is +shrewdly conjectured that Daedalus derived his name from wooden +statues called Daedala; and that amongst the ancient Greeks, Daedalus +meant nothing more than one skilled in making Daedala. The earliest +sculptures of the Greeks were fashioned of materials easily worked, as +plaster, clay, and wood. Later they worked ivory, and began to +understand the value of metals in statuary; and about five centuries +before the Christian era, marble was used by sculptors for detached +figures. In the infancy of Greek art, when sculptors were gradually +acquiring the skill to fashion their creations out of the most durable +material, many combinations of wood, stone, and metal were used, which +would sadly shock the modern sculptor's eye;--wooden figures burnished +with gold, and with painted vermilion faces, were fashioned in the age +of Phidias; and it is believed by some, that this immortal sculptor +helped to produce a statue of Jupiter, the face of which was of ivory +and gold, and the body of gypsum and clay. Phidias may be fairly +acknowledged as the first great Greek sculptor, of whose career and +whose works we have indisputable accounts. He founded, and represents +all the excellencies of the highest school of Greek art. The sculptors +who came after him, as Lysippus the favourite of the great Alexander, +paid greater regard to graces of detail and to finish; but of those +sublime effects, those forms of gods in human shape which really +impress the modern spectator with their almost superhuman beauty, +Phidias was the creator. The sculptures known to the public as the +Townley collection, are sculptures generally of a more modern date +than those in the Elgin and Phigaleian Saloons. The collection has +undoubtedly many specimens of the rudest eras of Greek art: but its +most striking groups, to the general visitor, will be undoubtedly +those finished statues and compositions which represent the ages when +Greece was a great European power, and that subsequent period when the +Greek sculptors plied their chisels under the patronage of Roman +conquerors. In this room the visitor will once more remark, how large +a proportion of these priceless relics have been gleaned from ancient +sepulchres. Even as he enters the room, he may perceive on the right, +the front of a tomb from Athens, carved in high relief; and on the +left, the front of another tomb, also sculptured, from Delos. + +The room is divided into compartments which the visitor should examine +in their regular order of rotation. He will begin therefore, of course +with the + +FIRST DIVISION. + +Before the first pilaster let the visitor notice at once a small +seated statue of Cybele or Fortune, from Athens, presented to the +nation by J.S. Gaskoin, Esq. Other remarkable objects to be examined +before the visitor fixes his attention upon the contents of the case +deposited here, are a bust of Demosthenes; a sepulchral altar or +cippus, ornamented with sphinxes, etc.; and a sepulchral stêle, +inscribed with the name of the son of Artemidorus, who is reclining +upon a couch, and crowning himself. Over the case are deposited the +end of a sarcophagus ornamented with a Bacchus reclining on a satyr; a +bust of Julius Cæsar; a sepulchral cippus; and a Greek stêle. On the +case are a head found near Rome, probably of Mercury: and the bust of +a Muse crowned with a laurel wreath. + +Having examined these objects, the visitor should occupy himself with +the contents of the case. Here are some beautiful specimens of Greek +art--some mere fragments, others in a wonderful state of preservation. +Here are one of those funeral masks anciently used to cover the face +of a corpse; the votive mask of a bearded satyr; a votive patera with +bas-reliefs representing Silenus and a satyr, another with the head of +a bearded Bacchus, and a panther; various heads of Hercules; a Venus +attended by two Cupids; a bust of Vitellius; a head of Vulcan; a bust +of Caracalla; a head of Juno; a head of the daughter of Titus, Julia; +a mutilated figure, about the neck of which a scarabaeus is suspended; +the torso of a satyr; a variety of fragments, here an arm holding a +butterfly--there two lions' paws--there a gladiator's foot--there the +fragment of a serpent. Having noticed these scraps of ancient art, the +visitor may direct his attention to the lower shelf, where he will +observe some beautiful busts. These include one supposed to be of +Sappho; a Minerva with a Corinthian helmet found at Rome; Bacchus; +Apollo; a Parian marble bust of Diana from Rome; a queenly Juno +wearing the splendone; terminal busts, joined back to back, of +Hercules and Omphale. The upper shelf now remains for inspection. Here +are three sepulchral tablets, and the fronts of two sarcophagi. The +tablet from Crete, within a wreath, contains an inscription +descriptive of honour conferred by the inhabitants of Crete upon an +individual named Alexander, the gift to him being a golden crown. +Having noticed the gay Cupids enacting Bacchanalians upon the first +front of a sarcophagus, the visitor should pass on at once to the + +SECOND DIVISION. + +Here, in front of the pilaster, the visitor should remark a curious +square altar, with Silvanus, to whom the altar is dedicated by the +farm servant of Caius Coelius Heliodorus, Callistus; and a trophy +discovered on the plains of Marathon. + +Grouped in this division, are some fine works. First let the visitor +remark two white marble Victories discovered in the ruins of the villa +of Antoninus Pius, at Monte Cagnuolo. The first Victory is kneeling +upon a bull which she is about to sacrifice; and the second also is +kneeling upon, and about to stab, a bull. Then a fine bust of a +laughing satyr will arrest the attention of the visitor; then a +colossal foot in a sandal, under the front of a sarcophagus; then the +votive torso, supposed to be that of an Athelete; then a red marble +swan found in a vineyard near the Villa Pinciana; then a terminal +statue of a satyr; then a bust of Diogenes; then a bust, conjectured +to be part of the figure of a dying Amazon; then a bust of Atys. +Turning to the upper shelf of this division, the visitor should notice +the front and ends of a sarcophagus deposited there. Upon these +Bacchus and Ariadne are represented in a chariot, heralded by +Bacchanals, and drawn by Centaurs; and in other parts Pan is being +castigated by a satyr, and carried off by two Cupids aided by a satyr. +Turning to the lower shelf the visitor should examine several antique +busts. First there is a bust, conjectured to be that of Achilles; then +there is an old Hercules; then a Bacchante; then a bust of Aratus; a +female head; and a tragic mask from the lid of a sarcophagus. With the +examination of this shelf the visitor closes his inspection of the +second division, and should at once advance into the + +THIRD DIVISION. + +First, let the visitor notice, placed in front of the third pilaster, +a celebrated copy of the statue of Praxiteles, of Cupid bending his +bow. This celebrated copy is four feet, three and a half inches, in +height. It arrived in this country originally as a present to Edmund +Burke, from Rome, by Barry, the painter. Numerous copies of this Cupid +exist, and the one before the visitor is not the best. + +In this compartment or division, the visitor should also remark +several sepulchral urns with figures in relief. Amid other sepulchral +monuments are, an altar inscribed by Annia Augustalis, to the manes of +M. Clodius, his brother Felix, and to Tyrannus; and a bas-relief +discovered near the mausoleum of Augustus, representing a Muse +standing before a dramatic poet. Hereabouts also the visitor should +notice an altar, ornamented with bas-reliefs, dedicated by Aurelius +Timotheus to Diana; a small figure of Neptune from Athens; a veiled +Ceres bearing a torch, from Athens; a draped Muse in terra cotta +holding a lyre; and a cippus, with a representation of Silenus riding +a panther. On turning to the lower shelf, the visitor will at once be +struck with the sarcophagi. Here are three Etruscan sarcophagi, two of +alabaster, and one in peperino. On all three are recumbent female +figures, and in front of the first the hunt of the Calydonian boar; of +the second, Scylla; and of the third, a bas-relief representing +Achilles dragging Penthesilea from her chariot. On this shelf also +are, a bas-relief showing Luna encompassed by the signs of the Zodiac, +and a sun-dial supported by the claws and heads of lions. Turning now +to the upper shelf, the visitor should examine the bas-reliefs +deposited thereon. Upon the first, the visitor will notice a funeral +car, shaped like a temple drawn by four horses, with Jupiter and the +Dioscuri on the sides of the car; upon the second, the bas-relief +represents Ulysses and Diomedes detecting Achilles disguised as a +female among the daughters of Lycomedes; and the subject of the third +relief is a marriage in the presence of Juno Pronuba, showing the +bridegroom taking the bride's hand, and holding the marriage contract. +Having glanced at these objects, the visitor's way lies forward to the + +FOURTH DIVISION. + +Here, in front of the pilaster, the visitor must at once examine the +torso of a statue, supposed to be of Mercury; and a curious Greek +circular altar, ornamented with the heads and fillets of bulls and +stags, and inscribed with the names of Agathemeris and her son +Sosicles of Tlos. Having examined these two prominently placed +objects, the visitor should proceed at once to the general contents of +the division. He will be probably attracted first to two terminal +statues; or statues, of which the lower parts are not developed. They +occur frequently among the remains of Greek sculpture. These terminal +statues were held in great veneration; and they were found placed at +the corners of streets, at the doors of private dwellings, and before +temples. The custom of representing Mercury with a head upon a plain +column, appears to have been the origin of a fashion which the Greeks +subsequently extended to their representations of other deities. The +terminal figure in this division, with the winged cap, illustrates the +generality of these Hermae; it was found near Frascati, in the year +1770. The next remarkable object that will probably attract the +visitor's attention is the figure, found at Rome, of an Egyptian +tumbler, going through his performances on the back of a tame +crocodile, a barbarous species of entertainment undoubtedly, but not +more repulsive than that of the French aerönaut of last year, floating +over Paris on the back of an ostrich. Hereabouts are placed also a +small statue of the three-fold Hecate, a Diana found in the +Giustiniani Palace at Rome; a bust of Jupiter, conjectured to be a +copy from the work of the celebrated sculptor Polycletus, and a +sphinx. Here, too, are some interesting bas-reliefs. Upon one a +Bacchante (supposed to be a copy from Scopas), is represented with a +knife in her hand, and holding part of a kid; upon another (part of a +sarcophagus), Priam is represented praying to Achilles to give up +Hector's body; upon a third (a cippus) birds are drinking; and upon a +fourth (a fountain) are Pans and satyrs. Before turning to the lower +shelf, the visitor should also notice in this neighbourhood a +beautiful group of two dogs, found on the Monte Cagnuolo; a votive +foot, with a coiling serpent, and one or two sepulcral urns with +inscriptions. Upon the lower shelf are deposited an interesting series +of busts, including one of the Emperor Septimius Severus, found on the +Palatine Hill; one of Hadrian, found at Tivoli, on the site of +Hadrian's Villa; one from Athens, of the Emperor Nero; and one of +Caracalla, found in the Nunnery Gardens at the Quatro Fontane, on the +Esquiline Hill. Upon the upper shelf are two busts in relief, and the +front of a sarcophagus, with elaborate representations of the Muses. +Here is Terpsichore with the lyre of dancing, Thalia with the mask of +comedy. And now the way lies once more forward, into the + +FIFTH DIVISION. + +Before the fifth pilaster is a notable piece of sculpture found in the +villa of Antoninus Pius--an erect figure of the youthful Bacchus +clothed in the skin of a panther; and here also is a square altar +ornamented with sphinxes in bas-relief, Apollo, Diana, and various +religious symbols. A colossal toe attracts considerable attention in +this division. It may have been an ornament in the rooms of an +Eisenberg of the ancients, but more probably has been lost by a god. +Let the visitor pause here before the terminal bust of Aeschines the +orator, who impeached Demosthenes out of jealousy for his popularity +with the people of Athens, and sullenly retired, after losing his +cause and being mulcted of a thousand drachmas as the accuser, to +Rhodes, where he occupied himself in teaching rhetoric. Other terminal +statues occur in this division. Among these, in a glass, are small +terminal busts, joined back to back, of Bacchus and Libera; three +yellow and red marble heads of Libera; a yellow marble bearded +Bacchus; and the bust of a Greek poet discovered at Bitolia. +Hereabouts also are, a female head, the eyes of which have traces of +inlaying; a bas-relief of Antinous; a curious female head, with the +hair of a distinct block of marble, fitted upon it; the head of a +child from Rome; the head of Jupiter from the corner of a sarcophagus; +busts of Hercules and Serapis; a remarkable altar in the Egyptian +style, curiously carved with the bull Apis, and Harpocrates drawn in a +car by a hippopotamus. Turning to the upper shelf, the visitor will +notice a satyr playing on a flute; six Amazons carved upon the +fragment of a sarcophagus; and a sarcophagus found at Tusculum, with +representations of Cupids bearing away the arms of Mars. A series of +busts are deposited upon the lower shelf. These include busts of the +wife of the Emperor Domitian; bust of Olympia; bust of the wife of +Hadrian, Julia Sabina; bust of Tiberius; and a bust of Augustus. +Before leaving this room the visitor should not fail to notice a few +antiquities which should particularly interest him. These form a group +of relics found in this country. They illustrate the doings of the +Romans in this country. + +ANTIQUITIES OF BRITAIN. + +The first of these objects which the visitor will remark, is a curious +cylindrical sarcophagus, discovered in the neighbourhood of St. +Alban's, so lately as the year 1831. It contained some Roman vases. +Another sarcophagus found at Southfleet, in Kent, is also included in +the collection. In this sarcophagus several interesting relics were +discovered, including a vessel containing burnt bones; and purple +leather shoes embroidered with gold, and in the same neighbourhood +other relics, including an earthern vessel, also containing bones, +were found. The next object to which the visitor should direct his +attention is the old cistern of a blacksmith, which had been found at +Chesterford, in Essex, which turned out to be an ancient relic +sculptured in high relief with figures of Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, and +Venus. Three or four Roman altars found in various parts of the +country, one to AEsculapius; a bas-relief of a Roman standard of the +second legion; and pigs of lead inscribed with the names of Roman +emperors. Having examined these objects, the visitor should pass at +once westward into the + +PHIGALEIAN SALOON. + +He may here take a seat for a few moments and read the points of +history which belong to this saloon, before he commences his +examination of it. One year, while the present century was young, +fifteen gentlemen encamped round about the ruins of a temple, known to +the neighbouring inhabitants as the "columns." These columns were +those believed to be the ruins of a temple of Apollo Epicurius, built +by the citizens of ancient Phigaleia, in Arcadia. These "columns" were +situated upon a shelf of land, high up the side of Mount Cotilium, and +surrounded by a rich and various landscape. Lying scattered about were +the shattered fragments of the sculptured frieze of the temple; and, +with infinite labour the camp of explorers succeeded in gathering +together and arranging the slabs which are now deposited in this, the +Phigaleian saloon. To the sound of Arcadian music, workmen excavated +in the neighbourhood of these ruins; and in 1814 the Prince Regent +obtained a grant of 15,000£. to purchase them for the British Museum. + +The subjects represented by these sculptures are, the battle of the +Centaurs and the Lapithae, and the war between the Amazons and +Athenians--mythical struggles upon which Greek sculptors were fond of +exercising their imagination. THE BATTLE OF THE CENTAURS is the first +to which the visitor should direct his attention. The origin of this +myth is thus described by Sir Henry Ellis: "The story of the Centaurs, +it is remarked, is of Thessalian origin. The people of Thessaly were +remarkably expert in horsemanship, and were supposed to be the first +in Greece who practised the art of riding on horseback. Pelion, and +other mountains in this part of Greece, abounding in wild bulls, these +ferocious animals were frequently hunted by the people of the country +on horseback, and when overtaken were seized by their pursuers, who +caught hold of them by the horns, in a manner not less dexterous than +daring. Hence, these hunters acquired the name of Centauri and +Hippocentauri. The novel sight of a man seated on a horse, and +galloping over the plains with more than human velocity, might easily +suggest to the minds of an ignorant peasantry, the idea of an animal +composed partly of a man and partly of a horse; and it was from this +simple origin, according to some explanations, that the fable of the +Centaurs sprung. We must remark, that we place no confidence in the +proposed etymology of the word Centauros, and almost as little in the +explanation of the story. The centaur Chiron in Homer was a model of +justice, and the poet appears to have had no idea of the monstrous +combination of two animals. Pindar, in his second Pythian Ode, first +makes us acquainted with the Hippocentaur, or half horse and half man. +Though it cannot be imagined that the Greeks ever regarded this +tradition otherwise than as a fable, so far as the double nature of +the animal was concerned, yet it is curious, to observe, with what +care and devotion they recorded the particulars of this fiction in +their poems, sculpture, paintings, and other monuments of art. The +Centaurs were invited to the nuptials of Pirithous, king of the +Lapithae. During the marriage feast, one of the Centaurs, named +Eurytion, or Eurytus, with the characteristic brutality of his nature, +and elated by the effects of wine, offered violence to the person of +Hippodamia, the bride. This outrageous act was immediately resented by +Theseus, the friend of Pirhitous, who hurled a large vessel of wine at +the head of the offender, which brought him lifeless to the ground. A +general engagement then ensued between the two parties; and the +Centaurs not only sought to revenge the death of their companion, +Eurytus, but likewise attempted to carry off the females who were +guests at the nuptials. In this conflict, sustained on both sides with +great fury, the Centaurs were finally vanquished, and driven out of +Thessaly; after which they took up their abode in Arcadia, where they +provoked the anger of Hercules, who completely destroyed the whole of +their race. Such is the general outline of the mythic history of the +Centaurs." + +Bearing this outline of the classical story in his mind, the visitor +may at once proceed to examine the first eleven slabs upon which the +incidents in the story of the Centaurs and the Lapithae are +elaborated. The visitor will, of course, begin with tablet No. 1, and +proceed to the others in the regular order in which they are marked. + +On approaching the first slab (1) the visitor will perceive a Centaur +overcome by two Lapithae, and about to be dispatched. Another Centaur +from behind, however, arrests the uplifted arm of one Lapitha. The +battle proceeds fiercely on the second slab (2). A Centaur is tearing +the shoulder of a Lapitha with his teeth, while the Lapitha drives a +stout sword direct into his assailant's body. A dead Centaur lies in +the foreground, and the heels of the stabbed Centaur strike against +the shield of a second Lapitha. The origin of the battle begins to +appear on the third slab (3), where a woman is represented with a +child in her arms resisting the violence of a Centaur, while another +Centaur at the further end of the slab is getting the better of a +kneeling Lapitha. The fourth tablet would be probably unintelligible +to the general visitor without special explanation. Here the Centaurs +are endeavouring to crush an enemy with huge blocks of stone. This +particular enemy is the Caeneus of Greek fable, whom Neptune had +rendered invulnerable to the effect of swords and clubs, and whom +Centaurs are endeavouring to overcome by crushing his body with masses +of rock. The fifth slab (5) presents a more cheerful view of the +battle for the Lapithae; here two Centaurs are being overcome by two +of their enemies in revenge for their brutal conduct at the bridal +banquet. The sixth tablet (6) again illustrates the hazards of war. +Here a female is between two of the brutal Centaurs, one of whom has +felled a Lapitha to the ground; but the left hand part of the slab is +so mutilated that the merits of the sculpture are here hardly +appreciable. The seventh (7) slab also represents the Lapithae losing +ground. Here, it has been shrewdly conjectured the chief personages of +the battle are represented. The female in the arms of the Centaur is +supposed to be Hippodamia; and the figure struggling from the grasp of +another Centaur, that of King Pirithous fighting for his outraged +bride. The next tablet (8) is in a very dilapidated condition. The +central figure is that of a muscular Centaur, with his mantle flowing +from his neck, in the act of hurling something at a Lapitha who stands +stoutly on the defensive, while in the further corner a female with +her child is flying from pursuers. The ninth tablet (9) discovers two +vanquished Centaurs, and Lapithae in the act of dispatching their +mongrel enemies. The battle is represented at its climax on the next +slab (10). Here, as the wicked Centaur, Eurytion, is disrobing the +King's bride, and her bridesmaid is indulging in exaggerated attitudes +of despair, a figure supposed to be that of the renowned founder of +Athens, Theseus, springs upon the Centaur's shoulders, and drags back +his head, that the brute may not gaze upon the charms he would +pollute. The figure behind the bride is supposed to represent Diana, +the goddess of Chastity. It is a pity that the leg and arm of the +Theseus, and one arm of the bridesmaid are fractured. The last slab of +those sculptured with the battle of the Centaurs, represents Apollo +and Diana in a car--Apollo the deliverer; Diana the guardian of female +chastity. Having fully examined these beautiful specimens of Greek art +of the time of Pericles, the visitor should turn at once to the +remaining slabs, which are devoted to the illustration of + +A BATTLE WITH THE AMAZONS. + +Plutarch gives a graphic account of those dissensions between Theseus +and the Amazons, which terminated in the famous war here celebrated. +"Philochorus," he says, "and some others relate, that he (Theseus) +sailed in company with Hercules into the Euxine Sea, to wage war with +the Amazons, and that he received Antiope as the reward of his valour, +but the greater number, (among whom are Pherecydes, Hellanicus, and +Herodotus,) tell us, that Theseus made the voyage with his own fleet +alone, some time after Hercules, and took that Amazon captive, which +is indeed the more probable account; for we do not read that any other +of his fellow-warriors made any Amazon prisoner. But Bion says, he +took and carried her off by a stratagem. The Amazons (he informs us) +being naturally lovers of men, were so far from avoiding Theseus when +he touched upon their coasts, that they sent him presents. Theseus +invited Antiope, who brought them, into his ship, and, as soon as she +was aboard, set sail. But the account of one Menecrates, who published +a history of Nice in Bithynia, is that Theseus, having Antiope aboard +his vessel, remained in those parts some time; and that he was +attended in this expedition by three young men of Athens, who were +brothers, Enneos, Thoas, and Solon. The last of these, unknown to the +rest, fell in love with Antiope, and communicated his passion to one +of his companions, who applied to Antiope about the affair. She firmly +rejected his pretensions, but treated him with civility, and prudently +concealed the matter from Theseus. But Solon, in despair, having +leaped into a river and drowned himself, Theseus, then sensible of the +cause, and the young man's passion, lamented his fate, and in his +sorrow recollected an order of the priestess, which he had formerly +received at Delphi; that when, in some foreign country, he should +labour under the greatest affliction, he should build a city there, +and leave some of his followers to govern it. Hence, he called the +city which he built Pythopolis, after the Pythian god, and the +neighbouring river, in honour of the young man, Solon. He left the two +surviving brothers to govern it, and give it laws; and along with them +Hermus, who was of one of the best families in Athens. From him the +inhabitants of Pythopolis call a certain place in their city Hermus's +House, and, by exchanging an accent, transfer the honour from the hero +to the god (Mercury). Hence the war with the Amazons took its rise: +and it appears to have been no slight or womanish enterprise, for they +could not have encamped in the town, or joined battle on the ground +about the Pnyx and the Museum, or fallen in so intrepid a manner upon +the city of Athens, unless they had first reduced the country about +it. It is difficult, indeed, to believe (though the story is told by +Hellanicus) that they crossed the Cimmerian Bosphorus upon the ice, +but that they encamped almost in the heart of the city, is confirmed +by the names of places, and by the tombs of those that perished +there." The Amazons, according to fabulous history, were a warlike +race of women, who reared only their female children, and lived as a +nation apart from the male sex. They are said to have founded many +cities in Asia Minor, to have been expert horsewomen, and to have +amputated their left breast the more easily to use their bows. Greek +sculptors delighted to avail themselves of this mythic war between men +and women, in which the heroes do not appear to have used their +weapons lightly, in consideration of the sex of their opponents. The +splendid group by Kiss, casts of which are now in many English homes, +shows that the capacity to deal with the classic subject has not +altogether faded from the world. The Amazons themselves bid fair to +accomplish a resurrection across the Atlantic. Rumours reach us here +in England of female societies associated to make war upon the tyranny +of the opposite sex, and to adopt certain eccentricities of costume. +It is not improbable that these agitators will soon constitute +themselves into a distinct nation, and defy the valour of the +masculine Yankee. + +The visitor, on turning, thus far informed, to the slabs upon which +the war with the Amazons is represented, will notice that these mythic +females present no appearance of the rumoured amputation. The weapons +that should be in the hands of most of the figures are lost, but it is +believed that they were of bronze, and the holes by which they were +fastened to the hands of the figures may yet be traced. On presenting +himself before the first slab (12), the visitor will see the figure of +an Athenian dragging an Amazon to the ground by her hair, while +another Amazon is protecting a fallen sister in the corner. This scene +will shock the gallantry of the unprepared visitor, who should, +nevertheless, compose himself to explain to his partner the kind of +women with whom the Athenians had to deal. The second slab (13), +represents a wounded Amazon sinking to the earth, and an Athenian and +an Amazon in full combat, but upon the third (14), the visitor will +remark the havoc which the Amazons could make. Here, on the right, an +Athenian protecting himself from attack with his shield, is leading a +wounded man from the field, and to the right a male figure is bearing +off a body, from which a central Amazon is snatching a shield. On the +next slab (15), two Amazons are engaged with two Athenians. To the +left, where the head of the vanquished Amazon remains, the slab is +much injured; but to the right the Athenian felled by the Amazon is +clearly distinguishable. A wounded Athenian lies in the left corner of +the next slab (16), supported by a companion; while another Athenian +is endeavouring to beat off a lusty Amazon, who appears determined to +fight for every inch of the ground. For the first time an Amazon +occurs on horseback on the next slab (17). Here a sturdy Athenian is +dragging her from her seat, while another Amazon is warding off a +blow, and preparing to strike one at the same time, in the right +corner. The central figure of the next slab (18), (the longest in the +collection,) is the hero Theseus, recognisable by the lion's skin +about him, the huge paw of which lies against his left leg. Theseus, +who is about to deal a deadly blow at a mounted Amazon (whose body is +effaced), is prevented by an interposing Amazon, while an Athenian, +who is trampled upon by the horse, is preparing to do severe work with +his sword. To the right, an Athenian is unceremoniously removing a +wounded Amazon from her fallen horse. The next group (19) represents +two couples fighting: an Athenian, protected by a helmet and cuirass, +has thrown an Amazon, and on the right of the slab an Amazon has +thrown an Athenian. The next slab (20) is severely mutilated; but an +Amazon attending to a wounded companion, and others fighting in the +left corner are distinguishable. The next tablet represents two +Athenians and two Amazons; the central figure (an Athenian) has his +foot upon the knee of a fallen Amazon, who appears to be asking mercy. +The last slab but one (22) represents an Athenian dragging an Amazon +from an altar, while to the right an Amazon is vigorously assailing +another Athenian. Upon the last slab (23) are four Amazons and one +wounded Athenian, who is endeavouring to ward off an impending blow +from the central figure. Having noticed these slabs, the wondrous +workmanship of which must surprise the most indifferent and +ill-informed observer, the visitor should at once turn to the other +fragments arranged and numbered in the saloon. The fragments marked +successively from 24 to 40, are parts of the temple to Apollo, from +which the Phigaleian slabs were taken. Having cursorily examined +these, the visitor should at once turn to the fragment of a +bas-relief, marked 41, which properly belongs to the Elgin collection. +Here Hercules is represented holding Diomed, King of Thrace, by the +head, and is about to strike him. Further on are some interesting +relics, collected by Colonel Leake. First, there is a headless female +statue, draped, from Sparta (43); then the torso of a naked Apollo +from the Peloponnese; then a small, shattered Hercules, without head, +arms, or feet, found on the coast of Laconia. Proceeding with his +examination of the miscellaneous objects in the saloon, he may notice +successively, the head of Jupiter, from Phrygia (47); a curious +sepulchral inscription from Halicarnassus (48), forbidding any one, +except relations, from occupying the tomb to which it belonged; a +bas-relief from Thessaly (51) representing a dedication of hair to +Poseidon: an alto-relievo torso of Triton (56); and the pedestal of +the statue of Jupiter Urius (55), which stood in the temple of that +god, at the mouth of the Euxine. + +Directing his attention to the fragments which occupy the wall space +below the Phigaleian frieze, he will find eleven fine bas-reliefs from +the celebrated tomb erected at Halicarnassus, in the year 353 B.C., in +honour of Mausolus, King of Caria, by Artemisia, his wife. Here the +power of the later Greek sculptors is employed upon the battles of the +Athenians with the Amazons. Above the Phigaleian frieze, against the +walls are placed two pediments, copied from those which ornamented the +western and eastern ends of the temple of Jupiter Panhellenius, in +AEgina. + +Among the miscellaneous fragments in the saloon, the visitor has yet +to notice a fine torso of a nude Venus; a statue of Discobolus, who is +throwing a quoit, found in Hadrian's Villa Tiburtina; part of a statue +of Hymen; and at the ends of the saloon the visitor should notice some +specimens from the old temple of Selinus, which are valued as probably +representing some of the earliest extant specimens of Greek art. Among +the subjects represented are Perseus killing the Gorgon Medusa, and +Hercules and the Cecrops. Having examined these objects, the visitor +has brought his examination of the Phigaleian Saloon to a close, and +he should forthwith enter upon the great labour of his fourth visit, +by proceeding to the west into the noble room devoted to the + +ELGIN MARBLES. + +These marbles have become celebrated throughout the civilised world, +and the name of Elgin is inseparably connected henceforth with the +finest extant specimens of the power of Phidias. The artistic +excellencies of these relics of a remote civilisation have been so +frequently explained to the public, and their beauties are so +generally felt, that it suffices to introduce the general visitor to +the room, and to guide him about it, without bidding him halt to learn +the estimation set upon these works by great art authorities. After he +has received the natural impression which these works cannot fail to +produce on his mind, he may wish to know something of the times and +men which these represent; he may be glad to learn so much as is known +of Phidias. No man even with the poorest sense of the beautiful can, +we apprehend, wander about this saloon without being touched. +Therefore we proceed at once to guide the visitor on his journey. But +it is necessary that he should know something of the building, of +which these fragments formed parts:--"The Parthenon," says Colonel +Leake, "was constructed entirely of white marble, from Mount +Pentelicus. It consisted of a cell, surrounded with a peristyle, which +had eight Doric columns in the fronts, and seventeen in the sides. +These forty-six columns were six feet two inches in diameter at the +base, and thirty-four feet in height, standing upon a pavement, to +which there was an ascent of three steps. The total height of the +temple above its platform was about sixty-five feet. Within the +peristyle at either end, there was an interior range of six columns, +of five feet and a half in diameter, standing before the end of the +cell, and forming a vestibule to its door. There was an ascent of two +steps into these vestibules from the peristyle. The cell, which was +sixty-two feet and a half broad within, was divided into two unequal +chambers, of which the western was forty-three feet ten inches long, +and the eastern ninety-eight feet seven inches. The ceiling of the +former was supported by four columns, of about four feet in diameter, +and that of the latter by sixteen columns of about three feet. It is +not known of what order were the interior columns of either chamber. +Those of the western having been thirty-six feet in height, their +proportion must have been nearly the same as that of the Ionic columns +of the vestibule of the Propylaea, whence it seems highly probable +that the same order was used in the interior of both those +contemporary buildings. In the eastern chamber of the Parthenon, the +smallness of the diameter of the columns leaves little doubt that +there was an upper range, as in the temples of Paestum and AEgina. It +is to be lamented that no remains of any of them have been found, as +they might have presented some new proofs of the taste and invention +of the architects of the time of Pericles. + +"Such was the simple construction of this magnificent building, which, +by the united excellencies of materials, design, and decorations, was +the most perfect ever executed. Its dimensions of two hundred and +twenty-eight feet by a hundred and two, with a height of sixty-six +feet to the top of the pediment, were sufficiently great to give an +impression of grandeur and sublimity, which was not disturbed by any +obtrusive subdivision of parts, such as is found to diminish the +effects of some larger modern buildings, where the same singleness of +design is not observed. In the Parthenon, whether viewed at a small or +at a great distance, there was nothing to divert the spectator's +contemplation from the simplicity and majesty of mass and outline, +which forms the first and most remarkable object of admiration in a +Greek temple; and it was not until the eye was satiated with the +contemplation of the entire edifice, that the spectator was tempted to +examine the decorations with which this building was so profusely +adorned; for the statues of the pediments, the only decoration which +was very conspicuous by its magnitude and position, being enclosed +within frames, which formed an essential part of the design of either +front, had no more obtrusive effect than an ornamented capital to a +single column." + +Bearing this outline of the building in mind, the visitor may at once +proceed to examine the ruins of this fine monument of ancient genius, +which are deposited in the Elgin Saloon of our National Museum. First, +he may notice those alto-relievos, known as the + +METOPES[9] OF THE PARTHENON. + +The subject of these sculptures has been familiarised to the visitor +in the Phigaleian marbles. Here, again, is the war of the Athenians, +on behalf of the Lapithae, with the Centaurs, the sculptor's subject. +On entering the room, the visitor will notice various numbers on each +marble: THE RED NUMBERS are those to which we refer throughout. + +The first metope to which the visitor will, in natural order, direct +his attention, is that marked 1. Here an Athenian has his knee upon +the back of a Centaur and one arm round his neck, while the other +(which is broken off) was evidently represented raised to strike a +fatal blow into the Centaur's body. The second metope (2) also +represents an Athenian subduing a Centaur. This group is much injured, +the head of the Athenian and that of the Centaur being missing; but +the Athenian has his knee firmly planted upon his brutal enemy's hind +quarters, and his arm (strongly developed) was evidently firmly +clutching the Centaur's hair. The third metope (3) shows an Athenian +under very disadvantageous circumstances. Here a Centaur is about to +deal a tremendous blow with a wine vessel at the head of his crouching +enemy, who is endeavouring to ward off its effects with his ample +shield. The heads of these figures are casts from the originals, which +are in the Royal Museum at Copenhagen. The fourth metope (4) has been +so mutilated that the figure of the Athenian, which was once upon it, +is wholly effaced, and the Centaur has the head, part of two legs, and +both arms, wanting. Originally the Centaur was holding an Athenian by +his hair. The fifth metope (5) is also much mutilated; but here both +figures were evidently represented mutually confident of victory. A +vigorous action is represented upon the sixth metope (6), where an +Athenian is seizing a Centaur by the throat, while, with the right +hand, he is prepared to deal a fatal stroke. The seventh metope (7) is +much mutilated; but the figure of an Athenian thrown, and a Centaur +trampling upon him, are clearly discernible. There is fine action in +the eighth metope (8), where the Centaur has seized his adversary by +the foot, and is hurling him backwards to the earth. Under the +Athenian the visitor will notice a circular drinking vessel, +indicative of the revel at which the cause of quarrel originated. The +next metope (9) (or rather a cast from the metope in the Louvre at +Paris) represents a Centaur in the act of seizing a female, who is +resisting him: both heads are wanted. The drapery about the female is +beautifully executed. Matters have arrived at a desperate pitch with +the combatants represented on the tenth metope (10), where the +Centaur, with starting eyes and uplifted arms, is about to strike a +determined Athenian, who has planted his foot against the Centaur's +breast, and is determined to do his work. The next metope (11) is a +fine specimen of sculpture. Here an Athenian has seized a Centaur by +the jaw, from behind. The drapery that falls from the fine form of the +Greek is exquisitely folded, and the figure itself is finished with +masterly skill. A victorious Centaur holding forth a mantle of lion's +skin, is the central figure of the next metope (12). Below lies the +dead body of an Athenian: all the muscles marked and rigid. It is +supposed that the following metope (13) represents the Centaur +Eurytion carrying off Hippodamia. The drapery of the female figure is +exquisite. The fourteenth metope (14) represents an Athenian thrown by +a Centaur. The Athenian, however, is not idle, having buried a weapon +in the left side of his adversary, and attempting to seize a stone +with his left hand. The fifteenth metope (15) represents a Centaur +holding an Athenian; while the Athenian has revenged himself by +planting that decisive kind of blow known in pugilistic circles as "a +bruiser" upon the Centaur's cheek. This metope is more angular in +execution than the other metopes; and was probably executed, under the +guidance of Phidias, by one of the old school of Greek sculptors. The +last, or sixteenth metope (16), is supposed to have been executed by +the same inferior hand as that employed upon the fifteenth. Here the +contest between the Centaur and the Athenian is undecided. Metope 16c +has been recently discovered at Athens. + +Having fully examined these fine specimens of Greek sculpture, the +visitor may at once turn to other parts of the great temple, examining +now and then, to guide his impressions, the restored model which +stands near the south-east corner of the room. His business is now +with the frieze that ran round the building behind the columns, and +upon which a series of bas-reliefs were sculptured; of which Sir Henry +Ellis gives the following clear outline:-- + +THE FRIEZE OF THE PARTHENON. + +"One of the richest objects with which Phidias embellished the outside +of the temple of the Parthenon, was, without doubt, that uninterrupted +series of bas-reliefs which occupied the upper part of the walls +within the colonnade, at the height of the frieze of the Pronaos, and +which was continued entirely round the building. The situation +afforded to the work only a secondary light, and, so far, prescribed +to Phidias the manner in which he was to direct the execution of the +figures. + +"From the position intended for it, it was evident that the direct +rays of the sun could never reach the Panathenaic frieze. Being placed +immediately below the soffit, it received all its light from between +the columns, and by reflection from the pavement below. The flatness +of the sculpture is thus sufficiently accounted for; had the relief +been prominent, the upper parts could not have been seen; the shade +projected by the sculpture would have rendered it dark, and the parts +would have been reduced by their shadows. The frieze could only be +seen in an angle of forty-two degrees and a half. + +"The subject represented the sacred procession which was celebrated +every fifth year in honour of Minerva, the guardian goddess of the +city, and embraced in its composition all the external observances of +the highest festival of the Athenians. + +"The blocks of marble of which the frieze was composed were three feet +four inches high; they were placed about nine feet within the external +row of columns; and occupied, slab after slab, a space of five hundred +and twenty-four feet in length. As a connected subject, this was the +most extensive piece of sculpture ever made in Greece. The images of +the gods, deified heroes, basket bearers, bearers of libatory vessels, +trains of females, persons of every age and sex, men on horseback, +victims, charioteers--in short, the whole people were represented in +it conveying, in solemn pomp, to this very temple of the Parthenon, +the sacred veil which was to be suspended before the statue of the +goddess within. + +"Meursius, in his Panathenaea and Reliquiae Atticae, has collected +from ancient authors many particulars concerning this Peplus. It was +the work of young virgins selected from the best families in Athens, +over whom two of the principal, called Arrephorae, were +superintendents. On it was embroidered the battle of the gods and +giants; amongst the gods was Jupiter hurling his thunderbolts against +the rebellious crew, and Minerva, seated in her chariot, appeared as +the vanquisher of Typhon or Enceladus. In the Hecuba of Euripides, the +chorus of captive Trojan females are lamenting, in anticipation, the +evils which they will suffer in the land of the Greeks. 'In the city +of Pallas, of Athena, on the beautiful seat in the woven peplus I +shall yoke colts to a chariot, painting them in various different +coloured threads, or else the races of the Titans, whom Zeus, the son +of Kronos, puts to sleep in fiery all-surrounding flame.' The names of +those Athenians who had been eminent for military virtue, were also +embroidered on it. This will explain the following allusion in the +Knights of Aristophanes, where the chorus says--'We wish to praise our +fathers, because they were an honour to this country and worthy of the +_peplus_: in battles by land and in the ship-girt armament conquering +on all occasions they exalted this city.' When the festival was +celebrated, this peplus was brought from the Acropolis, where it had +been worked, down into the city; it was then displayed and suspended +as a sail to the ship, which on that day, attended by a numerous and +splendid procession, was conducted through the Ceramicus and other +principal parts, till it had made the circuit of the Acropolis; it was +then carried up to the Parthenon, and there consecrated to Minerva." +This splendid series of sculptures forms the gem of the Elgin +collection. The museum possesses no less than two hundred feet of the +original frieze, in addition to upwards of seventy feet in casts. The +wonderful variety, the perfect drawing, the classic grace, and the +unity of conception displayed in this work, entitle it to rank as the +most precious relic of antiquity saved to moderns from the wrecks of +time. Starting from the left side of the entrance door to the south, +the visitor begins his inspections of + +THE EASTERN FRIEZE, + +or those portions which decorated the eastern end of the Parthenon. +These are marked from 17 to 24. The introductory slab (17) represents +a procession of Greek virgins, with their long flowing draperies +beautifully modelled, as the visitor will at once perceive. Some are +carrying vessels for the libations. The next slab (18) has some +interesting figures. The four standing figures, which are to the left +of the two, supposed to represent Castor and Pollux, are supposed to +represent Hierophants explaining away mysteries, while the others are +students of the doctrines taught at the festival. The next slab, which +is the longest in the collection (19), is said to have been originally +placed above the eastern gate of the temple. Here are females +delivering offerings in baskets to one who appears to preside. On the +left, a man of dignified bearing is receiving a large roll from a +youth, which Visconti supposed to be the embroidered veil. Here seated +on a throne is Jupiter, with the arms supported by two sphinxes. Here, +too, is a goddess removing her veil, supposed by some to be Juno, and +by others Mercury. At the end of the slab the visitor will remark old +AEsculapius, and the figure of his daughter with a serpent twined +about her left arm, as Hygieia, or Health. The marble let into the +wall below the frieze, and marked 20, is a perfect cast from a marble +partly in that marked 21 and partly in that marked 22. Slabs 23, 24 +have continuations of the procession, consisting of females draped, +bearing vessels and torches. These women were selected from the +noblest families of Athens. The fragment marked 25 closes those which +adorn the eastern front. It represents a mutilated figure of one of +the Metoeci, or strangers, bearing a tray filled originally with +provisions. From the eastern the visitor should proceed to the slabs +of the + +NORTHERN FRIEZE. + +These are marked from 26 to 46. On the first of this series a youth +was originally represented receiving a crown of honour in a chariot +race. Then follow successively five slabs, all bearing bas-reliefs of +chariots and charioteers. These slabs are greatly admired by artists, +and are said, at the present day, to be perhaps the finest specimens +of bas-relief extant. After the chariots with more notable people +forming the procession, the successive marbles marked 32 to 43 are +filled up with the groups of horsemen who followed the chariots. The +forms of the animals are beautifully grouped and executed; and may, +after the many centuries of time that have elapsed since they were +placed behind the Parthenon columns, be consulted by the modern artist +as the finest extant models upon which he can exercise his student's +hand. On the slabs 36, 7, how finely are the horses and riders +grouped, and how firmly and gracefully is the rude figure upon the +central horse of the second slab posed! Having sufficiently admired +these fine groups, the visitor should at once turn to the slab marked +46. Here, a young man standing near his horse is about to crown +himself; while a standing figure to the right appears to have +dismounted, and to be suffering some adjustment of dress by a servant +behind him. At the right end of this slab is a figure seen sideways, +and representing the first part of the decoration of the + +WESTERN FRIEZE. + +Only one of the fifteen slabs of the western frieze is the original +marble:--the rest are casts from the frieze still adorning the ruins +of the temple. The western frieze is included in the slabs marked from +47 to 61. The marble in the possession of the museum from the western +frieze is, however, one of great value. It represents two mounted +horsemen--the whole exquisitely carved. Passing forward from this, the +forty-eighth slab (48) represents a horse to which three men are +attending. Mounted horsemen also fill up the next two slabs (49, 50). +On the fifty-first a rider is represented habited in full armour, with +another rider, dismounted, who appears to be rubbing a hurt on his +left leg. The two following slabs (52,3) are horses and men;--on the +latter, a dismounted man in a flowing robe endeavouring to curb a +rearing steed. On the next slab (54) are two horsemen mounted, the one +to the right wearing a hat that has a modern appearance, and is +similar to those worn by dignitaries of the Greek church at the +present time. A fine horse and graceful horseman occur in the right +corner of the slab 55,--the action of the horse is finely sculptured. +The remaining sculptures of the western frieze represent figures of +mounted and dismounted horsemen, of which the visitor may notice the +graceful figures on slab 57 (where the horse is rubbing his leg), and +slab 60, where the figure to the right appears to be only preparing to +join the procession. Having examined these, the visitor should at once +proceed to examine the remarkable points of the + +SOUTHERN FRIEZE. + +These are numbered from 62 to 90, and reach back to the northern side +of the entrance to the saloon. The slabs marked from 62 to 77 consist +of horsemen, galloping, often two or three abreast: some with helmets +and armour, and others nude; and the slabs marked from 78 to 82 have +sculptures of chariots drawn by four horses (mostly) abreast. These, +however, present no new points to which it is necessary to draw the +visitor's particular attention. The business of the festival, &c., +begins to be apparent in the seven last slabs (84-90). Here the +victims appear. In the first (85) a bull appears to be giving no +little trouble to some attendants, and to be utterly regardless of the +solemnity of the occasion. A bull, full of action, is the principal +object on the next slab (86): and on the next (87), one appears calmly +walking to his doom. Upon the return of the slab (90) is a figure +finely executed, supposed to be that of a magistrate surveying the +progress of the procession. The sacrificial oxen are said to be +masterly representations of the finest specimens of these animals. + +Having examined these bas-reliefs, the visitor should at once turn to +the groups which occupied central space in the saloon, and which +originally adorned the eastern and western pediments of the Parthenon. + +SCULPTURES FROM THE EASTERN PEDIMENT. + +These occupy the central space towards the southern end of the saloon. +The group on the eastern pediment originally represented the birth of +Minerva. The visitor will probably be first attracted to the great +recumbent figure marked 93, generally believed to have represented +Theseus, the Athenian hero, whose biography opens the series of +Plutarch's Lives. The figure is now much mutilated; the nose has been +chipped, and the feet are wanting, but still the form reclining on a +rock is majestic. Mr. Westmacott, in a lecture, gave his reasons for +believing that this statue was meant for Cephalus, of whom Aurora was +enamoured, and not Theseus. "This work [the pediment] it must be +observed, related to the most remarkable event in Athenian mythology, +and was confined only to that event. All the gods of Olympus were +present at the birth of Minerva. Now Theseus was not only not in +existence, but was patronised and protected by Minerva; it would seem, +therefore, extraordinary that he should be admitted as a witness of +her birth. If it is really Theseus, he could only have been introduced +by Phidias in compliment to the Athenians; but whether this could on +so very sacred an occasion have been allowed, may very reasonably be +doubted. Hercules, even the older, or Idaean Hercules, was, upon the +same principle, equally inadmissible, the Athenians acknowledging or +worshipping no Hercules prior to the son of Alcmene, who was +contemporaneous with Theseus, and consequently posterior also to +Minerva. Now the mythology of Cephalus is not only in unison with +Pausanias, but the admission of that person would in no degree affect +the harmony of the Attic types, or principles of Athenian worship. +Cephalus was as celebrated for heroic virtues as for his beauty." + +The fragment numbered 91 is part of a figure of Hyperion rising out of +the sea. It marked that angle of the pediment to the left of the +spectator, and the arms are stretched forward urging his coursers. +Near him are, alas, only the heads of two of his horses (92). The next +group that presents itself for notice is that of two sitting figures +(94), the one to the left leaning on the right shoulder of the other. +This is a wreck of a group that represented Ceres and her daughter +Proserpine on the pediment. Next in succession is a figure full of +action (95): this is Iris, the messenger of the gods, but the +particular property of Juno, on her way to carry to remote parts the +interesting intelligence of the birth of Minerva. A torso of Victory +is placed next in order of succession (96). The figure is now +wingless, but holes can be seen which once attached them to the +statue. Three Fates, beautifully draped (97), and a head of one of the +horses (98) of the chariot of Night which occupied the angle of the +pediment on the spectator's right, complete the recovered fragments of +the eastern pediment. + +Hence the visitor should turn to the fragments from the + +WESTERN PEDIMENT. + +The subject illustrated on the western pediment was the contest +between Minerva and Neptune for the honour of giving a name to Athens. +The relics of these sculptures will now engage the visitor's +attention. Undoubtedly the first object that will attract his notice +will be that numbered 99. This recumbent figure has a noble presence +even now, headless and otherwise mutilated as it is. Canova stood +undecided between this figure and that of Theseus (or Cephalus, +according to Mr. Westmacott) as to which was pre-eminently beautiful. +The figure before which the visitor now stands is generally received +as the statue of Ilissus, who was the Athenian god of the river +Ilissus, which watered the southern side of the Athenian plain. Others +have declared it to be Theseus reposing after his herculean labours, +and contemplating the contest between the two deities. Having fully +examined this fine sculpture, the visitor should turn to the fragments +of the Minerva. A small fragment of the upper part of a face (101) is +all that remains of Minerva's head, the holes being still visible by +which the goddess's bronze helmet was fastened to the statue. +Hereabouts, also, is a fragment of the statue (102), and a coil of the +serpent that was about the figure (104). The torso marked 100, from +the western pediment, is conjectured to be part of a statue that +represented Cecrops, the founder of Athens, at the contest. The next +fragment is the torso of Neptune (103); and hereabouts is the cast of +the group supposed to have originally represented Hercules and Hebe. +The second object, marked 104, is the cast, presented by M. Charles +Lenormand, of a head in the Bibliothèque Nationale at Paris, supposed +to belong to one of the statues of the western pediment. A torso of a +wingless or Athenian Victory is the next object that demands notice +(105): the figure was represented without wings, in token of the +inseparability of the goddess from the Greek capital. Another object +is marked 105: this is the head of the Victory; or rather a cast from +the original head presented to the trustees by Count de Laborde. +Lastly, of the western pediment sculptures, the visitor will remark +the lap of a figure, with a portion of an infant remaining: this ruin +is all that is left of Latona and her two children, Diana and Apollo. +Having fully examined these ruins of the Parthenon, the visitor must +direct his immediate attention to the remains collected from the ruins +of the celebrated + +DOUBLE TEMPLE OF THE ERECTHEUM AND PANDROSUS. + +The temple of the Erectheum was situated at Athens, less than two +hundred feet distant from the Parthenon. It was the temple of Athene +Polias, or Minerva and Erectheus; and adjoining it was the chapel of +Pandrosus. Philocles of Acharnae was the architect of the building, +which Lord Aberdeen, reiterating the opinion of many great +authorities, in his "Inquiry into the Principles of Beauty in Grecian +Architecture," styles the most perfect known specimen of the Ionic +order of architecture. It was built on the spot where Neptune and +Minerva are supposed to have contested the honour of naming Athens. +When Lord Elgin visited Athens, the vestibule of the temple was a +Turkish powder magazine. + +Before examining the few relics from this fine building in the saloon, +the visitor should notice the second object, marked 106, which is the +cast of a head found during the progress of excavations at Athens, +between the ancient gate of the Peloponnesus and the temple of +Theseus. Having passed from this relic, the visitor will at once +examine the architectural relics of different parts of the Erectheum, +which are more interesting to the architectural student than to the +general visitor. The fragment 109 is the lower portion of a draped +female statue; the relic marked 110 is part of the shaft of an Ionic +column; the capital of a column, 125, is very beautiful: but the +object that will be most attractive to the general visitor is the +statue marked 128, known in architecture as a Caryatid, which was used +in the temple of Pandrosus instead of columns. Hereabouts also, amid +the miscellaneous fragments, the visitor should notice a colossal +headless and heavily-draped figure, marked 111. This is the wreck of +the great statue of Bacchus which surmounted a monument erected three +hundred and twenty years before the Christian era, by Thrasyllus of +Deceleia, to record the victory of a tribe at a great festival of +Bacchus. This statue has been variously christened. Some believe it to +be the fragment of a Niobe; others of a Diana. It is generally allowed +to be a noble sample of Greek sculpture. Hereabouts, also, is the +well-known imperfect statue of Icarus (113), brought in fragments from +the Acropolis. The urn marked 122 is a sepulchral vessel, with figures +in bas-relief; 123 is a sepulchral column, with an Athenian name upon +it; and then the visitor will pass rapidly the fragments of Doric and +Ionic columns from various Greek temples. With the casts beginning +from 136, the visitor will start with his examination of the fragments +from the + +TEMPLE OF THESEUS. + +When the ashes of Theseus, long after his death, were conveyed in +state to Athens, festivals were instituted in his honour; and a +magnificent temple was erected to his memory nearly five centuries +before our era. The sculptures of the temple represented the exploits +of Theseus, and of Hercules, with whom Theseus was always on terms of +great friendship, and to whom he gave the highest honours his country +could afford. The subject of the frieze (which the visitor will find +against the eastern wall of the saloon, numbered from 136 to 149), has +been variously explained, but is shrewdly conjectured to be the Battle +of the Giants, in which Hercules played a prominent part, and in which +the giants are said to have hurled rocks at their adversaries, like +pebbles. This battle was fought in the presence of divinities, who are +represented seated upon slabs (137-8-133-4.) This frieze was on the +most conspicuous part of the temple. The frieze that flanked the +building was sculptured with the exploits of Theseus; and here the +visitor will once more see the battle of the Centaurs and the Lapithae +illustrated (150-154). The Centaurs hurling huge stones, and wielding +the stems of trees; and the invulnerable Coeneus, half crushed by his +savage enemies, are again represented. The casts of three metopes +(155-157) are from the north side of the temple of Theseus. Upon the +first the hero is represented destroying the King of Thebes, Creon; +upon the second he is throwing Cercyon, King of Eleusis; and upon the +third he is overcoming the Crommyonian sow. "About this time," +Plutarch tells us, "Crommyon was infested with a wild sow named Phoeä, +a fierce and formidable creature. This savage he attacked and killed, +going out of his way to engage her, and thus displaying an act of +voluntary valour: for he believed it equally became a brave man to +stand upon his defence against abandoned ruffians, and to seek out and +begin the combat with strong and savage animals. But some say that +Phoeä was an abandoned female robber, who dwelt in Crommyon; that she +had the name of 'sow' from her life and manners, and was afterwards +slain by Theseus." + +A series of bas-reliefs from an Ionic temple, dedicated to the +Wingless Victory of Athens, are the next objects that command the +general visitor's attention. They are numbered from 158 to 161 +successively. Upon these are represented battles between the Greeks +and Persians; and maidens leading a sacrificial bull. The fragments +marked successively from 165 to 175 are remarkable for the Greek +inscriptions on them, which cannot interest the general visitor. Let +the visitor, therefore, next pause before the fragment of a frieze in +green stone, marked 177, which is from the tomb of Agamemnon at +Mycenae. The sculptured scroll-work is of very remote antiquity. The +next fragment is a bas-relief, on which a bearded man is represented, +pressing a child towards him, and directing its attention to a votive +foot which he holds in his hand. Passing from this, the visitor may +next direct his attention to the fragment of a colossal statue +numbered 178. It belongs to one of the pediments of the Parthenon. +Hereabouts are various sepulchral urns and columns of no particular +interest to the casual observer;--the circular altar from Delos, +ornamented in relief with sacrificial bulls and other subjects. 179 +may, however, be noticed, together with the column marked 183, which +bears the name of Socrates, son of Socrates, a native of Ancyra, of +Galatia. The object marked 186 is a Greek sun-dial found at Athens, of +a time not long before the reign of the Emperor Severus. Passing other +altars and fragments of columns, the visitor should pause on his way, +to notice a bas-relief upon which Latona and Diana are sculptured, +forming part of a procession (190). The bas-relief numbered 193 is +from the theatre of Bacchus: it is a Bacchanalian group, in which +Bacchus is holding forth a vessel to be filled by an attending +Bacchante. The next object to be noticed is marked 194, and is a +fragment of a head of the goddess Pasht, surmounted with a crown of +serpents. A spirited scene occurs upon bas-relief 197, where a +charioteer, heralded by a flying Victory, is represented driving four +horses at full speed. A series of urns and votive altars are grouped +hereabouts, which the casual visitor may pass, pausing before the +small statue of Ganymede (207); a fragment of a boy supporting a bird +on his arm (221); a small figure of Telesphorus, headless, and draped; +more sepulchral urns and stêles; capitals of Corinthian and Ionic +columns; various inscriptions, including a decree of a society of +musicians (235); an amphora (238); a female head; a large and small +head of a bearded Hercules (243-242); heads and fragments of heads; +the base of a statue supposed to have been that of the Minerva of the +western pediment of the Parthenon; urns and columns, and stales and +inscriptions; a bas-relief showing Health, the daughter of +AEsculapius, feeding a serpent; two more bas-reliefs; an inventory of +the articles of gold and silver belonging to the Parthenon (282); +stêles, inscriptions, and columns; fragments of colossal statues, a +small statue (headless) of a Muse, 316; fragments of figures from the +metopes of the Parthenon; a sculptured oblong vessel, found near the +plain of Troy, for containing holy water (324); a mutilated colossal +head supposed to represent Nemesis, found in the temple of Nemesis, at +Rhamnus (325); a mutilated female statue found also at Rhamnus, in the +temple of Themis; fragments of colossal statues, stêles, inscriptions, +and altars. And hereabouts the visitor should pause once more to +examine a consecutive series of sculptures. These are marked from 352 +to 360. They are casts from the monument of Lysicrates, erected to +celebrate a musical contest about three centuries and a half before +our era. This monument is commonly known as the + +LANTERN OF DEMOSTHENES. + +This name is derived from a story long current, that the monument was +built by Demosthenes as a place of retirement. It was in reality a +monument erected in honour of Lysicrates, and the musicians or actors +who carried off the palm in musical or dramatic entertainments. This +monument is interesting as being the oldest existing specimen of the +Corinthian order of architecture. The frieze, of which there are +specimens before the visitor, represents the story of the revenge +Bacchus indulged in towards some Tyrrhenian corsairs, who endeavoured +to convey him to Asia to sell him as a slave. It is related that +discovering their infamous project, he transformed the masts and oars +of the vessel into snakes. The frieze is divided into nine +compartments, and the central figure is Bacchus seated with his +panther before him, a vessel in his hand, and attendant fauns. The +fantastic punishment of the pirates is forcibly depicted. Here one +bound to a rock finds the cord changed into a powerful serpent; there +men leaping into the sea are already half changed to dolphins; and +others are receiving severe castigation. Having examined these curious +sculptures, the visitor may rapidly review the rest of the relics +which he will care to examine. Passing the inscriptions (all +interesting to the antiquarian), the votive altars, and other +fragments, he may halt here and there before various interesting +bas-reliefs. Among these are a bas-relief representing Vesta and +Minerva crowning a young man (375); a bas-relief of Jupiter and Juno; +a bas-relief representing a sacrifice before an altar (380); an +imperfect bas-relief representing three goddesses (383); a lion's head +from the roof of the Parthenon (393); a fragment from Mantell's +collection, of a female figure found on the plains of Marathon (397); +the upper part of a female figure, in bas-relief, from Athens (419); +two women and a child making offerings found in Laconia (430); another +bas-relief from Laconia (431); a curious subject in bas-relief from +Athens, representing the upper part of a youth holding something, +supposed to be a lantern, with a boy near him, and a cat on a column +(432); a cast from a tablet representing in bas-relief Pan seated on a +rock with a draped nymph, supposed to be Echo, before him (433); a +cast of the tablet of Euthydia, daughter of Diogenes, who is taking +leave of friends (435); and lastly, a bas-relief representing the +shape of a shield, on which the names of the _ephebi_ of Athens, under +Alcamenes, are inscribed. This is said to have belonged originally to +the Parthenon. And here the visitor will close his inspection of the +Elgin Saloon. That he will return to these fine relics of the old +Greeks, if he have the opportunity, is certain. He may come again and +again, and each time gain something in the contemplation of these +classical models; noble thoughts before the masterly figure of +Theseus, a keen sense of beauty near the beautiful forms of the +Parthenon frieze. Of all the glorious monuments of antiquity that have +reached us of the proud nineteenth century, none have so noble a +significance as the broken marbles collected in this room. The +contemplative man, seeing their perfect beauties, asks himself in +their presence many puzzling questions. But perhaps the first that +rises in the mind is wonder at the contrast between the development of +art and the poorness of science in this splendid antiquity. No steam +then to wield the hammer; only the most limited knowledge of the +earth: the west an indescribable region of harmony and glory; the +world a flat surface; fearful mariners hugging the shore close at +home, and trusting to the stars; and England a savage place where +wolves rent the air at night; and a heathen mythology the faith of the +most civilised people of the earth. Under these barbarous +circumstances, the poetry that dwells in the heart of all people who +cultivate some affinity to nature, fashioned the mould of a Phidias +for the people of Athens. A man with a stern soul, an eye large and +grand, a frame built to realise the soul's tasks--we see this Phidias +of the Greeks as he hovered about the foundations of the Parthenon, +when the name of Pericles was every Greek's watchword, four centuries +and a half before our Christian era. The man appears to have been of +colossal parts in every way. Versed in history, a poet given to study +fables (as all poets are), keen in sifting the subtleties of geometry, +a passionate reader of Homer; this was indeed the sculptor of the +gods! Of the high estimation in which the sculptures of the Parthenon +should be held, it is superfluous to say more than all writers on art +have agreed in saying. Here we have master-pieces, beyond which the +sculptors of the many ages that have passed away since Phidias +laboured at his Jupiter in the Olympian grove have never reached. High +praise this to say of a man who has been twenty-two centuries in his +grave, that he accomplished in the utmost perfection those ideals to +which his imitators have vainly aspired. It appears that Phidias had +his troubles, knew the force of a frown from men in power, and in +exile produced his master-piece. Whether he died in disgrace and by +foul means are points upon which the dust of ages has settled for +ever. We know thus much of him and no more. But the visitor who has +probably been more impressed with the contents of the Elgin Saloon +than with the massive coarseness of the Egyptian antiquities, will be +glad to hear a few general words--an authoritative summing up of the +matter from a pen more clearly authorised to touch the subject than +ours can be. A brief summary, a terse description, analytical and +picturesque, of a field of speculation or a region of wonder, +systematises the spectator's impression, and with the view of +fastening the proper contemplation of these master-pieces upon the +visitor's mind, we quote a few pointed sentences on the sculptures of +the Elgin Saloon, from the pen of Sir Henry Ellis. + +"These marbles, chiefly ornamental, belong to one edifice dedicated to +the guardian deity of the city, raised at the time of the greatest +political power of the state, when all the arts which contribute to +humanise life were developing their beneficial influence. Many of the +writers of Athens, whose works are the daily textbooks of our schools, +saw in their original perfection the mutilated marbles which we still +cherish and admire. The Elgin collection has presented us with the +external and material forms, in which the art of Phidias gave life and +reality to the beautiful mythi which veiled the origin of his native +city, and perpetuated in groups of matchless simplicity the ceremonies +of the great national festival. The lover of beauty and the friend of +Grecian learning will here find a living comment on what he reads; and +as in the best and severest models of antiquity we always discover +something new to admire, so here we find fresh beauties at every +visit, and learn how infinite in variety are simplicity and truth, and +how every deviation from these principles produces sameness and +satiety. It is but just that those who feel the value of this +collection should pay a tribute of thanks to the nobleman to whose +exertions the nation is indebted for it; and the more so as he was +made the object of vulgar abuse by many pretended admirers of ancient +learning. If Lord Elgin had not removed these marbles, there is no +doubt that many of them would long since have been totally destroyed; +and it was only after great hesitation, and a certain knowledge that +they were daily suffering more and more from brutal ignorance and +barbarism, that he could prevail on himself to employ the power he had +obtained to remove them to England. These marbles may be considered in +two ways; first, as mere specimens of sculpture; and secondly, as +forming part of the history of a people. As specimens of sculpture +they serve as excellent studies to young artists, whose taste is +formed and chastened by the simplicity and truth of the models +presented to them. The advantage of studying the ancients in this +department of art rests pretty nearly on the same grounds as those +which may be given for our study of their written models. Modern times +produce excellence in every department of human industry, and our +knowledge of nature, the result of continued accumulations, needs not +now the limited experience of former ages. The sciences founded on +demonstration, though they may trace their origin to the writings of +the Greeks, have advanced to a state in which nothing would be gained +by constantly recurring to the ancient condition of knowledge. But it +is not so with those arts which belong to the province of design; they +require a different discipline, and the faculties which they employ +may have received a more complete development two thousand years ago, +under favourable circumstances, than they have now. Their perfection +depends on circumstances over which we have little control: they +cannot, in our opinion, ever become essentially popular in any country +but one where the climate favours an out-of-door life, and where they +are intimately blended in the service of religion. If then a nation +has existed whose physical organisation, whose climate, and whose +religion all combined to develop the principles of beauty, and taught +man to choose from nature those forms and combinations which give the +highest and most lasting pleasure, we of the present day who do not +possess these advantages must follow those who were the first true +interpreters of nature. Their models possess the advantage of being +fixed; for without some standard universally admitted, we should run +into all the extravagances of conceit and affectation. + +"No work of the present time is ever universally admitted as an +indisputable standard. It is only when time has placed an interval +between the present and the past, wide enough to destroy all the +rivalries of competition; that great works receive the full +acknowledgments of their merits, and become standards to which we all +appeal. Thus in the art of writing our own language, we refer to the +best models of past instead of to the works of our own days; and our +youth at school are chiefly trained on the written models of Greece +and Home, instead of those of our own country. The advantage of this +consists in having before us examples which all appeal to, not because +we contend that they are in all respects the best, but because they +were the best of their day, and being written in a language no longer +subject to change, may be taken as an universal standard by which all +civilised nations may measure their thoughts and the mode of +expressing them. The frieze of the Parthenon and the dramas of +Sophocles, the forms of the marble and the conceptions of the great +poet, still speak to our imagination and our understanding: we +recognise, in both, the beauty of proportion, the simplicity and truth +of design; and we all assent to a standard which we feel to be in +harmony with nature, and to which all nations will yield a more ready +obedience than to any other that we can name. + +"Though the artist and the student may examine the sculptures of the +Parthenon with somewhat different views, their studies are more nearly +allied than is generally supposed. The artist who looks at them merely +as delineations of form, without reference to the ideas which gave +them their existence, loses half the pleasure and the profit; and the +student who merely names and catalogues them, without connecting them +with the written monuments of Grecian genius, that is with the +illustration of ancient texts, is also pursuing a barren study." + +And now the visitor's way lies through the sculpture galleries, back +to the grand entrance. He has accomplished the labour of examining all +that is exhibited to the public generally of the contents of the +national museum. He may wander into the eastern wing of the building +(if it be open to the general visitor), and through the northern, +where the vast library of printed books and manuscripts are deposited; +but these are only accessible to the public under special regulations. +This remark is applicable also to the print-room. + +The visitor, however, cannot leave the British Museum, having wandered +over it and examined its various curiosities, without getting +something from his journey. It is full of suggestive matter, which, +with a little direction, may be turned to useful account by large +classes of the people. It affords glimpses into the mysteries of the +Animal Kingdom, with all its varieties, its wonders, its traceable +progresses, its past and extinct forms, its promises of future +developments. Then the mineralogical galleries afford the general +visitor a peep at the formations of the earth; the various +developments of minerals; the natural state of ores and stones which +most men see only in their manufactured state. From the mineralogical +tables the visitor stepped aside to examine the wondrous revelations +of extinct animal life recovered from the bowels of the earth; he saw +the colossal megatherium, the towering mastodon, and the great Irish +elk. He understood something of the progress of animal life, from the +fishes and the saurians. Then he passed into the Egyptian room, and +found himself surrounded with the preserved bodies of the ancient +Egyptians; he examined their household gods; he pried into their +coffins; he saw their food; he was familiarised with their apparel. +Still proceeding onward, he came to the beautiful bronzes; and then he +saw the wonders that the ancient tombs of Etruria disgorged. He still +advanced in the galleries, till he came to a room that was a little +museum in itself--an exhibition of the curious industries of many +different countries. Here were Buddhist temples; Chinese chopsticks; +marvels from savage islands; a tortoise-shell bonnet; a Chinese +bell;--in short, a room packed from the ceiling to the floor with a +compact mass of curiosities. And then he left the upper floor of the +building, after having spent two days there, through two towering +cameleopards. He came a third time, and at once passing many things +that tempted him by the way, he passed on into the great and wonderful +Egyptian Saloon. Here he lingered for hours over ancient Egyptian +tombstones; before colossal sarcophagi; thinking of the tough work +Belzoni must have had of it with the young Memnon; endeavouring to +realise the approach to the ancient Egyptian temples through rows of +colossal and majestic sphinxes. Next he passed on to the ruins of +Nineveh, and its mystic mounds. Here he was with Layard for a time, +dreaming of the ancient Assyrians and their winged bulls. Hence he +passed into the Lycian room, and saw something of the strange remains +of the Xanthus of old; and then, probably, he went home to dream of +these great marvels of the times gone by. But he came again; and this +time hovered throughout the day amid the ruins of the arts of ancient +Greece. And now he has examined these; and he may leave the national +museum, assured that he has some useful knowledge of the curiosities +which scientific men have gathered from the remote parts of the world, +for the benefit of the learned resident in England. + +The tens of thousands who flock to the museum in holiday times prove +its attractions; and it is with the hope that these attractions may be +enhanced by the help of a methodical and homely guide, chattering to +the visitor various bits and scraps of pertinent information as he +passes from one object to another, that these four visits have been +presented to the public. They do not pretend to be scientific books, +but simply companions of the hour, that urge little points of +information while the mind is particularly impressible; and showing +the kind of interest that attaches to objects which, for the want of a +timely word, the visitor would have passed unnoticed. + +Many objects which are curiosities to the scientific man, but which +could not in any way interest the casual visitor, have been passed by +without hesitation. + +Our main object has been to give the visitor clear impressions of the +different departments or classes into which the national collection +naturally divides itself, by guiding his eye consecutively to those +objects which bear relation to each other. It was necessary, to make +ourselves attractive as guides, to eschew all learned and stiff +formalities; to class matters easily as we found them; and to sustain +the visitor's interest throughout his four journeys. The monotony of a +formal catalogue is repulsive to visitors chiefly bent upon enjoying a +few hours amusement; therefore we chose to direct the eye to objects, +and at once to interest the visitor in them, by shortly explaining +their points of interest. The success which this endeavour met +elsewhere has encouraged us to perform the present task; and we hope +shortly to be at the elbow of visitors to other interesting buildings +and exhibitions. + +The popularity of the British Museum may be shown by quoting the last +return of the number of visitors, &c., presented to the House of +Commons. This return proves that, while the public interest in the +collection is on the increase, that the guardians of the different +departments look out eagerly for new curiosities:--"The number of +readers--or rather of visits made by readers, in 1850, was +78,533:--or, an average of some 268 per diem:--the Reading Rooms +having been kept open 291 days. The number of books returned to the +shelves of the General Library from the Reading Rooms was 119,093; to +those of the Royal Library, 11,252; to those of the Grenville Library, +387: to the closets in which the books are kept from day to day for +the use of the readers, 110,950:--making a total of 241,682, or 830 +per diem. The number of volumes added to the Library amounts to 16,208 +(including music, maps, and newspapers); of which 837 were presented, +11,793 purchased, and 3575 received by copyright. The Keeper of the +MSS. has been busy cleaning, cataloguing, and stamping. Eleven of the +valuable Cottonian MSS. on vellum (including the Chronicle of Roger de +Wendover, supposed to have been utterly destroyed), and two Old Royal +as well as five Cottonian on paper, all injured in the fire of 1731, +have been carefully repaired, inlaid, and rebound. The purchases +include a Psalter of the tenth century, formerly belonging to the +monastery of Stavelot, in the diocese of Liége,--'a remarkably fine +Greek MS.' containing the works ascribed to Dionysius the +Areopagite,--and the Homilies of Gregory of Nazianzum, 'with scholia +written in the year 6480 (A.D. 972);'--together with nineteen +additional volumes of a series of transcripts from the Archives at the +Hague, of documents relating to English history, extending from 1588 +to 1614 and from 1689 to 1702.--In the 'Department of Natural +History,' we find that great progress has been made in the arrangement +of the contents of Room No. VI.,--its wall cases having been entirely +filled with the gigantic Osseous Remains of Edentata and Pachydermata, +and that the Central Room of the Northern Zoological Gallery has been +devoted to a collection of the Beasts, Birds, Fish, Reptiles, Shells, +Sea Eggs, Starfish, and Corals found in the British Islands. The +purchases include 'a silver decadrachm of Alexander the Great,' from +the collection of Colonel Rawlinson,--the first ever discovered,--'and +two very rare British _gold_ coins, having on them the name TIN.'" + +THE END. + + + + +NOTES + + +[1: Undoubtedly the finest coral is dredged from the Mediterranean; it +is an important article of commerce at Marseilles.] + +[2: "The shrikes, or butcher-birds (_laniadae_), are a numerous and +widely-diffused assemblage, living upon the smaller birds and insects; +the former of which the shrike sticks, when killed, upon thorns, as a +butcher hangs up meat in his stall; hence the name of the +genus."--_Vestiges of Creation_.] + +[3: Vestiges of Creation.] + +[4: These birds build in the crevices of precipitous rocks, and tho +female lines the nest with the down plucked from her breast. From +these nests natives rob the down and sell it.] + +[5: Vestiges of Creation.] + +[6: "Oxides are neutral compounds, containing oxygen in equivalent +proportions."--_Dr. Ure_.] + +[7: Sesquicarbonate of soda that is found in the west of the Delta. In +Mexico there are several natron lakes.] + +[8: The cuneiform character, which was used in every part of Asia +Minor, up to the time of Alexander the Great, consists of a series of +wedges or accents variously combined, as, [Cuneiform: *** **]]. + +[9: A Metope may be described as the intermediate space in a Doric +frieze, between two triglyphs, or separating grooves.] + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13755 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..93d8032 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #13755 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13755) diff --git a/old/13755-8.txt b/old/13755-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f1bca21 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13755-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7018 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, How to See the British Museum in Four Visits, +by W. Blanchard Jerrold + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: How to See the British Museum in Four Visits + +Author: W. Blanchard Jerrold + +Release Date: October 15, 2004 [eBook #13755] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOW TO SEE THE BRITISH MUSEUM IN +FOUR VISITS*** + + +E-text prepared by Clare E. Boothby, Keith M. Eckrich, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + +HOW TO SEE THE BRITISH MUSEUM IN FOUR VISITS + +by + +W. BLANCHARD JERROLD + +London + +1852 + + + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +INTRODUCTION + +VISIT THE FIRST + + SOUTHERN ZOOLOGICAL ROOM.--Hoofed Animals:--Giraffe; + Walrus; Rhinoceros; Buffalo; Antelope. + + SOUTHERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY.--Hoofed Animals:--Wild Ox; + Hippopotamus; Elephant; Llama; Bison; Armadillo; Deer. + + MAMMALIA SALOON.--Bears; Monkeys; Cat Tribe; Dog Family; + Bear Tribe; Mole Tribe; Marsupial Animals; Seal Tribe; + Corals + + EASTERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY.--Birds of Prey; Perching + Birds; Scraping Birds; Wading Birds; Web-footed Birds. + + NORTHERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY.--Bats; Reptiles; Serpents; + Tortoises; Crocodiles; Frogs. + + BRITISH ZOOLOGICAL ROOM.--Carnivorous Beasts; Glirine + Beasts; Hoofed Beasts; Insectivorous Beasts; British + Reptiles; British Fish. + + NORTHERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY--_(continued)_.--Spiny-finned + Fishes; Soft-finned Fishes; Cartilaginous Fishes; + Sponges; Shell-fish; The Beetle Tribe; Butterflies and Moths. + + EASTERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY.--Star-fish; Sea-eggs; Shells. + + +VISIT THE SECOND + + NORTHERN MINERAL AND FOSSIL GALLERY.--Fossil Vegetables; + Minerals; Fossil Animals; Fossil Fishes; Fossil Mammalia. + + THE EGYPTIAN ROOM.--Human Mummies; Animal Mummies; + Sepulchral Ornaments; Egyptian Deities; Sacred + Animals; Household Objects; Tools; Musical Instruments; + Toys; Textile Fabrics. + + THE BRONZE ROOM.--Greek and Roman Bronzes. + + ETRUSCAN ROOM.--Etruscan Vases + + ETHNOGRAPHICAL ROOM.--Chinese Curiosities; Indian + Curiosities; African Curiosities; American Curiosities + + +VISIT THE THIRD + + EGYPTIAN SALOON.--Egyptian Sculpture; Egyptian + Coffins; Egyptian Tombstones; Sepulchral Vases; + Human Statues; Egyptian Sphinxes; Egyptian Frescoes. + + THE LYCIAN ROOM.--Lycian Tombs; Lycian Sculpture. + + THE NIMROUD ROOM.--Assyrian Sculpture. + + +VISIT THE FOURTH + + Townley Sculpture; Antiquities of Britain. + + PHIGALEIAN SALOON.--Battle with the Amazons. + + ELGIN SALOON.--Elgin Marbles; Metopes of the Parthenon; + Eastern Frieze; Northern Frieze; Western Frieze; + Southern Frieze; Eastern Pediment; Western Pediment; + Temple of the Erectheum; Temple of Theseus; + Lantern of Demosthenes. + + +CONCLUSION + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +The money to found a British Museum was raised by a lottery in the +middle of the last century. Sir Hans Sloane having offered his books +and museum of natural history to Parliament, for less than half its +value (20,000£.), it was purchased, together with the famous Harleian +and Cottonian MSS., and deposited in Montague House, Bloomsbury, which +had been bought of the Earl of Halifax, for the sum of 10,250£. Of the +present British Museum this beginning forms a very insignificant part. +The nucleus was established however; and soon eminent men, who valued +their literary and scientific collections as storehouses that should +be accessible to all classes of students, began to turn their +attention to the collections in Montague House. Foremost among the +donors George the Second should be mentioned, as having made over to +the nation the royal library, together with the right of demanding a +copy of every book entered at Stationers' Hall. Successively, the +libraries of Sir Joseph Banks, Dr. Birch, Sir John Hawkins, Dr. Burney +and Garrick, and the Royal, Arundel, Lansdowne, Bridgewater, and other +MSS. were added to the great store. Captain Cook returned home with +additions to the museum of natural history; Sir William Hamilton's +collection of vases was purchased in 1772; the spoils of Abercrombie's +Egyptian campaign enriched the museum with some fine Egyptian +antiquities; grants of money secured the Townley marbles, the +Phigalian sculptures, and at last the Elgin marbles; and of late, the +accessions to the vast collection, including Layard's treasures, the +Xanthian marbles, fossils, birds, curiosities, from the frozen seas, +China, the solitudes of Central Africa, and other remote places, where +scientific men have been of late prosecuting their studies have been +received. In 1823 it was allowed by Parliament that the collection had +grown too large for the house in which it was crammed; and accordingly +in this year it was resolved to destroy the old residence of the Earl +of Halifax, and build a new structure on its site. Sir Robert Smirke, +the architect of the present structure, has certainly had good cause +to complain of the niggardly supplies voted from time to time for the +building, which has been twenty-eight years in progress. The +regulations for the admission of the public have fairly kept pace with +the progress of those liberal ideas to which the collection is greatly +indebted, and of which it is a monument. It will be interesting for +the visitor of to-day, to contrast the rules by which he is admitted, +with those that fettered his ancestors of the eighteenth century. In +the year 1759, the trustees of this institution published their +"Statutes and Rules relating to the Inspection and Use of the British +Museum." This instructive document may now serve to illustrate the +darkness from which, even now, we are struggling. Those visitors who +now consider it rather an affront to be required to give up their cane +or umbrella at the entrance to our museums and galleries, will be +astonished to learn, that in the early days of the museum, those +persons who wished to inspect the national collection, were required +to make previous application to the porter, in writing, stating their +names, condition, and places of abode, as also the day and hour at +which they desired to be admitted. Their applications were written +down in a register, which was submitted every evening to the librarian +or secretary in attendance. If this official, judging from the +condition and ostensible character of an applicant, deemed him +eligible for admittance, he directed the porter to give him a ticket +on the following day. Thus the candidate for admission was compelled +to make two visits, before he could learn whether it was the gracious +will of a librarian or secretary that he should be allowed the +privilege of inspecting Sir Hans Sloane's curiosities. If successful, +his trouble did not end when he obtained the ticket; for it was +provided by the trustees that no more than ten tickets should be given +out for each hour of admittance. Accordingly, every morning on which +the museum was accessible, the porter received a company of ten +ticket-holders at nine o'clock, ushered them into a waiting-room "till +the hour of seeing the museum had come," to quote the words of the +trustees. This party was divided into two groups of five persons, one +being placed under the direction of the under-librarian, and the other +under that of the assistant in each department. Thus attended, the +companies traversed the galleries; and, on a signal being given by the +tinkling of a bell, they passed from one department of the collection +into another:--an hour being the utmost time allowed for the +inspection of one department. This system calls to mind the dragooning +practised in Westminster Abbey, under the command of the gallant +vergers, to the annoyance of leisurely visitors, and of ardent but not +active archaeologists. Sometimes, when public curiosity was +particularly excited, the number of respectable applicants for +admission to the museum exceeded the limit of the prescribed issue. In +these cases, tickets were given for remote days; and thus, at times, +when the lists were heavy, it must have been impossible for a passing +visitor in London to get within the gateway of Montague House. In +these old regulations the trustees provided also, that when any +person, having obtained tickets, was prevented from making use of them +at the appointed time, he was to send them back to the porter, in +order "that other persons wanting to see the museum might not be +excluded." Three hours was the limit of the time any company might +spend in the museum; and those who were so unreasonable or inquisitive +as to be desirous of visiting the museum more than once, might apply +for tickets a second time "provided that no person had tickets at the +same time for more than one." The names of those persons who, in the +course of a visit, wilfully transgressed any of the rules laid down by +the trustees, were written in a register, and the porter was directed +not to issue tickets to them again. + +These regulations secured the exclusive attendance of the upper +classes. The libraries were hoarded for the particular enjoyment of +the worm, whose feast was only at rare intervals disturbed by some +student regardless of difficulties. To the poor, worn, unheeded +authors of those days, serenely starving in garrets, assuredly the +British Museum must have been as impenetrable as a Bastille. We +imagine the prim under-librarian glancing with a supercilious +expression upon the names and addresses of many poor, aspiring, +honourable men--men, whose "condition," to use the phrase of the +trustees, bespoke not the gentility of that vulgar age. In those days +the weaver and the carpenter would as soon have contemplated a visit +to St. James's Palace as have hoped for an admission ticket to the +national museum. + +These mean precautions of the last century, contrast happily with the +enlightened liberty of this. Crowds of all ranks and conditions +besiege the doors of the British Museum, especially in holiday times, +yet the skeleton of the elephant is spotless, and the bottled +rattlesnakes continue to pickle in peace. The Elgin marbles have +suffered no abatement of their marvellous beauties; and the coat of +the cameleopard is with out a blemish. The Yorkshireman has his +unrestrained stare at Sesostris; the undertaker spends his holiday +over the mummies, and no official suppresses his professional +objections to the coffins. The weaver observes the looms of the olden +time: the soldier compares the Indian's blunt instrument with his own +keen and deadly bayonet. The poor needlewoman enjoys her laugh at the +rude sewing-instruments of barbarous tribes: the stone-mason perhaps +compares his tombs with the sarcophagi of ancient masters. No +attendant is deputed to dog the heels of five visitors and to watch +them with the cold eye of a gaoler; no bell warns the company from one +spot to another: all is open--free! + +Through the bright new galleries of Sir Robert Smirke, crowded with +the natural productions of every clime, the printed thoughts of the +greatest and best men, the marvellous art of forgotten ages, and the +poor barbarisms of savage life, we propose to conduct the visitor, in + +FOUR DISTINCT VISITS. + + + + +VISIT THE FIRST. + + + +On arriving in front of the British Museum for the first time, the +visitor will not fail to notice the Grecian Ionic facade, ornamented +with forty-four columns, and rising at its extreme point to the height +of sixty-six feet. The sculpture which decorates the tympanum of the +portico is the work of Sir Richard Westmacott, and is an allegorical +representation of the progress of civilisation. The spiritual +influences that have successively worked upon the savage natures of +the dark ages, have here distinct types. Religion tames the savage; +Paganism makes him a crouching sensualist; the Egyptian sees a God in +the stars of heaven; and then the mathematician, the musician, the +poet, and the painter set to work, and these prophets of mysterious +beauties realise civilised mankind. The visitor enters the museum, +after ascending a noble flight of steps, by a massive carved oak door, +into a fine entrance hall, the ceiling of which is highly coloured, +and the general decoration of which is Grecian Ionic. Here he will +observe, in addition to one or two of the Nineveh sculptures, at once, +three statues: one of the aristocratic lady sculptor, the Honourable +Mrs. Damer; Chantrey's statue of Sir Joseph Banks; and Roubillac's +study of Shakspeare, presented to the museum by David Garrick. Before +entering the galleries of the museum the visitor should observe, that +the building faces the four points of the compass, and that the facade +forms the southern line. This observation will facilitate a careful +and regular examination of the interior. Branching westward from the +entrance hall, then eastward to the gallery, is a noble flight of +seventy steps, the walls of the staircase being richly inlaid with +marble. Having ascended this staircase, the visitor's attention is at +once arrested by two stuffed giraffes--the giraffe of North Africa, +and the giraffe of South Africa, given to the museum by the late Earl +of Derby. These striking zoological specimens at once introduce the +visitor to + +THE SOUTHERN (CENTRAL) ZOOLOGICAL ROOM, + +which is devoted, together with the next room to the east, to Hoofed +Animals. Looking eastward from the western side of the room he will +observe at once that his way lies down a passage, marked on either +side by formidable zoological specimens, which he would rather meet, +with their present anatomy of hay, than in their natural condition. In +the first room, near the giraffes, stand the walrus of the North Sea; +the African rhinoceros; and the Manilla buffalo. He will next observe, +that the walls of the room are lined with glass cases, about twelve +feet in height, and that in these cases various stuffed animals are +grouped. The groups in this room include the varieties of the +Antelope, Sheep, and Goats. Grouped together in two or three cases, +are the sable and other antelopes from the Cape of Good Hope; the +algazelle, and the addax and its young from North Africa; the +sing-sing, and the koba from Western Africa; the sassaybi; the chamois +of the Alps--the subject of many a stirring mountain song; the goats +of North Africa; the strange Siberian ibex; the grue and gorgon from +the Cape; varieties of the domestic goat, and the beautiful Cashmere +goat. Here also are specimens of sheep, including the wild sheep from +the Altai; the bearded sheep of North Africa; the American arguli; the +nahorr and caprine antelopes from Nepal; and upon the higher shelves +of the cases are grouped the gazelles from Senegal, Nepal, and Madras, +whose praises have been sung more than once. The beauty and grace of +these delicate creatures, with their taper active limbs, and the soft +expression of their heads, may be faintly gathered even from these +inanimate stuffed skins with the glassy eyes instead of "the soft +blue" celebrated by the poet. Grouped hereabouts are also the +four-horned antelope of India; the pigmy antelope from the coast of +Guinea; and the madoka from Abyssinia. Before leaving this room, or +ante-room, to the great zoological sections of the museum, the visitor +should notice the varieties of horns,--straight and tortuous, but all +graceful,--of different kinds of hoofed animals. + +Advancing eastward the visitor arrives in + +THE SOUTHERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY. + +Here the visitor is still in the midst of the hoofed beasts. The way +lies between two rows of animals. Of these the visitor should notice +particularly the wild oxen of India and Java; compare the Indian +rhinoceros with that of South Africa; and notice the hippopotamus +family, from South Africa, as well as a diminutive specimen of the +Indian elephant, and a half-grown elephant, from Africa. Having +noticed these ponderous creatures, the attention of the visitor will +be next attracted to the Llamas, which are arranged in the first two +wall-cases. Of these, the wild are generally brown, and the tame of +mixed colours. The next fourteen wall-cases are filled with specimens +of the different species of Oxen and the Elephant tribe. Among the +former the visitor should notice the white bulls of Scotland and +Poland: the splendid Lithuanian bison, with his shaggy throat, a +present from the Russian Emperor; the bison of the American prairies; +and the elando. The specimens of the elephant tribe, ranged in the +upper compartments of these cases, include the tapir of South America; +the tennu, from Sumatra; the European boar, with its young; the +Brazilian peccari: and other curious animals. Here, too, are specimens +of the Armadillo tribe. The attention of the visitor will, however, be +soon riveted upon an animal which, with the beak of a duck and the +claws of a bird, has the body of an otter. In Australia (its native +country) this singular animal is commonly called a water mole, but to +scientific men it is known as the mullingong; it is placed in the same +order with its neighbour, the spring-ant or echidra, also a native of +Australia. Before leaving these cases, the visitor should pause to +notice the Sloths, and particularly the repulsive aspect of the +yellow-faced sloth of South America. + +The visitor should now pass to the cases marked from 17 to 30. These +are devoted to the Horse tribe and Deer. Here the reindeer from +Hudson's Bay, the red fallow deer of Europe, the elk, and the cheetul +of India, will catch the eye immediately. The beautiful South African +zebra is here also, grouped near the Asiatic wild ass, and the +Zoological Society's hybrids of the zebra, wild ass, and common +donkey. The upper shelves of the cases are devoted, as usual, to the +smaller specimens of the tribe below. Here are the European roebuck, +the West African water musk, the Javan musk, the white-bellied and +golden-eyed musk. Having examined these zoological specimens, the +visitor should proceed on his way east to + +THE MAMMALIA SALOON. + +This saloon is one of the most interesting parts of the exhibition to +the general visitor, as he sees here at a glance the various classes +of the highest order of the animal creation, all grouped after their +kinds, and in that gradation of development which nature has assigned +them. Those specimens which are placed on the floor in the central +space of the room include some large varieties of the Bears, and a few +small specimens of Seals, including the young of the harp seal, with +the white fur, which clothes them on their first appearance in the +world, and the young of the Cape of Good Hope eared seal; but these +isolated specimens should not engage the attention of the visitor +before he has followed the systematic arrangement or classification +adopted with regard to the animals deposited in the wall-cases that +line the saloon. The first series or family of animals to which, +according to Cuvier, his particular attention should be attracted are + +THE MONKEYS, + +ranged in the first eleven wall-cases. These cases contain the species +of monkeys found in the Old World. The varieties in colour, shape, +size, and attitude, are endless. Here are the green monkeys from +Western Africa; the white-throated monkey from India; the bearded +monkey, with a republican air about him; and the monkey who appears to +have had his ears pulled, but is in reality known to scientific men as +the red-eared monkey; both from Fernando Po: the Risley of monkeys, +called the vaulting monkey, with his white nose; and the talapoin, +from Western Africa; the gaudy macaque, known as the brilliant from +Japan; that dingy gentleman, the sooty mangabey, from Africa: the +African chimpanzee (to whom satirical gentlemen with a turn for +zoological comparisons, are greatly indebted); the ourang-outan, with +his young, from Borneo; the presbytes, dusky and starred, from +Singapore, Malacca, and Borneo; and the drill and mandrill, from +Africa. The Monkeys of the New World are grouped in six cases (12-18). +Herein the visitor should particularly notice the curious spider +monkeys, from Brazil and Bolivia: the negro monkey; the apes, with +large eyes, like those of the owl, called night apes; the howlers, so +called from the incessant howling they maintain at night in their +native forests; the quaint marmozettes and handsome silky monkeys; and +the Jew monkeys. The next two cases contain specimens of the lemurs, +more familiarly known as Madagascar monkies. Of these the flying lemur +is the most remarkable species. Specimens of this species are grouped +in the lower part of the cases; they are from the Indian Archipelago; +and in the texture of their skin and the loose and light way in which +it connects their limbs, they resemble bats. They nurse their young by +forming a kind of couch with their body suspended downwards from the +branches of a tree. + +It now remains for the visitor to direct his attention to the fine +collection of + +RAPACIOUS ANIMALS, + +ranged in thirty-two distinct wall-cases in this room. The first +tribe, taking the cases in their order of succession, to which the +visitor's attention will be attracted on passing from the cases of +lemurs, is + +THE CAT TRIBE. + +The animals which he will find grouped in the first seven cases +(21-27) are properly Cats. Here is the South African lion, the fine +black leopard, which is pointed out to visitors as a beast that killed +its keeper; the lynxes of Spain, Sardinia, and America; the wild cats +of Europe; the curious booted-cat, imported from the Cape of Good +Hope; the American ocelots; and the Asiatic and African chaus. These +animals are picturesquely grouped in seven cases. In the next case, in +order of succession (28), are the hyaenas of South Africa and Egypt. +Here are the spotted hyaena, with its young; and the striped hyaena. +The three following cases are filled with varieties of the civet +family (esteemed for the strong scent which some of them, as the +African cibet and the Chinese and Indian zibet, yield), including the +hyaena civet from the Cape of Good Hope: genets and ichneumons, which +will be found on the lower shelves; and the Mexican house-marten. The +five following cases are filled with the varieties of + +THE DOG FAMILY. + +Here the sporting visitor may amuse himself by examining the points of +the Dogs of the four quarters of the globe. Here are the well-known +Newfoundland dog, the wild dogs of different climates, the four-toed +hunting dog of Abyssinia and South Africa, the Cape of Good Hope dog, +with its long ears; the varieties of fox and wolf; all expressing +great activity and extraordinary cunning. Ladies will be pleased to +notice a lap-dog almost hidden by his long hair, placed under a +particular glass-case: this exclusive little aristocrat is from +Mexico. + +In the next case to which the visitor will direct his attention (38) +are grouped the varieties of the Mustelina, or Martens, of America and +Europe. These lesser specimens of the cat tribe, include the weasels +of Himalaya, Mexico, and Siberia; the American and European polecats: +the lesser otters, from the north of America and Europe; and the +curious animal known as the false sable of America. It is amusing to +notice the sameness of expression--that of cunning--shown in the heads +of every specimen of the cat tribe. The next case (39) introduces the +visitor to those mammalia which are included in + +THE BEAR TRIBE. + +This tribe includes the Racoons, Otters, Badgers, Skunks, Gluttons, +and Bears. The case to which the visitor's attention is now directed, +contains the varieties of the glutton family--the Chinese musk weasel; +the European and North American badgers; the Javan stinkard, and the +American skunks and conepats. + +The next case (40) is devoted to the otter family. These ingenious +animals are found in the four quarters of the world. Here are the +common European otter; the otters of Java and India; the clawless +African otter, from the Cape of Good Hope; and the sea and muffled +otters, from America. Next to these interesting animals, are some of +the bears, including the savage Arctic white bear, the Malay bear, and +the Indian sloth bear. Next to these bears, the racoons are grouped, +and they close the collection illustrative of the bear tribe. In the +case following those which contain the racoons is one (43) in which +the varieties of + +THE MOLE TRIBE + +are arranged. These include Moles from the four quarters of the world. +There are the North American marsh moles and long-tailed star-nosed +moles; the golden moles, from the Cape of Good Hope; the varieties of +the shrew-mouse, including the remarkable blue shrew-mouse of India, +the African elephant shrew, and the Russian musk shrew; the Javan +insectivorous squirrel; and a curious variety of hedgehogs, from +opposite quarters of the globe. Having examined these inferior +mammalia, the visitor will pass in direct order of succession to the +cases in which + +THE MARSUPIAL ANIMALS + +are deposited. These fill nine wall-cases, and they should be +carefully examined, as exhibiting a peculiar economy of animal life. +The marsupial animals are placed by some zoologists in the lowest +class of mammalia. They include carnivorous, herbivorous, and +insectivorous families, and their head-quarters appear to be +Australia. In the first two cases (44, 45) which the visitor will +examine, are the varieties of Australian phalangers; and here also are +the New Holland bears, the Australian wombat, the flying squirrel of +Norfolk Island, the flying phalangers; and in the right corner of the +case are grouped those notable animals to which public curiosity has +of late years been so keenly directed--the kangaroos. In the next five +cases (46-51) the visitor will find more varieties of these strange, +awkward-looking creatures. Here amid the kangaroos of Australia are +the long-nosed, rock, and jerboa kangaroos, the New Guinea +tree-kangaroo, and below, the Australian koala. The two next cases +(52, 53) contain the varieties of Australian opossums, and below are +the opossums of America. + +These close the attractions of the wall-cases, and the visitor should +now glance round the saloon at the specimens of the varieties of + +THE SEAL TRIBE, + +which are arranged along the tops of the wall-cases. These include the +leonine seal of the Southern Ocean, the Cape porpoise and dolphin, and +the long-beaked dolphin of the Ganges. Having noticed these specimens, +the visitor should proceed to examine the extensive collection of + +CORALS, + +which are arranged upon the central tables of the saloon. To explain +the presence of coral in the midst of a zoological collection it is +necessary to remind the visitor that this beautiful substance, which +is chiefly a deposit of carbonate of lime, is also the fossil remains +of that animal known to zoologists as the polypus. These polypi put +forth buds, which remain attached to the parental polypus, and +generate other buds; and in this way countless polypi, linked +together, yet maintaining a separate and distinct existence, spread +themselves over miles and miles of submarine rocks, in endless +varieties of shape, and leave their remains to be dredged by the hardy +fisherman, for the adornment of beauty. These beautiful polypi +skeletons cluster in curious formations, as the visitor will perceive +on examining the fine collection of corals before him.[1] Among the +remarkable coral formations to which the general visitor's attention +may be directed, are the sea-mushroom, the remains of a single polypus +of great size; the brainstone, which presents a circular mass of long +winding cells, and altogether has the appearance of the masses and +veins of the brain; the sea-pen, and the sea-fan. In the cases, ranged +together in the saloon, the visitor who feels interested in the +infinite varieties of coral formation, will find specimens that-will +give him a full idea of the architectural abilities of the active +zoophytes that carry on their operations upon the rocks that lie not +far below the surface of the ocean. From the coral tables, the +visitor's way lies out of the Mammalia Saloon to the north, into a +gallery of which all Englishmen who understand the value of a perfect +museum, are justly proud. + + +THE EASTERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY + +of the British Museum runs the entire length of the building. It is +divided into five compartments, and its space is devoted to the +display of Birds, Shells, and a few Paintings. The birds exhibited in +this gallery fill no less than one hundred and sixty-six wall-cases; +and the shells which are distributed throughout the central space +occupy fifty large tables: the lesser tables which are placed here and +there near the birds, being devoted to the display of birds' eggs. The +pictures are hung above the wall-cases. This general glance at the +arrangement of the gallery, will prevent the visitor from falling into +the error of distracting his attention from one order of zoological +development to another at frequent intervals. Already he has examined +the various species of animal life which rank in the highest +class--the mammalia. Before him now, are ranged vast numbers of the +second class of animal life; and he will do well to pay these some +attention, and to get definite impressions regarding them, before he +turns to the other attractions which the museum offers. Before +proceeding to examine the first order of birds which are in the first +eastern room, the visitor should glance at the historical portraits +suspended above the cases. Among them he will find a Mary Queen of +Scots, by Cornelius Jansen; a Cromwell, presented by the Protector to +Colonel Rich of the parliamentary forces, by whose great-grandson it +was bequeathed to the trustees of the museum; William Duke of +Cumberland by Morier; Zucchero's Queen Elizabeth; Sir Peter Lely's +Charles the Second; and the Queen of George the Second by Jarvis. +Having sufficiently examined these works, the visitor should at once +begin his inspection of the Raptores or + +BIRDS OF PREY. + +These include some splendid ornithological specimens. They are divided +into two families: those who pursue their depredations by day; and +those which wait till night cloaks their proceedings. It is almost +possible to read the special instincts of the two families in their +formation, and expression. The daring expressed in the fierce glances +of the eagles and falcons, bespeaks the fearless spoliator, in broad +daylight and in the face of an enemy; whereas the large vacant eyes of +the owls, have a cruel, coward look, that stamps the midnight +assassin. + +In the first case the visitor will notice the strongbearded vulture of +the Alpine and Himalayan mountains. The next six cases (2-7) are +filled with the varieties of the Vulture, including the American, +carrion, black, and king vultures; the South African sociable vulture; +the angola vulture from Congo; and, towering above all, the great +condor of the Andes, with his immense breadth of wing. The vultures, +with their fierce and cruel aspect, are, nevertheless, cowardly birds, +and feed rather upon dead bodies than venture to kill for themselves. + +Next in order, after the vultures, the visitor will find the Eagle +branch of the falcon family distributed in ten cases (8-17). This +family includes some handsome birds. Foremost amongst these the +visitor will remark the athletic golden eagle of Europe, a frequenter +of Great Britain. This bird preys upon hares and rabbits, and has been +known to plant its claws in a young lamb with success. In this +vicinity are also the Indian Pondicherry eagle, sacred to the +Brahmins; the Egyptian booted eagle; the Brazilian eagle; the South +American harpy eagle; the European Jean le Blanc eagle; the marine +eagle of the Indian Archipelago; the South American crested goshawk; +the varieties of the osprey; and the short-tailed falcon from the Cape +of Good Hope. Next after the eagles, are ranged the Kites and Buzzards +(18-24). These include the South American caracaras; the European +rough-legged falcon; the European kite; the Indian colny falcon; +varieties of the honey buzzard; and the North American spotted-tailed +hobby. The true falcons follow next in order of succession (24-26). +The courage of these birds is familiar to all who have read of the +hunting days of old. In the cases before the visitor, are grouped the +European hobby and kestrel, and the peregrine and jet falcons. Many +visitors from the country will be familiar with some of the +sparrow-hawks in the next case (27). They may be often seen sweeping +swiftly along near the earth, intent upon their prey. The last cases +of diurnal birds of prey (28-30) contain the Harriers. These are birds +of prey that meet their victims on the ground, and frequent bog-lands. +The specimens here presented, include the secretary of the Cape of +Good Hope; the chanting falcon from the same region; the ash-coloured +falcon, hen-harrier, and Madagascar falcon. + +And now, proceeding on his easterly way, the visitor approaches the +Birds that Prey by Night. They are solemnly assembled in five cases. +Their reputed wisdom has its parallel in the human family: we also +have our owls, with their large eyes and solemn demeanour, who cheat +people into the idea that there must be something in all that +solemnity and gravity of expression. Poets of the dismal school, +however, owe a great debt of gratitude to these mysterious and +unsociable birds. The visitor will at once call to mind the usual +sequel of poems that open with the hooting of the owl, or with the +intimation that it is the hour when the wise bird opens his eyes with +some effect. Let us glance at the varieties of the dismal family +before which we have brought the visitor. Here are the snowy owl of +North America and the hawk owls. In the cases (32, 33) are grouped the +eagle owls, including the great-eared owls, and the North American +Virginian eared owl. The next two cases contain the howlets, including +the Tengmalm's owl of the north of Europe; the Javan bay owl, and the +barn white owls of various countries. These birds close the collection +of birds of prey; and the visitor, refraining from the temptation to +inspect the central tables, for the present, should advance into the +room, the wall-cases of which are filled with + +PERCHING BIRDS. + +The perching birds are subdivided into five families: the Wide-gaping; +the Slender-Beaked; the Toothed-Beaked; the Cone-Beaked; and the +Climbers, or Scansores. The family of wide-gaping birds, is that +ranged first in order, occupying cases 36 to 42. The visitor will +first remark the goatsuckers with their wide bills and large eyes, +adapted to catch the insects on which they feed. The varieties here +collected, include the great goatsucker; the goatsuckers of Europe, +New Holland, North America, and Africa; and the wedge-tailed +goatsucker. The next case (38) contains specimens of the varieties of +Swallows and Swifts, including those of North America; the esculent +swallow of the Indian Archipelago; and the sandmartin of Europe. In +the two following cases (39, 40) are grouped the varieties of the tody +and broadbills, from the West Indies, and Brazil; and the curncuis +from the southern parts of Asia and America. The visitor next arrives +before two cases (41, 42) of birds of brilliant plumage, suggestive of +the regions where the humming birds float in the air "like winged +flowers." The kingfisher at times startles the English pedestrian when +he is sauntering near a high-banked brook;--its gaudy plumage +contrasts so forcibly with the sober tints of our English song birds, +that he is at first inclined to take the gay fellow for a truant cage +bird. But the fisher is quite at home, and is probably diving for his +fish dinner. The kingfishers grouped in the two cases before which the +visitor now stands, include specimens of the Australian brown +kingfisher; the green and great jacamars of South America; the +European bee eater; the Javan night bird; and the Ternate kingfisher +from the Philippine Islands. Having feasted his eyes upon the gaudy +colours of these feathered fishermen, the visitor will find in the +next case (43) the first specimens of the slender-beaked perching +birds. These slender beaks are divided into sub-families of Sun Birds; +Humming Birds; Honey Eaters; and the Creepers, &c. The sun birds live +upon the pollen of flowers. The specimens here grouped together, +include the numerous species of African and South American sun birds; +the paradise birds of Molucca; the promerops of New Guinea and Africa; +the Sandwich Islands honey eater; and the Australian rifle bird. Next +in order are grouped the famous American humming birds (44). These +brilliant little creatures, not larger than moths, are famed for their +beauty all over the world. The delicacy of their structure, the +splendour of the colours in which they are habited, their poetical +diet, and the impossibility of keeping them alive in a confined state, +are the attributes of delicacy and beauty which have made them objects +of interest to all persons who have any insight to the mysterious +graces of animal organisation. So brilliant is the plumage of some of +the varieties, that they have been named after gems: thus, in the case +before which the visitor has arrived, he will find the garnet-throated +humming bird, and the topaz humming bird. Next to these brilliant +creatures of the south, in case 45 are the curious Australian honey +eaters, with their feathered tongues, made to brush the sweet essences +from flowers: and the two following cases contain the remaining +varieties of the slender-beaked family. Here are the Creepers of +Europe; the Nuthatches of North America and Europe; varieties of the +Wren; and the Warblers of Guiana and Patagonia. The visitor next +approaches the varieties of the family known as the tooth-beaked +perching birds. To this family our choicest songsters belong. They +fill five cases (48-52). The visitor will observe in the first of the +four cases, the tailor birds, remarkable for the fantastic domes they +form to their nests; the Australian superb warbler; and the Dartford +warbler of Europe. The common song birds of Europe are grouped here, +including blackcaps, wrens, the active little titmice, together with +the North American wood warblers. Next to these are cases (53-55) of +Thrushes, including the tropical ant thrushes; the Javan mountain +warbler; the Brazilian king thrush; the rock thrushes: the imitative +Australian thrush; the blackbird; the North American mimic thrush; the +Chinese and South American thrushes, celebrated for their babbling; +the yellow orioles, of Europe and the east; and here also are the +short-legged thrushes of the tropics. + +The two next cases (56, 57) contain the Flycatchers, which catch +insects on the wing. The varieties to be seen here include the South +American pikas and shrikes, with their gay plumage. These +shrikes[2]--better known as butcher-birds--are so called from the +cruelty with which they treat their prey. In the second case of +flycatchers are grouped the true flycatchers, which are mostly from +the old world; those from America being the solitary flycatcher, the +black-headed flycatcher, the king and broad-billed tody, and the +white-eared thrush. In the two next cases (58, 59) are the families of +the Chatterers, with their resplendent plumage. In the first case, are +groups of the Asiatic and American thick-heads, and the gorgeous +little Manakins of South America and Australia. They are called after +their colours, as the speckled manakin, the white-capped South +American manakin, the purple-breasted, variegated, purple-throated, +and rock manakins. Next to the manakins, are the Indian, African, and +American caterpillar eaters; the Malabar and African shrikes; and in +the two last cases of the tooth-beaked group, are placed the true +butcher-birds and bush shrikes. + +The next group of perching birds are the cone-beaked. This group +includes the large family of the Crows to which the birds of paradise +of New Guinea are allied; that of the Finches, with their relations +from every clime; and the Hornbills, remarkable for the size and +strength of their bills. The first two cases (62, 63) devoted to this +group, contain the varieties of the Crow family. Here the visitor +should notice the finely-marked jays from various parts of the world; +the noisy and piping rollers of Australia and New Guinea; the crows, +rooks, and jackdaws from various parts of Europe; the New Zealand +wattle bird; the African changeable crow; and the rufous crow of +India. The next case (64) is bright with the gleaming plumage of the +New Guinea crows, or birds of paradise; and here, too, are the curious +grakles--the foetid and the bare-necked from South America; and the +Alpine and red-legged crows, or choughs, of elevated lands. Next in +succession is a case (65) in which are grouped the shining thrushes of +Australia, Asia, and Africa, which include the ingenious and tasteful +satin bower birds, that form decorated bowers of twigs and shells to +sport in; and here amid the grakles of the Indian Archipelago will be +found those curious birds, that gather their sustenance from insect +larvas which secrete in the coarse skin of the rhinoceros: these birds +are known under the name of African beef-eaters. The Starlings, which +are also of the crow family, are grouped in the case (66) next to that +in which the visitor found the beef-eaters and shining thrushes. They +resemble the beef-eaters closely in their mode of life, like them +deriving their food from the insect life that congregates upon various +kinds of cattle. Starlings are found in all the quarters of the globe, +and present many varieties, as the observer of the case under notice +will see. Here are the rose-coloured thrushes of Europe; the grakles +of Malabar, India, South Africa, and South America; and the stares of +America and Europe. The next case contains the varieties of the +American Icteric Orioles, which lay their eggs in the nests of other +birds, like the cuckoo. Among the varieties, the visitor should notice +the red-winged, crested, and banana orioles. The African and Indian +Weavers, so called from the peculiar construction of their nests, +occupy the case (68) next to that filled by the orioles. Here are also +the African, European, and American grosbeaks, so christened from that +strength of bill which enables them to demolish hard fruits. Among +these are the African widow birds; the Galapagos ground sparrows. The +beauty of the Tanagers of North and South America is well known. In +order of succession they here follow the grosbeaks (68, 69), and +present a brilliant group, including the golden tanager, the +red-breasted, the summer, and the bishop. And then the Finches, in all +their varieties of colour and size, occupy two cases (69, 70). Here, +among the more sober and unassuming of the numerous family, the +visitor will notice the common sparrow that chirps cheerfully through +the smoke of London alleys; the brown linnet with its lively notes; +the gayer goldfinches, greenfinches, chaffinches, the North American +songfinch, and the many varieties of the buntings, including the +epicure's ortolans that are found in various parts of the world. Next +in order to the finches, the Larks are grouped in a single case (71) +with other varieties of the great finch family. These birds sing as +they soar into the air; and on cloudless days, how often do the happy +notes of the skylark come down to the wanderer upon earth, with a +cheerful influence:-- + + "... The lark that sings in heaven + Builds its nest upon the ground." + +Here, with the larks, are several curious birds, including the +crossbeaks of Europe, the grosbeak of the South Sea Islands, the plant +cutters of South America, and the colies of India and the Cape, that +sleep in companies each suspended by one foot. The two last cases of +the cone-beaked perching birds, are devoted to those birds known +collectively as Hornbills, from the size and formation of their bills. +These remarkable birds are said to be another off-shoot of "the great +corvine nest;" and the author of "The Vestiges of Creation" regards +the hollow protuberance upon the upper mandible (which is the +distinguishing feature of the family), as "a sounding-board to +increase the vociferation which these birds delight to utter." The +remarkable varieties in the cases, are the helmet hornbill of India, +and the African rhinoceros hornbill. These birds prey upon small birds +and reptiles, which they toss into the air and then swallow whole. + +The Scansores, or Climbers, form the last section of the perching +birds. This is an interesting group, since it includes all the +varieties of the parrot, cockatoo, and macaw species; the woodpeckers, +the toucans, and the cuckoos. + +The visitor will arrive first before the three cases (74-76) devoted +to the Parrots, Cockatoos, and Macaws. The gaudy colours which they +display, and their well-known habits and powers, always ensure them a +large circle of spectators. Here the visitor should notice the +red-crowned parrot, and ground parrot of Australia; the South American +yellow-headed, and hawk-headed parrots; the horned parrot from New +Caledonia and the racket-tailed parrot of the Philippines. Among the +Macaws are the hyacinthine macaw of South America, and the blue and +yellow varieties. Among the Cockatoos, the visitor should notice the +great white cockatoo from the Indian Archipelago; and here also are +the Alexandrine parroquet and the Papuan lory. The Toucans, which +inhabit the deep recesses of tropical American forests, here occupy +the next case (77). They are recognised as a branch of the great +corvine family. Their enormous beaks are peculiarly adapted for +searching in quest of eggs about the crevices of trees. The varieties +here, include the Janeiro toucan, and the yellow-breasted toucan. The +three next cases contain the many varieties of the Woodpecker. +Woodpeckers are represented by naturalists as crows with a structure +adapted to "an insect-eating life amidst growing timber." They are to +be found in all quarters of the globe, searching out, with their long +beaks, the minute life that gathers in the interstices of trees. The +first case of the series, contains the South American and African +barbets, and the groove-billed barbican; the minute woodpecker, the +North American three-toed and white-billed woodpecker, and the spotted +woodpecker common in Europe. In the second case are the larger +varieties of the woodpecker, including the well-known great black +woodpecker of Europe; the North American red-headed woodpecker, and +the South American yellow-crested variety; the Carolina woodpecker; +and the Cayenne woodpecker. The third case contains the African and +American ground woodpeckers; and the Wrynecks of Africa, Europe, and +India. The chief food of the wrynecks consists of ants, which they +pick up with their delicately tapered tongues. + +The three last cases devoted to perching birds, are occupied by the +varieties of the Cuckoo family. In this country, the notes of the +cuckoo are hailed as the announcement of the dawning summer; and the +solitary and peculiar habits of the bird, but particularly its custom +of placing its eggs in the nests of larks, finches, sparrows, &c., and +so getting alien birds to bring up its young, have always made it an +object of particular curiosity to people generally. This latter custom +has been explained, by a high authority, thus:--"The fact is, that the +cuckoo is obliged by its constitutional character to stay an unusually +short time in the northern regions where it produces its young. In our +country its normal stay is only from the middle of April to the +beginning of July. Belated in its approach to the nursing regions, it +is obliged to make use of the nests of other birds, which it finds +ready built. What is worthy of notice, it employs the nests of its own +nearest relations, the larks, pipits, finches, sparrows, &c.--an +arrangement we may suppose to be connected in some way with the early +history of the whole group of species--a family or clan sacrifice, as +it were, for the benefit of a less fortunate member."[3] In the first +case of cuckoos, are the African honey cuckoos, and the South American +rain cuckoos. The birds of the former of these varieties are noted for +guiding depredators to the wild honeycombs; and the latter live upon +insects, snakes, and fruits. Here too are the Coucals of Africa, Java, +South America, and Australia, including the Australian giant coucal, +the Asiatic, South American, and West Indian anis; and the two cuckoos +of the tropics, including the gilded cuckoo, the greatspotted cuckoo, +and white-crested cuckoo from Africa, and the common European cuckoo. +Before leaving the region devoted to perching birds, the visitor +should glance at a few of the pictures which are suspended above the +cases in this compartment. They include, amongst various portraits of +British Museum donors, three of Sir Hans Sloane, one by Murray; Robert +Earl of Oxford, by Sir Godfrey Kneller; and Edward Earl of Oxford, by +Dahl. + +The visitor's way now lies to the north, into the third, or central +compartment of the gallery, the wall cases of which contain the +gallinaceous, or + +SCRAPING BIRDS. + +This order is divided into four distinct families--the Pigeons, the +Curassows, the Pheasants, and the Grouse and Partridge tribe. Of these +families the museum contains a fine and complete collection. The +beauty of the pheasant family--its varieties ranging from the gaudy +splendour of the peacock to the more modest beauty of the common +hen--are here fully represented. + +In the first case (84) of Scraping Birds, are grouped the Asiatic, +African, and Australian tree pigeons, which inhabit the woods, and +live on berries and various kinds of seeds. The collection includes +the Javan black-capped pigeon, and the parrot and aromatic pigeons of +India. The two next cases (85, 86) are filled with the true pigeons +and turtles of various parts of the world, in all their varieties--the +Indian nutmeg pigeon, and the Australian antarctic pigeon. The next +case is devoted to the common European turtle and the North American +migratory pigeon. The next case is filled with the varieties of the +ground Dove, among which the visitor should notice the ground turtle, +the West Indian partridge pigeon, the great crowned pigeon of the +Indian Isles, and the bronze-winged pigeon of Australia. Leaving the +pigeons behind, the visitor's attention is next called to the two +cases of Curassows (89, 90), the poultry peculiar to South America. +They feed on fruit, worms, and insects; and live in small flocks. The +curassows are followed by the varieties of the pheasant tribe, grouped +in thirteen cases (91-103). The three first cases are given up to the +splendid East Indian Pheasants known to Europeans generally, as +peacocks. They were brought to the west and valued for the beauty of +their plumage many centuries before the Christian era, and no doubt +helped to inflame the imagination of the Mediterranean merchants who +dreamt of the untold wealth of the Indies. The specimens of these +birds here preserved, are fine samples of the species. They include +the iris and crested peacocks, the Japan peacock, the Thibet +crossoptilon, and the Argus pheasant. The two following cases (94, 95) +of the pheasant family contain the varieties of true Asiatic +pheasants; but the visitor's attention will be immediately riveted +upon the specimens of the splendid Chinese pheasant known as Reeves' +Chinese pheasant. The plumage of this pheasant is very beautiful, the +feathers of the tail measuring sometimes between five and six feet in +length. The three following cases (96-98) are filled with varieties of +the pheasant from Indian climes. In the first case are the pheasants +from the Himalayan Mountains, and the pencilled variety from China. In +the third case the visitor should notice the handsome fire-backed +pheasant of Sumatra, the superb pheasant, Sonnerat's wild cock, and +the cock of Java. The two following cases (99, 100) contain the +remainder of the pheasant varieties. Amongst these the visitor will +find, the horned and black-headed pheasants of India, the American +turkey, the pintados of Africa and Guinea, and the pheasants from the +north of Asia that live upon bulbous roots, known as the Impeyan +pheasants. The immediate successors of the pheasants, in point of +order, are the Partridges, of which the collection contains three +cases (101-103). These birds inhabit both hemispheres, and specimens +of the different varieties are grouped in the cases. In the first case +the visitor should notice the Currie partridge, from Nepal, the Cape +and bare-necked partridges of Africa, and the sanguine pheasant; in +the second case, the common European partridge and quail, the red +European partridge, the Indian olive partridge, and the Andalusian +quail; in the third and last partridge case, Californian and crested +quails, and the Indian crowned partridge. Next in order are the +Grouse, grouped in two cases (104, 105). In the first of these cases +the visitor will notice the wood grouse of Scotland, and the ruffed +and other grouse of America; in the second case, the sand-grouse of +the scorching deserts. The last case of the scraping birds is occupied +by the Sheathbills, which, as the visitor will perceive, closely +resemble grouse. They are from South America; the tinamous, from the +warmer parts of the Continent; and the megapodius, of Australia and +the Asiatic islands. + +It now remains for the visitor to notice a few of the paintings +suspended in this compartment, above the wall cases. These paintings +include a copy of Klingstad's portrait of Peter I. of Russia, three +historical portraits, presented to the museum by the Rev. A. Planta, +and a hunting scene by Geo. B. Weenix. + +The visitor should now advance into the fourth compartment of the +gallery, the wall-cases of which are devoted to the specimens of + +WADING BIRDS. + +Most interesting families of birds are included in this order. First, +there are the Ostriches, which are the envy of all people cursed with +weak digestive powers; then there is the Dodo, with its mysterious and +half-told history; also the Bustards, the Coursers, the Plovers, the +Cranes, the Storks, the Sandpipers, the Snipes, &c. These varieties of +wading birds are carefully classed, and represented in the compartment +of the gallery to which the visitor has now worked his way. First in +the order of arrangement stand the ostriches, occupying the cases +(107, 109). Some naturalists refuse to class ostriches with the order +of wading birds, and elevate them to the dignity of a distinct order, +Cursores, or runners; but in the museum, as the visitor will perceive, +they are at the head of the wading order. Unscientific people know +more about the ostrich than about most other birds of foreign climes. +Few people have not heard that the egg of the ostrich weighs three +pounds--that the sun is the bird's Cantelo--that he has only two toes +to each foot--that he sometimes exceeds six feet in height--and that +it would not be an act of madness to back a stout specimen, for speed, +against an average horse. The digestion of the ostrich has been +considerably strengthened in the minds of unscientific persons by +imaginative travellers; the fact being that these birds live upon +vegetable food, occasionally swallowing stones, or a bit of iron, in +aid of that digestion which has been so misrepresented. In the cases +before the visitor are the African ostrich, and his relations, the +Australian cassowary, and the American emu--all characterised by the +absence of a hind toe. Having noticed these fine birds, the visitor +will be anxious to learn something of the mysterious case (108), which +contains a foot, the cast of a skull, and a painting. Here he sees all +that has yet been traced of the extinct dodo, a bird which is believed +to have existed in vast numbers up to a recent period, chiefly on the +Bourbon and Mauritius islands. The painting is said to be an authentic +Dutch performance, taken from the living bird at the time when the +Cape of Good Hope was doubled by adventurous men heated with +exaggerated notions of the exhaustless wealth of the Indies. Its +precise position among birds has not been finally assigned. It appears +to have been incapable of flight, to have had a vulture's head, and +the foot of a common fowl. It is conjectured that the race was +extinguished by the rapacity of the first settlers in the Mauritius, +who, finding the dodo excellent eating and an easy prey, demolished +every specimen of the species. Near these wrecks of the dodo, and in +the same case, is the New Zealand wingless bird, now almost extinct, +but to scientific men an interesting link between the bird and the +mammalia. The Bustards occupy the two next cases (110, 111) to which +the visitor should direct his attention. Here are the two bustards of +the eastern hemisphere, the great European bustard, the African ruffed +and white-eared bustards, and the Arabian bustard. The next case (112) +contains the varieties of wading birds called, from their power of +running, Coursers. These are chiefly found in Africa; but the +varieties in the case include, in addition to the North African +cream-coloured courser, and the double-collared courser, the +thick-kneed European bustard. The Plovers are arranged next in order +to the coursers. The varieties included in the case (113) are from +Africa, North America, and Europe. Here are, amongst others, the +beautiful golden-ringed and dotterel plovers of Europe, and the +American noisy plover. In the case which next claims attention (114) +are the turnstones, that turn stones on the sea-shore in search of +food; the oyster catchers, that wrench shell fish from their shells; +and the South American gold-breasted and other trumpeters. The Cranes, +of which there is an extensive collection, now claim the visitor's +attention. They are from all parts of the world, and love the borders +of rivers and lakes, where they can prey upon small reptiles and fish. +In the first cases (115-118) are the true cranes, including the common +European variety, the Indian crane, the South American caurale snipe, +the common and purple-crested herons of Europe, the Pacific heron, the +crowned heron, the North American great heron, and the African +demoiselle heron. In the two following cases (120, 121) the visitor +will find the American blue heron, and the great and little egrets; +and in the next two cases given to the crane family (122, 123) are the +bittern and little bittern of Europe, the American lineated bittern, +the squacco and night herons of Europe, the American night heron, the +European spoonbill, and the South American cinereous boatbill. The +examination of these varieties will give the visitor a clear idea of +the peculiarities of birds that frequent marshes and the borders of +streams. + +The next case to which the visitor will direct his steps, is that +(124) in which the Storks of Europe and America, including the white +and black varieties, are grouped. In the case next in order of +succession to that given to the storks (125) are some interesting +branches of the crane family, including the Indian gigantic crane. +Here also are the jabirus of America and Senegal, and the +North-American ibis, which will introduce the spectator to the case of +ibises, among which is the sacred ibis of the Egyptians; the +black-headed Indian ibis; and that of New Holland. Next, in order +(127), are the Godwits, which follow the mild seasons from one country +to another; among them are the English red godwit; and the Australian +terek snipe. In the next case (128) the visitor should examine the +varieties of Snipes and Sand-pipers it contains. These birds hunt +their food in gravel and amid stones in most localities. The most +remarkable of the group are the lanky avoçets, with their long legs +adapted to hunt rivers for fish spawn and water insects: among them, +the long-legged plover should be noticed. The varieties of the +sand-piper, in the next case (129), now claim a careful inspection. +Sand-pipers inhabit various parts of the world, and, like the ibises, +love the neighbourhood of water, where they seek the food congenial to +them. The Phalaropes, which are also represented in this case, are +natives of the eternal ice of the arctic regions, where they subsist +upon crustacea. The visitor passes from the sand-pipers to the case of +Snipes (130), including the British varieties, and the snipe of India. +In the next case (131) the visitor should notice the Chinese and South +American jacanas, that walk about unconcernedly upon the floating +leaves of water plants; with these are grouped the South American +Screamers. The three last cases devoted to wading birds, contain the +varieties of the British and North American Rails: the varieties of +the Gallinule, including the European purple gallinule, the South +American variety, and the Australian black-backed variety; and the +Finfoots of Africa and America. All these birds inhabit marshy land, +or the banks of streams, and derive their food from the insect life +that swarms near the water. With the finfoots the collection of wading +birds closes; but before going on his way, the visitor should glance +at the paintings which are hung about the wall cases in this room or +compartment. These include portraits of Lord Chancellor Bacon; Andrew +Marvel; a copy from the picture at Wimpole of Admiral Lord Anson; +Camden; Matthew Prior; William Cecil, Lord Burghley; Sir Isaac Newton; +Archbishop Cranmer; and George Buchanan. Having examined these works, +the visitor's way lies in a direct line to the last room of the +eastern gallery--to that, the wall cases of which, are filled with the +families of + +WEB FOOTED BIRDS. + +This section of the birds includes all those which are able to support +themselves upon the surface of the water. The varieties include the +gaudy Flamingos; the Albatross that frighted the ancient mariner; the +Pelicans with their pouches; the impetuous Gannets, and the remarkable +Frigate Bird. And here, too, the visitor will find the varieties of +ducks, geese, and swans, all classed in regular order. The web-footed +birds occupy no less than thirty-one cases; to each of which the +visitor should pay some attention. The first case of the series (135) +is gay with the bright red plumage of the flamingos, with their +crooked upper mandible, and their long legs and necks. The next four +cases (136-139) of the series are occupied by the varieties of the +Goose. In the first of these cases the visitor should notice the +varieties of the spur-winged goose from various parts of the world; +including the black-backed goose. In the three following cases the +white fronted and grey-legged European geese; the Canada and +Magellanic geese; and the Indian barred-headed goose; and the +cereopsis from New Holland. The stately Swans from various parts of +the world, all graceful; including the handsome black-necked swan, and +the whistling swan, occupy the three cases next in succession +(140-142). The Ducks occupy no less than eight cases; and the visitor +will linger over the beautiful varieties, without once allowing the +unkind association of green peas to enter his head. In the first four +cases (143-146) are the sub-families of the true duck, collected from +various parts of the world;--the teal from China; the whistling duck +from South America, and the European varieties of the common teal, the +widgeon, and the sheldrake. Three cases (147-149) are filled with +those sub-families of the duck which prefer the sea or the great +lakes, including the handsome red-crested European duck; the eider +duck, which is robbed of its down for the comfort of mankind;[4] the +scoter and nyroca ducks; and, in the third case, the spinous-tailed +ducks of southern climes. The arctic birds, known as the Mergansers, +are grouped in the next case (150): and, proceeding on his way, the +visitor will arrive before the cases (151-152) of Divers, from the +north, so called from the strength with which they dive for the fish +upon which they live; but their powers in this respect are not +equalled by those of a sub-family of web-footed birds, which the +visitor will presently reach. Before reaching the cases in which the +interesting sub-families of the Gulls are exhibited the visitor should +remark the varieties of the Grebes in case 152; the two following +cases devoted to the Auks from the arctic regions; and the true Auks +of Britain; the varieties of the Penguins, or marine parrots; and the +Guillemots. From these birds the visitor's way lies in the direction +of the six cases (155-160) in which the sub-families of the gulls are +grouped. The contents of the first cases will at once strike him: here +are the Petrels, and the associations of shipwreck and disaster with +which they have ever been connected. The group includes the stormy +petrel, and the albatross. They have an altogether wild and singular +appearance. The true gulls of every sea are grouped in the next three +cases (157-159): they come from the ice of the polar seas, and from +our own shores, including the kittiwake gull, and the European +black-backed gull. The last case of the gull family (160) is given to +the Terns, which are caught in all parts of the world; and the +Skimmers, so called from the dexterity with which they skim the +surface of the water, keeping the under mandible immersed, and the +upper dry, in search of prey. Next to the gulls are placed the Tropic +Birds (161), the name of which indicates their native clime. These +birds prey upon fish; some, as the red-tailed tropic bird, darting +upon the flying-fish; and others, as the darters, boldly plunging into +the tide from overhanging boughs, in search of their favourite prey; +here, too, is the common Cormorant. Four more cases remain for +examination, and then the visitor will have closed his inspection of +the museum specimens of birds. These four cases contain, however, one +or two birds, the habits of which are singular. First, there are the +Pelicans with their capacious pouches. The rapidity with which these +birds swallow small fish has been witnessed by most people at our +Zoological Gardens. The visitor should notice next, the European +Gannet, of which strange stories of strength and prowess are related. +The velocity with which they dive in search of food has been variously +estimated. It is said that on the coast of Scotland, fishermen have +found them entangled in their nets at the extraordinary depth of a +hundred and twenty feet below the surface. Pennant relates a story of +a bird, which, on seeing some pilchards lying upon a floating plank, +darted down with such strength, that its bill pierced the board. And +now the visitor should turn to contemplate the grand and solitary +Frigate Bird. This bird appears to have the power of sustaining itself +in the air for an indefinite period, and to wander with the utmost +confidence on its broad pinions, over hundreds of miles of ocean, now +and then dipping to secure its prey. This slim, pale, and solitary +wanderer must have a noble appearance, when calmly sailing upon its +great expanse of wing, a thousand miles from any resting-place, its +food floating in the element below, to be taken at will. Before +leaving the last, or most northerly apartment of the eastern +zoological gallery, the visitor would do well to notice a few of the +pictures which are suspended above the wall cases. Here are portraits +of Voltaire; the hardy Sir Francis Drake; Cosmo de Medici and his +secretary (a copy from Titian); Martin Luther; Jean Rousseau; Captain +William Dampier, by Murray; Giorgioni's Ulysses Aldrovandus; Sir Peter +Paul Kubens; the inventor of moveable type, John Guttenberg (which +would be more appropriately placed in the library); John Locke; a poor +woman, named Mary Davis, who in the seventeenth century, was +celebrated for an excrescence which grew upon her head, and finally +parted into two horns; the great Algernon Sidney; Pope; Ramsay's +portrait of the celebrated Earl of Chesterfield, who, according to Dr. +Johnson, "taught the morality of a profligate, and the manners of a +dancing master," and a landscape by Wilson. At the northern door of +this gallery are, a painting of Stonehenge, and one of the cromlech at +Plâs Newydd, in Anglesea. + +The visitor's way now lies to the west out of the eastern zoological +gallery into the most southerly of the two northern galleries. This +gallery, which consists of five compartments, or rooms, is called + +THE NORTHERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY. + +The wall cases of this gallery, to which the visitor's attention +should now be exclusively devoted, contain various zoological +families. In the first eight wall cases of the room are distributed +the varieties of Bats. These are placed here, away from the mammalia, +on account of the pressure of room. They are not to be mistaken as +birds in any particular. They are essentially mammalia, inasmuch as +they produce their young in a breathing state and suckle them. The +bats of England and other cold climates remain in a torpid condition, +and only spread their wings of stretched skin when the songbirds +report the advent of the warmth of spring. The visitor will notice +amongst the varieties in the three first cases, the Brazilian bats, +including the vampire bat (which has been known to attack a man in his +sleep and suck blood from him), the remarkable leaf-nosed bats which +are ranged upon the upper shelves, and the Indian and African +varieties; and underneath are grouped the well-known horse-shoe bats +of the eastern hemisphere. In the next case (4) are the long-eared +European bats, with ears like curled leaves; and the American, +African, and Australian varieties. The fifth case is filled with +groups of the African and Indian taphozous; the South American +tropical bats; and the West Indian chelonicteres and moormops. The +last three cases, devoted to the varieties of the bat (6-8), contain +those sub-families which are known as Flying Foxes, from their great +size. These live on fruits, and inhabit Australia, and the southern +countries of the eastern hemisphere. + +The visitor's way now lies westward into the second compartment of the +northern zoological gallery; for in this room, as in the rooms through +which he has already passed, he should confine his attention, for the +present, to the wall cases, reserving the examination of all table +cases for his return visit, on his way out. And here the visitor may +well pause to think upon the zoological travels he has already made, +from the mammalia, which present the highest types of animal life; +through the sub-families of birds, which form Cuvier's secondary class +of vertebrata, or animals with a back-bone; to the threshold of the +room in which the tertiary class of back-boned animals are deposited. +This class includes the great families of + +REPTILES, + +of which there are no less than six hundred and fifty-seven varieties. +Reptiles are vertebrated animals belonging to Cuvier's first great +section, but distinguished from mammalia and birds, by their cold +blood, their oviparous generation, and the absence of either feathers +or hair from their bodies. They take precedence of fish in the animal +kingdom, having lungs for aerial respiration, and "a higher +circulatory organisation than the exclusive inhabitants of the water." +In the museum, Cuvier's classification has been followed, with slight +variations; that is to say, the reptiles have been re-divided into +four classes:--the Sauria, or Lizards (in which class some modern +naturalists, as Merrem and others, include serpents); the Ophidia, or +Serpents; the Testudinata, or Tortoises; and the Batrachia, or Frogs. +The lizards occupy the first ten wall cases in this room. + +The first case contains those lizards of India and Africa which have +long held the regard of eastern nations, upon the slender report that +they hiss upon the approach of a crocodile, and so warn the incautious +traveller to retreat in time. The truth is, these sauria prey upon the +crocodile's eggs, no doubt to the particular annoyance of the +crocodile, who are, therefore, it is more than probable, no friends of +the monitors. The Egyptian would love the monitor for feeding upon the +crocodile germ, as much as for his timely warning of the approach of +the uncouth enemy. The curious heloderms, from Mexico, with their +ophidian teeth, lie at the bottom of the fifth case: they are +supposed, but as yet on insufficient grounds, to be poisonous. In the +next case (6) are the lizards of tropical America, called safeguards. +Their reputed peculiarity is that, of beating beehives till they +compel the bees to retire, and then feasting upon the sweet booty: in +the same case with these, is the lizard with the double-keeled tail, +known as the crocodilurus. The visitor next faces a case (7) of +Serpent Lizards, which do not deserve their reputation for poisonous +properties, being quite harmless: here, also, are the Skinks and other +varieties, including the blind worms with their hidden legs. Having +dismissed the serpent lizards, the visitor will notice the Night +Lizards and Guanas. The former are inhabitants of warm climates, and +from the ease with which they can adapt themselves to any positions, +they may be troublesome visitors; they can run with ease about the +walls and ceilings of rooms, like flies; and their propensity is to +roam abroad in the darkness of the night. Their broad, ugly heads, and +repulsive general appearance, have won for them the character of +poisonous reptiles, but the truth is they are harmless. The Crested +Lizards which the visitor will notice hereabouts, are the American +fruit-eating species, celebrated for violent quarrelling among +themselves, and for their power of changing colour with great +rapidity. They do not crawl upon the earth, but live on trees, the +fruits of which sustain them. Here, too, are the Anoles, with their +distended toes, that enable them to imitate the crawling feats of the +night lizards. The tenth case devoted to the lizard tribe, is the most +interesting of the series. It contains the family of lizards known as +the Agama. This family boasts many famous scions. First, here are the +Indian dragons; their resemblance to the fabled monster slain by St. +George, consists of a loose skin over the ribs, which they can open or +fold at pleasure. These bat-like wings will not support them in the +air, but serve to steady their bodies when leaping from branch to +branch of a tree. From these lilliputian representatives of the +monster of fable, the visitor's attention will most probably be called +by an important-looking lizard, of which Mr. Allan Cunningham brought +the first specimens to this country, from Port Nelson, Australia. We +allude to the lizard with a frill round its neck, which has been +universally likened to that worn by Queen Elizabeth: it is called the +frilled agama. It is supposed that this harmless sauroid extends this +frill to frighten away its enemies; as old ladies, who can preserve +their presence of mind in the neighbourhood of a bull, open their +umbrella to frighten it into an opposite direction. Under these +interesting sub-families are grouped the varieties of a species of +agama that has won for itself an imperishable reputation--having +furnished imaginative minds with matter for the most extravagant +speculations--and yielded to the political writer abundant sarcastic +images. No politician who has thought proper in the course of a long +career, to change his old principles for new ones (as housewives +exchange worn-out apparel for new gilded pottery); no philosopher who +has by turns embraced conflicting principles of human action; no man +of science who has published two opposite theories of the formation of +our universe, can pause without emotion before this case of classed +Chameleons; for the politician, the philosopher, and the man of +science have inevitably figured in hostile reviews under the head of +colour-changing sauroids. The popular notion respecting the +colour-changing powers of these lizards is, that at will the chameleon +can habit itself in any colour of the rainbow; that by turns it is a +red chameleon, a blue chameleon, a green chameleon, and a yellow +chameleon. The fact of the case is very far-from this notion. +Chameleons are found chiefly in Africa and India, but also in some of +the tropical islands. In their habits they are sluggards, lounging +generally about trees, and distending their long tongues covered with +a glutinous secretion, to secure passing insects, upon which they +subsist. They have eyes of wonderful power, and can look backwards and +forwards at the same moment; but as regards their colour, it is well +to assure the visitor, that their usual tint when resting in the shade +is a blue-grey, which sometimes pales to a lighter grey, turns green, +assumes a brown-grey tint, or darkens to a decided brown. These are +the sober observations of observant naturalists on the subject. + +The class of reptiles to which the visitor should next direct his +attention are those classed by Cuvier and others under the head of +Ophidia, or + +SERPENTS. + +The particulars in which, the serpent differs from the lizard are, +that the former have no feet, cast their bright coats annually (like +our metropolitan postmen), and swallow their food without masticating +it. They occupy seven cases. The upper part of the first case contains +many of the most poisonous serpents. Among these are the well-known +and formidable Rattlesnakes of America, with specimens of their +rattles lying near them, which, as the visitor-will see, are a +succession of osseous joints. Here too are the terrible cobra di +capello, and other poisonous serpents of India; the South American fer +de lance; the vipers of Europe; the North African crested viper; and +the Cape of Good Hope and Western African puff adder; the Guinea +nosehorn viper, and the common viper found in England--our only +dangerous serpent. These serpents all inflict their poisonous wounds +by means of two fangs, which they protrude from the mouth, and from +the points of which they inject the poisonous matter into the wounds +they inflict. On the lower shelves of this case the visitor will find +some specimens of the Sea-Serpents, which frequent the East Indian +seas, and the coast of New Holland. They are dangerous reptiles, +having small fangs amid their teeth, with which they attack bathing +animals or men. Some of them have been found sleeping on the warm +bosom of a tropical ocean; and upon the warm sands of the shore they +are often found, coiled up in a torpid state. They vary greatly in +size: but the visitor will perceive none approaching in length to that +remarkable reptile which artists, despairing in their attempts to give +it the proper dimensions, lately coiled about the wide pages of +pictorial papers. + +The visitor will next have his attention drawn to that family of +serpents of which the Boa is the great representative. These are all +grouped together in cases (12-15). This family has what naturalists +call "the rudiments of legs." They are a nobler family than that which +the rattlesnake represents, inasmuch as they do not depend upon poison +to master their enemy; but fight legitimately, with their muscular +strength. The terrible pictures which adorn the pages of eastern +travels for children, of poor Indians with just their heads appearing +above the folds of a gigantic boa, will probably recur to the visitor, +as he surveys the tortuous folds of the placid specimens of the family +that lie before him. It is therefore hardly necessary to inform him +that the boa family destroy their prey by coiling round it, and having +secured their tail to a tree to give themselves additional strength, +by crushing every bone in its body. Having thus taken the life out of +the victim, the destroyer, with some trouble, if the animal be large, +swallows it, and lies down for weeks to allow the process of digestion +to go on. Some of these boas are from Africa, some from India, and +some from America. The last two cases of serpents (16, 17) include +many varieties. Here are the common water and ring snakes of England; +the coach whip snakes, that live coiled about trees; the black and red +ringed snakes, known as the coral snakes; and the varieties of +serpents with which the famed serpent charmers of India exhibit their +skill. The juggler snakes have the peculiar power of inflating the +skin of the neck till it bulges over the head, and so forms a kind of +hood. The Indian varieties of these hooded snakes are poisonous, and +are distinguishable from the others by a yellow spot on the back of +the neck. + +From the serpents the visitor should turn to the families of the +Testudinata, or + +TORTOISES. + +Tortoises are broadly divided into three species, namely, land +tortoises; fresh water tortoises, of which there are no less than +forty-six varieties; and marine tortoises, well known to the citizens +of London, in the shape of turtle-soup. The land tortoises subsist on +vegetables, and are said to live occasionally more than two hundred +years. The two first cases devoted to Testudinata (18, 19) contain the +American, Indian, and African varieties of the land tortoise. Here is +the gigantic tortoise from Galapagos, for the flesh of which many a +sailor has been grateful. The visitor will remark that the shells of +some of the sub-families are handsomely marked. The fresh water +tortoises, having the greatest number of sub-families, occupy three +cases (20-22). This species is found in the marshes or rivers of warm +climates, where they prey upon small fishes and frogs. The thurgi +tortoise of India, and the American snapping-tortoise, grow to a great +size. In the lower part of case 22 are specimens of those tortoises +which sleep with their heads bent under the margin of their shell. In +the last case devoted to tortoises, are those hard tortoises known as +the three-clawed terrapins of Asia, Africa, and America. These are the +strictly carnivorous family that feed in the water; and may be seen +preying upon the human remains that float down the Ganges. Under these +terrible epicures are the marine tortoises or turtles; and among them +the green turtle of the tropics. Shellfish and sea-weed are its chief +food; of its flesh, all Londoners who have not tasted it, can speak +pretty confidently from hearsay. It grows occasionally to a great +size; those smaller ones which the citizens prize weighing generally +about 600 lb. Here too are the turtle of the Mediterranean, and the +hawksbill turtle of Arabia, to which ladies are indebted for the +choicest of their tortoise-shell combs. Having sufficiently dwelt upon +the interesting histories of the tortoises, the visitor's way lies +forward in the direction of the two cases next in order of succession, +which are devoted to the Loricata, or + +CROCODILES. + +The varieties of this family are not many; they are grouped in three +cases (24-26). Here are the terrible common crocodiles which have long +been the terror of the people whose native land they inhabit; the +alligators, which patronise America exclusively; and the gavials of +India. They are said to act as orderlies, in the rivers they frequent, +devouring all the putrid matter that would else infect the atmosphere. +Here too are those curious snakes which are equally thick at either +end--a peculiarity which has earned for them the appellation of +double-headed, and the supposed power of walking indifferently +forwards or backwards. The visitor now approaches the + +FROGS, + +called by zoologists after the Greek name, Batrachia. The author of +the Vestiges of Creation remarks, that the frog is the only animal +that, like man, has a calf on the hinder part of its legs. The +batrachian animals are here all grouped in one case (26). They have +many peculiarities. They are in the first place almost ribless; their +feet are in no way armed; many of the toads have no teeth, and those +of the frog are insignificant for its size; they have no tails; +neither the frogs nor the toads are venomous; the fiery expectorations +of the poor toads are matters of household fable only; and their +croaking choruses have startled many a poor traveller. One variety, in +the case with which the visitor is now engaged, is remarkable. Here +are specimens of the tree frogs that can walk with their backs +downwards on the most polished surfaces, and can slightly change their +colour; the paradoxical frog from Surinam, which is larger as a +tadpole than in its condition of maturity; the Brazilian horned toads; +the American bull frogs; and the Brazilian pipa, the female of which +deposits its eggs upon the back of the male, who carries them about +till they burst from their shells; the repulsive siren of Carolina, +which Mr. J.E. Gray likens to an eel with fore-legs; and lastly, here +is the blushing proteus, which in its native subterranean caverns is +of a pale pink, but when brought to the light of day, deepens into a +crimson blush; this is represented by a waxen model. It is strange +that political and controversial literature, so rich in chameleons, +asses in lions' skins, and other figures for human fallibility and +stupidity, should not contain a few, just a few, varieties of the +blushing proteus. + +The visitor has now examined all the wall cases of the second room; +and his way again lies to the west. The third or central room of the +gallery, which he is now about to enter, is to a large class of +country visitors, perhaps the most interesting apartment of the +museum. Herein is deposited a complete museum of the animal life of +Britain, comprehending the beasts and birds native to its soil, and +the fishes that swim in its waters. + +THE BRITISH ZOOLOGICAL ROOM. + +In this room, as in the previous rooms, the vertebrated animals are +grouped in the wall cases or on the top of the cases. It is hardly +necessary to guide the visitor systematically through the intricacies +of a collection, every beast, bird, fish, and shell of which is native +to his own land. In the wall cases devoted to British vertebrate +animals he will notice, first the Carnivorous Beasts, which include +the foxes; stoats; cats; &c.:--the Glirine Beasts, including rabbits; +squirrels; hares; rats; and mice:--the Hoofed Beasts, as the fallow +deer; the stag; and the roebuck:--and the Insectivorous Beasts, +including moles; hedgehogs; &c. + +The collection of British birds includes the Birds of Prey, as the +hawks; the eagles; and the owls:--the Perching Birds, as the swallows; +kingfishers; thrushes; butcher birds; rollers; and wagtails:--the +Scraping Birds, as pheasants; pigeons; quails; partridges; and +guinea-fowls:--the Wading Birds, including the woodcock; snipes; +herons; sandpipers; storks; &c.:--and the Web-footed Birds, including +swans; ducks, and sea ducks; grebes; divers; auks; petrels; gulls; +gannets; cormorants; &c. The eggs of the birds are in a table case (1) +and arranged like the birds. + +The British reptiles are all collected in the upper part of one case, +including toads; frogs; and lizards. + +The British fish occupy the remainder of the wall cases. These include +perch; bream; the john-dory; carp; barbel; salmon; pike; trout; +sturgeon; the shark; thornback; lamprey; turbot; plaice; sole; +flounder; cod; haddock; &c. + +INSECTS AND SHELLS. + +Three tables (2-4) are devoted to insects with jaws; the insects that +are furnished with a proboscis; and a collection of British Crustacea, +including lobsters; crabs; woodlice; shrimps; &c. On the table upon +which the Insects with Jaws are spread, the visitor will notice many +household torments, including beetles; crickets; earwigs, bees; and +wasps: and in the general collection, ants; grasshoppers; cockroaches; +dragon-flies; &c. The Insects with a proboscis include some beautiful +butterflies with their painted wings; gnats; and, to the horror of +many female visitors, bugs. + +The three next tables are covered with specimens of the shells of +British mollusca, or soft-bodied animals. Here are the shells of +snails, cockles, mussels, oysters, &c. + +The collection closes with a table case (8) which is covered with +specimens of those animals called by Cuvier radiated creatures, or +creatures whose nervous force is concentrated in a central point +whence it radiates, as in the starfish; sea eggs, &c; corals; sea +pens; corallines, &c. + +Having made this rapid survey of the animal life of Great Britain from +its highest to its lowest developments, the visitor should again +resume his journey westward, to the fourth room of the gallery, in +which the collection of + +FISHES + +begins. Here the Osseous or bony fishes are distributed in and on the +top of the wall cases. While taking a general glance at the +arrangement of the room, the visitor will at once be struck by the +specimens of Sword fish--especially by the Indian flying sword fish, +which are placed on the top of the wall cases on account of their +length--and some of the pikes or swords of these fish, one of which, +it is asserted, was driven, by the fish to which it belonged, into the +hull of a stout oak ship. On the top of one of the cases the visitor +should notice also the remarkable large head, from Mexico, with a long +dorsal ray. + +There are six orders or families of osseous or bony fish; and +specimens of all these will be found in the wall cases of this room. +First there is the family of + +SPINY-FINNED FISHES. + +This family occupies the first thirteen wall cases. Among the fishes +in the first four cases, the visitor should notice the flying +gurnards; the sea scorpions, and flying sea scorpions; the paradise +fish; and the perches, including the fingered variety. The next cases +(4-9) include, amid other varieties, the chaetodons, or +bristle-toothed fish; mackarel, and horse mackarel; tunny; scombers, +&c.; john-dories; and pilot fish. Then follow, next in succession, two +cases (10, 11) containing the lively dolphins, which are remarkable +for the rapidity with which they change colour when they are withdrawn +from the water; the sturgeons, with their lancet spine; and the sea +garters. The next two cases include the remaining specimens of the +spiny-finned fish. Among these are the wolf fish; the curiously formed +tobacco-pipe fish; the big-headed dolphins or anglers; the hand fish, +with its long fins; and the rook fish. + +THE SOFT-FINNED FISHES + +are deposited in nine cases. In the first two cases (14, 15) of the +series, are the fresh water fish of different countries, including the +voracious and long-lived pike: these form an interesting group for the +contemplation of anglers. The next case is devoted to hard-coated +fish, as the Callichthes, which are cased with a thick scale armour; +and the hard-coated Loricaria. The fish grouped in the other cases of +the series, are mostly familiar to the general visitor. Here are the +varieties of the salmon and the herring; cod; ling; turbot; flounders; +eels of various kinds; whiting; and the lump fish. The remaining four +cases of this room are devoted to a series of fishes including, in +cases 23, 24, the globe fish with a parrot's beak; and the ungainly +sea horses. The two last cases (25, 26) include the file fish; the +coffin fishes with their hard case of octagonal plates; and the +European and American sturgeons. Having examined the varieties of +osseous fishes, the visitor should continue his westerly course into +the fifth and last room, a compartment of the northern zoological +gallery. In this room he will find the wall cases devoted to + +CARTILAGINOUS FISHES. + +Many of the specimens of this division are placed on the top of the +wall cases, being too large to be placed inside the cases. The +Cartilaginous fishes here brought together include the varieties of +the ray; torpedos; and sharks. At the western extremity of this room +the visitor should terminate the onward course of his first visit, +and, remembering that the table cases of the northern and eastern +galleries through which he has passed, remain to be examined on his +way back to the grand staircase, should begin to retrace his steps, +confining his attention, as he returns, to the table cases placed in +the central space of the rooms through which his way lies. He should +now therefore face the east, and return, in the northern zoological +gallery towards its eastern extremity. The table cases deposited in +the room with the cartilaginous fish are covered with + +SPONGES + +of different kinds. It will be interesting to the visitor to know +something of the natural history of the sponge. It has been +ascertained, beyond a doubt, that the sponge is an animal that sucks +in its food and excretes its superfluities; that certain of its pores +imbibe, while others exude; and that according to the relative +positions of the two distinct sets of pores, is the shape of the +sponge determined. In a natural state, as it is found in the +Mediterranean, the sponge is surrounded with a thick glutinous matter, +which is its vital part; like coral, it is a zoophyte: it propagates +in the same manner, and its life is indestructible till it is removed +from its proper element, and the glutinous matter which makes its +vitality has been boiled out of its pores, leaving the soft and +beautiful skeletons, of which these cases contain many specimens. Here +also are some old sponges preserved in flint. Having noticed these +beautiful zoophytes, the visitor should proceed in an easterly +direction into the room he recently quitted, to examine the table +cases it contains. The first tables to which he should direct his +attention here, are those in which a series of Crustacea or +hard-coated animals are deposited. They are of Cuvier's order of +animal life, known as the articulata, or animals whose bodies consist +of a series of moveable joints. These are mostly inhabitants of the +sea, and rank in the animal kingdom as the highest class of the +Articulata, except the insects, who head the order. The tables upon +which the Crustacea or + +SHELL FISH, + +are deposited, are numbered from 13 to 24. The four first cases +(13-16) are covered with Crabs of various kinds, including the +long-legged spider-crabs, common crabs with oysters growing upon their +backs, and fin-footed swimming crabs. The next case (17) contains in +addition to the long-eyed or telescope crab, varieties of the +land-crab, which is found in various parts of India; one kind, that +swarms in the Deccan, commits great ravages in the rice-fields. The +two next tables are covered with Chinese crabs, square-bodied crabs; +those crabs with fine shells known as porcelain crabs, and the curious +death's head crab, which seems to build a kind of nest of sponge or +shells. But upon the next table (20) the visitor will find the most +remarkable of the crabs, together with an astonishing lobster. This +crab is known as the hermit crab. The visitor will perceive, that it +has a long naked tail; and he should know that the one all-absorbing +care of its life seems to be to find a place of safety in which this +unprotected part may be screened from the dire mischances of war. +Accordingly, at an early age, it sets out in search of a deserted +shell into which it backs its tail; or if an unoccupied shell be not +at hand, without much ceremony, the hermit contrives a summary +ejectment of the lawful tenant, that it may shield its tail and be at +rest. Upon the same table with this unceremonious hermit, lies the +tree-lobster, which is believed to climb cocoa-trees in search of the +nuts. Upon the next table (21) are the sea craw-fish and sea locusts; +and upon the succeeding table (22) the visitor will remark the +destructive scorpion-lobster of India, the excavations of which +seriously damage the roads of that part of the world; Shrimps in all +their varieties; the delicate alima, with its pale thin shell; and the +long king crab. Upon the last two tables devoted to shell fish, or +crustacea, are spread the goose shells or barnacles, whale lice, and I +the sea acorn. + +Having examined these crustacea, the visitor should turn his attention +to the twelve tables (1-12) upon which a fine collection of + +INSECTS + +is spread. The first eight tables are covered with varieties of + +THE BEETLE TRIBE. + +These include some beautiful insects. The care with which the many +thousand varieties have been classified by zoologists, and the +minuteness with which the habits of each variety have been traced, +have raised these insects to a conspicuous position in the great +Animal Kingdom. Their beauty, as they lie here in vast numbers before +the spectator, is dazzling. Every colour and every combination and +shade of colour can be traced upon them; and in these varieties of +tint there appears to be a wise provision of nature, the blue coloured +beetle being the frequenter of the bark of trees, the green beetle +revelling among the leaves; and the gay red and light beetles being +the _habitées_ of flower cups. Upon the first table of the series (1) +are some curious varieties. Here are the remarkable burying-beetle, +that deposits its eggs in the rotting flesh of small dead animals, and +then, with the assistance of some kindred beetles buries the body, +leaving its progeny to enjoy the carrion when they quicken; the sacred +scarabaeus of the Egyptians, and the British variety of the same +beetle, that bury their eggs in their dung. Upon the next table (2) +are the golden tropical beetles, whose wings are used by the natives +as ornaments; the celebrated glow worms, the females of which emit a +phosphorescent light, in order to attract the attention of the +males--thus these lights are love signals; the Brazilian +diamond-beetle, a splendid insect, and the harlequin beetle. The third +table (3) is covered with varieties of the kangaroo beetles, a +brilliant collection of ladybirds, the varieties of earwigs, +cockroaches, originally tropical insects only; the praying insects, +called so from their habit of erecting their fore legs and assuming a +prayerful attitude, when, in fact, they are preparing for an attack +upon their prey: and the insects which the uninitiated visitor has +already mistaken for pieces of stick, but which are the walking +leaf-insects; some with wings like dead leaves, and others wingless. +The fourth table (4) is covered with the varieties of the Cricket, +including the great Chinese cricket, dragon-flies, scorpion-flies, the +terrible tropical white ants, caddis flies, wasps, saw-flies, bees, +hornets, and sand wasps. + +BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. + +Then follow three tables (5-7) of splendid butterflies, with their +brilliant tints. The two tables (8, 9) ranged next in order to those +upon which the butterflies are distributed, are covered with varieties +of the moth. Here are the silkworm moth and its cocoon as kept in +Siberia; the ghost moth of our hop grounds; the hawk moth, the death's +head moth, and the large Brazilian owl moth. + +The next table (10) is covered with a great variety of flies and bugs, +including the Chinese lantern flies. + +The eleventh table is given up to Spiders in all their varieties, +including the tarantula, a formidable insect with a power of severe +biting; and the curious spider that bores a nest in the ground, lines +it sumptuously with its own silk, and then constructs a lid that +closes inevitably, as the insect leaves its house. Here too are the +scorpions. The last table of the series (12) is covered also with +varieties of the spider, including the land and shepherd spiders; the +African scarlet tick, and the centipedes. The visitor has now +completed his survey of the contents of this room, and should at once +pass forward in an easterly direction, traverse the British zoological +room, which he has already examined throughout, and pass into the +fourth room of the gallery. + +The table-cases in this room present nothing that can greatly interest +the unscientific visitor. They are covered with varieties of + + +STARFISH; SEA-EGGS, ETC. + +The sea-eggs are scattered over the first nine tables (1-9) in the +room. They live on small animals and sea-weed. The varieties include a +flat kind, vulgarly called sea-pancakes. The remaining cases of the +room are loaded with varieties of the star-fish. The mouth of the +star-fish is on its lower side, through which it takes its food. It +has innumerable feet, which it displays when in the water, and by +means of which it can climb rocks. Some of the varieties fall to +pieces on being taken from their native element, as the lizard, or +brittle star-fish. The gorgon's head, which has innumerable branches +from its central part, should be observed by the visitor; and the +sea-wigs, which are a kind of star-fish, somewhat resembling the +gorgon's head, with innumerable radii. They are placed upon table 24, +near a cast of a stem and flower, that has the appearance of a fossil +plant, but is in reality a cast of a crinoid star-fish that once +existed in great abundance. In the most eastern room of this gallery +are a few tables upon which are deposited the shells and tubes of +molluscous animals, to illustrate their changes, and the way in which +the animal adapts them to his position. The third and fourth tables +will, perhaps, interest the general visitor. Here he will find +specimens exhibiting the growth of Shells, and also how the animal +repairs any damage to its shell. Here, too, are the shells upon which +the modern cameo-cutters of Rome, work. As the visitor will perceive, +the design is engraved in relief upon the light outer layers of the +shell, leaving the darker under part exposed, as a back-ground. + +The visitor's way now lies out of the northern gallery, by its eastern +door, near which he should notice a remarkable sun fish, of a bulky +and squat appearance. Having regained the first, or most northerly +room of the great eastern zoological gallery, the visitor should turn +to the south, examining the table cases of this gallery as he returns +through its spacious rooms. All the table cases of this gallery, with +the exception of a few small side tables, are covered with the vast +varieties of the + +SHELLS + +of molluscous or soft animals. These shells, scattered over no less +than forty-nine tables, represent the architectural capacities of the +great order of soft-bodied animals, only inferior in rank, in Cuvier's +"Animal Kingdom," to the Vertebrate animals. + +Upon the first table, before which the visitor will find himself (49), +are some interesting specimens of the well-known Cuttle fish, +exhibiting its varieties, including the common cuttle fish found upon +our coasts; those which have the power of secreting a dark fluid, and +those from India, whose ink-bags furnish artists with that valuable +brown called sepia. Here, too, are the skeletons of the slender +loligos, or sea leaves, known also as sea-pens; and the crozier shell. +Upon the next six tables (48-53), proceeding southward, are the +varieties of the Oyster, the Mussel, and beautiful Mother-of-pearl +shells. But hence the visitor will probably proceed rapidly to the +south; inasmuch as the varieties of the mussel family, including the +Chinese pearl mussel and Scotch pearl mussel, the borers, the club +shell, and the cockle family, are not generally interesting; but he +will probably linger for a few moments near the pond mussels placed +upon some of the tables (38-41). The tables numbered from 24 to 30 are +covered with the varieties of hard shells, which, however, present no +points of interest to the general visitor, who may at once pass on to +the varieties of the Nautilus and Argonaut, (tables 23, 24). And here, +too, we must entreat the visitor to forget the poetic history of the +inhabitants of those beautiful shells, and learn that the extended +arms of the nautilus are used only to clasp its shell; that it has no +sails of any kind. The varieties of the paper nautilus, or argonaut, +are the most delicate and beautiful. The next table (22) displays the +shell of the curious carrier, that embodies all kinds of foreign +substances with its shell; the slipper shell, and the rose bud. Upon +the next table (21) are the Screws; the curious ladder shells from +China; and upon table 20, are the varieties of fresh water Clubs. The +next two tables (18, 19) display some curious and beautiful shells, +including Venus's ear, the pagoda shell, and varieties of Snails, +including the apple snails. Proceeding on his southern way, the +visitor should pause to notice the ear shells, placed upon tables 18, +17, including the beautiful rainbow; the button shells, the rainbow +eardrop, and the pyramid upon table 16; the pomegranate from the Cape +of Good Hope, New Zealand imperial, and pheasant, and the West Indian +golden sun, upon table 15; the weaver's shuttle and pig cowries, +including the Chinese variety, highly valued by the Chinese, as an +ornament; also upon table 15, more varieties of cowries, including the +money cowry of Africa, used there as money, and the orange cowry from +the Friendly Islands, where it is worn as an ornament; the five +varieties of the Volutes, including the red clouded volute, the +Chinese imperial volute, the bishop's mitre, and the papal crown, +distributed upon tables 12 and 13. The Melons, the large varieties of +which are put to domestic uses by the Chinese, the olives, and butter +shells, upon table 11; the magilus, whelks, and the needle shell upon +table 10; the purple shell that emits the colour from which it is +named, the mulberry shell, and the unicorn shell, distributed upon +table 9; the tun shell, the harps, the harp helmets, and the helmets +upon which cameos are carved, distributed about tables 8 and 7; the +spindle shells, including the great tulip shells, and the turnip +shells, occasionally used as oil-vessels in Indian temples, +distributed about the tables 5, 6, and 7 are all worth examination. +The splendid cone shells, which include the king of the collection, +pointed out to visitors as the glory of the sea, from the Philippine +Islands, and the African setting sun cone, upon tables 5 and 4; the +rock shells upon table 4: the trumpet shells upon table 3, so called +after the large kinds which savage tribes have been known to use as +horns; and upon the last two tables, the stombs, including the +beautiful varieties from the West Indies and China, close the list. + + * * * * * + +The visitor has now reached the Southern Extremity of the Eastern +Zoological Gallery, and brought his first visit to a conclusion. He +may well pause, however, before dismissing from his mind the objects +which have engaged his attention. + +First, then, he examined the varieties of MAMMALIA. The mammalia, of +which man himself is the highest type, are the leading class of the +great order of vertebrate, or back-boned animals, and fishes are the +lowest, the intermediate classes being birds and reptiles. VERTEBRATA +are of higher rank in the animal kingdom than the mollusca, or +soft-bodied animals, those having "red blood and a double-chambered +heart." The mammalia are the class which suckle their young; second to +them are the BIRDS; and then the blood cools, the organisation is +inferior, and the REPTILES are produced; and lastly come the FISHES, +with cold blood, and wanting aerial lungs. Philosophers, who have +settled the scheme of the world as one of progression, complication, +or development, trace animal life from the polypus, (which belongs to +the order of Radiata, or animals that have a central point in which +the vital force of the animal appears to preside, diverging in radii, +as in the sea-eggs, starfishes, coral, sponges); the polypus advances +to the Articulata, or jointed animals, including all kinds of worms, +leeches, or ringed animals, of which insects are the most highly +organised developments; next to the Mollusca, or soft-bodied animals; +and then from these, which include the shell-fish, the scheme +gradually progresses to the fish with backbones; and here the lowest +order of Vertebrata is developed: the fish merges into the reptile, +the reptile into the bird; the bird, as in the ornithorhyncus, into +the Mammalia. + +Thus the gradations of life may be clearly apprehended by the visitor. +The highest development of animal life he has seen in the MAMMALIA +SALOON, all the animals of which produce their young alive and suckle +them; the order of life immediately below the mammalia, he has +examined in the marvellous varieties of birds arranged in the NORTHERN +GALLERY; then he turned to the west, and examined the third order of +animal life in the REPTILES; then the fourth order represented by +FISH; and so on till he watched the simpler forms of life in the +STAR-FISH and the SPONGE. + +The history of this marvellous progress of animal life, so far as +scientific men have gazed into its deep mysteries, is surely worth +attention. Few have the courage and the enthusiasm to follow each +footstep of the tiny ant at his complex labours,--few are the Hubers +that dwell among us; but to us all is given the love of that knowledge +which opens our eyes to a few of the mysteries that lie thickly on our +path, in the formation of the gravel upon which we tread, the clouds +that grandly glide above us, and the leaves that gather upon the +trees. After all the labours of our learned men, we are only now +pressing, with trembling footsteps, the avenue to the endless schemes, +and systems, and wonders, that lie buried in and about our world. +Still let all who enter our museum, go there with the resolve to +accomplish something by their visit. Even in the common concerns of +life; in the petty matters that wear away the brain at last; in the +market-places of the world, this insight is not without its effect. +The heart is humbled as the eyes open to the grandeur of the scheme, +and to the consequent littleness of individual manhood; but again, the +breast swells with the purest of all pride, when the thinker says to +himself: I am the King--because the hero or highest type of the +Articulata, Radiata, Mammalia, or any order of vegetable or animal +life. All these great and complicated developments are the beautiful +works of the Great Unseen, but I am His masterpiece. One may well +dream in this zoological museum, amid the staring glass-eyed skins of +an inferior brotherhood--of the long, long time ago when the fossils, +which are now scattered here and there, to assure us of their former +vitality, moved about the world, before they were stricken with +universal death, and buried by nature, deep in her teeming bosom, to +flourish presently in the veins of plants--the plants to die again, +and be dug, long ages after, from our deep coal-fields. These thoughts +towards nature, towards the marvellous records of an antiquity, the +remoteness of which we cannot realise, will rise to the minds of all +visitors who can see in the vast collection of animal life through +which we have guided them, revelations of the endless forms and the +endless beauties that pass often unnoticed, because not understood, +under every step that man takes in the many journeys that lie between +his hopeful cradle and his inevitable grave. + +END OF THE FIRST VISIT. + + + + +VISIT THE SECOND. + + + +On entering the British Museum for the second time, the visitor should +ascend the great staircase, pass through the south, central, and +mammalia saloons; traverse the eastern zoological gallery, and +continue north, direct into the first room of the most northern +gallery of the northern wing;--where the studies of his second visit +should begin. His first visit was occupied in the examination of the +varieties of animal life distributed throughout the surface of the +globe. The greater part of his time on this occasion will be devoted +to the study of the wonders that lie under the surface of the earth; +of the revelations of extinct animal life made by impressible rocks; +and of the metallic wealth which human ingenuity has adapted to the +wants and luxuries of mankind. In the fossil remains he will be able +to recognise traces of an animal life, of which we have no living +specimens; of trees, the like of which never rise from the bosom of +the soil at the present time. The lessons that lie in these +indistinct, disjointed revelations of the remote past, are pregnant +with matter for earnest thought to all men. They are part of our +history--links that hold us to the sources of things, and recall us +again and again to the condition of our universe, as it trembled into +space, and as now we inhabit it--a great and marvellous globe, every +grain of which has an unfathomable story in it. Philosophers have +laboured long at the story of the earth; and their revelations have +tended to settle it, in a form not unlike the following:-- + +Originally, within the space bounded by the orbit of Uranus, a gaseous +matter was diffused at a high temperature. By laws, the origin of +which we have not yet traced, the condition of the diffused heat was +changed, and the particles of the gaseous matter, condensed and +agglomerated by attraction, into a series of planets, of which our +earth is the third in point of size. That the earth has undergone vast +changes, is evident to the most superficial geological student. We are +only able to investigate the crust of the earth, with all our +ingenious boring instruments: but even in this crust we may trace a +gradual change, and recognise the silent operations of nature in ages +never counted by man. According to the popular theory, the earth must +have been sixty times as large as its present size, and have cooled to +its present dimensions, retaining still, in its unfathomable bowels, a +burning heat. The conclusions of geologists, after long and patient +examination, are, that certain rocks mark the age of the world--that, +in fact, the crust of the globe consists of a certain number of +strata, each belonging to a certain era, as the rings of a tree tell +its years of growth. The more they test this theory, the more certain +are they that the history of our globe may be accurately read in the +strata which compose its crust. "A granitic crust, containing vast and +profound oceans, as is proved by the extent and thickness of the +earliest strata, was the infant condition of the earth. Points of +unconformableness in the overlying aqueous rocks, connected with +protrusions of granites, and other similar presentments of the +internal igneous mass, such as trap and basalt, mark the conclusions +of subsequent sections in this grand tale. Dates, such as +chronologists never dreamed of--compared with which, those of Egypt's +dynasties are as the latter to a child's reckoning of its +birthdays--have thus been presented to the now living generation, in +connexion with the history of our planet."[5] These changing masses +have been discovered with remains of organic life wrapped in their +particles, each mass enclosing a petrified museum of the life that +flourished while it was in course of formation: thus not only have we +distinct proof of extinct forms of animal and vegetable life, but we +are also able to assign the dates of their existence. + +The MOST EASTERLY ROOM of the NORTHERN MINERAL and FOSSIL GALLERY, is +that to which the visitor's attention will be first directed. In this +room, as in the next three, the table cases are devoted to the +minerals; and the wall cases, along the southern side of the gallery, +are filled with + +FOSSIL VEGETABLES. + +The wall cases of this room contain the various strata which have +traces of vegetable life. The earliest vegetable life of which the +geologist has found fossil remains is in the form of sea-weeds, +specimens of which the visitor will notice in case 1. The grand +harmony of the world's development is shown in this adaptation of the +earliest vegetable life to that of the earliest animal life--the +polypus drawing its sustenance from the sea-weed. In the next three +cases the visitor will notice various remains of fossil ferns (in clay +slate) and horse-tails, all indicating the former high temperature and +moisture of the localities in which they are found, since they are of +large proportions, and it is observable that these plants grow in bulk +according as they near the tropics. That the ferns and club mosses +have diminished with the decrease of temperature of the earth, is +proved by comparing the fossil club mosses, which have been found as +large as beech trees, whereas at the present time the most gigantic +club moss rarely exceeds three feet in height. In the lower sections +of the third, fourth, and fifth cases, the visitor may notice some +fine specimens of polished fossil woods; but the varieties of +vegetable fossils can hardly engage his serious attention for any +length of time, unless he have some real knowledge of botany and +geology; yet he may gather the solemn teaching that lies in those dark +masses of early coal formation and clay slate, even though he be +unable to explain the first principles of botanical science. He may +notice, however, in the fifth and sixth wall cases, fossil specimens +of extinct plants, including the sigillaria, which, when living, is +supposed to have attained often to the height of seventy feet. Having +noticed these vegetable remains, the visitor should cross to the +northern wall of the room, and examine the sandstones upon which the +tracks of an extinct animal called the chirotherium--and footprints, +supposed to be of birds, are distinguishable. + +The central object in the room is a tortoise found in Hindostan, near +Allahabad. It is carved out of nephrite or jade, and is deposited upon +a curious table of inlaid ancient marbles. Against the eastern wall +are deposited some beautiful varieties of branched native silver from +Norway; Lady Chantrey's specimen of part of a coniferous tree, +semi-opalised; and a mass of websterite from Newhaven, Sussex. The +table cases now remain for examination. These are devoted to varieties +of + +MINERALS. + +and their combinations. The visitor should examine the cases in the +order in which they are arranged, beginning with the cases marked 1 +and 1A. These two cases contain specimens of native Iron. Native iron +has nearly always proved to be of meteoric origin; and the specimens +are here arranged in the order in which they have been found. They +have fallen from the heavens at different places, and at different +periods. The largest known aerolite is that which fell in Brazil, and +was no less than eight feet in length. These huge solid masses of +iron, discharged from the clouds in a burning state, may well set the +brains of philosophic men to work, to unravel the splendid mystery +that contrives laboratories high up in the air, from which dense tons +of pure iron are discharged upon our earth. Humboldt, discarding the +Laplaceian theory that aerolites were detached masses of the moon, +which ignited on reaching the oxygen that surrounds our globe, asserts +that they are Lilliputian planets, having their system as we have +ours; that they are identical with shooting stars, and that they +occasionally fall to the earth by coming within the attraction of a +body of overpowering magnitude. In the case with these meteoric +specimens of native iron are specimens of native Copper--not often +found in a pure state; native Lead, of meteoric origin; one specimen, +exhibited in the form of a medal, having been cast out of the crater +of Vesuvius about two hundred years ago; and native Bismuth, which +expands as it cools. + +In the second case the visitor will particularly notice the beautiful +threads of native Silver from the Hartz Mountains; and the various +forms in which pure silver is found; native Mercury, and combinations +of mercury and silver called native amalgam, some moulded into figures +by Mexican miners; native Platinum from Siberia; and Palladium. + +The third case of the series is resplendent with samples of native +Gold--a metal that plays so powerful a part in the affairs of +men--that has roused the fiercest passions of mankind, and been +coveted by human beings from the remote times when the Phoenicians +dreamt of golden lands in the east. Half of this table case is covered +with native gold and alloys. Pure gold is generally found in separate +crystals or grains, but the metal is mostly found combined with other +substances. It is alloyed, for manufacturing purposes, with copper and +silver. + +Half of the third case, and cases 4, 5, and 6 in this room, are +covered with various electro-negative metals and metalloids, classed +according to the system laid down by Berzelius. In the third case are +Tellurium and Tellurets. In the fourth are samples of native Arsenic, +and its combinations with nickel and cobalt; Carbon in its various +forms, pure as in the diamonds, which the visitor will notice +attentively, some imbedded in the earth in which they were discovered, +and models of celebrated diamonds; Black Lead in porcelain earth, for +which Cumberland is celebrated; Selenium in its combinations with +lead, mercury, sulphur, and other metals; and a medallion, in +selenium, of Berzelius, who discovered this metal in 1818. The sixth +case is covered with Sulphurets, chiefly of iron, these being commonly +known as iron pyrites. These specimens of the commonest of metallic +ores are from various parts of the world. Upon this table also are +deposited Lord Greenock's sulphuret of cadmium, commonly called +greenockite; and sulphurets of nickel. Having examined the first six +cases of the series ranged along the southern side of the room, the +visitor should turn to the six last cases of the series (55-60). The +first northern case (55) is covered with various Sulphates, or metals +in combination with sulphuric acid, exhibiting beautiful crystals and +colours, including sulphate of magnesia from Oregon; sulphate of zinc, +or white vitriol; sulphate of iron, or green vitriol; and the splendid +blue sulphates of copper from Hungary; beautiful sulphates of lead +from Anglesea; sulphates of alumina; common alum; and the splendid +specimens of lazurite, or lapis-lazuli,-- + + "Blue as the veins o'er the Madonna's breast," + +from which the beautiful pigment called ultramarine is extracted. In +1828 M. Guimet succeeded in making an artificial ultramarine, known +now extensively as French ultramarine, which is little, if at all, +inferior in beauty to lazurite. The next case (56) contains the +Arseniates, including arseniate of lime, crystallised; arseniates of +copper; arseniate of nickel; and red cobalt, or arseniate of cobalt. +The next case is devoted to the Phosphates, or metals mixed with +phosphoric acid, including crystals of the phosphate of iron from +Fernando Po, Bavaria, and Cornwall; phosphates of manganese; phosphate +of copper; yellow and green uranite; phosphates of alumina, including +the blue spar, which has been mistaken for lapis-lazuli, and the +phosphate of alumina known as turquois, found only in Persia, and +esteemed as an ornament. In the two supplemental table cases, 57 A and +B, the visitor may notice specimens of Pyromorphite, a combination of +phosphate and chloride of lead, and a combination of chloride of +calcium with phosphate of lime. These combinations, however, cannot +interest the general visitor. + +The case marked 58 contains the varieties of Fluorides, or +combinations of fluorine and the metals. These include the fluoride of +calcium, of which the most familiar variety to Englishmen is that +known as Derbyshire spar, of which many useful articles are +manufactured in this country. Ladies particularly will halt with +interest before the case marked 58 A, where the fluorides, better +known as the topaz, are deposited. These include a fine series of +crystals from the Brazils, Siberia, and Saxony. + +The 59th case is covered with Chlorides, or combinations of chlorine +with other substances, including rock salt, or chloride of sodium; +sal-ammoniac from Vesuvius; fine chloride of copper, exhibiting +beautiful crystals; and chlorides of silver and mercury. The two last +cases in the room (60 and 60 A) contain samples of coal, bitumen, +resins, and salts. Here will be found the honey-stone of Thuringia; +crystals of phosphate of magnesia and ammonia called struvite; +beautiful specimens of amber, some pieces of which inclose insects; +and copal, also containing insects; fossil copal; mineral pitch, from +naphtha to asphalt; the elastic bitumen of Derbyshire, exhibiting its +different degrees of softness; Humboldt's dapèche, an inflammable +fossil of South America; and brown and black coal. Having noticed all +these varieties, the visitor should advance at once westward into the +second room of the mineralogical gallery. + +Here, against the southern wall, are groups of + +FOSSIL ANIMALS + +ranged inside and upon the top of the wall cases. The most remarkable +of the remains inclosed in the wall cases of this room are the remains +of the carapace and other portions of the gigantic Fossil Tortoise +from the Sewalik Hills, Bengal, discovered by the enterprising Major +Cautley; and the gigantic fossil bones of an extinct genus of birds +that inhabited New Zealand in the remote past. But these wall cases +are mainly devoted to the exhibition of chelonian, or tortoise +fossils, which are the highest class of fossil reptiles, except the +serpents, and found only in the later or oolite formations of the +earth. The regularity with which the various families of reptiles are +discovered in the earth's strata, according to their order, is +remarkable. First the Lizards are found in the magnesian limestone, +immediately above the coal deposit, indicating their early appearance +on the earth; the next deposit, or new red sandstone, introduces us to +the Frogs; the oolite to the Tortoises; and the recent tertiary strata +to the Serpents. The bones of the tremendous wingless birds, which are +deposited in the third case of this room, have been recognised by +Professor Owen as the remains of an animal that must, when living, +have stood eleven feet high. By the windows in the northern wall of +the room are deposited the beautiful crystallised mass of Selenite, or +sulphate of lime, found in the duchy of Saxe Coburg, and presented to +the museum by Prince Albert; and a mass of carbonate of lime, +presented by Sir Thomas Baring. Having noticed these prominent +attractions of the room, the visitor should direct his attention to +the table cases, and first to those ranged along the southern half of +the room (7-13). Five of the tables are loaded with further specimens +of the Sulphurets, or metals in combination with sulphuric acid. In +the first case (7) are sulphurets of copper, and copper iron; in the +second case (8) are the series of sulphurets of lead, or galena, from +various parts of the world; in the third case (9) are specimens of +sulphuret of bismuth, needle ore, or sulphuret of bismuth, copper, and +lead, and sulphurets of mercury, or cinnabar, chiefly from Spain, the +light variety of which is the bright vermilion used by artists; in the +fourth case (10) are the sulphurets of silver, the beautiful +crystallised sulphurets of antimony, chiefly from Transylvania, and +the delicate plumose antimony, or feather ore; in the fifth case (11) +are the sulphur salts, including the ruby, silver, &c.; and in the +sixth case (12) are the sulphurets of Arsenic, red orpiment, of which +the best comes from Persia, cobalt glance, &c., bringing the series of +sulphurets to a conclusion. + +In the next case (13) the series of Oxides begins. Herein are the +oxides and hydrous oxides of manganese.[6] Having examined the +sulphurets and oxides, the visitor should cross to the northern suite +of tables marked from 48 to 54. Here are arranged a series of the +Carbonates, or combinations of carbonic acid with earths, metallic +oxides or alkalis. + +In the first case (48) are some specimens of brown spar from Hungary, +fibrous and crystallised carbonates of iron, and manganese spar; in +the second case (49) are the varieties of zinc spar, or carbonates of +zinc, lead spar, or carbonates of lead, and carbonates of bismuth and +cerium; in the third and fourth cases (50, 51) are the carbonates of +copper, the 51st case containing those splendid green carbonates of +copper from the mines in the Uralian Mountains, known commonly as +Malachite, and when in a polished state vulgarly mistaken for a green +and beautifully veined marble. Most visitors on examining these lumps +of malachite will think of the beautiful colossal furniture +manufactured of it by the Russians, and exhibited by them in their +department of the Great Exhibition. The next three cases (52-54) are +filled with series of sulphates, and some nitrates, including native +nitre, or saltpetre. The Sulphates in the cases include glauber salt, +or sulphate of soda; heavy spar or sulphates of baryta, among which +are some splendid crystallisations from Piedmont, Hungary, Spain, and +other countries; sulphate of strontia, known also as celestine, among +which are some delicate blue crystals from Sicily; sulphates of lime, +as gypsum, including some fine specimens of alabaster, and the fibrous +sulphate known vulgarly as tripe-stone. The visitor has now examined +the contents of the second room; the fossil tortoises and great +wingless birds; the mineral combinations--nearly all of which are +useful to man; and the way westward may be resumed to the third +department of the northern mineralogical gallery. In the wall cases of +this room are deposited some of the most interesting + +FOSSIL ANIMALS. + +Of these the celebrated fossil Salamander (which a German enthusiast +mistook for a fossil human skeleton), deposited in the first case, +will probably be most attractive to the general visitor. The first +three wall cases are devoted to the batrachian or Frog fossils; some +of the chelonian or Tortoise fossils; and the fossil crocodiles. +Fossil lizards are the most numerous of all fossil remains. Of these, +including the fossil crocodiles, the visitor will notice specimens in +the wall cases of this room, indicating the enormous size to which +these extinct reptiles must have grown. One, the Iguanodon (case 3) +was an animal that measured seventy feet in length. It existed in this +country; various bones of it are in this case. The remains of the +fossil Alligator, known as the mosasaurus, are also here, together +with the wealden lizard of Kent, which was about twenty-five feet in +length, and part of Cuvier's wonderful fossil Flying Lizard, or +sterodactylus, which is described as a reptile having mammalian +characteristics, a bat's wings, enormous eyes, and a bird's neck. In +the westerly cases of the room the visitor should notice the fossil +sea lizards divided into two families--the Plesiosaurus, and the +Ichthyosaurus. The plesiosaurus was an extraordinary reptile, of +gigantic size, the length of whose neck exceeded that of its body and +tail. It had ribs like a chameleon, and the body of a whale: it +chiefly inhabited the water; but as the visitor will find the chief +types of these extraordinary extinct reptiles in the next room, he may +at once, with the comfortable assurance that the Weald of Kent yields +nothing in the present day like the wealden lizard, turn to the table +cases of the room, in which he-will find further varieties of + +MINERALS. + +The southern range of tables is numbered from 14 to 23; and the +northern range from 38 to 47. The first three tables of the southern +range (14-16) are covered with the varieties of Oxides of Iron, +including magnetic iron ore; natural magnets; the salam-stell of the +East Indies; iron glance from Elba, Vesuvius, and Stromboli, some of +which are very beautiful; brown iron stones, including the variety +used as hair powder by natives of South Africa; and the pea ores that +fell in a shower, on the 10th of August, 1841, in Hungary. In the next +case (17) are the Oxides of Copper; bismuth; red oxide of zinc; cobalt +ochres; oxide of uranium; and pitch ore. In the nineteenth case are +the Oxides of Lead; and in the twentieth are the first of the oxides +of electro-negative substances. This case contains the valuable +alumina known as noble corundite, and to jewellers in its formations +of ruby, sapphire, and the oriental emerald, topaz, and amethyst. +Herein also is the kind of corundum known as emery, and esteemed for +its polishing properties. In this case also are the Aluminates of +Magnesia, including the sapphirine; the chrysoberyls from Brazil, and +those inclosed in quartz and felspar with garnets. The next four cases +(20-23) are loaded with the varieties of the Acid of Silicium or +silica, which constitutes the greater part of hard stones and minerals +with which the earth is encrusted. It is nearly pure in the rock +crystal, of which there are many specimens in the first case (20), +including those crystals called Bristol and Gibraltar diamonds, +cairngorms, the smoky topaz; rock crystals inclosing foreign +substances, and in a wrought state: of these Dr. Dee's snow-stone is +one. The next two cases (21, 22) are devoted to the varieties of +common quartz, including the flexible sandstones of Brazil (of which +there are some larger specimens upon a separate table) and to those of +the east; milk quartz; the Salzburg blue quartz, &c.; some varieties +of the cat's eye; hornstones, including wood changed into hornstone: +and herein begin the flints, including some specimens changing into +calcedony, smalt blue calcedony from Transylvania; the Icelandic +stalactical calcedony; and the fine Cornish calcedony. Upon the last +southern table (23) are ranged further varieties of calcedony. These +include the blood stone; the curious Mocha stones; and agates, +including the agate nodule from central Asia. Having sufficiently +examined these beautiful varieties of calcedony, the visitor should +pass at once to the northern range of tables. + +Upon the first of these tables (38) are some new scientific varieties +of mineral substances, in which the unscientific visitor will not take +any interest; herein also are Oxides of Antimony, including white +antimony from Bohemia; red antimony, or kermes, not to be mistaken for +the ancient dye used by the old Greek and Roman dyers, which was +obtained from the female _coccus illicis_; and tungstates of lime, +lead, and of iron and manganese. + +In the second case (39) are the Molybdates and molybdic acid; the +Chromates, including red lead ore from the Siberian gold mines of +Beresof; chromate of lead and copper, and crome iron from Var, in +France;--the Borates, including borates of magnesia, and borate of +soda, or borax. In the third case (40) are some remarkable varieties +of silicates, which contain borates from Norway and other countries; +and in the fourth case (41) are the first in order, of the carbonates, +including carbonates of soda, the beautiful crystals of carbonate of +baryta, carbonate of strontia and aragonites, from Aragon, Hungary, +Bohemia, and Vesuvius; and in the next case (42) are deposited further +varieties of aragonite, and some remarkable varieties of calcite, or +carbonate of lime. The next three cases (43-45) are chiefly devoted to +the various crystallisations of calcite, including that generally +known as the Fontainbleau crystallised sandstone, and the stalactic +and fibrous varieties from Africa, Sweden, and Cumberland; while the +two cases marked 45 A and B are covered with polished samples, known +to people generally as marbles, including the beautiful fire marble. +The forty-sixth case is also covered with calcites, including the +reastone, the limestone incrusted upon a human skull, found in the +Tiber at Rome. In the 47th case are varieties of carbonate of +magnesia, and magnesian limestone, including a remarkable one from +Massachusetts. Some marble tables are also in this room, placed here +to exhibit the beauties of various calcites. The table of Serpentine +is here: also the table inlaid with porphyries; one with a series of +bivalve shells (25); and in the centre of the room is the stalagmitic +table, from the Blythe lead mine, Derbyshire, with black marble legs +from Bakewell, given to the trustees of the Museum by the Duke of +Rutland. Before leaving this room the visitor should not fail to +notice the Maidstone Iguanodon deposited in a bed of sandstone, and +placed beneath the central north window of the room. The bones are +disjointed, but the general form of the reptile may be more perfectly +seen here than in any other fossil remains of the iguanodon. Having +noticed this fossil, and remarked the classed groups of gigantic dark +fossil bones, which cover the southern wall, the fossil turtles from +Sussex and other parts, and the great fossil thigh bones of reptiles +that have passed long since from the face of the earth, the visitor +should once more advance into the fourth room of the gallery. + +In this room the wall cases are devoted to + +FOSSIL ANIMALS. + +Of these the most interesting specimens are the remains of the Marine +Lizards known as ichthyosauri from the English lias formation. To the +right on entering, against the eastern wall of the room, the visitor +should first notice the fossil remains of various carnivorous animals, +including the skulls and other osseous wrecks of hyenas, bears, &c., +and also, carefully screened in an additional glass case, hereabouts, +the lower jaw of a marsupial animal on a slab of oolitic limestone--an +early deposit, in which the highest class fossils generally found are +the tortoises. + +In this room, however, the visitor will notice the progress of early +creation--first, the zoophytes; then the fish lizards; then the fossil +ruminants; then the fossil carnivora. Examples of these fossil remains +are all included in the room which the visitor has now reached. First, +he should examine the fossil remains of the ichthyosauri, or fish +lizards, ranged in the first three wall cases, particularly that +eighteen feet in length, deposited in the third case, one on the upper +shelf of the fourth case, and another on the upper shelf of the fifth +case. The case marked F contains fossils of a higher order than the +reptiles, as the bones and antlers of deer, found in later strata of +the earth's crust; and on the top of the case are the horn and skull +of a species of Texan bos. Having noticed these curious remains, +principally of extinct species of animal life, the visitor should at +once turn to the table cases which contain the last of the +illustrations of the mineral kingdom. + +MINERALS. + +The southern tables include the numbers 24 to 30. The first table +contains a very attractive collection of minerals, including the +varieties of jasper; all kinds of opals--the sun opal, the semi-opal, +wood opal, and wood partially opalised. The second table (25) is +covered with varieties of Silicates of Lime, magnesia, and alumina; +also soapstone, keffekil, or the meerschaum, highly esteemed by +smokers, serpentine, chrysolite, &c. The third case (26) is devoted to +Silicates of Zinc, magnesia, serium, copper, iron, bismuth, and other +minerals; the fourth and fifth cases (27, 28) to zoolitic substances; +the sixth case (29) to various minerals including samples of jade or +nephrite, of which the tortoise, in the first room of this gallery, is +manufactured; and the seventh case (30) to felspathic substances, +including amazon stone from the Urals, and Labrador felspar. The +northern cases are numbered from 31 to 37. In the first case (31) are +varieties of felspar; in the second case (32) are micaceous and other +mineral substances; in the third case (33) are basaltic hornblende, +tremolite, &c.; in the fourth case (34) are varieties of asbestus, +which defies the action of fire; jeffersonite; jenite from the Elba, +&c.; in the fifth case (35) are various pyroxenic minerals; in the +sixth case (36) are various kinds of garnets, including the lime and +chrome varieties; and in the 37th case are the silicates, including +beryls, and the emerald. + +Having brought his examination of the mineral kingdom to a conclusion, +the visitor should notice the fossil zoophytes and shells from various +deposits, arranged upon the other tables of the room. He will now +leave the mineral kingdom, and advancing once more westward, will +reach the fifth room of the gallery, which is entirely given up to +various fossil remains. + +FOSSIL FISHES + +The first object that will arrest the visitor's attention on entering +this fine apartment is the gigantic skeleton of the extinct elk of +Ireland, which towers above every other object, from its pedestal, +placed in the centre of the room. It is seven feet in height, and +eight feet in length. + +The southern wall cases and the southern table cases of this room are +covered with the fossil remains of various fishes. These are important +to the student as exhibiting high forms of animal life that existed at +the time of the formation of the most ancient strata in which organic +remains have been discovered. The visitor will notice the perfect +forms imprinted upon the various strata here exhibited. + +In case 7 he will be struck with the fossil remains of some of the +sauroids or lizard-like fishes, only two species of which survive to +the present day, but which, in remote ages, abounded in the seas, and +were particularly voracious. On the middle shelf of the wall case +marked B the visitor should notice the fossil remains of the enormous +and powerful carnivorous fish called the rhizodus; also the macropoma, +like a carp in shape, in wall cases 13, 14; the fossil bremus in case +19; the extinct species of fossil carps, in cases 24, 25; the fossil +pikes in cases 24-27; and the fossil herrings in the middle of cases +25-27. Having noticed these fossils the visitor should examine the +wall case in the north-eastern corner of the room in which are +deposited many bones of mammalia from the Sewalik Hills, including the +teeth and jaws of an extinct species of camel; and the skull of the +remarkable livatherium; and on the top of the case are various bones +of the same extinct monster. The tops of the southern cases display +various fossil remains, including the head-bones of the asterolepis; +the skull and antlers of the Irish elk; and various skulls of +different kinds of oxen. The western wall case is filled with a +curious collection of various fossil parts of an extinct species of +rhinoceros found in this country, also skulls of the rhinoceros dug up +in Siberia. There is something impressive in the effect--the +atmosphere of this and the sixth rooms. As crowds of holiday people, +inhabitants of an island in which no dangerous living animals now +abide, wander amid the fossil remnants of ages when the most terrible +monsters must have lived in British waters and crawled upon British +ground, curious contrasts rise in the brains of contemplative men. The +mind wanders back to the age of reptiles--to times when no human +footprint had sunk into the earth--and the great agents of nature were +silently depositing in the congregating and shifting earths dead +images of the prevailing life. Ages roll on as the reptiles give place +to higher animal organisation developed in carnivora, the quickening +blood warms, and then as the sovereign of all the grades of life, +erect and gifted with reason, comes man. Something of this vast and +half-told progress is shown in the range of fossil cases with which +the visitor is engaged. He has passed the era of reptiles and fishes, +and on entering the sixth and last room of the gallery, he will notice +the higher series of fossils. The distribution of the + +FOSSIL MAMMALIA + +in this room is very striking; the central space being fully occupied +by the cast of the wonderful megatherium of the Pampas, and the +skeleton of the North American mastodon. The megatherium is described +zoologically as having combined the characteristics of the armadillo, +sloth, and ant-eater. In height it averaged eight feet; its feet were +a yard in length; and its claws were of terrible strength; it was +encased in an impenetrable scaly armour; and it lived upon roots. The +mastodon was of the elephant kind. But the gigantic tapir described by +Baron Cuvier, or the dinotherium, supposed by the Baron to have +reached the extraordinary height of eighteen feet, of which only +partial remains have been found, and are here deposited, is the +largest fossil mammalia yet discovered. It is said to have had the +habits of the walrus. The southern wall cases of the room contain a +fine collection of the fossil remains of elephants and mastodons, +chiefly from the Sewalik Hills of northern India. The third case (c) +is filled with Brazilian fossils of varieties of the megatherium, +monkeys, &c. On the right of the entrance from the fifth room are some +fossil mammalia from Montmartre arranged by Cuvier. Having wandered +about amid these suggestive wrecks of the remote past, the visitor +should approach the central upright case placed against the western +wall of this noble room. Here is a fossil of part of a human skeleton, +the possession of which our geologists owe to the fortune of war--it +having been found on board a French ship captured by an English +cruiser. As the visitor will perceive, the skull is wanting, but this +important part is said to lie in an American museum. However, the +spine, the thigh bones, and the ribs are distinctly visible. This +precious relic was extracted, with other human fossils, from the +cliffs of Guadaloupe, about forty years ago. It is the skeleton of a +savage slaughtered about one hundred and fifty years ago, and buried +in the spot where it was found. As yet, the period when man first +appeared upon the face of the earth is not told in geology. No fossil +human remains have been found even in the ancient tertiary strata. The +story of human life is revealed in other records, if not in the +sepulchral strata of the earth's crust. In this very Museum, which the +visitor now treads--in these cases of fossil bones which in themselves +are common material enough, the lordly intellect that has traced their +deep significance, proves that, of all animal types, man is the +highest and the strongest--removed from the most powerful mammoth and +megatherium--the bones of which he has re-fixed, that they may, as +stones, tell the story of their wonderful characters when alive. A +curious resurrection this, by Cuvier and others, of long ages ago, to +be pondered well. Not a holiday matter, to be stared at--an hour's +wonder--and then forgotten, as of no value in the markets of the +living world; but a great and a serious science, with more romances in +it than shelves of novels. To know something of the early state of the +world which we enjoy--to have some evidences given to us that before +human animals began to play their part here, wonderful monsters, part +mammalia, part birds, part reptiles, gambolled upon the scene; that +wingless birds stalked upon marshy grounds; that strange and ghastly +lizards crawled upon our fruitful Kent; and gigantic fish floated in +our tranquil waters, but no beautiful humming birds, majestic lions, +and graceful horses--only crawling and swimming life, everywhere +preying, and the early sea-weed rising in the sea because the polypus +wanted its food: to think of these things is to have some knowledge. +In these dim regions of the past, what glimpses are there of the great +eternal laws, the natural progresses, the continual upward tendency of +all things! And then, taking this revealed book of the past in his +hand, how a man may sit and ponder on all that is to be--dream of +times when some future geological hammer will be rapping at the clay +about the stone relics of his bones, and a man will gaze upon his +hardened anatomy with a mild and holy joy--when all that breathes and +moves to-day will be entombed in ancient strata of the earth, and busy +life will be carried on a hundred feet above the ruins of the present. +These thoughts dwell happily with good men. + +Hence, proceeding on his way, the visitor returns east from the sixth +room into the fifth, and turns thence south, into the passage which +leads into the western gallery of the Museum, and immediately into + +THE EGYPTIAN ROOM. + +This room is always an attractive part of the Museum to the majority +of visitors. Here are arranged illustrative specimens of the arts and +customs of people who lived two thousand years before our era; and the +preserved bodies of men and women who trod the streets of Thebes and +Memphis, partakers of an advanced civilisation, when the inhabitants +of Europe were roaming about uncultivated wastes, in a state of +barbarism. Here are graceful household vessels, compared with the art +of which the willow pattern of the nineteenth century is a barbarism, +and fabrics of which modern Manchester would not be ashamed. Into this +room a vast collection of Egyptian curiosities is crowded; and, with +patience, the visitor may glean from an examination of its contents a +vivid general idea of the arts and social comforts of the ancient +people who built the Pyramids, and were in the height of their +prosperity centuries before the Christian era. The cases are so +divided and sub-divided that it is only by paying particular attention +to the numbers marked upon them that the visitor can hope to follow +our directions with ease. He will see, however, on first entering the +room, that the mummies are placed in cases occupying the central space +of the room; and that huge and gaudily painted coffins, having a +somewhat ghastly effect, are placed perpendicularly here and there on +the top of the wall cases. But the attention of the visitor on +entering this room is usually rivetted at once upon the human remains +of people that flourished more than two thousand years before our era. +The first thought that rises in the mind of the spectator on beholding +these wrecks of the human form, is,--why all this trouble, these +bandages, these scents, and these ornaments? It is as well, therefore, +to explain that the ancient Egyptians believed that there would be a +resurrection of the body hereafter. They believed that these poor +mummies would issue from these waxen bandages, and once more walk and +talk as of old; hence their gigantic excavations at Thebes for secure +tombs; hence the great Pyramids built to preserve the sacred forms of +their Pharaohs. Some of the ancient Egyptians retained the embalmed +bodies of their relations in their houses, enclosed in coffins, upon +which the face of the deceased was faithfully pourtrayed. Some +specimens of these representations are in the room, and some in the +Egyptian saloon below. The mummies of the poorer classes were not so +well preserved as those of the rich; therefore, remains of the plebs +have crumbled to dust, while those of the sacerdotal class, having +been deprived of the intestines, and the brain having been drawn +through the nose, having been filled with myrrh, cassia, &c., soaked +in natron,[7] and then securely bandaged, have remained in a +comparatively sound state to the present time, and may be found in +every museum of any note. + +HUMAN MUMMIES. + +The first five cases to which the visitor would do well to direct his +attention are those marked from 46 to 50. In the first division is +deposited the mummy of a female, with a gilt mask over the head and an +oskh or collar about the neck; and mummies of children, and fragments +of coffins, with paintings of Egyptian deities upon them. In the +second division of the cases, lies some of the kingly dust of the +builder of the third pyramid, King Mencheres; also, part of his +coffin; the sides of a coffin decorated with drawings of deities; +clumps of mummied hair; and mummies of children. In the third division +are tesserae from Egyptian mummies of the Grecian period, with various +figures, including one of Anubis, the embalmer of the dead; a mummy of +Amounirion covered with a curious network of bugles in blue porcelain; +the upper part of a coffin with dedications to the Egyptian god +Osiris; a small coffin containing the mummy of a child; the mummy of a +female, Auch-sen-nefer, upon which is a scarabaeus, the sacred beetle +of the Egyptians. In the fourth division the principal object is the +coffin of the last-named mummy, with representations of various +deities, including Nutpe, or the Abyss of Heaven, a female figure with +a vase on her head; and linen wrappers from mummies of the Greek +period. Having examined these human relics of remote antiquity, the +visitor should pass at once to cases 63, 64, leaving the intermediate +cases for future examination, where he will find scraps and fragments +of the coffins, wrappers, and ornaments of various mummies. In the +first division are fragments of the mask of mummy coffins; fragments +from the lower end of coffins with the Egyptian bull Apis carrying a +mummy upon it; and hands (one holding a roll) from mummy coffins; +sepulchral sandals, one with a foreign figure bandaged, in token of +the enemies of the deceased being at his feet. In the second division +are a variety of sepulchral tablets to Osiris, Isis, Anubis, and other +Egyptian deities. The next twelve cases are filled with human mummies +and their coffins. In the first case is a mummy (1) of Pefaakhons, an +auditor of the royal palace during the twenty-sixth dynasty. This +mummy is about two thousand two hundred years old. Upon it the visitor +may notice the representation of Egyptian deities Osiris, the Hawk of +Ra, Isis, the embalmer Anubis, and the bull Apis. Mummy number two, in +this case, is that of a priest of Amoun, Penamoun, swathed in its +bandages, and here also is the outer linen case of the mummy of +Harononkh. The next case (66) is devoted to the mummy and coffin of +Tatshbapem: the figures here represented are the deceased praying to +Osiris, the usual figure of the embalmer of the dead, Anubis, and a +scarabaeus, or sacred beetle, made of beads. The next case contains +the coffin and mummy of a priestess of Amoun, named Kotbti. The hair +is attached to the mask of the face, as the visitor will observe, by +two ivory studs: there are wooden models of the hands and arms +decorated with bracelets and rings; each hand upon the coffin holds a +nosegay, and here again the black Anubis with, his golden face appears +in company with Thoth (a figure of a man with the head of an ibis), +the Mercury of the Egyptians, god of the moon and inventor of speech, +Isis, the Egyptian Ceres, and Nutpe, the Abyss of Heaven. The next +case (68) is the highly decorated coffin of the incense-bearer of the +abode of Noumra. Here the judgment scene of the Amenti is pourtrayed; +Osiris, in the shape of a sphinx; and other sacred figures. The +following case (69) contains a mummy (l) of a Theban priest of Amoun, +swathed in its outer linen coverings, which are decorated with various +Egyptian divinities, and with Asiatic captives at the feet: the second +object in this case is the coffin of an incense-bearer of the temple +of Khons, with the usual representations of the sepulchral deities. +Advancing in the regular order in which the cases are numbered, the +visitor will next notice in case 70 the inner coffin of a supposed +Egyptian king, with the bandages with inscriptions at the side. Three +mummies are placed in the next case (71) the first of which is +crumbling rapidly, the feet being already gone: and the bandages of +the second present pictures of Anubis embalming the deceased, and Isis +mourning over the ceremony. The next four cases (72-75) are also +filled with mummies and their appendages, of which the mummy and +coffin of a sacred functionary with a gilded face, and a picture of +the deceased adoring King Amenophis the First, in the 73rd case, and +the mummy and coffin of a musician of the Roman era of Egypt in case +74 are the most remarkable. The last case of mummies (76) contains +three mummies. The first is that of a priestess of Amoun, whose form +is discernible through the bandages, the feet of which are visible, +and the third is that of a woman named Cleopatra, of the family of +Soter, Archon of Thebes, with a comb in the hair, and upon the +bandages the usual sepulchral deities, including the black Anubis, and +in the next case is her coffin. + +The visitor having completed his survey of the human mummies should +return to the series of cases marked from 52 to 58, in which he will +find a curious assortment of + +ANIMAL MUMMIES. + +Animal life was venerated by the Egyptians. Certain animals were +sacred in certain parts of the country; but the ibis and the hawk were +generally worshipped. The sacred birds were attended to by the +priests. Seven cases in this room are entirely filled with the mummies +of these sacred birds. Here are mummies of dog-headed baboons, +worshipped at Hermopolis, and sacred to Thoth; a head of the +cynocephalus from Thebes; mummies of jackals, sacred to the sepulchral +Anubis; the head of a dog in bandages, and one with the bandages +unrolled. Mummies of oats, the female being sacred to the goddess +Pasht, or Diana, and the male to the sun; a wooden figure of a cat +containing the mummy of one; and bronze cats from the cat mummy pits +of Abouseir. In the fifty-fourth and fifty-fifth cases are mummies of +parts of bulls; gazelles; unrolled heads of rams; and the mummy of a +lamb. In the two following cases (56, 57) are a variety of mummies of +the ibis, perhaps, the most sacred bird of the Egyptians, and the +emblem of Thoth: these include Sir J. G. Wilkinson's present of the +black ibis and two eggs; and conical pots containing mummies of the +ibis. The last case (58) contains some strange mummies, including +those of crocodiles, emblematic of the Egyptian Sevek, the subduer; +mummies of snakes sacred to Isis, in the shape of circular cakes; and +in case 60, the visitor may notice more specimens of mummy snakes and +fish. The next two cases are filled with the specimens of some dried +birds of ancient Egypt, some stamped with the names of Sesostris, +Amenophis, and Thothmes; and some from the Pyramids of Illahoun, +Howara, and Dashour. The visitor should now direct his attention to +the large collection of + +EGYPTIAN SEPULCHRAL AND OTHER ORNAMENTS. + +These are interesting as illustrative of the Egyptian art of remote +period. These fragments occupy no less than twenty-four cases +(77-102). In the first case (77) the visitor should notice the coffin +of the mummy Cleopatra, ornamented on the outside with ordinary +emblematical drawings and on the inside with a Greek zodiac. The three +next cases (78-80) are filled with sepulchral tablets representing +various Egyptian divinities, among which the embalmer of the dead, +Anubis, ever figures prominently. The cases marked 81, 82, are filled +with a collection of rings of ivory, jasper, and cornelian; gold, +silver, and porcelain earrings and bracelets; signets with scarabaei, +or sacred beetles, in gold, silver, bronze, and some of the +Graeco-Egyptian period, in iron; necklaces, ornamented with various +religious symbols, in gold, jasper, amethyst; and in the 83rd case are +some specimens of old Egyptian glass. The next six cases (84-89) are +entirely devoted to sepulchral ornaments, including sepulchral tablets +showing priests adoring the sun, scenes of the embalmment of the dead, +and devotees adoring their favourite deities; pectoral plates; patches +from the network outer coverings of mummies, including the popular +scarabaei, wings, sceptres headed with, the lotus flower, and the +crowns of upper and lower Egypt, all in porcelain--all taken from the +coffins of various mummies. Case 90 contains the coffin of the archon +of Thebes, Soter, with the hawk of the sun on the top, and the +judgment scenes of the Amenti on the sides. The next three cases +(91-93) are filled with more specimens of Egyptian ornaments, +including four sides of a sepulchral box in wood (92), and sepulchral +tablets. The three cases next in succession (94-96) are filled with +amulets of all kinds, chiefly in the form of the scarabaeus, cut in +stone. The scarabaeus of the Egyptians was an emblem of the Divinity, +which the devout wore about their necks, and hung round the necks of +their dead relatives, as in the present day an effigy of the Virgin +rests often upon the cold breast of a Catholic corpse. As the visitor +will perceive, the collection of amulets comprehends representations +of various sacred animals, including the hedgehog. They are, in some +cases, nearly four thousand years old. The collection of scarabaei +includes one recording the marriage of Amenophis III. to Queen Taia, +and several bearing the name of Rameses, or Sesostris, according to +the Greeks. These ornaments are in various substances; the more +valuable being in cornelian, and basalt. The following three cases +(97-99) contain sepulchral tablets in wood, with various sacred +drawings upon them; and in the 100th case are inclosed the sepulchral +scarabaei, usually engraved with a prayer, and found inserted in the +folds of mummy bandages. Several are costly, as for instance that +marked 7875 of green jaspyr, said to have been extracted from the +coffin of King Enantef. The next two cases (101, 102) contain various +interesting fragments from mummies, including plain scarabaei and +other symbolic amulets, and ornaments inscribed with the names of +early Egyptian kings. Having noticed these revelations of Egypt's +sepulchres, the visitor should turn at once to the eastern wall cases +in which he will find a vast collection of + +EGYPTIAN DEITIES. + +The innumerable little figures scattered throughout the first seven +cases are all Egyptian deities with their appropriate symbols, +including those in porcelain and stone with holes bored in them for +the purpose of attaching them to mummy bandages; those in wood which +were carved generally to decorate tombs, and those in bronze which +were the household gods. It would be impossible for the general +visitor to examine this collection in detail, but he may notice the +chief deities with the extraordinary jumble of human and brute life +which they present. First of all the visitor will remark, in the first +division of the first case, a sandstone figure, seven inches high, +seated upon a throne with lotus sceptres, and attendant deities; this +is Amenra, the Jupiter of the Egyptians; and in the same case Phtah, +the Vulcan of the Egyptians, with a gour, or animal-headed sceptre in +both hands, and an oskh, or semi-circular collar, about his neck; the +Egyptian Saturn, Sabak, with the head of a crocodile, with the shenti +about his loins; and Thoth, the Egyptian Mercury, with an ibis head +surmounted by a crescent moon. In the second division, or case, amid +the strange figures, the visitor should remark the Egyptian Juno, +Mout, or mother, represented in the act of suckling, and wearing the +pschent, or cap, worn only by deities and Pharaohs; the Egyptian +Minerva, Nepth, on a throne, with the teshr, or inferior cap on her +head; a human form with a goat's head, wearing a conical cap +ornamented with two ostrich feathers, and disk on goat's horns, +representing Num, or water, called Jupiter Chnumis by the Greeks; +Khem, the Egyptian Pan, standing on nine bows; a youthful figure with +one lock of hair, and supporting the lunar disk, representing Chons, +or the Egyptian Hercules; an Egyptian Venus, Athor, in gold, +cow-headed; Ra, the sun, seated, and hawk-headed; Nefer Atum, with the +lotus flower and plumes for head ornaments, from Memphis, and +reverenced as the guardian of the sun's nostril; and the Egyptian +Diana, Pasht, or Bubastis, a bronze female figure with the head of a +cat. The third division includes a group, in vitrified earth, +representing Amenra seated on a feathered throne; a triad, in blue +porcelain, of Amoun Mout, the mother, and Chons, or Hercules; a figure +in lapis-lazuli of the Egyptian Minerva, Nepth; Num, ram-headed, +walking; Ptah-Socharis standing upon two crocodiles, and supporting +two hawks on his shoulders; and Pasht, the Egyptian Diana, +lion-headed. The third and fourth cases are filled with more specimens +of ancient Egyptian deities. In the first division the visitor should +remark a stone figure of the Egyptian Pluto, Osiris Pethempamentes, +with the atf, or conical cap, on his head, and the curved sceptre, and +three-thonged whip in his hand; a figure in stone, seated, wearing a +conical cap, and holding the sceptre called a gom, which represents +the Egyptian Bacchus, Osiris Ounophris; and a painted wooden figure, +kneeling, and supporting a building and a basket, representing the +Egyptian Proserpine, Nepththys, mistress of the palace. The second and +third divisions contain some remarkable figures, including bronze +groups of Osiris-ioh, or the moon, with the lunar disk; a walking +figure of Anubis, with a jackal's head; the ibis-headed Thoth, and +Har-si-esi with a hawk's head, each pouring a flood of water upon the +earth; various hawk-headed and other deities, in the beautiful lapis +lazuli, blue porcelain, and green felspar, including Isis suckling her +son Horus, and walking with a throne on her head; Nephthys walking; a +porcelain Horus with the mystic lock; a blue porcelain plate, +representing a procession of female deities; a snake-headed deity, +also in blue porcelain; and a porcelain Thoth carrying a scarabaeus. +In the fourth division the visitor will at once notice a small +monument in calcareous stone, about one foot two inches in height, +with various deities represented upon it; also other monuments, one +decorated with a flying scarabaeus; Horus seated upon a throne flanked +with lions; and Pasht upon a throne supported by two negroes and two +Asiatics. The fifth case is devoted also to deities, which the visitor +will recognise, and here he should notice the terra-cotta figure, with +a buckler and sword, which represents the Mars of the Egyptians, known +as Onouris. The principal object in the sixth case is the mummy-shaped +coffin of a Theban priest, called Penamen, and grouped near it are +offering stands and fragments. The seventh case contains one or two +remarkable groups, including some sacred animals; statues of Horns and +the son of Horus supporting three vases upon goat's horns; various +figures of Khons, one standing on a lotus flower; an extraordinary +figure of Phtah-Socharis upon two crocodiles; Ta-ur, an erect +hippopotamus, with human breasts, and the back covered by a +crocodile's tail; Typhon, ass-headed; and the tortoise-headed guardian +of the third hall of the Amenti, recovered from the tombs of the kings +at Thebes. Having noticed these remarkable combinations and symbols of +the religious idea of ancient Egypt, the visitor should rapidly +examine the extraordinary collection of + +SACRED ANIMALS, + +which exhibit, in their infinite variety, a confusion of species so +ingenious and astonishing, that the spectator who has the least +zoological enthusiasm is utterly confounded by the strange sights that +are here. These animals are collected into four cases (8-11), the two +first of which are chiefly devoted to the quadrupeds; and the two last +to the birds. Among the former, or quadrupeds, the visitor will +particularly remark the cynocephali, or dog-headed baboons, in bronze +and stone; various lions; cats, with bored ears; jackals; shrew mice +bearing the winged world; bulls; gazelles; a kneeling ibex; a ram +walking with the conical cap on its head; a sow with pigs, in bronze; +a quadruped with a viper's head; sphinxes, one covered with a lotus; +and various models of hares, ram's heads, &c. These animals, that is +to say the sacred animals that actually had life, were waited upon by +the priests, and the pain of death was inflicted upon any person who +killed them. Among the birds are many figures of hawks, some with +human faces, others with the solar disk on the head, or the conical +cap; the ibis, variously decorated; snakes and fishes; uraei; wooden +fragments of vipers; frogs; scorpions; a bronze crocodile; scarabaei, +in lapis-lazuli and other substances; emblems of stability; a wooden +head of the hippopotamus from the Tombs of the Kings at Thebes; +vultures; and snakes. + +Next to the cases of sacred animals are two (12, 13) devoted to small +statues of various kinds, in various substances. In the first division +of these cases are stone heads of priests, and officers of state with +long hair; and in the second, many curious objects are arranged, +including figures of men seated on thrones; a standing figure of a +Pharaoh; a long haired officer of state carved in ebony; rowers, with +moveable arms, taken from the models of boats. The third division +includes a dark green figure of a royal scribe, kneeling and holding a +tablet on which the prenomen of Rameses is visible; kings in various +attitudes; the bronze figure of a kneeling priest supporting a bowl +containing loaves; an altar of libation, with sacred animals, and +vases, cakes, &c.; various figures of scribes and others; a female +figure with a calf suspended about the neck by its legs, and the hand +resting upon the horns of a gazelle; reclining female figures; parts +of two females supporting monkeys; a seated female with blue hair; and +fragments of figures. The fourth division contains other Egyptian +figures. Having examined these two cases the visitor should approach +those in which the larger + +EGYPTIAN HOUSEHOLD OBJECTS + +and other curiosities are deposited. These cases are six in number +(14-19). From these cases the visitor will have an opportunity of +gathering a general idea of the domestic comforts of the ancient +Egyptians. Here are arranged their chairs, stools, and head-rests, as +they were used three thousand years ago. In the first division are, an +inlaid stool from Thebes, with a maroon-coloured seat; and a +high-backed chair, inlaid with ivory and dark woods, and a seat of +cordage, also from Thebes; but the most curious objects in this +division are the Egyptian pillows or head-rests, called uls. These are +hollowed clumps of wood or metallic substance, supported upon a +column, and used by the hardy ancients as rests for the head. In the +present day the poorest beggar would think one of these uls a sorry +rest for his weary head: yet some of the specimens have the titles of +men of distinction engraved upon them. Pillows, however, were not +unknown luxuries to the Egyptians, as a pillow of linen, stuffed with +water-fowl feathers, and deposited in the second division of the cases +under notice, testifies. In this second division are fragments of +couches, the decorations chiefly representing animals; fragments, in +calcareous stone, from the propylon of the brick pyramid of Dashour; +cramps, from Thebes and the temple of Berenice; iron keys from Thebes; +bronze hinges; porcelain tiles from the door of a pyramid; an +interesting stone model of a house; a model from Upper Egypt of a +granary, with a covered shed at one corner from which a man apparently +surveyed the operations of the workmen below. A Leghorn mouse, setting +aside the feelings of enthusiastic antiquaries + +THE EGYPTIAN ROOM + +consumed the grain that lay in the model granaries. From this curious +relic the visitor will turn with some astonishment to an ancient +Egyptian wig: it is curled on the top and plaited at the sides, and is +in all respects a well manufactured article. It is a state wig, worn +only on great occasions--the Egyptians going habitually closely +shaven. In the third division of the cases are assembled various bulky +figures, which the visitor will recognise as various Egyptian deities: +there is Pasht with his lion's head; Num, ram-headed; Thoth, +ibis-headed, and others; also the figure of a Pharaoh, or Egyptian +king, with the teshr, a royal cap, all taken from the tombs of the +kings at Thebes. + +In the two next cases (20, 21) the visitor will find various specimens +of the dresses and personal ornaments of the ancient Egyptians. In the +first division are a leather cap, cut into net-work from a single +piece, the ordinary male head-dress; a leather workman's apron: a +palm-leaf basket, and a linen cloth tunic that was found in it at +Thebes. The toilet vessels of various substances and shapes, used to +contain the metallic dye for the eye-lids, called sthem, worn by the +ancient Egyptians, including the cylindrical case, bearing the royal +names, are arranged in the second division, together with ivory, +porcelain, and other hair studs, and a pair of cord sandals from +Memphis. The third division is filled with varieties of Egyptian +mirrors, pins, combs, and sandals. The mirrors of the Egyptians +consisted of circular metallic plates, with variously ornamented +handles. The specimens in this case, which have lost their lustre +under centuries of rust, include one with a lotus handle, ornamented +with the Egyptian goddess of beauty, Athor; one with a tress of hair +as a design for the handle: and others ornamented with the head of the +much reverenced hawk. The pins are in bronze and wood, and were used +by the Egyptian ladies either to bind the hair or to apply the sthem +to the eyelids. The combs show a double row of teeth, and are of wood. +The shoes and sandals are of various kinds, but the greatest variety +of these articles is deposited in the fourth division of the cases. +These are made of palm leaves, wood, and papyrus: those with +high-peaked toes are the most ancient, having been worn in the +eighteenth dynasty, about fourteen centuries before our era. + +The nine following cases (22-32) are devoted to the vases and other +domestic vessels of the Egyptians; an intervening case (27) being +filled with the cedar coffin of a prophet priest of Amoun in Thebes, +elaborately ornamented with various religious symbols. Some of the +vases are inscribed with royal names of early dynasties, proving their +great antiquity: some of the most elegant dating so far back as +fourteen centuries before our era. These specimens of ancient Egyptian +workmanship suggest a state of high artistic refinement of a remoter +antiquity than the Grecian, wrecks of which lie in the Elgin and other +saloons on the basement of the museum. Of the large collection here +arranged the visitor will only care to notice the more remarkable +specimens. The uses to which these cups and bowls and vases were put, +may be inferred partly from their shapes, and partly from the material +of which they were made; those of a costly kind being probably the +receptacles of the unguents with which the ancient Egyptians of both +sexes anointed their persons after the bath; and the larger and less +costly varieties being the wine vases, &c, in common use. Two ancient +vases are in the first division of the case (22, 23) one with the name +of a king before the twelfth dynasty, and the more modern one of the +twenty-fifth dynasty. In the second division the visitor should notice +the small aragonite vases, resembling wine-glasses; in the third case +a slab, upon which are six vases of various shapes in calcareous +stone; in the fourth a vase from Lower Egypt, with the quantity it +holds inscribed upon it. In the next five cases, 24-27 are filled with +cups, and bowls, small vases, and lamps, including pottery vases +shaped like the pine cone; blue porcelain vase with a pattern; a +highly ornamented porcelain jug; vases in the shape of the hedgehog +and the ibis; glass, long-necked vases; a large blue bowl, ornamented +with leaves; a porcelain vase of the time of Sesostris, ornamented +with petals of the lotus flower; polished terra-cotta vases; double +vases; a lamp shaped like a bottle: a vase for libations in +terra-cotta, with a spout shaped like a bird's beak; bottle-shaped +vase in painted pottery, with three handles, and symbolic decorations; +and curious perforated cups on feet. The three cases marked 30-32 +contain also some curious vases and lamps, including a vase shaped +like a woman playing a guitar, from Thebes; a vase issuing from a +flower, in red pottery; a, lamb reclining as a vase; gourd-shaped +vases; earthenware bowls covered with various deities; and lamps +ornamented with toads, boars' heads, children, and leaves, in relief. +Other vases are arranged here and there about the five next cases +(33-37) together with agricultural implements; and, strange to say, +viands prepared perhaps for some of the mummies that lie in the +immediate neighbourhood, together with odd bits and fragments, all +illustrative of times before Alexander had bequeathed the Ptolemies to +Egypt. In the first two divisions, the remarkable objects are various, +bronze buckets with ornamental outlines of various deities and sacred +animals; a rectangular bronze table, perforated to receive vessels; +bronze lamps, &c.; and in the third division the visitor should +certainly notice the two-staged stand of papyrus and cane from a +private tomb at Thebes, with trussed ducks and cakes of bread upon it; +baskets containing fruits, as figs, pomegranates, dates, cakes of +barley, &e. The fourth division contains some old agricultural +implements, including the fragments of a sickle found by Belzoni under +a statue at Karnak; a wooden pick-axe; an Egyptian hoe; a yoke of +acacia wood; eight steps of wood from a rope-ladder, and specimens of +palm-fibre rope. + +Passing from these interesting relics of ancient manufacturing skill, +the visitor will next arrive before two cases (36, 37) of Egyptian +fragments of tombs, and weapons of war, illustrating the means of +killing and the fashion of burial. In the first division are various +goms, or Egyptian sceptres and staffs, some of ebony and some of wood; +and the blade of a war-axe, with the name of Thothmes III. inscribed +upon it. A variety of offensive weapons are arranged in the second +division, including bronze war-axes, one with a hollow silver handle; +daggers; bows and arrows, the arrows pointed with triangular bronze +heads, and fragments of flint-arrow-heads; fowling-sticks; handsome +bronze bladed knives, with agate and other handles, some worked with +gold, &c. The fragments in the third division include a knotted rope; +a piked club; wooden fan handles; wooden paddles carved with heads of +jackals; a mast for the model of a boat; and in the fourth division +are a curious cuirass and helmet, from the tombs of Manfaloot, +fashioned from a crocodile skin. At this point is another intermediate +case containing a mummy, coffin, and boards. The coffin is shaped like +a mummy, with a green face, and Netpe, between Isis and Nephthys on +the breast, with the deceased being introduced to the deities, among +whom he is to be divided by Thoth. This coffin was presented to the +Museum by George III. + +Having peered into the fragmentary establishments of ancient Egypt, +followed the contemporaries of Sesostris into their dining-rooms, even +noticed specimens of their dishes, and seen them in their waxen +winding-sheets, the visitor may now pass to the next case (39) and +notice some of the remains of the materials by the means of which they +recorded their actions, and traced their lineaments. Here are +displayed the ancient Egyptian pens and pencils, colours and ink, all +shrivelled and discoloured with the mould of centuries, but remaining +still to bear witness to the early love of knowledge and of art, that +urged the Egyptian scribe and the Egyptian artist to fashion them. In +the first division are the rectangular pallets, with grooves for the +wooden pens or reeds, and hollows for the colour or ink; and here, +too, are the kash, or pens used by the ancient scribes. The pallets +have inscriptions upon them; on one there is an invocation to the +goddess of writing. Fragments of one or two colours, with the +palm-leaf baskets in which they were deposited are also in this case; +together with stands with small colour vases; slabs with colour jars; +mullets for grinding, a basket with paint-brushes made of palm-fibres; +and upon a thin piece of cedar wood is a portrait of an Egyptian +female of the Greek period. Amidst other minute objects lie Egyptian +folding wax tablets for writing; a cylindrical ink-box, with a chain +attached to hold the pen case; seals of various kinds with impressions +of bulls, jackals, and hieroglyphics; portion of a calendar on stone; +and fragments of Egyptian writing on stone, and chiefly from tombs. +These fragments illustrative of the Egyptian character are continued +in the first two divisions of the cases marked 40, 41, including a +panel and stud from an ebony box inscribed with the titles of +Amenophis III. and his daughter; and a fragment in ebony, with an +inscribed dedication to Anubis. Among the miscellaneous objects also +in these divisions are various boxes in wood, papyrus, one veneered +with white and red ivory, some inscribed with names; and one with a +pyramidal cover, veneered with ivory and ornamented with figures and +birds. The next or third division is filled with varieties of Egyptian +spoons. Some of these are curious. They are chiefly of wood; but some +are of ivory. Among them are wooden spoons, shovel, egg and +cartouche-shaped; one with the handle carved in the shape of lotus +flowers; one with a moveable cover from Memphis; one with the handle +representing a gazelle, and within fish demolishing a water plant, +from Thebes; one in the shape of a fish; one circular, with a lotus +handle and a hawk cynocephalus on its edge; one with the form of a +fish for a bowl, and a fox seizing the fish for a handle; and others +equally curious in point of design. The last, or fourth division of +the case is full of ancient Egyptian building materials, including +fragments of painted plaster; stamps for bricks; palm-fibre brushes +for colouring walls, and smoothing tools. + +EGYPTIAN TOOLS + +are disposed through the two cases (42, 43) which the visitor should +now examine. In the first division are some palm-leaf baskets; wooden +mallets, one found in the masonry of the great pyramid at Abooseir; +and staves; in the second division a large variety of curious tools is +exhibited, including Egyptian saws, bradawls, chisels, an adze, axe +blades, knives of bronze, generally inscribed with hieroglyphics, +hones, bronze nails; mysterious bronze tools, the use of which is +unknown, all interesting to those who are in any way interested in the +history of the wonderful people who inhabited the valley of the Nile, +and wielded these tools there, when our island was an untilled desert. +The third division of the case contains strange handles decorated with +the popular lotus flower, fragments of an ivory gorget, with figures +of various animals oddly grouped upon it; various fragments of +carving, and pedestals bearing inscriptions; and in the fourth, or +last, division of the case are various baskets, coloured and plain. +The first division of the next case (44, 45) is also given up to +palm-leaf baskets of various descriptions, which the visitor should +examine as illustrating the perfection to which the workers of the +palm-leaf brought their handicraft. Leaving the tools and baskets +behind, the visitor will now approach the + +EGYPTIAN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, + +which occupy the second division of the case. It is well known that +music was generally cultivated by the ancient Egyptians, even before +Terpander had devised a system of musical notation: and that in their +religious ceremonies music was much used. The sistrum, of which the +visitor will notice one or two samples in the division, was the +instrument most generally used. It consisted of wires suspended +through the sides of an arch, to which a handle, generally highly +ornamented with the head of Athor, as in the one in the case, is +fixed:--the wires terminating with heads of sacred animals, upon which +rings were suspended that produced sounds by being shaken backwards +and forwards. + +There are also some Egyptian harps; portions of flutes found in the +northern brick pyramids at Dashour; a pipe with seven burnt holes in +it; and a pair of bronze cymbals tied together by a band of linen. The +division next to that in which the musical instruments are arranged, +is filled with + +EGYPTIAN TOYS. + +Perhaps, no portion of this interesting Egyptian room so forcibly +impresses the spectator with the truth and reality of its revelations, +as these rude toys, that must have been handled by prattling Egyptian +children, when all was dark throughout Europe, save on the shore of +the southern sea, where glimmered fitful lights of awakening +civilisation, and Homer was enshrining the poor knowledge of his +period in the splendid fancies of his poet soul. Not vastly different +from the rude dolls of the present century must these of Egypt have +been when fresh from the workman's hand. They are in a very disabled +state now, however; one being a rude representation of an Egyptian +Miss Biffen, altogether guiltless of legs; and others, the flat +variety, having hair made of clay beads. In the case with these relics +are porcelain models of eggs, balls, fruit; wooden fish; leather and +palm-leaf balls, stuffed; dice, and various draughtsmen, with the +heads of cats; and one with the figure of a jackal. The last two +divisions of the case under notice are entirely filled with a variety +of specimens of + +ANCIENT EGYPTIAN FABRICS. + +This division is always interesting to visitors who have any knowledge +of the essential excellences of textile fabrics. There can be no doubt +of the high repute in which the linens of ancient Egypt were held of +old; but the samples which have remained in a state of preservation up +to the present day, being mostly bandages of the coarse cloths from +mummies, it is hardly possible to estimate fairly the excellence of +the fabrics with which, the great men of ancient Egypt adorned their +persons and those of their wives. However, one or two samples of +linen, as fine as the celebrated muslins of India, remain, and the +visitor should notice particularly those clothes in the case with fine +blue selvage. In the case also are part of the bandages of an Egyptian +mummy of the Greek period, and a sample of ancient Egyptian linen +bleached by the modern process. With these specimens are skeins of +thread, spindles, and knitting-needles; bronze sewing needles; and a +hackle for flax-dressing. With this case the visitor closes his +examination of the wall cases of the Egyptian room. On taking a +general survey of the room, the objects that will first attract his +attention are the casts of the remarkable sculptures from the entrance +to the temple at Beit-onally near Kalabshe, placed over the wall-cases +against the eastern and western walls. These are faithful +representations of the painted sculpture for which the ancient +Egyptians were famous, about thirteen centuries before our era. The +specimens in the room represent the triumphs of the second Rameses. +The cast against the eastern wall is in two distinct compartments. In +the first, Rameses, accompanied by his sons, is driving his vanquished +Ethiopian enemies into a wood: in the second part the conqueror is +investing the vanquished Ethiopian prince with a gold chain, and +behind are the spoils of war, and Ethiopians leading strange oxen to +the victor; while, in the lower division, the vanquished prince is +presenting a load of tributary treasure to the king, followed by a +crowd of Ethiopians, leading all kinds of animals. These paintings, as +the visitor will observe, are painted without regard to light and +shade, the figures are huddled together, and the drawing is of the +most rigid description. The casts against the western wall are in five +compartments, and celebrate the victories of Rameses over the Asiatic +nations. In the first compartment Rameses is receiving his Asiatic +captives; in the second he is about to decapitate a prisoner; in the +third, in his kingly cap, he is defeating an Asiatic army, who are +represented in active flight; in the fourth he is attacking an Asiatic +fortress; and in the fifth the king is again receiving Asiatic +prisoners. Having noticed these remarkable antiquities, the visitor +should examine the plaster models, placed upon the central table of +the room, of the obelisks of Karnak and Heliopolis. Above the door is +a leather cross, from the dress of a Copt priest, supposed to be about +twelve hundred years old. Above various cases are placed mummy +coffins, and figures of deities too large for the cases; but the +mummy-case deposited over case 31 is worth special attention. It is +scooped out of the trunk of a tree, has the face painted black, a +vulture on the chest, and other ornaments and symbols. Near it, over +cases 30-32, are deposited four sepulchral vases of a military +officer, containing the parts removed from the body in the process of +embalming. Each vase was sacred to a deity; the first, containing the +stomach and appendages, was sacred to Amset the first genius of the +dead; the second, containing the lesser intestines, was presided over +by the second genius of the dead, Hapi; the lungs and heart, deposited +in the third vase, were sacred to Siumutf, the third genius; and to +the fourth genius the vase containing the liver and gall-bladder was +dedicated. + +The visitor having noticed these objects has done with the Egyptian +room. It is well, however, to pause upon the threshold, and before +dismissing these interesting glimpses into the life, long since +scattered as dust, upon the soil of Egypt, to call to mind the +prominent points of the impressive story that may be read in the room +he is about to quit. He may wander back through the histories of ages +upon ages; pause before the revelations of Herodotus; and recall the +mighty romances of Homer; and, pausing even there, where all is so +dim, and little understood, turn once more to these fragmentary +monuments of a civilisation that existed even centuries before the +great Greek poet. So silently, for us of the present hour, time rolled +by in those days, that we fail to grasp the measure of the distance +which separates our fret and toil of the nineteenth century, from that +busy valley of the Nile; when the second Rameses reigned in all his +glory; when precise artists were ruling geometrical lines upon stones +to make their careful drawings; and painters, with their palm-fibre +brushes, all unconscious of the critics that lay yet silently in the +womb of time, who would shovel the dust and dirt of centuries from +before their works, and tell the story of Rameses from these rude +revelations. Curious thoughts crowd in every busy brain, before these +strange relics. Lost in the depths of the past, the mind, with a leap, +often grasps at the future; and men will be found seriously saying to +themselves, as they notice how we depend for our knowledge of ancient +Egyptian fabrics upon the shrouds of ancient Egyptians,--what, if we +looked forward, and in the remote centuries that are rolling toward +us, see all our vast and busy Lancashire some layers underground, and +archaeologists busy with our winding sheet! Well, at the least, these +thoughts are not idle. It does all of us good to think often of what +has been, and to dream of the future to which we are driving "down the +ringing grooves of time"--to think sometimes of the fine people who +had their glorious days, when London was distributed, untouched by +human hands, in clayey strata, and remote stone quarries; and +hereabouts, to the minds of the Greeks, lay the islands of the +blessed. + +The visitor should now proceed southward into the room called The +Bronze Room. Here are collected the ancient bronzes of which the +Museum trustees are in possession; including specimens of the fine +castings of ancient Greece, which, with all our modern contrivances, +we cannot surpass in the present day. The cases to the left are filled +with a supplementary collection of the remains of ancient Egyptian +art, for which space could not be found in the Egyptian room. These +occupy no less than twenty-six cases. The first eleven cases (1-11) +are filled with various sepulchral fragments in various substances, +and porcelain and terra-cotta figures, which the visitor who has just +emerged from the Egyptian room will again recognise. Here the strange +figures of the Egyptian deities occur again and again; but the visitor +should pause before the case 10, 11, in which are deposited models of +the Egyptian funeral boats, in stone and wood, from Thebes, and on the +fourth shelf a Roman caricature on papyrus, representing lions and +goats playing at dice, and foxes driving geese. In the Egyptian cases +are more specimens of cynocephali, jackal, and hawks' heads, models of +the four sepulchral vases, in pottery and wood; more mummy coffins, +fragments of inscribed pottery, large Egyptian terra-cotta vases, and +in cases 24, 25, are deposited some fragments in terra-cotta, and +bronze excavated by Mr. Layard, in ancient Assyria. Having glanced at +these Egyptian cases the visitor should turn at once to the collection +of + +GREEK AND ROMAN BRONZES, + +which fill the cases numbered from 29 to 112. The visitor particularly +interested in Greek and Roman art, might here spend an entire day. +Bronze, a mixture of copper and tin, was used by the ancients for the +manufacture of all kinds of edge-tools, long before iron was smelted +from the earth in which it is invariably found; and mineralogists of +the present day are surprised to see the works which the ancients +executed with a material, that no modern workmen could use as a +cutting medium. Stone masons' chisels, and fine edged weapons of war, +were made of bronze in those days. The collection of bronzes which the +visitor is now about to examine, cannot be said to be a perfect +collection; yet it contains some beautiful specimens, and one that is +said to be the finest bronze in Europe. The antiquarian pauses with +delight before these marvellous specimens of ancient skill; and +reflecting upon the difficulties which beset the caster in bronze, it +is astonishing to see the precision and the exquisite finish with +which the artists of ancient Greece and Rome performed their labours. +Some of their bronze manufacture were hammered, but most of those +works from which we derive a knowledge of their greatness as artists +were cast. Of those colossal bronzes which were studded about Rome, +Athens, and Delphos, few remain at the present day. The material of +which they were composed was too valuable to escape the clutch of +barbaric conquerors; therefore the bronzes which remain are chiefly of +a small size, but still sufficiently perfect to assure us of the great +works that filled every open place in the towns of ancient Greece and +Rome. In these cases the visitor will find a great number of bronze +utensils and personal ornaments: metal mirrors; lamps; incense +vessels, or thuribula; the saucers for pouring libations, called +paterae; tripods of all kinds and variously ornamented; candelabra; +and the clasps of the Romans called fibulae. + +Beginning with the first case, 29, 30, the visitor will first remark +three ancient vases or amphorae, and five jugs, from Corfu, aged about +five centuries before our era; and in the same cases, on the third and +fourth shelves, Athenian vases, variously ornamented with geometrical +designs, animals, and birds, in the most ancient style. The next case +also contains vases of the most ancient style, from Athens, including +a fine specimen surmounted by two horses. In cases 33, 34, are further +specimens of the vases of ancient Greece, on some of which red figures +are traced upon a black ground, and on others a red ground is adopted, +with the ornamental figures in black: among the ornaments on those +vases the visitor should notice the cupids represented in blue and +white on one of these vases, and on another the figure of a crawling +boy, with a low stool and an apple before him. The vases in the next +cases (35, 36) contain some fine specimens of Athenian art about the +time of Pericles, with figures traced red and black, representing +Orestes and Electra at the tomb of Agamemnon. In these cases also are +some Athenian glass vases, and opaque glass vessels from Melos; +terra-cotta bas-reliefs, representing Bellerophon destroying the +Chimera; Perseus destroying the gorgon Medusa, and other classical +subjects; and upon the third shelf, amid unguent boxes, terra-cotta +lamps, and a terra-cotta doll, is a curious vase containing bones, +with a silver Athenian coin, attached to the jar by careful relatives, +to pay for the deceased's transit across the Styx. A collection of +terra-cotta figures are arranged upon the four shelves of case 37. +These include an ancient comic actor as Hercules; Athenian ladies +bearing water jugs, called Hydriophorae; Ceres; a dancing group from +Athens; animals; stools; and dancing figures from the south of Italy. +No less than three hundred and thirty-three handles from the wine +vessels or amphorae of ancient Rhodes are deposited in cases 38, 39. +Some are inscribed with the names of the chief magistrate. Varieties +of vessels in terra-cotta fill the two first shelves of the cases 40, +41, from Etruria; upon the third shelf are fragments of large bronzes, +including the staff of AEsculapius with the serpent; and the bronze +groups distributed upon the fourth shelf include three figures of +Hercules; and two figures supposed to be a Ptolemy and his queen +arrayed as Fortune. The cases 42-45 are filled with bronze weapons, +including spear-heads from the sepulchres of Etruria; arrow-heads and +bronze swords of the Roman time; standards with the famous Roman +eagles; helmets, including a famous one dedicated to Jupiter Olympius, +by Hiero I. on the occasion of gaining a victory over the Tuscans at +Cumae, upwards of four centuries before our era; and one found at +Olympia, dedicated by the Argives; bronze plates, and military belts, +from Vulci. The next six cases (46-51) are filled with various Grecian +and Roman antiquities, of which the visitor should particularly notice +amid bronze amphorae, tripods, glass beads, weights in the shape of +busts, sacrificial knives, and bronze hatchet heads, three cistae or +boxes, with classical groups in relief upon them, the subject of one +being Hercules grasping serpents. These cistae were the toilette boxes +of the ancients. Here too the visitor should remark the hearth (a +tripod) with charcoal still upon it, with fire-irons and cooking +utensils; and a variety of tripods variously ornamented with sphinxes, +Boreas carrying away Orithyia; and leaden vases from Delos, holding +the ashes of the dead. An interesting collection of candelabra, from +the Etruscan sepulchres, is arranged in the next cases (52, 53). These +candelabra were highly esteemed throughout ancient Greece. They are +decorated chiefly with mythological subjects, and have, attached to +them, vessels for dipping into larger vessels. Those in the next case +(54) are of the Roman period. Having glanced at the censers and bronze +lamps in the next cases (56-57) the visitor may pass on to the case +numbered 58-64, in which is a large collection of bronze vessels, +including unguent vases, which are the most highly decorated, +braziers, cauldrons, and jugs. The two next cases contain a great +number of bronze figures of various heathen deities, representations +of mythological events. Here are, a winged Victory holding an egg; +figures of Juno Sospita; figures for mirrors; Apollos; a giant hurling +a rock; one of the Gorgons; figures of Mars, in the old grotesque +style; a reclining Dionysus, drinking; satyrs; Aphrodite; Aurora +bearing off Tithonus or Cephalus; Hercules; Ariadne playing on the +lyre; Hercules killing the Maenalian stag; Minerva; and other figures, +all drawn from Grecian mythology. These cases present, at a glance, +more than any other in the collection, the various excellences of +ancient bronzes. The ancient mirrors are arranged in the next two +cases (68, 69)--one polished to show their old effect; and in the 70th +case are Etruscan and Roman fibulae or clasps in general use in the +olden time, in lieu of buttons or hooks. The drainings of the lake of +Monte Falterona brought to light the most attractive objects of the +next three cases (71-73), including the fine Etruscan statue of Mars, +the large statue of a youth; and here also are a group of Aurora +bearing off Memnon; and a satyr and a bacchante for the top of a +candelabrum. Finely ornamented mirrors, with figures chased, +bas-relief, representing, among other subjects, Minerva before Paris; +Achilles arming before Thetis; a winged Hercules killing the Lernean +Hydra; Juno and her rivals preparing for the judgment of Paris; +Hercules bearing off a female figure; Venus holding a dove, as a +mirror handle; the Dioscuri, Clytemnestra and Helen; Aphrodite nursing +Eros; and Dolon, Ulysses, and Diomed. Bronze figures of Greek and +Roman divinities fill the next case, including a silver group of +Saturn devouring his children; no less than nineteen Jupiters, one in +silver with a goat at his side. These are continued in the following +case (78), including Isis; Ganymede and the eagle; Terpsichore; +Apollos; Junos; a fine Apollo from Paramythia; a Triton, with crab's +claws, and a face turning into sea weed; Dianas, one, in silver, +holding a crescent; and Neptune, distinguishable by his trident. Three +cases, next in order of number (80-82), are devoted to ancient Roman +horse-trappings. Busts of Minerva occupy the most prominent positions +in the 83rd case; and in the next case (84) are no less than +twenty-one figures of Mercury, one of which, distinguishable by the +gold collar about the neck, is reputed the most beautiful bronze in +Europe. These figures of Mercury are in various attitudes. Here the +cocks, emblematic of the athletic games, are before him--there he is +flying on Jupiter's eagle; and near these figures are arranged +twenty-eight figures of Venus; in one place the goddess is rising from +the sea, in another she is arranging her sandal, or riding her swan. +Playful Cupids, thirty-five in number, and gambolling variously, +occupy the position next in order to the figures of Venus. Here the +little god is running, there he bears the anointing-box of +Venus--there he is laughing, in another corner his laughter is turned +to tears, and in another he is ingloriously intoxicated. In another +direction he is exhibited in his amiable moods, feeding a hare with +grapes, or toying with a swan. The next case (86) contains an +assortment of ancient glazed articles including glass studs, buttons, +&c., from the sepulchres of Etruria; bronze sandals from Armentum; and +glazed ware of various shapes. In the 87th case are deposited four +curious fragments from Perugia, of chariot chasings, representing +various warlike emblems and doings; and an ancient scabbard engraved +with an outline of Briseis led by Achilles. Deities fill the next case +(89), including fourteen figures of Harpocrates; a Pan; and figures of +Bacchus. Silenus, with silver eyes and a crown set with garnets, will +be found in the next case (90) where Hercules is strangling the Nemean +lion; and another Silenus kneeling on a wine-skin. Cupid is seizing +the weapons of the strong Hercules while the latter sleeps; in the +next case (91), here also he is grappling with the Maenalian stag, and +Pan shows his goat's legs. The 92nd, 93rd and 94th cases are filled +with various mirrors from Athens; the anciently prized knuckle bones +of a small animal; bronze earrings from a tomb in Cephalonia; sling +bullets found at Saguntum; part of a lyre, and wooden flutes +discovered near Athens; a gilt myrtle crown; glass mosaics from the +Parthenon; iron knives and fetters from Athens; a jar that once held +the famed Lycian eye ointment; one of the bronze tickets of a judge; +and leaden weights. Hercules is vigorously at work in the groups of +the next case (95), and herein are figures of Victory and Fortune; two +sphinxes, and other groups. The head of Polyphemus appears prominently +in the 96th case; and in the remaining cases miscellaneously grouped, +are ancient dice, some of which have been loaded, suggesting the +antiquity of roguery; ivory hair pins; bronze needles; glass beads; +fragments of cornelian and other cups, and glass; bronze figures of +animals; inlaid and enamel work; styli for writing upon wax; ancient +medical instruments; and old Roman finger-rings. + +Over the Egyptian cases are deposited fac-similes of paintings of a +tomb at Vulci, discovered in the year 1832. These represent various +ancient games of racing and leaping. Over the cases 38-58 are other +fac-similes from a tomb, also at Vulci, in a mutilated condition; and +against the southern wall are the ceilings of the tomb. Having +examined these things the visitor should proceed on his southward +course, and, passing through the southern entrance of the bronze room, +enter the fine apartment, known as the Etruscan room, in which the + +ETRUSCAN VASES + +are arranged. These are a series of earthen vases discovered in Italy. +These painted vases are the spoil from the tombs of the ancient +Etruscans. The Etruscans inhabited the northern parts of Italy, and +flourished there in a state of comparative civilisation, when the rest +of the Peninsula, save where the Greeks were busy on its southern +shore, was in a barbarous state. The Etruscan tombs present various +degrees of ornament according to the wealth of their occupant, but in +all of them painted vases of some description are found. It is +maintained by many learned men that these beautiful vases were not a +native manufacture, but were bought by the Etruscans of the Greeks of +Southern Italy, who imported them from the famous potteries of Athens. +The Greek inscriptions on some of these vases, and the Greek subjects +from which the decorations are taken, tend strongly to confirm this +hypothesis. It is, however, altogether a mystery why the Etruscans +surrounded their dead with these vases. They were not used to hold +human bones, nor to contain food for the deceased; but that the +Etruscans held them in high estimation as sepulchral ornaments is +certain from the fact that they are found universally in their tombs, +the finer and more elaborate in the sepulchres of the rich, and the +coarser and plainer kinds in the graves of the poor. The visitor will +do well to walk carefully round this room in which the Etruscan vases +belonging to the Museum are deposited. They are arranged in the +supposed chronological order in which they were manufactured; the +clumsy and coarse ware being placed in the first case, as exhibiting +the dawn of the potter's art, and the more elaborate and +highly-wrought specimens being arranged in regular order of +improvement in the succeeding cases. + +The first five cases are filled with clumsy black ware, ornamented in +some cases with figures in relief, and extracted from tombs discovered +on the site of the oldest Etruscan towns, which circumstance has led +antiquaries to allow the Etruscans the honour of having fashioned +these rude specimens of pottery; but as the samples display a higher +degree of skill they refuse to allow the Etruscans the merit of having +improved the clumsiness of their early handiwork. In the sixth and +seventh cases are pale vases with deep red figures, chiefly of animals +upon them, chiefly from Canino and Vulci. The exertions of the Prince +of Canino in excavating on his estate in search of Etruscan tombs and +their treasures are well known; and the enthusiasm with which Sir +William Hamilton, while on his embassy at Naples, bought the +curiosities of Etruscan tombs, should be remembered. Few Englishmen, +however, can think pleasantly of those times when the Hamiltons were +at Naples, when Lady Hamilton did her country great services; then +recall the picture of the poor woman fed by a charitable neighbour at +Calais, think of Horatio's last words, and then of the country that +forgets the woman's service, and the hero's dying words. Well, the +visitor may pass on his way amidst these spoils from Etruscan tombs, +and forgetting the family to whom we owe many of them, serenely watch +the gradual improvement in the manufacture. The best have black +figures upon a dark ground. The glass cases in the centre of the room +contain those vases which are painted on both sides. On the walls of +the room above the cases are fac-similes of paintings from some of the +Etruscan tombs. Some of them represent dances and games; but one +represents a female in the act of covering the head of a man who has +just expired, while a male figure is drawing a covering over the feet, +and two spectators are in attitudes of grief in the neighbourhood. +Having roamed amid the spoils of Etruscan tombs, the search after +which is now a settled business in parts of Italy, the visitor may +take a southerly direction through two empty rooms into that at the +southern extremity of the western wing. Here a few miscellaneous +objects are deposited, amongst which in the eastern cases he should +notice some curious old enamels, and the frescoes from St. Stephen's +Chapel, Westminster, and on the floor, a model of the Victory. He +should then turn in an easternly direction into the Ethnographical +room, which, to the visitor without a guide has very much the +appearance of a confined curiosity shop; but on inspection proves to +be an interesting compartment of the Museum, in which curiosities +illustrative of the civilisation of various countries and continents +are arranged. Before applying himself to the wall cases, however, the +visitor would do well to advance to the eastern extremity of the room, +noticing the objects deposited in the central space by the way. These +consist of Flaxman's cast of the shield of Achilles; a model of the +Thugs fashioned at Madras by a native artist; a model of a moveable +temple; her Majesty's present to the museum of a great Chinese bell, +surmounted by the Chinese national dragon, and decorated with figures +of Buddh, from a temple near Ningpo; and various cromlechs or +sepulchres of the ancient Britons, ruder in their construction than +those with which the visitor has lately busied himself. Having arrived +at the eastern end of the room, the visitor should advance to the +northern wall cases, and begin his inspection. He will at once remark +that the first five cases (1-5) are devoted to + +CHINESE CURIOSITIES. + +These are distributed with particular regard to the economy of space, +and accordingly the visitor may see at a glance objects huddled +together, the uses of which are of the most opposite nature. On the +first shelf of cases 1, 2, are distributed the tally of a Chinese +soldier describing his age and place of residence; ladies' gloves; +military boots; bows and arrows; and the mock spears shown above the +walls of Woosang in 1842 to intimidate the British forces. The second +shelf exhibits the grotesque varieties of Chinese deities and leaders +of sects; and in other parts of the cases are endless Chinese +curiosities, including Chinese scales and weights; padlocks; mirrors; +a pair of Chinese spectacles in a leather case; shoe brushes from +Shanghai; chopsticks; a brass pipe; Chinese mariners' compasses; a +Chinese bank-note, value one dollar; Chinese needles; agricultural +implements; joss sticks; the sea-weed eaten by the Chinese; ancient +bronze bell; vase in shape of a lotus leaf; and an advertisement for +quack pills. The visitor should remark the great royal wicker shield +that is on the top of the case, ornamented with the head of a tiger; +and the model of a junk. The third case contains Chinese divinities, +of which the goddess of Mercy, Kwan-yin, on the first shelf, is the +most noticeable figure. The two last cases 4 and 5 given up to +Chinese, are filled chiefly with Chinese musical instruments, +including the pair of sticks used by Chinese beggars as castanets to +attract attention to their petitions; Chinese shuttlecocks, made of +feathers and lead, the Chinese battledores being the soles of their +feet, suggestive of vigorous exercise; fly-flaps; surgical +instruments; paints; boxes; and Japanese shoes. Over these cases is a +circular stand, in twenty-two parts, representing, in relief, the +chief deities of the Hindoo mythology. The four next cases (6-9) are +given up to + +INDIAN CURIOSITIES. + +Among the miscellaneous collection of objects crowded into these four +cases are many figures of Buddha in earthenware, wood, alabaster and +ivory; bronze divinities of the Hindoo Pantheon; Hindoo playing cards; +copper-plates containing grants of land; a Hindoo mathematical +instrument; a powder-horn from Burtpoor; Affghan cloak and pistol; +bows and arrows; baggage and accommodation boats; and early Arabian +bronze water ewers inlaid with silver. Over the Indian cases are +figures of Hindoo deities, including a bronze figure of Siva with four +arms, and Lakshmi, the wife of Vishnu. The four following cases +(10-13) are chiefly filled with + +AFRICAN CURIOSITIES + +of a miscellaneous description, and from various parts of the +continent. These include, in cases 10, 11, Nubian and Abyssinian +baskets; Arabic quadrants; Egyptian water-bottles; sandals, and a +variety of other manufactures from Ashantee, including a shuttle, and +specimens of native cotton cloth; an iron bar used as a medium of +exchange, and worth about one shilling on the African coast; gourd +boxes and calabashes; cloths and other curiosities collected on the +Niger Expedition; specimens of native silk from Egga; a skin bottle +for holding galena to colour the eyelids; opaque glass beads from +Abyssinia; all kinds of arms from French Guiana, Fernando Po, +Abyssinia, and Nubia, including a Nubian spear, enveloped with a +snake's skin from Thebes. Over the cases an Ashantee loom for weaving +narrow cloth, and Abyssinian baskets, and at the side an Indian inlaid +cabinet. Passing from these cases, the visitor at once reaches those +devoted to + +AMERICAN CURIOSITIES. + +The cases numbered from 14-21 are filled with articles illustrative of +the life and climate of the Esquimaux, and the extreme northern +regions of America, including the native fishing-hooks and lines; +models of canoes; skin dresses, men's boots from Kotzebue's Sound; +Lapland trousers; utensils made of the horn of the musk ox; Esquimaux +woman's hair ornaments; over the cases hereabouts the sledge which Sir +E. Parry brought from Baffin's Bay, and a canoe from Behring's +Straits; waterproof fishing jackets, made from the intestines of the +whale; harpoons of bone tipped with meteoric iron; specimens of rude +sculpture from these northern regions; clubs; hatchets; the magic dome +of an Iceland witch; baskets and mats; calumets of peace; scalps; a +model of a cradle, showing the method adopted by the Indians of the +Columbia River to flatten their children's heads. The cases 23, 24, +are filled with curiosities from more southernly parts of the North +American continent; and chiefly with various objects from the most +interesting of the old inhabitants of America--the Mexicans. The +collection from Mexico, including their divinities, specimens of their +arts, &c., are arranged in seven cases (24-30). The objects from +Guiana occupy the greater part of cases 31-34; and the remarkable +objects in the 35th case are the dried body of a female, from New +Granada; a mummy from New Granada wrapped in cotton cloths; a curious +Peruvian mummy of a child, the legs curiously bound up; and silver and +gold Peruvian sepulchral ornaments. The cases marked 36, 37, are +devoted to objects from South America, including black earthern +vessels from cemeteries in Peru; bows and poisoned arrows; and a +sacrificial bason, ornamented with serpents, supposed to be one from +the temple of the Sun at Cuzco. The rest of the cases contain +miscellaneous objects from groups of islands. The contributions from +the Marquesas and Sandwich Islands are in cases 53-56; the war +dresses, of feathers, &c., from Tahiti, in case 57; and the nets and +baskets, clubs and tatooing instruments from the Friendly Islands will +be found arranged in cases 65, 66. On the second shelf of cases 66, +67, is deposited a tortoise-shell bonnet, made in imitation of an +European bonnet from Navigator's Island. Cases 68, 69, are devoted to +objects from New Zealand; and those marked 70, 71, were collected +during an exploring expedition into Central Australia. The last cases +are devoted to miscellaneous objects from the Fiji Islands, Borneo, +and other localities; and with these the visitor should close his +second visit to the Museum; regaining the ante-room to the Southern +Zoological gallery, by passing out of the Ethnographical room through +its eastern opening. He has now completed the examination of the +galleries of the Museum with the exception of the print and medal +rooms, which are not open to the public generally, but are reserved +for the use of artists and antiquarians. He has dipped into many +sciences on his two journeys; made some acquaintance with the history +of the animals that frequent the different parts of the world; dwelt +amid the fossil fragments of long ages past; examined the elementary +substances of which the earth's crust is composed; been with the dust +of men that lived before Jerusalem was made for ever memorable; +surveyed the spoils of Etruscan tombs; and lingered amid the varieties +of household things from the barbarous nations of the present hour; +and not wholly profitless have the journeys been, even if the +scientific mysticism be not mastered, so that there remains in the +mind a general impression of the time that has gone by, the great laws +that govern the universe, and the humility that becomes man, when he +sees his individuality, in relation with the mighty past, and the +great progresses of Nature. + +END OF THE SECOND VISIT. + + + + +VISIT THE THIRD. + + + +The visitor, on entering the British Museum for the third time, will +commence his examination of the massive Antiquities, which are +scattered throughout the noble galleries that stretch along the +western basement of the building. His spirit must again wander to the +remote past. Again must he recur to the ancient civilisation of +southern Europe, and the busy people that covered the valley of the +Nile before Alexander breathed. He has already examined the household +utensils, the bodies, the ornaments, and the food of the ancient +Egyptians, and has had more than a glimpse of the artistic excellence +to which they attained long before our Christian era. Of the +sepulchral caves of Thebes, of the massive pyramids sacred to the +ancient Pharaohs, of the strange images of beasts and men, of the +sacred beetles, and the universal Ibis, he has already examined minute +specimens arranged in the cases of the Egyptian Room; but he has yet +to witness those evidences of power, and scorn of difficulties, +exhibited in the colossal works of the Egyptian people. + +On entering the Museum for the third time, the visitor should turn to +the left, and passing under the staircase, enter the galleries devoted +to Ancient Sculpture. He will at once be struck with the strange +allegorical figures clustered on all sides, the broken bodies, the +fragments of arms and legs, the corners of slabs, and other +dilapidations. Here a fine figure is without a nose, there Theseus +holds aloft two handless arms, and legs without feet. The visitor who +has not the least insight into the heart of all these collections of +fragments from tombs, and temples, and neglected ruins, is perhaps +inclined to laugh at the enthusiasm with which they are generally +examined, and the rapturous strains in which the greatest critics have +written of them. Not to all people is the enthusiasm of Lord Elgin +comprehensible. Why not allow the fragments of the Parthenon to be +ground into fine white mortar, and the busts of ancient heroes to be +targets for the weapons of Turkish youths? are questions which a few +utilitarians may be inclined to ask; and it would certainly be +difficult to show, for instance in figures, the gain the country has +made by expending 35,000£. on the Elgin marbles: in the same way that +it is difficult to appraise the beneficial influence of beauty, or to +test the developments of the universe by double entry. + +But let the visitor pace these noble galleries of his national museum +with a reverent heart, let him learn from these beautiful labours of +long ago, that not only to him and his fellows of the proud nineteenth +century, when fiery words are flashing through the seas, and steam +fights like a demon with time, were the living years pregnant with the +glories of art; but that the Egyptian, with his rude bronze chisel, +cut his native rocks with no unskilful hand, before the Son of God lay +cradled in a manger. + +Past the bewildering fragments of art in the south-western gallery to +the south-western corner of the building, then south like an arrow to +the northern end of the sculpture rooms, should the visitor at once +proceed. He will pass by fragments of Assyrian, Greek, and Roman art, +but to these he should now pay little heed, as his immediate business +is with the fine gallery of + +EGYPTIAN SCULPTURE, + +which is the most northernly apartment or gallery of the western wing. +Here he will at once notice the rows of Sarcophagi, which are ranged +on either side of the central passage of the gallery. These colossal +outer-coffins contained the mummies of distinguished Egyptians. Along +the walls of the room are ranged the sepulchral tablets, or tombstones +of ancient Egyptians, and the inscriptions generally record the name +and age of a deceased person; and in some cases, points of domestic +history and pious sentences. Their dates range over a space of time +amounting to more than twenty centuries. Interspersed with these are +other sculptures, chiefly of Egyptian deities; but the attention of +the visitor will be probably attracted first to the + +EGYPTIAN OUTER COFFINS. + +The visitor, having reached the northern end of the Egyptian Saloon, +should turn to the south, and begin a minute examination of its +contents. The sarcophagi, or outer coffins of stone, in which the rich +ancient Egyptians deposited the embalmed bodies of their relations, +occupy the greater part of the ground space of the saloon. They are +massive shells, hewn from the solid rock, polished and engraved +skilfully with hieroglyphics, which, so far as the learned have been +able to decipher, record the exploits of the great men they contained. +Some of them are in the shape of common boxes with raised lids; while +in others, attempts to represent the features of the deceased, and a +rough outline of a mummy are apparent. These massive coffins, which +are upwards of three thousand years old, and are eloquent with the +mystic written language of that remote antiquity, deserve more than a +transient notice even from the unscientific visitor. Mummies were +found in most of these, proving their use. Some were discovered placed +in an erect, and others in a recumbent posture, in the tombs of +Thebes, or on the sites of ancient cities. + +Of the sarcophagi or coffins, fashioned in the shape of a mummy, the +visitor should notice that in calcareous stone, numbered 47, which was +discovered at Tana; another, with the paintings restored, marked 39; +another in green basalt, marked 33, known to be that of a female +called Auch, decorated with the embalming deities, and inscribed with +a prayer on behalf of the deceased woman; and one of later date which +has held the remains of a member of the priestly class, numbered 17. +To arrive at a fair estimate of the average art displayed in these +ancient sepulchral remains, it is worth the trouble of the visitor to +wander a little about the saloon from one specimen to the next +immediately connected with, or proximately resembling it. Having +examined the coffins shaped like mummies, the visitor should next +direct his attention to the massive oblong cases which lie upon the +ground on either side of him. + +The first of these which he may examine is that marked 32. This +sarcophagus was excavated from the back of the palace of Sesostris, +near Thebes. Athor appears in bas-relief upon the lid; the sun is +represented in the interior, together with Heaven represented as a +female, and a repetition of the goddess Athor. + +The names of several royal ladies have been deciphered from the +inscriptions, which are the addresses of deities. The black granite +chest of a sarcophagus, numbered 23, is that of a royal scribe named +Hapimen. Here the well-known figures of the Amenti, the embalmer +Anubis, and other deities and symbols, will remind the visitor of the +Egyptian room up stairs, with its strange green little images of +figures half human and half bestial. Round the interior are the +deities to whom the various parts of the human body were severally +dedicated. Since this massive granite was the coffin of Hapimen, it +has been known to the Turks as the "Lover's Fountain," and used by +them as a cistern. The Syenite sarcophagus of a standard-bearer, is +marked 18. The chest of a royal sarcophagus that was taken from the +mosque of St. Athanasius at Alexandria, and which contained the mummy +of a king of the twenty-eighth dynasty, is marked number 10. On the +exterior, the Sun is represented, attended by appropriate deities +travelling through the hours of the day; and on the interior the +visitor will recognise the quaint symbolic forms of the usual +sepulchral gods and goddesses. The two remaining sarcophagi are those +of a scribe and priest of the acropolis of Memphis, and a bard. That +of the former, marked 3, is covered with the figures of Egyptian +divinities and inscriptions to the deceased; that of the latter, in +arragonite, is in the form of a mummy, like those first examined by +the visitor. This coffin has five distinct lines of hieroglyphics +engraved down the front, expressing a chapter of the funeral ritual: +and the face bears evidence of having been gilt. + +Having sufficiently examined these massive coffins, upon which the +proudest undertaker of modern times must look humbly, and deplore the +decline of his business as an art, the visitor should at once turn to +other specimens of the sepulchral art of the ancient Egyptians. Of +these, the most interesting are the sepulchral tablets, which are +literally + +ANCIENT EGYPTIAN TOMBSTONES. + +Our modern tombstones record only the virtues of the dead. If future +generations have to rely upon the revelations of our churchyards for +facts connected with the people of modern times, they will write that +we were all of us faultless as fathers, irreproachable as husbands, +and devoted and self-sacrificial as children. Every tombstone is +engraved with a catalogue of human virtues; and idlers wandering round +about our country churches, find themselves surrounded by the ashes of +fond husbands, innocent angels, and adored wives. These prattlings of +sorrow have their happy significance, since they show the universal +forgiveness that follows even the worst and basest of mankind to the +grave. But viewed as historical records, tombstones are sadly erring +guides. They tell histories of men, written by their mistresses or +their children. The sculpture which adorns the graves of modern races +in this country, generally represents urns, or weeping cherubims, +broken flowers, or fractured columns, or grieving angels. These +symbols of death and grief contrast often oddly with the hopeful +scriptural sentences which they surmount. In some instances the +occupation or calling of the deceased is typified on his tomb--the +unstrung lyre telling the whereabouts of a dead musician; and a +palette indicating the resting-place of a defunct painter. Little that +is great in sculpture has of late marked burial-places. + +The Egyptians, on the contrary, employed their choicest workmen to +decorate their tombs. The visitor may, gathering together the +scattered fragments from this saloon, picture to himself one of the +massive solemn vaults of the old Egyptians--the walls decorated with +sepulchral tablets, and beneath each tablet a massive sarcophagus, +containing the mummy of the deceased whose actions the tablet records. +Not altogether unlike the vaults of the present day, save that +perishable materials suffice for modern notions; whereas the Egyptian +provided comforts for the long, long rest, that, according to his +creed, would elapse, before the mummy would shake off its bandages, +and walk forth bodily once more. The Egyptian tablets, of which there +are a great number scattered about the saloon, are, as the visitor +will perceive, of small dimensions, but crowded with mystic +hieroglyphics, and ornamental groups of the funereal deities and other +subjects. The writing records the actions and the name of the +deceased, together with various religious sentiments; and is +therefore, in form and spirit, not unlike the modern epitaph. This +resemblance is not so wonderful as it at first appears, seeing that +the same circumstances acted upon the dictator of the old Egyptian +epitaph, as those which make the modern widow eloquent. The most +modern of the tablets in the present collection are those executed +while Egypt was a Roman state, many are of the time of the Ptolemies, +and one is believed to be of a date before the time of Abraham. This +tablet is to the memory of a state officer: it is marked 212. The +examination of the sarcophagi, will have led the visitor to the +southern end of the saloon; and from this point he should once more +turn to the north, and examine the sepulchral tablets on the eastern +and western walls. He will notice that numbers of them exactly +resemble one another in certain forms; that certain sepulchral scenes +are frequently repeated, and that therefore the tablets cannot be said +in many cases with certainty, to represent either passages in the life +of the deceased, or symbolic images of his career. + +First let the visitor remark, numbered 90, a basalt slab, presented to +the museum by the Lords of the Admiralty. It is supposed to have been +originally the cover of a stone coffin, in the time of the Ptolemies. +It is remarkable for a Graeco-Egyptian recumbent figure, executed in +bas-relief. The sepulchral tablets marked 128-9-31-32, are in +calcareous stone. The first is that of a scribe, who is receiving a +funeral offering from his son; the second is that of Akar-se, who is +receiving the offerings of his bereaved family; the third, from +Abydos, has similar representations of family offerings, and the +fourth is that of the chief keeper of the cattle of Rameses II., named +Hara, who prays to Horus, Isis, Nephthys, and Osiris. The first three +tablets are dedicated to Isis. The visitor may also remark in this +neighbourhood a fragment in bas-relief from the tomb near Gizeh, of +Afa. Afa was a palace officer, who is supposed to have flourished +about the period of the fourth dynasty. He is here represented, in +company with various members of his family. + +The next tablet to which the visitor should direct his attention is +from Thebes, and is marked 139. It is that of a priest named Rames, +who flourished during the reign of King Menephtah. Here the priest is +represented in the act of adoring various deities, and accepting +funeral honours from his family. The tablet marked 142 is of the time +of the nineteenth dynasty. It bears an inscription referring to a +governor of the Ramesseium, named Amen-mes. The next tablet that +deserves particular remark is one in calcareous stone, from Abydos. It +is in honour of a military chief of the twelfth dynasty, named Nechta. +The pictorial embellishments represent the chief before a table of +offerings, with his wife, mother, and nurse, seated before him. On the +next tablet (144) a judge named Kaha, is adoring funeral deities, and +receiving the usual honours from his family. Passing the tablet of the +commander of the troops of the palace of Sethos I. (146) the visitor +should pause before the interesting tablet marked 147. This tablet +records the date of the birth and marriage of a female named +Tai-em-hept, of the advent of her son Tmouth, and of her death which +took place in the tenth year of the reign of Cleopatra. As the visitor +progresses with his inspection of these tablets, he will be more and +more struck with the minute revelations they afford of the subdivision +of labour among the ancient Egyptians. For instance, one tablet (148) +is that of a superintendent of the builders of the palaces of Thothmes +IV. in Abydos; another (149) is that of a scribe of the royal +quarries; a third (150) is that of a Theban judge, on the lower part +of which are representations in yellow, in the style of the nineteenth +dynasty, of the transport of the corpse, and other funeral ceremonies; +a fourth (154) is that of a royal usher; a fifth is that of Pai, a +queen's officer, among the illustrations of which a tame cynocephalus +may be noticed. The tablet marked 159 is a very ancient specimen. It +is that of Rutkar a priest, who is represented, in company with his +wife, surveying the domestic occupations of his dependents. The tablet +from Thebes, of Baknaa, a master of the horse in the reign of +Sesostris is marked 164. Here the deceased is represented adoring a +group of deities. The other tablets in this vicinity are chiefly of +the time of Rameses II. or III, and are in honour of scribes and other +functionaries immediately connected with the court. Two sepulchral +tablets from Sakkara are interesting. That marked 184 is in honour of +a priestess of Phtha named Tanefer-ho. The pictorial embellishments +represent the priestess about to be introduced to Osiris and other +deities by Anubis and other presiding spirits of the tomb. This +specimen bears the date of the nineteenth year of the reign of Ptolemy +Auletes. The second tablet from Sakkara (188) is that of an ancient +pluralist named I-em-hept, who is represented introduced to Osiris and +other deities by Anubis and his brother spirits or genii. The +inscription below, in the vulgar character of the ancient Egyptians, +is supposed to begin with the sixth year of Cleopatra. Near these +tablets is one in dark granite, of a date before the twelfth dynasty +(187) in honour of Mentu-hept, a superintendent of granaries and +wardrobes. The next tablet to which the visitor's attention should be +directed, is one crowded with symbolic animals and deities (191). It +is that of a functionary named Kaha, who is adoring Chiun, standing on +a lion, and grasping snakes, with Horus and other deities. Asi, a +military chief and priest of a very remote period, is represented on +the next tablet (192), with food before him, and the next (193) is +that found before the great sphinx at Gizeh. On it the sun is +represented, and a Greek inscription tells that it was erected in the +time of Nero, by the inhabitants of Busiris to the Roman governor of +Egypt, Tiberius Claudius Balbillus. The next tablet (194) is that +discovered by Belzoni, near the temple of Karnak, on which a line of +adoring deities are represented. The tablets marked 548, 9, 51 have no +particular points of interest; the visitor may therefore at once pass +to the group, most of which are coloured yellow, and are elaborately +embellished, marked from 555 to 598. The first of these worth especial +notice is that (555) of a Theban judge of the eighteenth dynasty. It +is coloured yellow and the deceased is represented with the boat and +the sun's disc above, and in company with his sister adoring the cow +of Athor; the second (566) is in the form of a doorway, is of the +nineteenth dynasty, is coloured, and is in honour of a conductor of +the festival of Amen-ra; the third and fourth (557-8) are of earlier +date, or the twelfth dynasty, and represent the deceased before tables +of viands; the fifth tablet (560) is in honour of Her-chen, who is +represented with his relations, and Phtah-kan, a scribe, also +represented and similarly attended, all well finished and coloured; +the three following tablets represent the deceased before tables of +viands, coloured; the next (564) is that of the keeper of the +treasury, or "silver abode," in the twelfth dynasty--he too is before +a table of food in company with his relations; the next remarkable +specimen is that marked 569, which is in honour of Athor-si, a +functionary supposed to have been the superintendent of mines in the +twelfth dynasty, who is here represented in one part before a table +loaded with food, and in another part seated, with his hands humbly +crossed upon his breast; the next tablets presenting particular points +for remark are those of Eun-necht, (575) a superintendent of corn and +clothing, of the twelfth dynasty. Senatef, chief of the palace to +Amen-emha II., who is represented receiving a goose, a haunch, and +other food from his relations. Eunentef, a chief and his son standing +face to face, bearing wands and sceptres--a sculptor named User-ur, +who is represented with his wives and parents, and upon which the +square red lines used by the precise Egyptian artists are still +visible on the unfinished parts. After several other tablets of the +twelfth dynasty, is placed (584) a small square one of an earlier date +in honour of Chen-bak, an architect, who is seated with his wife, +receiving the duty of his children. Near this is a good specimen of +old Egyptian bas-relief on calcareous stone, in honour of a palace +officer named Amen-ha (586); and next to it (587) is a tablet in +honour of a superintendent of all the gods, named Seraunut. Hereabouts +also is the tablet from Thebes in honour of Hera, a royal scribe +(588). On this tablet the deceased is represented bearing an +appropriate feather sceptre before Nameses the ninth of the twentieth +dynasty, who is seated on his throne, under the particular +guardianship of the God of truth. + +The tablet from Thebes marked 593 is that of a judge and his wife, and +is dedicated to Osiris and Anup. Hereon, the lotus flower is +represented, with corn and bread. The next tablet (594) is one in the +shape of an altar of libations, and is dedicated to Amenophis I. and +the queen Aahmes-Nefer-Ari. It is ornamented with representations of +various foods, including vases of figs. In this neighbourhood are a +few more tablets, including one on which are jars, water-fowl, and +bread cakes, (596) and a fragment upon which the head of a king is +traceable, marked 595. The visitor should also notice now the two +early Saracenic tombstones presented by Dr. Bowring. Having examined +these, the more remarkable of the sepulchral tablets, or tombstones of +the ancient Egyptians, the visitor, still lingering amid the funereal +relics of long ages ago, should turn to the + +EGYPTIAN SEPULCHRAL VASES. + +As we explained when the visitor was in the Egyptian room, better +known as the Mummy room, up stairs, in the course of his second visit, +the ancient Egyptians, when they embalmed their dead, extracted the +viscera, and deposited them, apart from the body, in four vases, over +which the genii of the dead severally presided. Thus every mummy had, +properly, four sepulchral vases; and the collection arranged in the +saloon amply illustrates the varieties of ornament expended upon them. +As the visitor has probably forgotten the particular parts assigned +separately to the genii, it may be well to repeat here that Amset (who +is human-headed,) had the stomach and large intestines under his +especial protection Tuautmutf with his jackal-head presided over the +heart and lungs; Kebhsnuf, with the fierce head of the widely +worshipped hawk, took the gall, bladder, and liver, in charge; while +the baboon-headed Hapi reserved to himself the care of the small +intestines. There does not appear to have been any supernatural +protector of the brains, which, as we have noticed, were drawn through +the nose by the embalmer. These vases are of the most ancient times, +chiefly before the advent of Alexander, after which event the people +began to enclose the entrails of their dead in wax cloths, and +fastening to the various parts the appropriate genius, to have been +content to deposit them in the same case with the body. The vases +which the visitor is about to examine are carved in different +materials, the more costly and highly finished being of arragonite, +and the less important, in wood, stone, or clay. They are all +ornamented with appropriate inscriptions, consisting of exhortations +of the deities to the dead, or comforting syllables from the genii of +the intestines to the departed. The visitor will not care to examine +all these vases in detail, nor would any purpose be served were the +unscientific spectator to hover in this corner for a whole day; it is +sufficient for him to understand the passage these vases occupy in the +ancient history of Egypt, and to notice cursorily the degree of +excellence displayed in the manufacture of them. He will find the +hawk-head of Kebhsnuf in one direction, and the baboon-head of Hapi in +another, and from these pictorial revelations he will know what part +of a deceased Egyptian was deposited in each vase. + +With these preliminary words we may leave him to examine the +collection, reserving to ourselves the task of pointing his attention +to one or two of the more remarkable specimens. First let the visitor +notice the complete set of four, in arragonite, marked 614-17. These +were for the internal parts of prince Amen-em-api, the eldest son of +Rameses II., and as the visitor will notice, have severally their +presiding genius, with sacred inscriptions. Another remarkable vase is +that in arragonite marked 609, with its cover fashioned in the form of +a human head, and the remains of an inscription which had been laid on +with a thick kind of colour. That marked 629 with the jackal-head of +Tuantmutf, bears an inscription in which the standard-bearer of Plato +named Hara, part of whose body was inclosed, is reminded that the +genius attends him. One (635) of arragonite has a green waxy paint, +and belonged to a royal bow-bearer of the nineteenth dynasty, named +Renfu. There is another complete set, which do not appear to have been +opened, marked 636-39. The arragonite vases are the most expensive, +and, as we have remarked the most highly finished; but the visitor may +notice also those in coarser material. + +Having sufficiently examined these vases, the visitor may take a +general glance at the contents of the saloon, and prepare to examine +the Sphinxes, and colossal figures that are crowded into it. In these +he will recognise only colossal copies of many of the little figures +he saw in the Mummy room up stairs. He will see huge granite +representations of the strange gods and goddesses to which the +ancients devoutly knelt; and in many of these forms he will trace a +placid beauty that reveals often the soul of the sculptor fettered by +the strange formulas of his religion. The visitor having examined the +high reliefs on the tablets and sepulchral monuments of the ancient +Egyptians, has now to examine the specimens that remain of their +statuary. But first of + +EGYPTIAN HUMAN STATUES. + +In viewing cursorily the statuary of the ancient Egyptians, the +investigator is first struck with the colossal proportions adopted by +their sculptors. In those days, when iron was unknown, and when bronze +was the manufactured metal, men contrived without the use of +gunpowder, to remove vast masses of granite from their quarries, and +to shape these masses into the form they chose. Had they a hero to +whom they would pay honour? Forthwith his figure was immortalised in +colossal granite. How these vast masses, when separated from the rock, +and chiselled into statues, were removed to their destination in the +court, or at the entrance of a temple, is a point not satisfactorily +determined. That thousands of lives were spent, year after year, in +the production of the vast monuments which now lie scattered in +confusion about the valley of the Nile is certain; and some men +contemplate this large expenditure of human muscle upon these rude +masses, with a gentle melancholy that is not altogether called for. +There was a spirit in the work that made it noble. And here it is well +that the visitor shall see the opinion of a man whose conclusions were +based upon profound erudition in his art, on the subject of ancient +Egyptian art, artistically viewed. In his lectures on sculpture, +Flaxman says, "Their (the Egyptian) statues are divided into seven +heads and a half, the whole weight of the figure is divided into two +equal parts at the _ospubis_, the rest of the proportions are natural +and not disagreeable. The principal forms of the body and limbs, as +the breasts, belly, shoulders, biceps of the arm, knees, shin-bones, +and feet, are expressed with a fleshy roundness, although without +anatomical knowledge of detail; and in the female figures these parts +often possess considerable elegance and beauty. The forms of the +female face have much the same outline and progression towards beauty +in the features as we see in some of the early Greek statues, and, +like them, without variety of character; for little difference can be +traced in the faces of Isis, in her representations of Diana, Venus, +or Terra, or indeed in Osiris, although sometimes understood to be +Jupiter himself, excepting that in some instances he has a very small +beard, in form resembling a peg. The hands and feet, like the rest of +the figure, have general forms only, without particular detail; the +fingers and toes are flat, of equal thickness, little separated, and +without distinction of the knuckles; yet, altogether, their simplicity +of idea, breadths of parts, and occasional beauty of form, strike the +skilful beholder, and have been highly praised by the best judges, +ancient and modern. In their basso-relievos and paintings, which +require variety of action and situation, are demonstrated their want +of anatomical, mechanical, and geometrical science, relating to the +arts of painting and sculpture. The king, or hero, is three times +larger than the other figures; whatever is the action, whether a +siege, a battle, or taking a town by storm, there is not the smallest +idea of perspective in the place, or magnitude of figures or +buildings. Figures intended to be in violent action are equally +destitute of joints, and other anatomical form, as they are of the +balance and spring of motion, the force of a blow, or the just variety +of line in the turning figure. In a word, their historical art was +informing the beholder in the best manner they could, according to the +rude characters they were able to make. From such a description it is +easy to understand how much their attempts at historical +representation were inferior to their single statues. What has been +hitherto said of Egyptian sculpture, describes the ancient native +sculpture of that people. After the Ptolemies, successors of Alexander +the Great, were kings of Egypt, their sculpture was enlivened by +Grecian animation, and refined by the standard of Grecian beauty in +proportions, attitude, character, and dress. Osiris, Isis, and Orus, +their three great divinities, put on the Macedonian costume; and new +divinities appeared amongst them in Grecian forms, whose +characteristics were compounded from materials of Egyptian, Eastern, +and Grecian theology and philosophy." + +First, to give the visitor an idea of the magnitude of the colossi of +the ancient Egyptians, let him notice from the southern extremity of +the saloon the gigantic cast of the face of Sesostris, placed against +the southern wall of the central saloon. This face is a cast from a +colossal statue of that great king of the Egyptians, which was one of +four discovered by the energetic Belzoni, in front of the great temple +of Ibsamboul in Nubia. It is a sitting figure, fifty feet high. These +colossal figures of the great Egyptian monarch were plentiful +throughout Egypt. As the visitor stands before this fragment of a +stupendous piece of sculpture, he may recall to mind the points in the +career of Giovanni Battista Belzoni. First, the boy helping his father +to shave the beards of the Paduans; then the young adventurer flushed +with hope, jogging on his way to Rome; then the grave young man, with +his vast physical development shrouded in the monkish habit; then, in +1800, when Napoleon was busy in Italy, the monkish garments thrown +aside, he wanders about the continent, stared at everywhere for his +size and strength of limb; then as lecturer on hydraulic machinery, +and exhibitor of feats of strength at Astley's Theatre; then, under +the patronage of the Pasha, constructing a machine to water some +gardens on the banks of the Nile; then engaged by the English Consul +in Egypt, Mr. Salt, to prosecute some of the investigations into the +monuments of antiquity, upon which that gentleman was expending much +time and money; and here he is for the first time recognised in his +true position. Of his labours as explorer of the tombs and temples of +ancient Egypt few people are ignorant. How, dressed as a Turk, he +transported the colossal granite bust of Memnon to Alexandria, and saw +it safely on its way to England; how he penetrated into the Temple of +Ibsamboul; how he patiently explored the rocks of the valley of +Beban-el-Malouk, beyond Thebes to discover the entrances to tombs, and +took exact copies of the thousands of figures he discovered upon +sepulchral walls; how he penetrated into the bowels of the pyramid of +Cephrenes, and found in the inmost chamber only the bones of a sacred +bull; how he was honoured on his return to his native city; and how a +desolate grave on an African shore was the end of his chapter--are +matters of exciting adventure that are read by thousands of young +people in the present day. + +The visitor will see a strong family likeness in the colossal heads +that are in the saloon. Proceeding northward from the southern end of +the saloon, the visitor may rapidly notice the colossal fragments of +the statues of kings and high officers, which are all distinctly +marked. First, let the visitor examine two colossal heads (4-6), +wearing the kingly head-covering, and said to resemble the features of +Amenophis III., which were excavated under the superintendence of Mr. +Salt, at Gournah; and then the visitor may turn to a fragment marked +9, which is a colossal fist, found among the ruins of Memphis by the +French, and which fell, together with other valuable relics, into the +possession of the English on the capitulation of Alexandria in 1801. +This fist may well excite the admiration and respect of the most +determined pugilist of the present day. Hereabouts also are a +remarkable monument (12) found in the ruins of Karnak under the +superintendence of Mr. Salt, placed upon a white stone pedestal in an +angle of the wall of the great temple, and showing on each of its +sides representations of Thothmes III. of the 18th dynasty, holding +the hands of deities, said by some to be the moat curious specimen of +Egyptian bas-relief in the Museum; a fractured colossus (14) in black +granite, from Thebes, supposed to be part of a statue of Amenophis +III.; the colossal head (15) discovered at Karnak by Belzoni in 1818, +supposed to represent the features of Thothmes III.; the head and +upper part of a statue of Sesostris, known as the Young Memnon. Before +this, the most celebrated of the Egyptian specimens in the saloon, the +visitor should pause to learn something of it, and notice its +peculiarities for himself. Its name, 'Memnon,' is that given by the +Greeks to many of the colossi which they saw scattered about the +country when they made their way into Egypt. Memnon was the name given +by the ancient Greek writers to an Egyptian hero who had a great +reputation for his conquests, and was said to have done his share of +work in the famous Trojan war. This name having been given +indiscriminately to various statues, conveys no proof of their +identity, since it represents only a mythical hero, whose fame reached +Greece many centuries before our hero. Generally, this young Memnon is +held to be a portrait of the great Sesostris, who was either the first +or second Rameses; but some authorities declare that the weight of +evidence goes in favour of Amenophis III., who was a pharaoh, or +monarch, flourishing more than fourteen centuries before Christ. It is +certain, however, that we have here a carefully-elaborated portrait of +an Egyptian hero who flourished many centuries before our era. The +features have all the prominent parts noticed by writers on Egyptian +sculpture as characteristic of the Egyptian style. Here are the +wonderfully high and prominent ears (which must have been invaluable +peculiarities to Egyptian wits), the thick Ethiopian lips, the coarse +nose, and the full eyes, all carefully and skilfully chiselled. +Certainly, when we recall the time, realise fully the antiquity and +the social state in which this great work was performed, we may see +the sculptor's dawning soul in the majestic repose of this head. The +lines are hard and stiff--have not the flow of the Parthenon +decorations; but here is nothing mean or poor,--all large, solid, and +carved with the force of a giant. The picturesque accounts of its +transmission from the Memnonium at Thebes to Alexandria are familiar +to the majority of readers, with the great Belzoni, with his +marvellous strength and energy, urging on the workmen. "I cannot help +observing," he tells us, "that it was no easy undertaking to put a +piece of granite of such bulk and weight on board a boat that, if it +received the weight on one side, would immediately upset; and, what is +more, this was to be done without the smallest help of any mechanical +contrivance, even a single tackle, and only with four poles and ropes, +as the water was about eighteen feet below the bank where the head was +to descend. The causeway I had made gradually sloped to the edge of +the water, close to the boat, and with the four poles I formed a +bridge from the bank into the centre of the boat, so that when the +weight bore on the bridge it pressed only on the centre of the boat. +The bridge rested partly on the causeway, partly on the side of the +boat, and partly on the centre of it. On the opposite side of the boat +I put some mats well filled with straw. I necessarily stationed a few +Arabs in the boat, and some at each side, with a lever of palm-wood, +as I had nothing else. At the middle of the bridge I put a sack filled +with sand, that, if the Colossus should run too fast into the boat, it +might be stopped. In the ground behind the Colossus I had a piece of a +palm-tree planted, round which a rope was twisted, and then fastened +to its ear, to let it descend gradually. I set a lever at work on each +side; at the same time that the men in the boat were pulling, others +were slackening the ropes, and others shifting the rollers as the +Colossus advanced. + +"Thus it descended gradually from the mainland to the causeway, when +it sunk a good deal, as the causeway was made of fresh earth. This, +however, I did not regret, as it was better that it should be so, than +that it should run too fast towards the water; for I had to consider +that if this piece of antiquity should fall into the Nile, my return +to Europe would not be very welcome, particularly to the antiquaries; +though I have reason to believe that some among the great body of its +scientific men would rather have seen it sunk in the Nile than where +it is now deposited. However, it went smoothly on board. The Arabs, +who were unanimously of opinion that it would go to the bottom of the +river, or crush the boat, were all attention, as if anxious to know +the result, as well as to know how the operation was to be performed: +and when the owner of the boat, who considered it as consigned to +perdition, witnessed my success, and saw the huge piece of stone, as +he called it, safely on board, he came and squeezed me heartily by the +hand." + +On the back of the statue are hieroglyphics describing the titles of +Rameses. Marked 21, is a colossal black granite statue of the third +Amenophis, also called Memnon, found also at Thebes in the year 1818. +The next remarkable object to which the visitor's attention may be +drawn is the sandstone statue of a monarch of the 19th dynasty, known +as Leti Menephta II. (26), found at Karnak by Mrs. Belzoni. Here the +characteristics of ancient Egyptian sculpture are strictly preserved, +the figure having the arms close to the body, the hands resting upon +the knees, and in the hands an altar, upon which is a ram's head. +Hereabouts, also, is the lower part of a kneeling statue of Sesostris, +supporting an altar, with the scarabaeus, or sacred beetle. Of the age +of the 18th dynasty (of which Amenophis III. was the most notable +monarch) is the restored group marked 29, which represents a guardian +of the temple of Amenra and his wife, seated upon a throne ornamented +with dedications to various deities. Having glanced at the limestone +bust (30), from Gournah, of a statue to a king, the visitor may turn +to a group (31) which represents an ecclesiastic, with his sister (who +is a priestess), and his little son, a priest to Amenophis II.--the +sister holding a bunch of lotus flowers. This group was found in a +tomb near Thebes. A headless statue, marked 35, with red colouring +matter upon it, extracted from a sepulchre in the neighbourhood of the +pyramids of Gizeh, is the next remarkable object deserving the general +visitor's notice; and hereabouts, also, is another group, in the old +Egyptian style (36), of an officer seated beside a female relation. +Passing some remarkable objects which remain for notice under a +separate head, and the lower part of a statue of Sesostris from Abydos +(42), the visitor should next pause before a figure marked 43. This +black granite statue is that of a queen of the 18th dynasty, and +mother of the great Amenophis III. She is represented, as the visitor +will perceive, seated upon a throne. A vulture, in an Athor-headed +boat, hovers over her; and upon the boat the learned may read her name +and dignities. Passing the upper part of a grey granite statue, +representing a king, probably of the 12th dynasty (44), which was +found in the neighbourhood of Gizeh, the visitor should halt before +the statue of an Egyptian scribe, marked 46. This sitting figure is +loaded with symbols. The pectoral plate suspended from his neck +describes the dignities of the great Sesostris; in his right hand is a +symbol of life, and in his left he holds a blade of corn. Near the +scribe the visitor will notice a heavily-draped figure of black +basalt, with the arms solemnly crossed, which was excavated from +behind the Memnon at Thebes. This statue represents a military chief +of the early part of the 18th dynasty, named Banofre. The figure +numbered 51 is that of a prince named Anebta, who lived in the 18th +dynasty: it is of calcareous stone, and was found at Thebes. The two +next statues are those of a royal scribe of the 19th dynasty, and an +officer connected with the libations to the god Amen-ra, both from +Thebes. Two fragments, marked respectively 54 and 55, are the feet of +a statue, and a colossal arm in red granite belonging to the colossal +head, conjectured to be that of Thothmes III., found in the sand in +the Karnak part of Thebes. Having examined these ponderous fragments, +the visitor should next notice the colossal red granite statue of +Sesostris found at Karnak (61), the kingly rank of the monarch being +marked by the hat and the royal apron; and the upper part of a statue +of the same monarch wearing the Pschent or crown of the Pharaohs, and +holding a crook and whip. The small statue of Bet-mes, a state officer +of the sixth dynasty, found in a tomb at Gizeh, is remarkable for its +extraordinary antiquity; and in this neighbourhood, also, is a statue +of an Ethiopian prince of the time of the great Rameses, named Pah-ur, +which was found by Belzoni in Nubia. The figure is kneeling, and +holding an altar. Passing the fragment, in grey granite, of a monarch +of the 18th dynasty (75), the visitor may pause before another object +taken from the French (81). It is the statue, from Karnak, of a high +priest of Amen-ra, seated, holding an ear of corn, and, like his +companions in stone, resting his arms upon his knees. Another +fragment, of green basalt, may be passed (83), which is from a +comparatively modern statue--that of a chamberlain in the reign of +Apries, of the 26th dynasty; and then the visitor should pause before +a white stone statue of the Ptolemaic period (92), which represents a +priest of the god Chons, or Hercules, holding an altar upon which is a +figure of the god; and hereabouts, also, he may remark another +specimen of white stone sculpture, being the colossal bust of a queen +of the 18th or 19th dynasty (93). Passing another fragment of a statue +of the great Rameses, the visitor should next direct his attention to +a dark granite statue, mutilated, of a high military officer, supposed +to have flourished about the 12th dynasty. Among other fragments +hereabouts, the visitor should not fail to examine the fragment (104) +found in Alexandria, at the base of Pompey's Pillar, upon which are +clearly traceable the figure of the great Rameses, being crowned by +divinities, and a list of his dignities; the red granite colossal fist +(106), presented to the Museum by Earl Spencer; and a curious +fragment, which represents parts of a royal scribe, with his writing +slab attached to his leg (103). Passing the curious double statue +(110), of a State officer of the time of the eleventh Rameses, the +visitor should once more halt before a basalt statue of a functionary +(111), of the 26th dynasty, found in 1785, in the Natron Lakes, near +Rosetta, and a granite group (113), representing, side by side, a +chief, and a royal nurse, with the chief's daughter. Amid another +group of fragments, the visitor should remark particularly an +arragonite torso (121); the upper part of an officer, holding a +standard (122); and a red granite bust of a monarch wearing the neumis +(125). A small black basalt statue, of the period of the 26th dynasty +(134) should be noticed. The figure, that of a palace officer, is +kneeling, and has dedications to the deities. Further on is a statue +of the third Thothmes, of the 18th dynasty (168), the head of which +has been restored. Here the visitor should remark the nine bows which +symbolise the enemies of the Egyptians. Having thus far noticed the +collection of statuary which represent human beings, the visitor will +gladly turn to those strange revelations of the ancient Egyptian mind +developed in the + +EGYPTIAN SPHINXES. + +In these strange conglomerations of various races of animals--the +lions with human heads and hawks' heads--there is generally preserved +that majestic repose, and that mighty force of execution, which rescue +the most incomprehensible of the ancient Egyptian monuments from +contempt. Not at all farcical or barbarous could the effect have been, +when the Egyptian approached his place of worship through an avenue +formed by rows of these colossal sphinxes--all grandly fashioned and +full of majesty. Mr. Long says: "Most speculations on the origin of +the compound figure, called a sphinx, appear unsatisfactory; nor, +indeed, is it an easy matter for the modern inhabitants of Western +Europe to conceive what is meant by the symbolical forms which enter +so largely into the ancient religious systems of the Eastern world. It +seems to us altogether an assumption without proof, that either the +andro-sphinx, or the sphinx with the female head, ought to be +considered as the original type of this compound figure. The sphinx +differs from other compound figures, which occur very often in the +Egyptian pictorial representations, in always having the body of a +lion, or, it may be, a panther, or some such animal as might be +considered a symbol of strength and courage. The whole history of our +species bears testimony to that tendency of the human mind, when not +restrained and guided by better knowledge, to pourtray in some visible +form its conceptions of Deity. However far many superior minds of the +heathen world might advance, in deducing from the contemplation of all +around them more correct views of the goodness and wisdom of an +all-ruling power, these were ideas far too refined for the mass, who +felt the want of something more apparent to the senses--something on +which the mind could repose from vain imaginings and real fears. Hence +the Deity was invested with various forms of familiar objects, under +which he was venerated as a protector and friend, or feared as an +avenging and angry power. Under the form of a ram, and the name of +Ammon, we find a deity worshipped along the banks of the Nile, from +the temple of the ancient Meroe to the sand-girt oasis of Siwah. The +mild and benignant expression of the sacred ram would indicate the +diffusion of tranquillity and peace, nor would the essential value of +the symbol be changed by finding the head of the ram placed on human +shoulders, or attached to the body of a lion. In the first case it +would, in accordance with the Egyptian tradition of gods having +assumed the forms of animals, commemorate, as in the Hindoo mythology, +an incarnation of the superior power; and in the second, the union of +strength and courage with mildness and the arts of peace. The +crio-sphinx, then, belongs to the Ammonian mythology, and is a +distinct symbol from the andro-sphinx and female sphinx, which, +probably, are connected with the worship of Osiris and Isis." +Something of the effect may be comprehended from the two large red +granite lions which mark the southern boundary of the saloon (1-34.) +They are of the time of the third Amenophis, and were discovered at +Mount Barkal by Lord Prudhoe, in 1829. As specimens of the mechanical +skill of ancient Egyptian sculptors, they are worth particular remark. +Here there is little of that angular stiffness characteristic of the +statues the visitor has already examined. And now, making one more +progress through the saloon, the visitor may rapidly notice the +varieties of strange animal forms--all of which, in ancient Egypt, had +their religious meaning. They were, at all events, symbols of divine +instincts, and for this reason a deep interest rises in the modern +mind in the contemplation of their proportions and expression. The +figure numbered 7 is a colossal head of a ram, emblematic of Amen-ra; +that numbered 8, is Hapi, the god of the Nile of the period of the +22nd dynasty, with allegorical waterfowl and plants hanging from the +altar he is holding; two strange figures of gryphons, or hawk-headed +sphinxes, found by Belzoni in the great temple of Ibsamboul (11-13), +and emblematic or Munt-ra, will next engage the visitor's attention; +and from these specimens the visitor should turn to a black granite +fragment of the Egyptian Diana--Pasht, of the time of Amenophis; but +as he will have an opportunity of observing more finished +representations of this popular divinity, he may at once pause before +a second statue of this goddess, also of the time of the third +Amenophis (37), where Pasht is represented in black granite, upon a +throne, with the head of a lion, and in her hand the emblem of life. +Hereabouts, also, are two specimens of the strange cynocephalus, or +dog-headed baboon (38-40), sacred to the Hercules and Mercury of the +Egyptian Pantheon. The figures marked 41-45 are two more specimens of +Pasht, who appears to have been the most popular subject for the +Egyptian sculptor's chisel; these are erect figures, holding lotus +sceptres, and are both from Karnak. The figures marked 49, 50, 52, 53, +57, are all representations of the popular Pasht; in 52 she wears the +disk of the sun. And now the visitor may well pause before a fragment +marked 58. This is a piece of the beard of the Great Sphinx. Peeping +above the sands which surround the famous pyramids of Gizeh, is the +upper part of a man-headed sphinx. This sphinx is said to measure no +less than 62 feet in height, and 143 feet in length; this Colossus has +been plucked by the beard, and the result lies before the visitor. +Hereabouts, in passing, the visitor may glance at another object +wrested from the hands of the French (59). It is a fragment of a +column in porphyry, supporting a colossal areonite hawk, sacred to the +sun. More statues of Pasht! (60, 62, 63, of the 22nd dynasty; 65, 68, +69). A column found in a house at Cairo, the capital of which is +formed in the shape of a lotus flower (64), deserves notice; also +(70), the basalt statue of a god, conjectured to be Amen-ra, holding a +small figure of a monarch of the 28th dynasty. More statues of Pasht +(71, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9; 80, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9); and then the visitor may pause +before the colossal scarabaeus, emblematic of the world and creation +(74); and a broken sphinx, of Roman work (82). Not far off are +deposited the legs of Truth (91), the goddess Ma of the Egyptians; +some altars from Aboukir and Sais, that marked 135, from the Temple of +Berenice, having steps leading to it; entrances to tombs (157), +ornamented with figures; and more statues of Pasht, amongst them a +colossal bust from a statue (521). + +Having noticed these specimens, the visitor should pass into the lobby +at the northern end of the saloon, to notice the two small obelisks +placed here, brought from Cairo; they stood before a temple to Thoth. +The hieroglyphics upon them are carefully executed, but these +specimens give the spectator no idea of the colossal obelisks of +ancient Egypt, of which that of Alexandria, 63 feet high, is a fair +specimen. These obelisks were generally in pairs, and were placed on +each side of the great entrance to Egyptian temples. Having returned +to the saloon, the visitor should, before finally passing from it, +notice the famous tablet of Abydos (117), found by Mr. Banks, in 1818, +in the Temple of Abydos. It is the work of the great Sesostris, and +the inscription on it is a record of his predecessors in the kingly +office: hence it has been long an attractive object to chronologists. +Also, before glancing at the few paintings, and closing the +examination of this interesting saloon, the visitor should inspect the +Rosetta stone (24), inscribed in three characters (of which one is +Greek), by order of the high priests, recording the services of the +fifth Ptolemy. And now, with a glance at the + +EGYPTIAN FRESCOES, + +the visitor should rapidly close his survey of this chamber. These are +rude performances enough, and, as the visitor will see, bear a close +resemblance to those we introduced to him in the Egyptian rooms up +stairs. Mr. Long, while on the subject of Egyptian art, thus mentions +their paintings:--"Sculpture and painting were closely allied, both +among the Egyptians and in the old schools of Greece; and both arts +were intimately associated with architecture. Sculptured and coloured +figures formed in ancient Egyptian edifices the decoration and the +finish of the larger masses of the architecture which served as a +framework within which they were placed. The edifices, from their +massy forms and the magnitude of their component parts, were well +calculated to produce a general impression of grandeur; and this was +not destroyed by the smaller decorated parts, which were always +strictly subordinate to the general design, and were not, like it, +comprehended at a glance, but required to be studied in detail. + +"Painting, in the proper sense of the term, that of the +representations of objects by colours on the flat surface, appears to +be an art of less antiquity than that of sculpture. The Egyptians +probably first coloured their reliefs and statues before they +attempted to represent objects with colours on a flat ground. But, +however this may be, paint was most extensively used by them, not only +in making pictures, properly so called, but in painting the surfaces +of tablets and temples, as well as colossal statues and sculptured +figures of all kinds and sizes. Indeed, an Egyptian temple, in its +complete state, bedizened with so many bright unmixed colours, must +have been rather a curious object, and would hardly, perhaps, have +pleased the taste of modern times; though, it must be admitted, that +the effect of these colours under a brilliant sun would be very +different from their appearance in such a climate as this. The +pureness, permanence, and brilliancy of Egyptian colouring are the +only qualities that we can admire; for they never, apparently, +compounded colours so as to produce a greater variety from the simple +colours. It has also been frequently remarked that they did not soften +them off so as to form various degrees of intensity, or to make any +attempt at contrasts of light and shade. This is probably true as to +the representation of human figures, which are coloured pretty much in +the same style that a child paints uncoloured engravings, making one +part all red, another all blue, and so on, without any softening of +the colours at their common boundary. But in the representation of +animals, as we shall afterwards observe, more care was taken in +softening and blenching the colours, so as to produce a better +representation of nature. + +"The colours used in the painted relief, and on the stuccoes are +black, blue, red, green, and yellow; these are always kept distinct +and never blended. Of blue, they used both a darker and a lighter +shade. Red was used to represent the human flesh, apparently from its +being nearer the natural tint than any other simple colour; but many +of their colours were evidently applied with a conventional meaning, +for the representation of different races. The conquered people +represented in the great temple of Abonsambel, or Ipsambul, have +yellow bodies and black beards. In the grottoes of El Cab, the men are +red, and the women yellow. Black men also sometimes appear in the +paintings. The five colours above enumerated seldom occur all in one +piece or picture; but in this matter there is perhaps no general rule. +The Nubian temples have often a very rich colouring, as in the case of +one at Kalapsché, where yellow, green, red, and blue, have all been +used in painting the reliefs in one of the inner chambers; and in some +single figures in this temple we may observe all these four colours. + +"The materials of which the colours were made would no doubt change +with the improvements in the arts; and after the Macedonian occupation +of the country, new colours, both vegetable and mineral, may have been +introduced. But the tombs of the kings at Thebes may undoubtedly be +considered as containing specimens of ancient Egyptian colouring, as +well as the painted reliefs in the oldest temples, and the colourings +about the ancient mummies. By a careful examination of these +specimens, we may attain a very adequate knowledge of the materials +used, and of the mode of applying them." The first of these frescoes +(169-170-1) are from the walls of a tomb of the western Hills of +Thebes. The tomb is that of a scribe of the royal granaries and +wardrobe, and the pictures represent the inspection of oxen by +scribes, a scribe standing in a boat, the registration of the +delivering of ducks and geese and their eggs. The fragment marked 175 +represents an entertainment, with female instrumental performers; here +(176) an old man is leaning upon a staff near a cornfield; there (177) +is the square fish-pond woefully deficient in prospective; there is a +second entertainment (179), where the wine is freely circulating; +dancing is going on to music--the picture of a social evening enjoyed +thousands of years ago; and here, at a third entertainment (181), +servants are bringing in wine and necklaces--a kind of hospitality to +which, as regards the latter object, modern ladies would in no way +object. The ancient Egyptian ladies had their bouquets, their +ornaments, and their couches, and exacted a plainness of costume from +their servants, as in the present time. On passing south from the +Egyptian Saloon, between the two great lions, the visitor at once +gains the central saloon, but without pausing here, or turning to the +right into the tempting Phigalian and Elgin Saloons, he should proceed +rapidly on his way to the south-western extremity of the building, at +which point he will find himself at the entrance to the + +LYCIAN ROOM. + +In a few preliminary words we may indicate the points of Lycian +history. Situated in Asia Minor, Lycia is said to have taken its name +from the Athenian prince Lycus, who conquered it, and laid it open to +his countrymen. This Greek period of its history was interrupted by +Cyrus, who added it to the Persian empire about five centuries and a +half before our era; it was only regained about two centuries after by +Alexander the Great. It subsequently became a Roman province, then +yielded to the Byzantine empire, and now owns the rule of the Turk. +This eventful history gives an interest to the country that has +excited the curiosity of the learned for ages. The period of its +greatest prosperity ensued upon its being reconquered by Alexander, +when it included no less than seventy cities, of which Xanthus was the +capital. Of all these cities, only scattered ruins under Turkish +villages now remain. Of Lycian remains it may be said nothing was +known before Sir Charles Fellows started on his exploring expedition +in 1838. One or two travellers had made some scattered observations +with regard to the sites of ancient Lycian towns before that time, and +their hints first drew the attention of the learned in this direction; +but, we repeat, it cannot be said that anything was known of Lycian +remains before Sir Charles pressed the soil of Asia Minor, and looked +about for the sites of some of the seventy towns mentioned in ancient +history. He succeeding in fixing the sites of many of the cities, +including Xanthus, and on his return to England prevailed upon the +government to send out vessels to bring home the remains he saw +scattered about the rocky site of the ancient Lycian metropolis. +Messrs. Spratt and Forbes subsequently added eighteen sites of towns +to the list made by Sir Charles. The collection of sculpture now +popularly known as the Xanthian marbles, are a few ruins gleaned from +the rocky eminence which is the site of ancient Xanthus. These +fragmentary remains of an ancient people consist chiefly of sculptures +from their temples and their tombs; upon which, like the Egyptians, +they appear to have expended a vast amount of labour, and to have +employed their greatest artists. The Greek mind is clearly traceable +in these Xanthian marbles,--the Greek imbued with local traditions and +feelings. The first object that will attract the visitor's attention +on entering the room, is the most remarkable of + + +LYCIAN TOMBS, + +called the Harpy Tomb. This tomb, which occupied the highest point of +the hill on which Xanthus stood, is described by Sir Charles Fellows +in his account of the Xanthian marbles, published in 1843. The tomb +was a square shaft, in one solid block, weighing no less than eighty +tons. "Its height," says Sir Charles, "was seventeen feet, placed upon +a base, rising on one side six feet from the ground, on the other but +little above the present level of the earth. Around the sides of the +top of the shaft were ranged bas-reliefs in white marble, about three +feet three inches high; upon these rested a capstone, apparently a +series of stones, one projecting over the other; but these are cut in +one block, probably fifteen or twenty tons in weight. Within the top +of the shaft was hollowed out a chamber, which, with the bas-relief +sides, was seven feet six inches high, and seven feet square. This +singular chamber had probably been, in the early ages of Christianity, +the cell of an anchorite, perhaps a disciple of Simeon Stylites, whose +name was derived from his habitation, which, I believe, we have +generally translated as meaning a column, but which was more probably +a _stele_ like this. The traces of the religious paintings and +monograms of this holy man still remain upon the backs of the marble +of the bas-reliefs." By reference to the model of the tomb, of which +the bas-reliefs are in the room (1), the visitor may verify the +remarks of Sir Charles, who goes on to say that the monument was never +finished, having been only half polished, and that it bears the traces +of a shake from an earthquake. The general conjecture is that the tomb +is the labour of a Lycian Greek sculptor. The subjects of the +bas-reliefs have been variously interpreted: they decorated, as the +visitor will perceive by reference to the model, the four sides of a +square shaft. First, let the visitor turn to the western face, marked +(B). Here the scene represented is supposed to be Juno holding a cup +before the sacred cow Io, and Epaphus, Aphrodite, and the three +Charites, which have been interpreted also as the three Seasons, and +the Erinnyes or Furies. The eastern side marked (A), is supposed to +represent Tantalus, bringing the golden dog stolen from Crete to +Pandarus in Lycia: Neptune seated, with a man leaning on a crutch, and +a boy offering a bird before him, and Amymone and Amphitrite behind +him; and AEsculapius seated with Telesphorus in front, and two of the +Graces behind him. The northern side (C), shows at the corners, two +Harpies making off with two of the daughters of Pandarus, while their +sister Aedon, on her knees, is deploring their abduction. Here, too, +is a god seated, conjectured to be Pluto, holding a helmet with the +help of another figure, and having a wild animal under his chair. The +south side (D), discloses two Harpies bearing off the daughters of +Pandarus; and in the centre is a god, to whom a female figure is +offering a dove. By the side of these bas-reliefs, the visitor cannot +fail to remark the tomb of a Satrap of Lycia from Xanthus. From the +fact of horses being clearly traceable among the figures sculptured +upon this interesting relic, Sir Charles Fellows christened it the +Horse Tomb, and by this appellation it is popularly known. Its strange +shape, with its highly decorated roof and plain base, makes it an +object of curiosity to most visitors. It appears to be of the time of +the Persian dominion in Lycia, and was, as two inscriptions record, +erected by the satrap Paiafa. Upon the roof are groups of fighting +warriors, and at each side are figures in chariots and four. Sphinxes +occur in the lower sculptures, and on the north side below, is a mixed +combat of foot and horse soldiers; and the Satrap Paiafa himself, +attended by four figures, is here represented. The roof is drained by +water-spouts in the shape of lion's heads. The visitor, having now +examined the two most remarkable remains of Lycian tombs in the room, +should rapidly notice the fragments of sepulchres placed here and +there, but legibly numbered. First, let him remark (17-21), a frieze +conjectured to be from a tomb found inserted in the wall of the +Acropolis of Xanthus. Here he will find in bas-relief a procession +consisting of a horse and horseman, priest and priestesses with wands, +an armed female figure, and two chariots, with youthful charioteers +and old men. A triangular fragment of a tomb will next occupy his +attention (23); this has distinct vestiges of colour, and represents a +male and female figure separated by an Ionic column, surmounted by an +harpy, and other fragments in the immediate neighbourhood; (24-27) +have representations of the Sphinx, with a woman's head, wings, and +the body of a lion, as the daughter of the Chimaera, from the Xanthian +Acropolis. A curious relic is the _Soros_, discovered placed on the +top of one of the Xanthian pillar tombs. Here, amongst the +bas-reliefs, the visitor will notice a man stabbing an erect lion; a +lion playing with its young; and a figure on horseback followed by a +pedestrian; and on the next fragment (32), a lioness is again +represented fondling her progeny. The roof of a tomb (143), closely +resembling that which covers the Horse Tomb, is worth observing. It is +part of the tomb of an individual named Merewe, from Xanthus, and the +scenes represented include that of an entertainment, divinities, and +sphinxes, warlike encounters, and on the sides Bellerophon attacking +the Chimaera. Those casts marked (145-149), may next engage the +visitor's attention. They were taken from a tomb carved in solid rock +at Pinara, and include the frieze, upon which warriors are carved +leading captives, the walls representing a walled city, and the +Gorgons' heads which decorated the extremities of the dentals. The +three next casts that demand particular remark (150-152), were taken +from the decorations of a rock tomb at Cadyanda. To the learned these +groups are particularly interesting, because the figures are +accompanied with inscriptions in the Greek, as well as the pure Lycian +language. The first cast is that from the panel of the tomb door, upon +which Talas is represented standing: the second represents a group of +females; and the third an ancient entertainment with figures reclining +on couches with children; a figure playing the double flute, and to +the right a nude figure called Hecatomnas. Six casts from tombs +hereabouts (153-6), exhibit inscriptions, two of which are in two +languages--the Lycian and the Greek, declaring that the owners have +built the tombs for themselves and their relations; the second marked +156, in the Lycian language, expresses a threat that a fine will be +imposed on any person who may violate the tomb. Bellerophon, riding on +Pegasus, may be remarked launching his dart at the Chimaera, upon the +cast (158); nymphs are dancing upon the gable end marked (160); and +upon that marked (161), which is a cast from the gable end of a tomb +discovered at Xanthus, near the Chimaera tomb, two lions are +represented devouring a bull. The casts of the sculptures which +decorate an ancient rock tomb at Myra, are interesting. Here a young +man, attended by a boy, is offering a flower to a veiled woman, +attended by two women; in another part a boy attends with wine upon a +figure, conjectured to be that of Pluto, and a veiled female form, +supposed to be either Proserpine or Venus, is draped by an attendant, +in the vicinity of a nude youth. The remains of sarcophagi are marked +(168-171). The first of these are the relics of a Roman sarcophagus, +discovered in a mausoleum, containing three other sarcophagi, at +Xanthus. On the top have been reclining figures of a male and female, +and at the sides combats of warriors. The next relic is a fragment of +a sarcophagus, amongst the ornaments of which boys are shown at play; +and the third fragment discovers the lower part of the representation +of a hunt. An exceedingly explicit inscription is that marked (176,) +and found at Uslann, near the mouth of the Xanthus, which informs +modern generations that some two thousand years ago, Aurelius Jason, +son of Alaimis, and Chrysion, daughter of Eleutherus, purchased a tomb +for themselves, in the thirteenth month Artemisios, during the +priesthood of Callistratus, and dwelling upon this piece of +information, which is striking as a voice from the tomb of unknown +people speaking to us of the present century, not from any remarkable +deed achieved by Aurelius Jason, but simply because his name occurs +upon his tomb, plainly written in his own language. A strange +immortality! Having examined these relics of the ancient tombs of +Lycia, the visitor should take a general glance at + +LYCIAN SCULPTURE. + +The time during which the Lycians may be said to have enjoyed their +highest civilisation dates from about five centuries before our era, +up to the period of the Byzantine empire. During this long interval, +most of the monuments of which this room contains some remarkable +specimens were conceived and executed. Of the sculpture, not +immediately illustrative of tombs, in the Lycian room, the most +interesting, undoubtedly, is that gleaned from the site of an ancient +building on the Acropolis of ancient Xanthus, by Sir Charles Fellows. +Passing a few fragments, including that marked (33), from Xanthus, +which represents the foreparts of two lions issuing from a square +block, the visitor should pass at once to the model of a Xanthian +Ionic peristyle building, surrounded by fourteen columns and +ornamented with statues, made under the direction of Sir Charles +Fellows, from the remains found on the site of the original building, +which lie about the room, and which the visitor is about to examine. +The original building was thirty-five feet in height, measuring from +the pediment to the base. Its object has been variously stated, but +cannot be said to be clearly and satisfactorily known. Of the +conjectures which have obtained certain credit, we may mention that +which described it as a trophy raised, in 476 B.C., to celebrate the +subjugation of Lycia by the Persians; and that which describes the +subject of the decorative sculptures as that of the suppression of the +revolt of the Cilicians by the Persian Satrap of Lycia. The remains of +this mysterious building are ranged in groups about the room; and the +visitor will observe indications of the flow of the lines, and the +artistic grace, which subsequently marked Grecian sculpture from every +other on the face of the earth. Here it is not impossible to recognise +the Greek mind: far below that of the decoration of the Parthenon, it +is true; but yet elegant and thoughtful. The groups of sculpture +marked (34-49) are the sculptures of the broader frieze which, it is +conjectured, surrounded the base of the building. Here are represented +a series of warlike encounters in which the Greek arms are +prominent--their helmets, crests, and Argolic bucklers; while other +soldiers are represented nearly nude, and in some instances wearing +the Asiatic pointed cap. This frieze undoubtedly represents the Greeks +at war with Asiatic tribes. The fragments of the narrow frieze which +bordered the upper part of the frieze are marked from 50 to 68. The +first four fragments represent the attack of a town, supposed to be +the Lycian town Xanthus. Here the besiegers may be observed scaling +the wall, and the officers cheering on the men. The five following +fragments represent various scenes of warfare between Greeks and +Asiatics. Then a walled city is represented, with the heads of a +besieged party looking over the ramparts; then a figure of a Satrap +occurs (62), supposed to be that of the Persian conqueror of Lycia, +Harpagus, who is screened with an umbrella held by a slave, which is +the emblem of his sovereignty, and is in the act of receiving a +deputation from the besieged city. The next two fragments represent a +sally from the besieged town; and upon the 67th fragment is some +carving supposed to illustrate the retreat of the besieged to their +city. The groups marked (69,70,74) are fragments of the capping-stones +of the east front of the base, and columns and fragments of columns +from the peristyle. Those groups, however, marked (75-84), which +consist of the statues originally placed in the intercolumniations of +the building, are figures of divinities, with various symbols at their +feet, as the dolphin, the halcyon, &c., and are meant to represent, by +the flow of the drapery, that they are flying through the air. They +have been variously interpreted, but never satisfactorily; some +authorities asserting that they were meant to celebrate the arrival of +Latona at Xanthus, and others that they symbolise the great naval +victory over Evagoras. Passing over one or two unimportant groups of +fragments, the visitor should next examine the remains of the narrow +frieze (95-109), upon which an entertainment is represented--the +guests, perfectly used to luxuries, reclining upon couches, and taking +wine to the strains of female musicians; also, a sacrifice of various +animals. Passing the coffers of the ceiling (106-109), the visitor +should next examine the remains of another narrow frieze, where a +Satrap is represented receiving presents; and bear and boar hunting +scenes occur. The fragment marked (125) is the eastern pediment, +sculptured in relief with various figures; and that marked (126) is +half of the western pediment sculptured with figures of six +foot-soldiers. The groups numbered (132-135) are fine specimens of +Lycian sculpture: on the first a draped female figure is shown in +rapid flight; and on the second, youths are shown bearing off women. +The group marked (138) is one of the samples of the roof-tiles with +which the building was covered in. Two crouching lions (139, 140), +supposed to have occupied intercolumnar space in the building, are the +last of the fragments. These fragments, however, together with Sir +Charles's interesting model, and the landscape (also in the room), +realise more vividly to the mind of the general spectator the ancient +Xanthus, than all the other detached and solitary fragments. Near the +two lions just mentioned are the paws of another lion, and a fragment, +found near the Harpy Tomb, of a crouching warrior and bull. Having +noticed these, the visitor may occupy himself for a few minutes with +the fragments of Byzantine architecture (177-183). These remains were +discovered amidst the ruins of a Christian village; and, it is +conjectured, were buried by an earthquake. These objects being +discussed, the visitor should repair to the glass case at the end of +the room, and examine some small curiosities from the Xanthian +Acropolis, which are placed therein. These consist chiefly of a +Parian-marble torso of a Venus; the left elbow of a female, and the +left side of a female head, in Parian marble, found built into the +walls of the Acropolis; leaden and iron cramps found in the oldest +sculptures of the Acropolis; four small lamps; vases; a cup; fragments +of glass vessels; fragment of a vase of the Byzantine period, stamped +with a cross; bronze vessels; lead grating for a drain pipe; a +fragment of a terra cotta amphora, inscribed, in the Doric dialect, +with the name of Hippocrates; fragments of painted cement from early +Christian buildings--all found in the excavations made for the ruins +of the building of which the model and fragments have lately been +noticed. Some sickles, a leaden weight, fragments of glass windows, +and terra cotta fragments, also included in the glass-case, were +discovered among the ruins of the houses, buried by the fall of the +great building. And in this case, also, are some curiosities from +Pinara, including fragments of human bones, tiles, and cement, all +amalgamated by a deposit of lime filtering through the rock of a tomb; +cement used to line a water cistern, and to block up the door of a +rock-tomb. With an examination of these relics, the visitor will close +his inspection of the Lycian remains, and proceed at once to the + +ASSYRIAN REMAINS. + +Having examined the monumental remains of the Egyptians and the +ancient inhabitants of Persia, the visitor, in order to complete a +general impression of the sculptures of remote antiquity, should now +direct his attention to the remains recently discovered on the site of +ancient Nineveh and Nimroud. Most readers have read something of the +history of Assyria, of the effeminate Sardanapalus, of Semiramis, and +of the more fabulous Ninus. These three names are the three landmarks +of Assyrian history; and the long lapses of time which separate them +are shrouded in mystery, and up to late years have been filled up only +by fanciful histories but slenderly based on fact. Men have written +confidently on the fall of the Assyrian empire, and of its invasion by +the Medes; but the discrepancies of rival authorities, who differ as +much as ten centuries in their dates according to Mr. Layard, show how +insufficient were the materials upon which they pretended to found +histories. Where was the site of Babylon? where that of the renowned +Nineveh? These questions were often mooted by antiquaries. Mounds of +earth were long observed by travellers in Assyria and Babylonia; and +one of these, which was formed by a mass of ruined brickwork, was +heralded to the world as the remains of the tower of Babel! But the +ruins of the great Assyrian capital were for a long time unobserved. +For many years had travellers to modern Mosul looked with wondering +eyes at gigantic mounds of earth that lay opposite the city. The first +traveller who did more than take a cursory view of these mysterious +hillocks was Mr. Rich, who, on his way from Kurdistan to Baghdad in +1820, crossed the river, and arrived at the mounds; visited what the +inhabitants asserted to be Jonah's tomb on the summit of one of them; +saw inscribed relics in the houses of the adjacent village. Among the +fragments on the largest mound he picked up some bricks with +cuneiform[8] characters upon them, and fragments of pottery; and on a +subsequent occasion he found a small stone chair. He left these mounds +without suspecting that he had been treading above the palaces of the +ancient Assyrian monarchs--that he had been over ancient Nineveh. But +the ground was too fruitful in remote traditions to remain altogether +unexplored in this century. The lands watered by the Tigris and the +Euphrates, where the early Asiatic colonies of Scripture were founded, +and where Nimrod, the grandson of Ham, flourished and founded Babel, +and whence, according to Scripture, Asshur went forth to build +Nineveh, are interesting ground. Of these great Assyrian towns it was +natural to seek some ruins. Of all these cities, however, founded so +far back before authentic history begins, only Nineveh, which +flourished many centuries later, and of which we have always had more +authentic histories than those of any other Assyrian city, attained to +a comparatively modern prosperity and renown. The records of this +magnificent city, from which historians have derived their +information, describe its walls as reaching no less than two hundred +feet in height, and broad enough to be a chariot-way. These walls were +sixty miles in circumference, and guarded by fifteen hundred towers; +and in the eighth century before the Christian era the city is +estimated to have included a population of more than half a million +souls. But many centuries before this, Nineveh was a wonderful city, +of which the great monarch Ninus was king, and of which his celebrated +wife, Semiramis, was afterwards queen. Ninus is the reputed founder of +the Assyrian empire, and to him the magnificence of the capital is +chiefly attributed. He is the Sesostris of Assyrian history, and is +supposed to have flourished about twelve centuries before our era. The +names of many Assyrian monarchs occur in the Sacred Writings: +Sennacherib, who, seven centuries before our era, besieged Jerusalem +and invaded Judea; and Shalmanasaar, who carried away the ten tribes +of Israel. Later, the sovereignty of the Assyrian nation was +transferred to Babylon by Nebuchadonosor; and afterwards the Medes and +Babylonians laid the magnificent Nineveh in ruins, over which, many +centuries afterwards, Herodotus wandered wonderingly, and endeavoured +to glean from the pitiful wreck an idea of the bygone glory. The +centre of the ancient Assyrian empire was the present Turkish province +of Mosul; and hereabouts the researches of travellers have therefore +been concentrated. Opposite Mosul, the capital of the province, are +the two mounds which Mr. Rich hastily explored in 1820. These mounds +have long formed the subject of animated controversies; but it was not +before the year 1842 that any serious attempt was made to penetrate +beneath the grass that covered them. In this year M. Botta, the French +consul at Mosul, made some insignificant opening, but without +discovering any remarkable remains; and rumours having reached him +from Khorsabad, a few miles off, of some remains there, he caused some +vigorous excavations to be made there, and, aided by his government, +contrived to lodge an excellent collection of Assyrian sculptures in +the Louvre. About this time Mr. Layard was travelling through the +Turkish Asiatic provinces; and in the course of his wanderings paid +considerable attention to the mounds situated at Nimroud and near +Mosul. Convinced that under these hillocks lay precious relics of +antiquity, he procured an official letter to the Pasha of Mosul, and +in 1845 repaired to Nimroud, and hired Arabs to make excavations in +the mounds there. Even the first day's search disclosed valuable slabs +ornamented with bas-reliefs and inscriptions in the cuneiform +character, of the remotest antiquity, dating so far back as nineteen +centuries before our era, and conjectured to be part of the ruins of +the chief palace of Nimroud, destroyed about twelve centuries before +our era. If so, this point was the original centre of the great city +of Nineveh--that part said to have been built by Asshur; while the +surrounding mounds of Mosul, Khorsabad, and Kouyunjik, cover ruins of +a later date. Of Mr. Layard's discoveries in Assyria, that room, which +the visitor should now enter (called the NIMROUD ROOM), is full. The +room, as the visitor will at once perceive, is divided into eleven +compartments--the first being that to the left on entering. Here he +will begin his inspection of + +ANCIENT ASSYRIAN SCULPTURE. + +The first slabs to which the visitor will direct his attention in the +compartment (1), are from the north-west edifice, excavated from the +Nimroud Mound, which Mr. Layard conjectures to be the most ancient of +all the Assyrian ruins, dating, as we have stated, so far back as +nineteen centuries before our era. On one slab the visitor will notice +two standing draped figures, divided by the sacred tree, or tree of +life, generally worshipped in the East, and adhered to in the +religious systems of the Persians, here more like trellice-work than a +tree, holding chaplets in their hands; on two other slabs figures with +the sacred tree; and on a fourth we recognise the symbol of royalty +among the ancient nations of Asia Minor, the umbrella borne by an +eunuch over a monarch, who is represented returning from the chase, to +the airs played by two musicians. Five figures are respectfully +meeting him, and a dead animal lies at his feet. These specimens of +the state of art in Asia, twenty-seven centuries ago, may well excite +the curiosity of all classes of spectators. Proceeding to the second +compartment, the visitor will find eight more slabs, the first of +which from the north-west edifice, represents a battle-piece. Here +warriors are discharging their arrows, the king with the winged symbol +of divinity in a circle above him is proceeding at full gallop, and a +dead figure lies near him pierced with arrows. This scene is continued +on the second slab, where there are two chariots, each containing two +figures, and one decorated with the ferouher, or divine symbol. A +siege is represented upon the third slab. Here the besiegers are +applying the battering ram; figures are falling from the walls, while +from the three tiers of battlements the besieged are vigorously +discharging arrows. The visitor will notice the figures of two bow-men +on the fourth slab, before a lake, with part of a tower in the +distance, and the next three slabs have representations of the fall of +the city, picturesquely indicated. The deserted battering rams stand +near the walls; female prisoners are leaving the town, drawn by three +oxen; eunuchs are driving away the cattle of the vanquished, and +conducting prisoners with their hands bound. + +The third compartment is occupied with slabs, the sculptured subjects +of which closely resemble those just described, except that marked 7, +where the king, in his chariot, is hunting the lion. He has had some +success, as one royal beast lies dead under his horse's feet, and +another is pierced by four arrows. + +The fourth compartment contains some interesting slabs. The first two +represent one continuous subject. First, the visitor will notice the +figure of an Assyrian monarch, with his chariots and attendants behind +him, holding up arrows in token of peace to an advancing group, the +first figure of which is addressing the king, while on one side a +eunuch is introducing four captives. The two following slabs present +illustrations of the crossing of a river. A boat, in which the royal +chariot containing the king is deposited, is being dragged by two men +ahead, while others are rowing, and behind follow horses and smaller +boats. In their delineations of battles, the Assyrians were sagacious, +since they vividly pourtrayed the horrors of war, by carving dead +figures in the back ground, with birds preying upon them, even before +the fray is over. Of this kind of vivid representation the visitor has +a specimen on the next slab; where, while warriors are discharging +their arrows, a dead soldier is being devoured by a bird in the +back-ground, while another, as a pleasant suggestion of the impending +fate of the survivors, hovers above their heads. The passage of troops +over mountainous country, or through jungle, is the subject +illustrated in the two following slabs (6,7); these are from +Khorsabad, and include an inscription with the name of the monarch of +that locality. Two slingers appear on the eighth slab, with archers +attacking. On the next slab (9) enemies are represented in full +flight, with a chariot containing two figures in hot pursuit: and on +the last slab in this compartment, a city, with four battlemented +towers is represented, with women standing between the towers, and +chariots outside the walls. + +Some curious fragments of large figures are included in the fifth +compartment. First, there is a bearded head covered with a horned cap; +also, the bust of a figure with the conical cap of the Assyrians: then +the head of a figure, with traces of paint yet upon it, crowned with a +tiara of rosettes. Here also is a fragment representing a king +attended by a strange symbolical winged figure holding the popular +fir-cone in his right hand, and in his left a basket, of which the +visitor will remark a perfect specimen presently. The examination of +these fragments will conduct the visitor to the end of the room, and +before turning to examine the contents of the opposite compartments, +he should pause to notice an obelisk placed hereabouts, which was dug +from the centre of the great mound at Nimroud. It is seven feet in +height, and is inscribed elaborately in the cuneiform character. On +its surface are also engraved representations of various animals +bearing presents. + +The visitor will now turn and proceed back towards the door, +examining, by the way, the compartments on his left hand. + +The first of these, or the sixth compartment, contains, in addition to +the fragments of figures including the head and shoulders of a king, +and the upper part of an eunuch, two slabs (1,2) upon which is +represented that fruitful subject of the Assyrian sculptor's chisel, +the siege of a castle. The castle, which is represented in the middle +of the battle-piece, and at the water's edge, is attacked by soldiers +on all sides. The vigour of the assailants is well described. On the +left the king directs the attack, with weeping women behind him; the +walls are being scaled by ladders; the besieged are hurling stones +from the ramparts, and casting fire upon a tower and ram, while the +assailants are quenching the flames with water, and two figures are +quietly picking holes in the walls in another direction. Hereabouts +the visitor should notice, placed against the window, a pastoral +subject--a man driving cattle. Upon the next slab, a war chariot in +full speed, passing over a dead lion, is represented; and on the sixth +and last slab of the compartment is another battlepiece. Here the +besieged castle is surrounded by water; one of the besieged is holding +arrows aloft in token of peace, while figures, on inflated skins, swim +towards the walls, and soldiers from the banks are aiming arrows at +them. + +The fragments in the seventh compartment may be easily understood from +the descriptions of previous slabs. + +The eighth compartment contains some remains which demand particular +notice. The first slab introduces us to a knowledge of the interiors +of Assyrian dwellings. Here the interior of a building is represented +divided into four distinct compartments, and exhibiting various people +at their several household duties. We have even a glimpse at an +Assyrian groom, who, in an adjoining building, is cleaning a horse. +Prisoners are introduced even here, in this domestic scene, conducted +by a warrior to an eunuch; and in the distance are soldiers, with +lions' skins, dancing to the vibrations of a guitar. The second slab +is a continuation of the first. Here men are mounted in war chariots, +while others holding the heads of their enemies in their hands are on +foot: and a bird, grasping in its claws a human head, soars above. +That slab marked 3, and placed against the window hereabouts, was +extracted from the centre of the great mound of Nimroud. Here camels, +preceded by a woman, are pourtrayed. The slab marked 5 bears the +representation of an Assyrian divinity, with four wings, the head +surmounted by the conical cap with two horns, and the left hand +holding a circlet of beads. A winged figure occurs also on the sixth +slab of this compartment, holding a bearded ear of corn in one hand, +and a goat in the other. The slabs of the ninth compartment have also +representations of winged figures. The fourth, with the eagle head, +and holding a fir-cone and a basket. This figure is thus described by +Mr. Layard: "A human body, clothed in robes similar to those of the +winged men already described, was surmounted by the head of an eagle +or of a vulture. The curved beak, of considerable length, was half +open, and displayed a narrow-pointed tongue, on which were still the +remains of red paint. On the shoulders fell the usual curled and bushy +hair of the Assyrian images, and a comb of feathers rose on the top of +the head. Two wings sprang from the back, and in either hand was the +square vessel and fir-cone. In a kind of girdle were three daggers, +the handle of one being in the form of the head of a bull. They may +have been of precious metal, but more probably of copper, inlaid with +ivory or enamel, as a few days before a copper dagger-handle, +precisely similar in form to one of those carried by this figure, +hollowed to receive an ornament of some such material, had been +discovered in the S.W. ruins, and is now preserved in the British +Museum. This effigy, which probably typified by its mythic form the +union of certain divine attributes, may perhaps be identified with the +god Nisroch, in whose temple Sennacherib was slain by his sons after +his return from his unsuccessful expedition against Jerusalem; the +word Nisr signifying, in all Semitic languages, 'an eagle.'" + +The slabs arranged in the tenth compartment are interesting. On the +first, two horsemen, whose peaked helmets suggest that they are +Assyrians, are charging another horseman with their spears. Behind is +a bird carrying off the entrails of the killed. The second slab, +covered with an inscription, formed part of the northwest palace. +Winged figures are traceable on other slabs in this compartment; and +in the centre the visitor should remark the only Assyrian statue yet +discovered. It is a seated figure, headless. Between the tenth and +eleventh compartments are placed some painted bricks, used in adorning +the interior of Assyrian edifices. The eleventh and last compartment +contains two slabs, on the first of which is a monarch holding two +arrows in token of peace. Having fully examined these objects, the +visitor has done with the Nimroud room. Of the romantic stories +connected with the researches for the invaluable fragments it +contains, we should be glad to give the reader a faint sketch. How Mr. +Layard struggled against all kinds of difficulties; slept in hovels +not sheltered from the rain; used his table as his roof by night; rode +backwards and forwards from Nimroud to Mosul to expostulate with the +vexatious interferences of a tyrannical old pasha; cheered the labours +of his superstitious workmen; celebrated the discovery of certain +remains with substantial feastings and music: made peace with a +wandering Arab who threatened to rob him: these, and a thousand other +adventures, recorded in his narrative of his discoveries, give an +additional zest to the curiosity with which visitors enter this +Nimroud room. + +And now the visitor may make his way back to the great entrance-hall +of the Museum, where his third visit should close. In the hall are +deposited four colossal specimens of sculpture from Nimroud. The first +of these, to which the visitor should direct his attention, is a +colossal figure of a winged human-headed bull, found by Mr. Layard at +the portal of a door at Nimroud. Of the discovery of this marvellous +specimen of ancient Assyrian art, Mr. Layard gives a graphic +account:--"I was returning to the mound, when I saw two Arabs urging +their mares to the top of their speed. On approaching me, they +stopped. 'Hasten, O Bey!' exclaimed one of them, 'hasten to the +diggers; for they have found Nimrod himself. Wallah! it is wonderful, +but it is true! we have seen him with our eyes. There is no god but +God!' and both joining in this pious exclamation, they galloped off, +without further words, in the direction of their tents. On reaching +the ruins I descended into the new trench, and found the workmen, who +had already seen me as I approached, standing near a heap of baskets +and cloaks. Whilst Awad advanced and asked for a present to celebrate +the occasion, the Arabs withdrew the screen they had hastily +constructed, and disclosed an enormous human head, sculptured in full +out of the alabaster of the country. They had uncovered the upper part +of a figure, the remainder of which was still buried in the earth. I +saw at once that the head must belong to a winged lion or bull, +similar to those of Khorsabad and Persepolis. It was in admirable +preservation. The expression was calm, yet majestic; and the outline +of the features showed a freedom and knowledge of art scarcely to be +looked for in works of so remote a period. I was not surprised that +the Arabs had been amazed and terrified at this apparition. It +required no stretch of imagination to conjure up the most strange +fancies. This gigantic head, blanched with age, thus rising from the +bowels of the earth, might well have belonged to one of those fearful +beings which are pictured in the traditions of the country as +appearing to mortals, slowly ascending from the regions below. One of +the workmen, on catching the first glimpse of the monster, had thrown +down his basket, and had run off towards Mosul as fast as his legs +could carry him." The marvellous fidelity and power with which this, +and the colossal human-headed bull are executed, must astonish the +most uninstructed observer. For an account of the marvellous labour at +the cost of which these colossal Assyrian works were conveyed from +Asia Minor to the British Museum, we must refer the reader to Mr. +Layard's excellent condensed account of his researches, published by +Mr. Murray. And with the contemplation of these mysterious monuments +of the past, the visitor should close his third visit to the national +Museum. + +He may usefully recapitulate the points of his present visit. He has +been travelling for hours amongst the wrecks of the remote past. Over +vast tracts of land, where now the Turk lazily dreams away the hours, +or moves only to destroy the remains of the ancient civilisation of +his Asiatic provinces. Throughout this, his third visit, the visitor +has been exploring the revelations of the past, written upon the face +of Turkish provinces. The bigotry with which the explorers of Thebes, +Nimroud, and Xanthus had to contend, is written in their histories of +their labours. How when the human-headed bull was disclosed by the +pick-axes of the Chaldaeans, the Arabs scampered off, and how all the +natives thought that Nimroud himself--the mighty hunter--was rising +grimly from the earth, are points in the discovery of this treasure +which all should read. The vigour with which English and French +explorers have possessed themselves of the treasures of ancient Egypt, +the master-pieces from the Parthenon, the strange stone revelations of +Lycia, and the majestic colossi of ancient Assyria, contrasts forcibly +with the indolence of the Turk, who sat at hand to wonder at the +enthusiasm of his Christian visitors. No more pitiful exhibition of a +national character could be furnished by any passage in the history of +the world than that which describes the ignorant and superstitious +Turk grinding the sculpture of the Parthenon into mortar for his +dwelling house. Truly, in all respects, is this a matter to be +pondered by the general visitor, as he retreats from the national +Museum for the third time. He has not passed an idle day here, +wandering amid sphinxes, and tombs, and temples, and ancient gods. +From the confusion he may gather something that shall not be +altogether a useless subject for reflection as he wanders homewards. +He may link himself with the remote past, recognise the elements of +modern society in these stone revelations of the remote history of the +world, feel the vibration of the great human heart coming to him even +from the bowels of Egypt's pyramids. There he has their family +histories written on their tombstones by weeping relatives; their +religion, with all its debasing idolatry, strong in death, exhibiting +pleasantly the firmness of their faith; splendid sarcophagi tardily +wrought from massive rock, yet perseveringly accomplished in the +strong conviction that the dead would shake off the mummy bandages, +discharge the natron from their pores, reclaim their scattered +intestines, pass the brain back through the nose into the skull, and +once more feel quickening blood in the veins. Proudly men of the +passing century look back upon all this worship of animals, upon the +Egyptian Anubis, and the intestine genii with their animal heads; but +even here, in this field of speculation, where the historian's hand +wanders unsteadily about his page, and all wears a mythical air, +pulses of human emotion are felt that assure us of the remote past. +Strange that the chief chapters of ancient Egypt's history should have +been written for moderns by her undertakers! + +END OF THIRD VISIT. + + + + +VISIT THE FOURTH. + + + +The visitor will now enter the museum to complete his inspection of +its contents. His way lies once more to the west on entering the great +hall, into the first Sculpture Gallery, or that which he will +recognise as leading into the great central saloon. Here, as he pauses +on the threshold of a noble room filled with splendid specimens of +Greek art, he may recur to the historical points which these works +illustrate. Throughout this, his last visit, he will be occupied with +the examination of the works of the ancient Greeks. These works, as he +will notice, are of various degrees of excellence. Already has he +examined the rude labours of the Greek sculptors of Xanthus; and +to-day his journey will be amid those more modern and perfect labours, +performed when the talent of the Greeks was chiefly concentrated upon +European ground. Although these glories of remote antiquity are here +mostly in an admirable state of preservation, historians are generally +lost in contradictions when they attempt to point to any particular +piece of statuary as the labour of any known sculptor. The sculptor of +the Venus de Medici is not known; and the Apollo Belvedere is a +masterpiece, the author of which lies shrouded in the depths of the +past. Rude and harsh were the early performances of the Greeks. We +have histories of Greek sculptors who flourished many hundred years +before our era; and of these the mythical Daedalus is the oldest and +most renowned. This sculptor is reported to have flourished fourteen +centuries before the Christian era. He is said to have fashioned +colossal wooden statues; and Pausanias mentions his statue of Hercules +in the possession of the Thebans, and his wooden Venus in the +possession of the Delians. His Hercules, however, appears to have been +considered his masterpiece; and Flaxman, commenting upon the antiquity +of the figures of Hercules found on some coins, seems to think that we +may not unreasonably conjecture that these are copies from the +masterpiece of Daedalus. Other sculptors of the same name, appear to +have flourished in the Achaic period of Grecian history. Indeed it is +shrewdly conjectured that Daedalus derived his name from wooden +statues called Daedala; and that amongst the ancient Greeks, Daedalus +meant nothing more than one skilled in making Daedala. The earliest +sculptures of the Greeks were fashioned of materials easily worked, as +plaster, clay, and wood. Later they worked ivory, and began to +understand the value of metals in statuary; and about five centuries +before the Christian era, marble was used by sculptors for detached +figures. In the infancy of Greek art, when sculptors were gradually +acquiring the skill to fashion their creations out of the most durable +material, many combinations of wood, stone, and metal were used, which +would sadly shock the modern sculptor's eye;--wooden figures burnished +with gold, and with painted vermilion faces, were fashioned in the age +of Phidias; and it is believed by some, that this immortal sculptor +helped to produce a statue of Jupiter, the face of which was of ivory +and gold, and the body of gypsum and clay. Phidias may be fairly +acknowledged as the first great Greek sculptor, of whose career and +whose works we have indisputable accounts. He founded, and represents +all the excellencies of the highest school of Greek art. The sculptors +who came after him, as Lysippus the favourite of the great Alexander, +paid greater regard to graces of detail and to finish; but of those +sublime effects, those forms of gods in human shape which really +impress the modern spectator with their almost superhuman beauty, +Phidias was the creator. The sculptures known to the public as the +Townley collection, are sculptures generally of a more modern date +than those in the Elgin and Phigaleian Saloons. The collection has +undoubtedly many specimens of the rudest eras of Greek art: but its +most striking groups, to the general visitor, will be undoubtedly +those finished statues and compositions which represent the ages when +Greece was a great European power, and that subsequent period when the +Greek sculptors plied their chisels under the patronage of Roman +conquerors. In this room the visitor will once more remark, how large +a proportion of these priceless relics have been gleaned from ancient +sepulchres. Even as he enters the room, he may perceive on the right, +the front of a tomb from Athens, carved in high relief; and on the +left, the front of another tomb, also sculptured, from Delos. + +The room is divided into compartments which the visitor should examine +in their regular order of rotation. He will begin therefore, of course +with the + +FIRST DIVISION. + +Before the first pilaster let the visitor notice at once a small +seated statue of Cybele or Fortune, from Athens, presented to the +nation by J.S. Gaskoin, Esq. Other remarkable objects to be examined +before the visitor fixes his attention upon the contents of the case +deposited here, are a bust of Demosthenes; a sepulchral altar or +cippus, ornamented with sphinxes, etc.; and a sepulchral stêle, +inscribed with the name of the son of Artemidorus, who is reclining +upon a couch, and crowning himself. Over the case are deposited the +end of a sarcophagus ornamented with a Bacchus reclining on a satyr; a +bust of Julius Cæsar; a sepulchral cippus; and a Greek stêle. On the +case are a head found near Rome, probably of Mercury: and the bust of +a Muse crowned with a laurel wreath. + +Having examined these objects, the visitor should occupy himself with +the contents of the case. Here are some beautiful specimens of Greek +art--some mere fragments, others in a wonderful state of preservation. +Here are one of those funeral masks anciently used to cover the face +of a corpse; the votive mask of a bearded satyr; a votive patera with +bas-reliefs representing Silenus and a satyr, another with the head of +a bearded Bacchus, and a panther; various heads of Hercules; a Venus +attended by two Cupids; a bust of Vitellius; a head of Vulcan; a bust +of Caracalla; a head of Juno; a head of the daughter of Titus, Julia; +a mutilated figure, about the neck of which a scarabaeus is suspended; +the torso of a satyr; a variety of fragments, here an arm holding a +butterfly--there two lions' paws--there a gladiator's foot--there the +fragment of a serpent. Having noticed these scraps of ancient art, the +visitor may direct his attention to the lower shelf, where he will +observe some beautiful busts. These include one supposed to be of +Sappho; a Minerva with a Corinthian helmet found at Rome; Bacchus; +Apollo; a Parian marble bust of Diana from Rome; a queenly Juno +wearing the splendone; terminal busts, joined back to back, of +Hercules and Omphale. The upper shelf now remains for inspection. Here +are three sepulchral tablets, and the fronts of two sarcophagi. The +tablet from Crete, within a wreath, contains an inscription +descriptive of honour conferred by the inhabitants of Crete upon an +individual named Alexander, the gift to him being a golden crown. +Having noticed the gay Cupids enacting Bacchanalians upon the first +front of a sarcophagus, the visitor should pass on at once to the + +SECOND DIVISION. + +Here, in front of the pilaster, the visitor should remark a curious +square altar, with Silvanus, to whom the altar is dedicated by the +farm servant of Caius Coelius Heliodorus, Callistus; and a trophy +discovered on the plains of Marathon. + +Grouped in this division, are some fine works. First let the visitor +remark two white marble Victories discovered in the ruins of the villa +of Antoninus Pius, at Monte Cagnuolo. The first Victory is kneeling +upon a bull which she is about to sacrifice; and the second also is +kneeling upon, and about to stab, a bull. Then a fine bust of a +laughing satyr will arrest the attention of the visitor; then a +colossal foot in a sandal, under the front of a sarcophagus; then the +votive torso, supposed to be that of an Athelete; then a red marble +swan found in a vineyard near the Villa Pinciana; then a terminal +statue of a satyr; then a bust of Diogenes; then a bust, conjectured +to be part of the figure of a dying Amazon; then a bust of Atys. +Turning to the upper shelf of this division, the visitor should notice +the front and ends of a sarcophagus deposited there. Upon these +Bacchus and Ariadne are represented in a chariot, heralded by +Bacchanals, and drawn by Centaurs; and in other parts Pan is being +castigated by a satyr, and carried off by two Cupids aided by a satyr. +Turning to the lower shelf the visitor should examine several antique +busts. First there is a bust, conjectured to be that of Achilles; then +there is an old Hercules; then a Bacchante; then a bust of Aratus; a +female head; and a tragic mask from the lid of a sarcophagus. With the +examination of this shelf the visitor closes his inspection of the +second division, and should at once advance into the + +THIRD DIVISION. + +First, let the visitor notice, placed in front of the third pilaster, +a celebrated copy of the statue of Praxiteles, of Cupid bending his +bow. This celebrated copy is four feet, three and a half inches, in +height. It arrived in this country originally as a present to Edmund +Burke, from Rome, by Barry, the painter. Numerous copies of this Cupid +exist, and the one before the visitor is not the best. + +In this compartment or division, the visitor should also remark +several sepulchral urns with figures in relief. Amid other sepulchral +monuments are, an altar inscribed by Annia Augustalis, to the manes of +M. Clodius, his brother Felix, and to Tyrannus; and a bas-relief +discovered near the mausoleum of Augustus, representing a Muse +standing before a dramatic poet. Hereabouts also the visitor should +notice an altar, ornamented with bas-reliefs, dedicated by Aurelius +Timotheus to Diana; a small figure of Neptune from Athens; a veiled +Ceres bearing a torch, from Athens; a draped Muse in terra cotta +holding a lyre; and a cippus, with a representation of Silenus riding +a panther. On turning to the lower shelf, the visitor will at once be +struck with the sarcophagi. Here are three Etruscan sarcophagi, two of +alabaster, and one in peperino. On all three are recumbent female +figures, and in front of the first the hunt of the Calydonian boar; of +the second, Scylla; and of the third, a bas-relief representing +Achilles dragging Penthesilea from her chariot. On this shelf also +are, a bas-relief showing Luna encompassed by the signs of the Zodiac, +and a sun-dial supported by the claws and heads of lions. Turning now +to the upper shelf, the visitor should examine the bas-reliefs +deposited thereon. Upon the first, the visitor will notice a funeral +car, shaped like a temple drawn by four horses, with Jupiter and the +Dioscuri on the sides of the car; upon the second, the bas-relief +represents Ulysses and Diomedes detecting Achilles disguised as a +female among the daughters of Lycomedes; and the subject of the third +relief is a marriage in the presence of Juno Pronuba, showing the +bridegroom taking the bride's hand, and holding the marriage contract. +Having glanced at these objects, the visitor's way lies forward to the + +FOURTH DIVISION. + +Here, in front of the pilaster, the visitor must at once examine the +torso of a statue, supposed to be of Mercury; and a curious Greek +circular altar, ornamented with the heads and fillets of bulls and +stags, and inscribed with the names of Agathemeris and her son +Sosicles of Tlos. Having examined these two prominently placed +objects, the visitor should proceed at once to the general contents of +the division. He will be probably attracted first to two terminal +statues; or statues, of which the lower parts are not developed. They +occur frequently among the remains of Greek sculpture. These terminal +statues were held in great veneration; and they were found placed at +the corners of streets, at the doors of private dwellings, and before +temples. The custom of representing Mercury with a head upon a plain +column, appears to have been the origin of a fashion which the Greeks +subsequently extended to their representations of other deities. The +terminal figure in this division, with the winged cap, illustrates the +generality of these Hermae; it was found near Frascati, in the year +1770. The next remarkable object that will probably attract the +visitor's attention is the figure, found at Rome, of an Egyptian +tumbler, going through his performances on the back of a tame +crocodile, a barbarous species of entertainment undoubtedly, but not +more repulsive than that of the French aerönaut of last year, floating +over Paris on the back of an ostrich. Hereabouts are placed also a +small statue of the three-fold Hecate, a Diana found in the +Giustiniani Palace at Rome; a bust of Jupiter, conjectured to be a +copy from the work of the celebrated sculptor Polycletus, and a +sphinx. Here, too, are some interesting bas-reliefs. Upon one a +Bacchante (supposed to be a copy from Scopas), is represented with a +knife in her hand, and holding part of a kid; upon another (part of a +sarcophagus), Priam is represented praying to Achilles to give up +Hector's body; upon a third (a cippus) birds are drinking; and upon a +fourth (a fountain) are Pans and satyrs. Before turning to the lower +shelf, the visitor should also notice in this neighbourhood a +beautiful group of two dogs, found on the Monte Cagnuolo; a votive +foot, with a coiling serpent, and one or two sepulcral urns with +inscriptions. Upon the lower shelf are deposited an interesting series +of busts, including one of the Emperor Septimius Severus, found on the +Palatine Hill; one of Hadrian, found at Tivoli, on the site of +Hadrian's Villa; one from Athens, of the Emperor Nero; and one of +Caracalla, found in the Nunnery Gardens at the Quatro Fontane, on the +Esquiline Hill. Upon the upper shelf are two busts in relief, and the +front of a sarcophagus, with elaborate representations of the Muses. +Here is Terpsichore with the lyre of dancing, Thalia with the mask of +comedy. And now the way lies once more forward, into the + +FIFTH DIVISION. + +Before the fifth pilaster is a notable piece of sculpture found in the +villa of Antoninus Pius--an erect figure of the youthful Bacchus +clothed in the skin of a panther; and here also is a square altar +ornamented with sphinxes in bas-relief, Apollo, Diana, and various +religious symbols. A colossal toe attracts considerable attention in +this division. It may have been an ornament in the rooms of an +Eisenberg of the ancients, but more probably has been lost by a god. +Let the visitor pause here before the terminal bust of Aeschines the +orator, who impeached Demosthenes out of jealousy for his popularity +with the people of Athens, and sullenly retired, after losing his +cause and being mulcted of a thousand drachmas as the accuser, to +Rhodes, where he occupied himself in teaching rhetoric. Other terminal +statues occur in this division. Among these, in a glass, are small +terminal busts, joined back to back, of Bacchus and Libera; three +yellow and red marble heads of Libera; a yellow marble bearded +Bacchus; and the bust of a Greek poet discovered at Bitolia. +Hereabouts also are, a female head, the eyes of which have traces of +inlaying; a bas-relief of Antinous; a curious female head, with the +hair of a distinct block of marble, fitted upon it; the head of a +child from Rome; the head of Jupiter from the corner of a sarcophagus; +busts of Hercules and Serapis; a remarkable altar in the Egyptian +style, curiously carved with the bull Apis, and Harpocrates drawn in a +car by a hippopotamus. Turning to the upper shelf, the visitor will +notice a satyr playing on a flute; six Amazons carved upon the +fragment of a sarcophagus; and a sarcophagus found at Tusculum, with +representations of Cupids bearing away the arms of Mars. A series of +busts are deposited upon the lower shelf. These include busts of the +wife of the Emperor Domitian; bust of Olympia; bust of the wife of +Hadrian, Julia Sabina; bust of Tiberius; and a bust of Augustus. +Before leaving this room the visitor should not fail to notice a few +antiquities which should particularly interest him. These form a group +of relics found in this country. They illustrate the doings of the +Romans in this country. + +ANTIQUITIES OF BRITAIN. + +The first of these objects which the visitor will remark, is a curious +cylindrical sarcophagus, discovered in the neighbourhood of St. +Alban's, so lately as the year 1831. It contained some Roman vases. +Another sarcophagus found at Southfleet, in Kent, is also included in +the collection. In this sarcophagus several interesting relics were +discovered, including a vessel containing burnt bones; and purple +leather shoes embroidered with gold, and in the same neighbourhood +other relics, including an earthern vessel, also containing bones, +were found. The next object to which the visitor should direct his +attention is the old cistern of a blacksmith, which had been found at +Chesterford, in Essex, which turned out to be an ancient relic +sculptured in high relief with figures of Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, and +Venus. Three or four Roman altars found in various parts of the +country, one to AEsculapius; a bas-relief of a Roman standard of the +second legion; and pigs of lead inscribed with the names of Roman +emperors. Having examined these objects, the visitor should pass at +once westward into the + +PHIGALEIAN SALOON. + +He may here take a seat for a few moments and read the points of +history which belong to this saloon, before he commences his +examination of it. One year, while the present century was young, +fifteen gentlemen encamped round about the ruins of a temple, known to +the neighbouring inhabitants as the "columns." These columns were +those believed to be the ruins of a temple of Apollo Epicurius, built +by the citizens of ancient Phigaleia, in Arcadia. These "columns" were +situated upon a shelf of land, high up the side of Mount Cotilium, and +surrounded by a rich and various landscape. Lying scattered about were +the shattered fragments of the sculptured frieze of the temple; and, +with infinite labour the camp of explorers succeeded in gathering +together and arranging the slabs which are now deposited in this, the +Phigaleian saloon. To the sound of Arcadian music, workmen excavated +in the neighbourhood of these ruins; and in 1814 the Prince Regent +obtained a grant of 15,000£. to purchase them for the British Museum. + +The subjects represented by these sculptures are, the battle of the +Centaurs and the Lapithae, and the war between the Amazons and +Athenians--mythical struggles upon which Greek sculptors were fond of +exercising their imagination. THE BATTLE OF THE CENTAURS is the first +to which the visitor should direct his attention. The origin of this +myth is thus described by Sir Henry Ellis: "The story of the Centaurs, +it is remarked, is of Thessalian origin. The people of Thessaly were +remarkably expert in horsemanship, and were supposed to be the first +in Greece who practised the art of riding on horseback. Pelion, and +other mountains in this part of Greece, abounding in wild bulls, these +ferocious animals were frequently hunted by the people of the country +on horseback, and when overtaken were seized by their pursuers, who +caught hold of them by the horns, in a manner not less dexterous than +daring. Hence, these hunters acquired the name of Centauri and +Hippocentauri. The novel sight of a man seated on a horse, and +galloping over the plains with more than human velocity, might easily +suggest to the minds of an ignorant peasantry, the idea of an animal +composed partly of a man and partly of a horse; and it was from this +simple origin, according to some explanations, that the fable of the +Centaurs sprung. We must remark, that we place no confidence in the +proposed etymology of the word Centauros, and almost as little in the +explanation of the story. The centaur Chiron in Homer was a model of +justice, and the poet appears to have had no idea of the monstrous +combination of two animals. Pindar, in his second Pythian Ode, first +makes us acquainted with the Hippocentaur, or half horse and half man. +Though it cannot be imagined that the Greeks ever regarded this +tradition otherwise than as a fable, so far as the double nature of +the animal was concerned, yet it is curious, to observe, with what +care and devotion they recorded the particulars of this fiction in +their poems, sculpture, paintings, and other monuments of art. The +Centaurs were invited to the nuptials of Pirithous, king of the +Lapithae. During the marriage feast, one of the Centaurs, named +Eurytion, or Eurytus, with the characteristic brutality of his nature, +and elated by the effects of wine, offered violence to the person of +Hippodamia, the bride. This outrageous act was immediately resented by +Theseus, the friend of Pirhitous, who hurled a large vessel of wine at +the head of the offender, which brought him lifeless to the ground. A +general engagement then ensued between the two parties; and the +Centaurs not only sought to revenge the death of their companion, +Eurytus, but likewise attempted to carry off the females who were +guests at the nuptials. In this conflict, sustained on both sides with +great fury, the Centaurs were finally vanquished, and driven out of +Thessaly; after which they took up their abode in Arcadia, where they +provoked the anger of Hercules, who completely destroyed the whole of +their race. Such is the general outline of the mythic history of the +Centaurs." + +Bearing this outline of the classical story in his mind, the visitor +may at once proceed to examine the first eleven slabs upon which the +incidents in the story of the Centaurs and the Lapithae are +elaborated. The visitor will, of course, begin with tablet No. 1, and +proceed to the others in the regular order in which they are marked. + +On approaching the first slab (1) the visitor will perceive a Centaur +overcome by two Lapithae, and about to be dispatched. Another Centaur +from behind, however, arrests the uplifted arm of one Lapitha. The +battle proceeds fiercely on the second slab (2). A Centaur is tearing +the shoulder of a Lapitha with his teeth, while the Lapitha drives a +stout sword direct into his assailant's body. A dead Centaur lies in +the foreground, and the heels of the stabbed Centaur strike against +the shield of a second Lapitha. The origin of the battle begins to +appear on the third slab (3), where a woman is represented with a +child in her arms resisting the violence of a Centaur, while another +Centaur at the further end of the slab is getting the better of a +kneeling Lapitha. The fourth tablet would be probably unintelligible +to the general visitor without special explanation. Here the Centaurs +are endeavouring to crush an enemy with huge blocks of stone. This +particular enemy is the Caeneus of Greek fable, whom Neptune had +rendered invulnerable to the effect of swords and clubs, and whom +Centaurs are endeavouring to overcome by crushing his body with masses +of rock. The fifth slab (5) presents a more cheerful view of the +battle for the Lapithae; here two Centaurs are being overcome by two +of their enemies in revenge for their brutal conduct at the bridal +banquet. The sixth tablet (6) again illustrates the hazards of war. +Here a female is between two of the brutal Centaurs, one of whom has +felled a Lapitha to the ground; but the left hand part of the slab is +so mutilated that the merits of the sculpture are here hardly +appreciable. The seventh (7) slab also represents the Lapithae losing +ground. Here, it has been shrewdly conjectured the chief personages of +the battle are represented. The female in the arms of the Centaur is +supposed to be Hippodamia; and the figure struggling from the grasp of +another Centaur, that of King Pirithous fighting for his outraged +bride. The next tablet (8) is in a very dilapidated condition. The +central figure is that of a muscular Centaur, with his mantle flowing +from his neck, in the act of hurling something at a Lapitha who stands +stoutly on the defensive, while in the further corner a female with +her child is flying from pursuers. The ninth tablet (9) discovers two +vanquished Centaurs, and Lapithae in the act of dispatching their +mongrel enemies. The battle is represented at its climax on the next +slab (10). Here, as the wicked Centaur, Eurytion, is disrobing the +King's bride, and her bridesmaid is indulging in exaggerated attitudes +of despair, a figure supposed to be that of the renowned founder of +Athens, Theseus, springs upon the Centaur's shoulders, and drags back +his head, that the brute may not gaze upon the charms he would +pollute. The figure behind the bride is supposed to represent Diana, +the goddess of Chastity. It is a pity that the leg and arm of the +Theseus, and one arm of the bridesmaid are fractured. The last slab of +those sculptured with the battle of the Centaurs, represents Apollo +and Diana in a car--Apollo the deliverer; Diana the guardian of female +chastity. Having fully examined these beautiful specimens of Greek art +of the time of Pericles, the visitor should turn at once to the +remaining slabs, which are devoted to the illustration of + +A BATTLE WITH THE AMAZONS. + +Plutarch gives a graphic account of those dissensions between Theseus +and the Amazons, which terminated in the famous war here celebrated. +"Philochorus," he says, "and some others relate, that he (Theseus) +sailed in company with Hercules into the Euxine Sea, to wage war with +the Amazons, and that he received Antiope as the reward of his valour, +but the greater number, (among whom are Pherecydes, Hellanicus, and +Herodotus,) tell us, that Theseus made the voyage with his own fleet +alone, some time after Hercules, and took that Amazon captive, which +is indeed the more probable account; for we do not read that any other +of his fellow-warriors made any Amazon prisoner. But Bion says, he +took and carried her off by a stratagem. The Amazons (he informs us) +being naturally lovers of men, were so far from avoiding Theseus when +he touched upon their coasts, that they sent him presents. Theseus +invited Antiope, who brought them, into his ship, and, as soon as she +was aboard, set sail. But the account of one Menecrates, who published +a history of Nice in Bithynia, is that Theseus, having Antiope aboard +his vessel, remained in those parts some time; and that he was +attended in this expedition by three young men of Athens, who were +brothers, Enneos, Thoas, and Solon. The last of these, unknown to the +rest, fell in love with Antiope, and communicated his passion to one +of his companions, who applied to Antiope about the affair. She firmly +rejected his pretensions, but treated him with civility, and prudently +concealed the matter from Theseus. But Solon, in despair, having +leaped into a river and drowned himself, Theseus, then sensible of the +cause, and the young man's passion, lamented his fate, and in his +sorrow recollected an order of the priestess, which he had formerly +received at Delphi; that when, in some foreign country, he should +labour under the greatest affliction, he should build a city there, +and leave some of his followers to govern it. Hence, he called the +city which he built Pythopolis, after the Pythian god, and the +neighbouring river, in honour of the young man, Solon. He left the two +surviving brothers to govern it, and give it laws; and along with them +Hermus, who was of one of the best families in Athens. From him the +inhabitants of Pythopolis call a certain place in their city Hermus's +House, and, by exchanging an accent, transfer the honour from the hero +to the god (Mercury). Hence the war with the Amazons took its rise: +and it appears to have been no slight or womanish enterprise, for they +could not have encamped in the town, or joined battle on the ground +about the Pnyx and the Museum, or fallen in so intrepid a manner upon +the city of Athens, unless they had first reduced the country about +it. It is difficult, indeed, to believe (though the story is told by +Hellanicus) that they crossed the Cimmerian Bosphorus upon the ice, +but that they encamped almost in the heart of the city, is confirmed +by the names of places, and by the tombs of those that perished +there." The Amazons, according to fabulous history, were a warlike +race of women, who reared only their female children, and lived as a +nation apart from the male sex. They are said to have founded many +cities in Asia Minor, to have been expert horsewomen, and to have +amputated their left breast the more easily to use their bows. Greek +sculptors delighted to avail themselves of this mythic war between men +and women, in which the heroes do not appear to have used their +weapons lightly, in consideration of the sex of their opponents. The +splendid group by Kiss, casts of which are now in many English homes, +shows that the capacity to deal with the classic subject has not +altogether faded from the world. The Amazons themselves bid fair to +accomplish a resurrection across the Atlantic. Rumours reach us here +in England of female societies associated to make war upon the tyranny +of the opposite sex, and to adopt certain eccentricities of costume. +It is not improbable that these agitators will soon constitute +themselves into a distinct nation, and defy the valour of the +masculine Yankee. + +The visitor, on turning, thus far informed, to the slabs upon which +the war with the Amazons is represented, will notice that these mythic +females present no appearance of the rumoured amputation. The weapons +that should be in the hands of most of the figures are lost, but it is +believed that they were of bronze, and the holes by which they were +fastened to the hands of the figures may yet be traced. On presenting +himself before the first slab (12), the visitor will see the figure of +an Athenian dragging an Amazon to the ground by her hair, while +another Amazon is protecting a fallen sister in the corner. This scene +will shock the gallantry of the unprepared visitor, who should, +nevertheless, compose himself to explain to his partner the kind of +women with whom the Athenians had to deal. The second slab (13), +represents a wounded Amazon sinking to the earth, and an Athenian and +an Amazon in full combat, but upon the third (14), the visitor will +remark the havoc which the Amazons could make. Here, on the right, an +Athenian protecting himself from attack with his shield, is leading a +wounded man from the field, and to the right a male figure is bearing +off a body, from which a central Amazon is snatching a shield. On the +next slab (15), two Amazons are engaged with two Athenians. To the +left, where the head of the vanquished Amazon remains, the slab is +much injured; but to the right the Athenian felled by the Amazon is +clearly distinguishable. A wounded Athenian lies in the left corner of +the next slab (16), supported by a companion; while another Athenian +is endeavouring to beat off a lusty Amazon, who appears determined to +fight for every inch of the ground. For the first time an Amazon +occurs on horseback on the next slab (17). Here a sturdy Athenian is +dragging her from her seat, while another Amazon is warding off a +blow, and preparing to strike one at the same time, in the right +corner. The central figure of the next slab (18), (the longest in the +collection,) is the hero Theseus, recognisable by the lion's skin +about him, the huge paw of which lies against his left leg. Theseus, +who is about to deal a deadly blow at a mounted Amazon (whose body is +effaced), is prevented by an interposing Amazon, while an Athenian, +who is trampled upon by the horse, is preparing to do severe work with +his sword. To the right, an Athenian is unceremoniously removing a +wounded Amazon from her fallen horse. The next group (19) represents +two couples fighting: an Athenian, protected by a helmet and cuirass, +has thrown an Amazon, and on the right of the slab an Amazon has +thrown an Athenian. The next slab (20) is severely mutilated; but an +Amazon attending to a wounded companion, and others fighting in the +left corner are distinguishable. The next tablet represents two +Athenians and two Amazons; the central figure (an Athenian) has his +foot upon the knee of a fallen Amazon, who appears to be asking mercy. +The last slab but one (22) represents an Athenian dragging an Amazon +from an altar, while to the right an Amazon is vigorously assailing +another Athenian. Upon the last slab (23) are four Amazons and one +wounded Athenian, who is endeavouring to ward off an impending blow +from the central figure. Having noticed these slabs, the wondrous +workmanship of which must surprise the most indifferent and +ill-informed observer, the visitor should at once turn to the other +fragments arranged and numbered in the saloon. The fragments marked +successively from 24 to 40, are parts of the temple to Apollo, from +which the Phigaleian slabs were taken. Having cursorily examined +these, the visitor should at once turn to the fragment of a +bas-relief, marked 41, which properly belongs to the Elgin collection. +Here Hercules is represented holding Diomed, King of Thrace, by the +head, and is about to strike him. Further on are some interesting +relics, collected by Colonel Leake. First, there is a headless female +statue, draped, from Sparta (43); then the torso of a naked Apollo +from the Peloponnese; then a small, shattered Hercules, without head, +arms, or feet, found on the coast of Laconia. Proceeding with his +examination of the miscellaneous objects in the saloon, he may notice +successively, the head of Jupiter, from Phrygia (47); a curious +sepulchral inscription from Halicarnassus (48), forbidding any one, +except relations, from occupying the tomb to which it belonged; a +bas-relief from Thessaly (51) representing a dedication of hair to +Poseidon: an alto-relievo torso of Triton (56); and the pedestal of +the statue of Jupiter Urius (55), which stood in the temple of that +god, at the mouth of the Euxine. + +Directing his attention to the fragments which occupy the wall space +below the Phigaleian frieze, he will find eleven fine bas-reliefs from +the celebrated tomb erected at Halicarnassus, in the year 353 B.C., in +honour of Mausolus, King of Caria, by Artemisia, his wife. Here the +power of the later Greek sculptors is employed upon the battles of the +Athenians with the Amazons. Above the Phigaleian frieze, against the +walls are placed two pediments, copied from those which ornamented the +western and eastern ends of the temple of Jupiter Panhellenius, in +AEgina. + +Among the miscellaneous fragments in the saloon, the visitor has yet +to notice a fine torso of a nude Venus; a statue of Discobolus, who is +throwing a quoit, found in Hadrian's Villa Tiburtina; part of a statue +of Hymen; and at the ends of the saloon the visitor should notice some +specimens from the old temple of Selinus, which are valued as probably +representing some of the earliest extant specimens of Greek art. Among +the subjects represented are Perseus killing the Gorgon Medusa, and +Hercules and the Cecrops. Having examined these objects, the visitor +has brought his examination of the Phigaleian Saloon to a close, and +he should forthwith enter upon the great labour of his fourth visit, +by proceeding to the west into the noble room devoted to the + +ELGIN MARBLES. + +These marbles have become celebrated throughout the civilised world, +and the name of Elgin is inseparably connected henceforth with the +finest extant specimens of the power of Phidias. The artistic +excellencies of these relics of a remote civilisation have been so +frequently explained to the public, and their beauties are so +generally felt, that it suffices to introduce the general visitor to +the room, and to guide him about it, without bidding him halt to learn +the estimation set upon these works by great art authorities. After he +has received the natural impression which these works cannot fail to +produce on his mind, he may wish to know something of the times and +men which these represent; he may be glad to learn so much as is known +of Phidias. No man even with the poorest sense of the beautiful can, +we apprehend, wander about this saloon without being touched. +Therefore we proceed at once to guide the visitor on his journey. But +it is necessary that he should know something of the building, of +which these fragments formed parts:--"The Parthenon," says Colonel +Leake, "was constructed entirely of white marble, from Mount +Pentelicus. It consisted of a cell, surrounded with a peristyle, which +had eight Doric columns in the fronts, and seventeen in the sides. +These forty-six columns were six feet two inches in diameter at the +base, and thirty-four feet in height, standing upon a pavement, to +which there was an ascent of three steps. The total height of the +temple above its platform was about sixty-five feet. Within the +peristyle at either end, there was an interior range of six columns, +of five feet and a half in diameter, standing before the end of the +cell, and forming a vestibule to its door. There was an ascent of two +steps into these vestibules from the peristyle. The cell, which was +sixty-two feet and a half broad within, was divided into two unequal +chambers, of which the western was forty-three feet ten inches long, +and the eastern ninety-eight feet seven inches. The ceiling of the +former was supported by four columns, of about four feet in diameter, +and that of the latter by sixteen columns of about three feet. It is +not known of what order were the interior columns of either chamber. +Those of the western having been thirty-six feet in height, their +proportion must have been nearly the same as that of the Ionic columns +of the vestibule of the Propylaea, whence it seems highly probable +that the same order was used in the interior of both those +contemporary buildings. In the eastern chamber of the Parthenon, the +smallness of the diameter of the columns leaves little doubt that +there was an upper range, as in the temples of Paestum and AEgina. It +is to be lamented that no remains of any of them have been found, as +they might have presented some new proofs of the taste and invention +of the architects of the time of Pericles. + +"Such was the simple construction of this magnificent building, which, +by the united excellencies of materials, design, and decorations, was +the most perfect ever executed. Its dimensions of two hundred and +twenty-eight feet by a hundred and two, with a height of sixty-six +feet to the top of the pediment, were sufficiently great to give an +impression of grandeur and sublimity, which was not disturbed by any +obtrusive subdivision of parts, such as is found to diminish the +effects of some larger modern buildings, where the same singleness of +design is not observed. In the Parthenon, whether viewed at a small or +at a great distance, there was nothing to divert the spectator's +contemplation from the simplicity and majesty of mass and outline, +which forms the first and most remarkable object of admiration in a +Greek temple; and it was not until the eye was satiated with the +contemplation of the entire edifice, that the spectator was tempted to +examine the decorations with which this building was so profusely +adorned; for the statues of the pediments, the only decoration which +was very conspicuous by its magnitude and position, being enclosed +within frames, which formed an essential part of the design of either +front, had no more obtrusive effect than an ornamented capital to a +single column." + +Bearing this outline of the building in mind, the visitor may at once +proceed to examine the ruins of this fine monument of ancient genius, +which are deposited in the Elgin Saloon of our National Museum. First, +he may notice those alto-relievos, known as the + +METOPES[9] OF THE PARTHENON. + +The subject of these sculptures has been familiarised to the visitor +in the Phigaleian marbles. Here, again, is the war of the Athenians, +on behalf of the Lapithae, with the Centaurs, the sculptor's subject. +On entering the room, the visitor will notice various numbers on each +marble: THE RED NUMBERS are those to which we refer throughout. + +The first metope to which the visitor will, in natural order, direct +his attention, is that marked 1. Here an Athenian has his knee upon +the back of a Centaur and one arm round his neck, while the other +(which is broken off) was evidently represented raised to strike a +fatal blow into the Centaur's body. The second metope (2) also +represents an Athenian subduing a Centaur. This group is much injured, +the head of the Athenian and that of the Centaur being missing; but +the Athenian has his knee firmly planted upon his brutal enemy's hind +quarters, and his arm (strongly developed) was evidently firmly +clutching the Centaur's hair. The third metope (3) shows an Athenian +under very disadvantageous circumstances. Here a Centaur is about to +deal a tremendous blow with a wine vessel at the head of his crouching +enemy, who is endeavouring to ward off its effects with his ample +shield. The heads of these figures are casts from the originals, which +are in the Royal Museum at Copenhagen. The fourth metope (4) has been +so mutilated that the figure of the Athenian, which was once upon it, +is wholly effaced, and the Centaur has the head, part of two legs, and +both arms, wanting. Originally the Centaur was holding an Athenian by +his hair. The fifth metope (5) is also much mutilated; but here both +figures were evidently represented mutually confident of victory. A +vigorous action is represented upon the sixth metope (6), where an +Athenian is seizing a Centaur by the throat, while, with the right +hand, he is prepared to deal a fatal stroke. The seventh metope (7) is +much mutilated; but the figure of an Athenian thrown, and a Centaur +trampling upon him, are clearly discernible. There is fine action in +the eighth metope (8), where the Centaur has seized his adversary by +the foot, and is hurling him backwards to the earth. Under the +Athenian the visitor will notice a circular drinking vessel, +indicative of the revel at which the cause of quarrel originated. The +next metope (9) (or rather a cast from the metope in the Louvre at +Paris) represents a Centaur in the act of seizing a female, who is +resisting him: both heads are wanted. The drapery about the female is +beautifully executed. Matters have arrived at a desperate pitch with +the combatants represented on the tenth metope (10), where the +Centaur, with starting eyes and uplifted arms, is about to strike a +determined Athenian, who has planted his foot against the Centaur's +breast, and is determined to do his work. The next metope (11) is a +fine specimen of sculpture. Here an Athenian has seized a Centaur by +the jaw, from behind. The drapery that falls from the fine form of the +Greek is exquisitely folded, and the figure itself is finished with +masterly skill. A victorious Centaur holding forth a mantle of lion's +skin, is the central figure of the next metope (12). Below lies the +dead body of an Athenian: all the muscles marked and rigid. It is +supposed that the following metope (13) represents the Centaur +Eurytion carrying off Hippodamia. The drapery of the female figure is +exquisite. The fourteenth metope (14) represents an Athenian thrown by +a Centaur. The Athenian, however, is not idle, having buried a weapon +in the left side of his adversary, and attempting to seize a stone +with his left hand. The fifteenth metope (15) represents a Centaur +holding an Athenian; while the Athenian has revenged himself by +planting that decisive kind of blow known in pugilistic circles as "a +bruiser" upon the Centaur's cheek. This metope is more angular in +execution than the other metopes; and was probably executed, under the +guidance of Phidias, by one of the old school of Greek sculptors. The +last, or sixteenth metope (16), is supposed to have been executed by +the same inferior hand as that employed upon the fifteenth. Here the +contest between the Centaur and the Athenian is undecided. Metope 16c +has been recently discovered at Athens. + +Having fully examined these fine specimens of Greek sculpture, the +visitor may at once turn to other parts of the great temple, examining +now and then, to guide his impressions, the restored model which +stands near the south-east corner of the room. His business is now +with the frieze that ran round the building behind the columns, and +upon which a series of bas-reliefs were sculptured; of which Sir Henry +Ellis gives the following clear outline:-- + +THE FRIEZE OF THE PARTHENON. + +"One of the richest objects with which Phidias embellished the outside +of the temple of the Parthenon, was, without doubt, that uninterrupted +series of bas-reliefs which occupied the upper part of the walls +within the colonnade, at the height of the frieze of the Pronaos, and +which was continued entirely round the building. The situation +afforded to the work only a secondary light, and, so far, prescribed +to Phidias the manner in which he was to direct the execution of the +figures. + +"From the position intended for it, it was evident that the direct +rays of the sun could never reach the Panathenaic frieze. Being placed +immediately below the soffit, it received all its light from between +the columns, and by reflection from the pavement below. The flatness +of the sculpture is thus sufficiently accounted for; had the relief +been prominent, the upper parts could not have been seen; the shade +projected by the sculpture would have rendered it dark, and the parts +would have been reduced by their shadows. The frieze could only be +seen in an angle of forty-two degrees and a half. + +"The subject represented the sacred procession which was celebrated +every fifth year in honour of Minerva, the guardian goddess of the +city, and embraced in its composition all the external observances of +the highest festival of the Athenians. + +"The blocks of marble of which the frieze was composed were three feet +four inches high; they were placed about nine feet within the external +row of columns; and occupied, slab after slab, a space of five hundred +and twenty-four feet in length. As a connected subject, this was the +most extensive piece of sculpture ever made in Greece. The images of +the gods, deified heroes, basket bearers, bearers of libatory vessels, +trains of females, persons of every age and sex, men on horseback, +victims, charioteers--in short, the whole people were represented in +it conveying, in solemn pomp, to this very temple of the Parthenon, +the sacred veil which was to be suspended before the statue of the +goddess within. + +"Meursius, in his Panathenaea and Reliquiae Atticae, has collected +from ancient authors many particulars concerning this Peplus. It was +the work of young virgins selected from the best families in Athens, +over whom two of the principal, called Arrephorae, were +superintendents. On it was embroidered the battle of the gods and +giants; amongst the gods was Jupiter hurling his thunderbolts against +the rebellious crew, and Minerva, seated in her chariot, appeared as +the vanquisher of Typhon or Enceladus. In the Hecuba of Euripides, the +chorus of captive Trojan females are lamenting, in anticipation, the +evils which they will suffer in the land of the Greeks. 'In the city +of Pallas, of Athena, on the beautiful seat in the woven peplus I +shall yoke colts to a chariot, painting them in various different +coloured threads, or else the races of the Titans, whom Zeus, the son +of Kronos, puts to sleep in fiery all-surrounding flame.' The names of +those Athenians who had been eminent for military virtue, were also +embroidered on it. This will explain the following allusion in the +Knights of Aristophanes, where the chorus says--'We wish to praise our +fathers, because they were an honour to this country and worthy of the +_peplus_: in battles by land and in the ship-girt armament conquering +on all occasions they exalted this city.' When the festival was +celebrated, this peplus was brought from the Acropolis, where it had +been worked, down into the city; it was then displayed and suspended +as a sail to the ship, which on that day, attended by a numerous and +splendid procession, was conducted through the Ceramicus and other +principal parts, till it had made the circuit of the Acropolis; it was +then carried up to the Parthenon, and there consecrated to Minerva." +This splendid series of sculptures forms the gem of the Elgin +collection. The museum possesses no less than two hundred feet of the +original frieze, in addition to upwards of seventy feet in casts. The +wonderful variety, the perfect drawing, the classic grace, and the +unity of conception displayed in this work, entitle it to rank as the +most precious relic of antiquity saved to moderns from the wrecks of +time. Starting from the left side of the entrance door to the south, +the visitor begins his inspections of + +THE EASTERN FRIEZE, + +or those portions which decorated the eastern end of the Parthenon. +These are marked from 17 to 24. The introductory slab (17) represents +a procession of Greek virgins, with their long flowing draperies +beautifully modelled, as the visitor will at once perceive. Some are +carrying vessels for the libations. The next slab (18) has some +interesting figures. The four standing figures, which are to the left +of the two, supposed to represent Castor and Pollux, are supposed to +represent Hierophants explaining away mysteries, while the others are +students of the doctrines taught at the festival. The next slab, which +is the longest in the collection (19), is said to have been originally +placed above the eastern gate of the temple. Here are females +delivering offerings in baskets to one who appears to preside. On the +left, a man of dignified bearing is receiving a large roll from a +youth, which Visconti supposed to be the embroidered veil. Here seated +on a throne is Jupiter, with the arms supported by two sphinxes. Here, +too, is a goddess removing her veil, supposed by some to be Juno, and +by others Mercury. At the end of the slab the visitor will remark old +AEsculapius, and the figure of his daughter with a serpent twined +about her left arm, as Hygieia, or Health. The marble let into the +wall below the frieze, and marked 20, is a perfect cast from a marble +partly in that marked 21 and partly in that marked 22. Slabs 23, 24 +have continuations of the procession, consisting of females draped, +bearing vessels and torches. These women were selected from the +noblest families of Athens. The fragment marked 25 closes those which +adorn the eastern front. It represents a mutilated figure of one of +the Metoeci, or strangers, bearing a tray filled originally with +provisions. From the eastern the visitor should proceed to the slabs +of the + +NORTHERN FRIEZE. + +These are marked from 26 to 46. On the first of this series a youth +was originally represented receiving a crown of honour in a chariot +race. Then follow successively five slabs, all bearing bas-reliefs of +chariots and charioteers. These slabs are greatly admired by artists, +and are said, at the present day, to be perhaps the finest specimens +of bas-relief extant. After the chariots with more notable people +forming the procession, the successive marbles marked 32 to 43 are +filled up with the groups of horsemen who followed the chariots. The +forms of the animals are beautifully grouped and executed; and may, +after the many centuries of time that have elapsed since they were +placed behind the Parthenon columns, be consulted by the modern artist +as the finest extant models upon which he can exercise his student's +hand. On the slabs 36, 7, how finely are the horses and riders +grouped, and how firmly and gracefully is the rude figure upon the +central horse of the second slab posed! Having sufficiently admired +these fine groups, the visitor should at once turn to the slab marked +46. Here, a young man standing near his horse is about to crown +himself; while a standing figure to the right appears to have +dismounted, and to be suffering some adjustment of dress by a servant +behind him. At the right end of this slab is a figure seen sideways, +and representing the first part of the decoration of the + +WESTERN FRIEZE. + +Only one of the fifteen slabs of the western frieze is the original +marble:--the rest are casts from the frieze still adorning the ruins +of the temple. The western frieze is included in the slabs marked from +47 to 61. The marble in the possession of the museum from the western +frieze is, however, one of great value. It represents two mounted +horsemen--the whole exquisitely carved. Passing forward from this, the +forty-eighth slab (48) represents a horse to which three men are +attending. Mounted horsemen also fill up the next two slabs (49, 50). +On the fifty-first a rider is represented habited in full armour, with +another rider, dismounted, who appears to be rubbing a hurt on his +left leg. The two following slabs (52,3) are horses and men;--on the +latter, a dismounted man in a flowing robe endeavouring to curb a +rearing steed. On the next slab (54) are two horsemen mounted, the one +to the right wearing a hat that has a modern appearance, and is +similar to those worn by dignitaries of the Greek church at the +present time. A fine horse and graceful horseman occur in the right +corner of the slab 55,--the action of the horse is finely sculptured. +The remaining sculptures of the western frieze represent figures of +mounted and dismounted horsemen, of which the visitor may notice the +graceful figures on slab 57 (where the horse is rubbing his leg), and +slab 60, where the figure to the right appears to be only preparing to +join the procession. Having examined these, the visitor should at once +proceed to examine the remarkable points of the + +SOUTHERN FRIEZE. + +These are numbered from 62 to 90, and reach back to the northern side +of the entrance to the saloon. The slabs marked from 62 to 77 consist +of horsemen, galloping, often two or three abreast: some with helmets +and armour, and others nude; and the slabs marked from 78 to 82 have +sculptures of chariots drawn by four horses (mostly) abreast. These, +however, present no new points to which it is necessary to draw the +visitor's particular attention. The business of the festival, &c., +begins to be apparent in the seven last slabs (84-90). Here the +victims appear. In the first (85) a bull appears to be giving no +little trouble to some attendants, and to be utterly regardless of the +solemnity of the occasion. A bull, full of action, is the principal +object on the next slab (86): and on the next (87), one appears calmly +walking to his doom. Upon the return of the slab (90) is a figure +finely executed, supposed to be that of a magistrate surveying the +progress of the procession. The sacrificial oxen are said to be +masterly representations of the finest specimens of these animals. + +Having examined these bas-reliefs, the visitor should at once turn to +the groups which occupied central space in the saloon, and which +originally adorned the eastern and western pediments of the Parthenon. + +SCULPTURES FROM THE EASTERN PEDIMENT. + +These occupy the central space towards the southern end of the saloon. +The group on the eastern pediment originally represented the birth of +Minerva. The visitor will probably be first attracted to the great +recumbent figure marked 93, generally believed to have represented +Theseus, the Athenian hero, whose biography opens the series of +Plutarch's Lives. The figure is now much mutilated; the nose has been +chipped, and the feet are wanting, but still the form reclining on a +rock is majestic. Mr. Westmacott, in a lecture, gave his reasons for +believing that this statue was meant for Cephalus, of whom Aurora was +enamoured, and not Theseus. "This work [the pediment] it must be +observed, related to the most remarkable event in Athenian mythology, +and was confined only to that event. All the gods of Olympus were +present at the birth of Minerva. Now Theseus was not only not in +existence, but was patronised and protected by Minerva; it would seem, +therefore, extraordinary that he should be admitted as a witness of +her birth. If it is really Theseus, he could only have been introduced +by Phidias in compliment to the Athenians; but whether this could on +so very sacred an occasion have been allowed, may very reasonably be +doubted. Hercules, even the older, or Idaean Hercules, was, upon the +same principle, equally inadmissible, the Athenians acknowledging or +worshipping no Hercules prior to the son of Alcmene, who was +contemporaneous with Theseus, and consequently posterior also to +Minerva. Now the mythology of Cephalus is not only in unison with +Pausanias, but the admission of that person would in no degree affect +the harmony of the Attic types, or principles of Athenian worship. +Cephalus was as celebrated for heroic virtues as for his beauty." + +The fragment numbered 91 is part of a figure of Hyperion rising out of +the sea. It marked that angle of the pediment to the left of the +spectator, and the arms are stretched forward urging his coursers. +Near him are, alas, only the heads of two of his horses (92). The next +group that presents itself for notice is that of two sitting figures +(94), the one to the left leaning on the right shoulder of the other. +This is a wreck of a group that represented Ceres and her daughter +Proserpine on the pediment. Next in succession is a figure full of +action (95): this is Iris, the messenger of the gods, but the +particular property of Juno, on her way to carry to remote parts the +interesting intelligence of the birth of Minerva. A torso of Victory +is placed next in order of succession (96). The figure is now +wingless, but holes can be seen which once attached them to the +statue. Three Fates, beautifully draped (97), and a head of one of the +horses (98) of the chariot of Night which occupied the angle of the +pediment on the spectator's right, complete the recovered fragments of +the eastern pediment. + +Hence the visitor should turn to the fragments from the + +WESTERN PEDIMENT. + +The subject illustrated on the western pediment was the contest +between Minerva and Neptune for the honour of giving a name to Athens. +The relics of these sculptures will now engage the visitor's +attention. Undoubtedly the first object that will attract his notice +will be that numbered 99. This recumbent figure has a noble presence +even now, headless and otherwise mutilated as it is. Canova stood +undecided between this figure and that of Theseus (or Cephalus, +according to Mr. Westmacott) as to which was pre-eminently beautiful. +The figure before which the visitor now stands is generally received +as the statue of Ilissus, who was the Athenian god of the river +Ilissus, which watered the southern side of the Athenian plain. Others +have declared it to be Theseus reposing after his herculean labours, +and contemplating the contest between the two deities. Having fully +examined this fine sculpture, the visitor should turn to the fragments +of the Minerva. A small fragment of the upper part of a face (101) is +all that remains of Minerva's head, the holes being still visible by +which the goddess's bronze helmet was fastened to the statue. +Hereabouts, also, is a fragment of the statue (102), and a coil of the +serpent that was about the figure (104). The torso marked 100, from +the western pediment, is conjectured to be part of a statue that +represented Cecrops, the founder of Athens, at the contest. The next +fragment is the torso of Neptune (103); and hereabouts is the cast of +the group supposed to have originally represented Hercules and Hebe. +The second object, marked 104, is the cast, presented by M. Charles +Lenormand, of a head in the Bibliothèque Nationale at Paris, supposed +to belong to one of the statues of the western pediment. A torso of a +wingless or Athenian Victory is the next object that demands notice +(105): the figure was represented without wings, in token of the +inseparability of the goddess from the Greek capital. Another object +is marked 105: this is the head of the Victory; or rather a cast from +the original head presented to the trustees by Count de Laborde. +Lastly, of the western pediment sculptures, the visitor will remark +the lap of a figure, with a portion of an infant remaining: this ruin +is all that is left of Latona and her two children, Diana and Apollo. +Having fully examined these ruins of the Parthenon, the visitor must +direct his immediate attention to the remains collected from the ruins +of the celebrated + +DOUBLE TEMPLE OF THE ERECTHEUM AND PANDROSUS. + +The temple of the Erectheum was situated at Athens, less than two +hundred feet distant from the Parthenon. It was the temple of Athene +Polias, or Minerva and Erectheus; and adjoining it was the chapel of +Pandrosus. Philocles of Acharnae was the architect of the building, +which Lord Aberdeen, reiterating the opinion of many great +authorities, in his "Inquiry into the Principles of Beauty in Grecian +Architecture," styles the most perfect known specimen of the Ionic +order of architecture. It was built on the spot where Neptune and +Minerva are supposed to have contested the honour of naming Athens. +When Lord Elgin visited Athens, the vestibule of the temple was a +Turkish powder magazine. + +Before examining the few relics from this fine building in the saloon, +the visitor should notice the second object, marked 106, which is the +cast of a head found during the progress of excavations at Athens, +between the ancient gate of the Peloponnesus and the temple of +Theseus. Having passed from this relic, the visitor will at once +examine the architectural relics of different parts of the Erectheum, +which are more interesting to the architectural student than to the +general visitor. The fragment 109 is the lower portion of a draped +female statue; the relic marked 110 is part of the shaft of an Ionic +column; the capital of a column, 125, is very beautiful: but the +object that will be most attractive to the general visitor is the +statue marked 128, known in architecture as a Caryatid, which was used +in the temple of Pandrosus instead of columns. Hereabouts also, amid +the miscellaneous fragments, the visitor should notice a colossal +headless and heavily-draped figure, marked 111. This is the wreck of +the great statue of Bacchus which surmounted a monument erected three +hundred and twenty years before the Christian era, by Thrasyllus of +Deceleia, to record the victory of a tribe at a great festival of +Bacchus. This statue has been variously christened. Some believe it to +be the fragment of a Niobe; others of a Diana. It is generally allowed +to be a noble sample of Greek sculpture. Hereabouts, also, is the +well-known imperfect statue of Icarus (113), brought in fragments from +the Acropolis. The urn marked 122 is a sepulchral vessel, with figures +in bas-relief; 123 is a sepulchral column, with an Athenian name upon +it; and then the visitor will pass rapidly the fragments of Doric and +Ionic columns from various Greek temples. With the casts beginning +from 136, the visitor will start with his examination of the fragments +from the + +TEMPLE OF THESEUS. + +When the ashes of Theseus, long after his death, were conveyed in +state to Athens, festivals were instituted in his honour; and a +magnificent temple was erected to his memory nearly five centuries +before our era. The sculptures of the temple represented the exploits +of Theseus, and of Hercules, with whom Theseus was always on terms of +great friendship, and to whom he gave the highest honours his country +could afford. The subject of the frieze (which the visitor will find +against the eastern wall of the saloon, numbered from 136 to 149), has +been variously explained, but is shrewdly conjectured to be the Battle +of the Giants, in which Hercules played a prominent part, and in which +the giants are said to have hurled rocks at their adversaries, like +pebbles. This battle was fought in the presence of divinities, who are +represented seated upon slabs (137-8-133-4.) This frieze was on the +most conspicuous part of the temple. The frieze that flanked the +building was sculptured with the exploits of Theseus; and here the +visitor will once more see the battle of the Centaurs and the Lapithae +illustrated (150-154). The Centaurs hurling huge stones, and wielding +the stems of trees; and the invulnerable Coeneus, half crushed by his +savage enemies, are again represented. The casts of three metopes +(155-157) are from the north side of the temple of Theseus. Upon the +first the hero is represented destroying the King of Thebes, Creon; +upon the second he is throwing Cercyon, King of Eleusis; and upon the +third he is overcoming the Crommyonian sow. "About this time," +Plutarch tells us, "Crommyon was infested with a wild sow named Phoeä, +a fierce and formidable creature. This savage he attacked and killed, +going out of his way to engage her, and thus displaying an act of +voluntary valour: for he believed it equally became a brave man to +stand upon his defence against abandoned ruffians, and to seek out and +begin the combat with strong and savage animals. But some say that +Phoeä was an abandoned female robber, who dwelt in Crommyon; that she +had the name of 'sow' from her life and manners, and was afterwards +slain by Theseus." + +A series of bas-reliefs from an Ionic temple, dedicated to the +Wingless Victory of Athens, are the next objects that command the +general visitor's attention. They are numbered from 158 to 161 +successively. Upon these are represented battles between the Greeks +and Persians; and maidens leading a sacrificial bull. The fragments +marked successively from 165 to 175 are remarkable for the Greek +inscriptions on them, which cannot interest the general visitor. Let +the visitor, therefore, next pause before the fragment of a frieze in +green stone, marked 177, which is from the tomb of Agamemnon at +Mycenae. The sculptured scroll-work is of very remote antiquity. The +next fragment is a bas-relief, on which a bearded man is represented, +pressing a child towards him, and directing its attention to a votive +foot which he holds in his hand. Passing from this, the visitor may +next direct his attention to the fragment of a colossal statue +numbered 178. It belongs to one of the pediments of the Parthenon. +Hereabouts are various sepulchral urns and columns of no particular +interest to the casual observer;--the circular altar from Delos, +ornamented in relief with sacrificial bulls and other subjects. 179 +may, however, be noticed, together with the column marked 183, which +bears the name of Socrates, son of Socrates, a native of Ancyra, of +Galatia. The object marked 186 is a Greek sun-dial found at Athens, of +a time not long before the reign of the Emperor Severus. Passing other +altars and fragments of columns, the visitor should pause on his way, +to notice a bas-relief upon which Latona and Diana are sculptured, +forming part of a procession (190). The bas-relief numbered 193 is +from the theatre of Bacchus: it is a Bacchanalian group, in which +Bacchus is holding forth a vessel to be filled by an attending +Bacchante. The next object to be noticed is marked 194, and is a +fragment of a head of the goddess Pasht, surmounted with a crown of +serpents. A spirited scene occurs upon bas-relief 197, where a +charioteer, heralded by a flying Victory, is represented driving four +horses at full speed. A series of urns and votive altars are grouped +hereabouts, which the casual visitor may pass, pausing before the +small statue of Ganymede (207); a fragment of a boy supporting a bird +on his arm (221); a small figure of Telesphorus, headless, and draped; +more sepulchral urns and stêles; capitals of Corinthian and Ionic +columns; various inscriptions, including a decree of a society of +musicians (235); an amphora (238); a female head; a large and small +head of a bearded Hercules (243-242); heads and fragments of heads; +the base of a statue supposed to have been that of the Minerva of the +western pediment of the Parthenon; urns and columns, and stales and +inscriptions; a bas-relief showing Health, the daughter of +AEsculapius, feeding a serpent; two more bas-reliefs; an inventory of +the articles of gold and silver belonging to the Parthenon (282); +stêles, inscriptions, and columns; fragments of colossal statues, a +small statue (headless) of a Muse, 316; fragments of figures from the +metopes of the Parthenon; a sculptured oblong vessel, found near the +plain of Troy, for containing holy water (324); a mutilated colossal +head supposed to represent Nemesis, found in the temple of Nemesis, at +Rhamnus (325); a mutilated female statue found also at Rhamnus, in the +temple of Themis; fragments of colossal statues, stêles, inscriptions, +and altars. And hereabouts the visitor should pause once more to +examine a consecutive series of sculptures. These are marked from 352 +to 360. They are casts from the monument of Lysicrates, erected to +celebrate a musical contest about three centuries and a half before +our era. This monument is commonly known as the + +LANTERN OF DEMOSTHENES. + +This name is derived from a story long current, that the monument was +built by Demosthenes as a place of retirement. It was in reality a +monument erected in honour of Lysicrates, and the musicians or actors +who carried off the palm in musical or dramatic entertainments. This +monument is interesting as being the oldest existing specimen of the +Corinthian order of architecture. The frieze, of which there are +specimens before the visitor, represents the story of the revenge +Bacchus indulged in towards some Tyrrhenian corsairs, who endeavoured +to convey him to Asia to sell him as a slave. It is related that +discovering their infamous project, he transformed the masts and oars +of the vessel into snakes. The frieze is divided into nine +compartments, and the central figure is Bacchus seated with his +panther before him, a vessel in his hand, and attendant fauns. The +fantastic punishment of the pirates is forcibly depicted. Here one +bound to a rock finds the cord changed into a powerful serpent; there +men leaping into the sea are already half changed to dolphins; and +others are receiving severe castigation. Having examined these curious +sculptures, the visitor may rapidly review the rest of the relics +which he will care to examine. Passing the inscriptions (all +interesting to the antiquarian), the votive altars, and other +fragments, he may halt here and there before various interesting +bas-reliefs. Among these are a bas-relief representing Vesta and +Minerva crowning a young man (375); a bas-relief of Jupiter and Juno; +a bas-relief representing a sacrifice before an altar (380); an +imperfect bas-relief representing three goddesses (383); a lion's head +from the roof of the Parthenon (393); a fragment from Mantell's +collection, of a female figure found on the plains of Marathon (397); +the upper part of a female figure, in bas-relief, from Athens (419); +two women and a child making offerings found in Laconia (430); another +bas-relief from Laconia (431); a curious subject in bas-relief from +Athens, representing the upper part of a youth holding something, +supposed to be a lantern, with a boy near him, and a cat on a column +(432); a cast from a tablet representing in bas-relief Pan seated on a +rock with a draped nymph, supposed to be Echo, before him (433); a +cast of the tablet of Euthydia, daughter of Diogenes, who is taking +leave of friends (435); and lastly, a bas-relief representing the +shape of a shield, on which the names of the _ephebi_ of Athens, under +Alcamenes, are inscribed. This is said to have belonged originally to +the Parthenon. And here the visitor will close his inspection of the +Elgin Saloon. That he will return to these fine relics of the old +Greeks, if he have the opportunity, is certain. He may come again and +again, and each time gain something in the contemplation of these +classical models; noble thoughts before the masterly figure of +Theseus, a keen sense of beauty near the beautiful forms of the +Parthenon frieze. Of all the glorious monuments of antiquity that have +reached us of the proud nineteenth century, none have so noble a +significance as the broken marbles collected in this room. The +contemplative man, seeing their perfect beauties, asks himself in +their presence many puzzling questions. But perhaps the first that +rises in the mind is wonder at the contrast between the development of +art and the poorness of science in this splendid antiquity. No steam +then to wield the hammer; only the most limited knowledge of the +earth: the west an indescribable region of harmony and glory; the +world a flat surface; fearful mariners hugging the shore close at +home, and trusting to the stars; and England a savage place where +wolves rent the air at night; and a heathen mythology the faith of the +most civilised people of the earth. Under these barbarous +circumstances, the poetry that dwells in the heart of all people who +cultivate some affinity to nature, fashioned the mould of a Phidias +for the people of Athens. A man with a stern soul, an eye large and +grand, a frame built to realise the soul's tasks--we see this Phidias +of the Greeks as he hovered about the foundations of the Parthenon, +when the name of Pericles was every Greek's watchword, four centuries +and a half before our Christian era. The man appears to have been of +colossal parts in every way. Versed in history, a poet given to study +fables (as all poets are), keen in sifting the subtleties of geometry, +a passionate reader of Homer; this was indeed the sculptor of the +gods! Of the high estimation in which the sculptures of the Parthenon +should be held, it is superfluous to say more than all writers on art +have agreed in saying. Here we have master-pieces, beyond which the +sculptors of the many ages that have passed away since Phidias +laboured at his Jupiter in the Olympian grove have never reached. High +praise this to say of a man who has been twenty-two centuries in his +grave, that he accomplished in the utmost perfection those ideals to +which his imitators have vainly aspired. It appears that Phidias had +his troubles, knew the force of a frown from men in power, and in +exile produced his master-piece. Whether he died in disgrace and by +foul means are points upon which the dust of ages has settled for +ever. We know thus much of him and no more. But the visitor who has +probably been more impressed with the contents of the Elgin Saloon +than with the massive coarseness of the Egyptian antiquities, will be +glad to hear a few general words--an authoritative summing up of the +matter from a pen more clearly authorised to touch the subject than +ours can be. A brief summary, a terse description, analytical and +picturesque, of a field of speculation or a region of wonder, +systematises the spectator's impression, and with the view of +fastening the proper contemplation of these master-pieces upon the +visitor's mind, we quote a few pointed sentences on the sculptures of +the Elgin Saloon, from the pen of Sir Henry Ellis. + +"These marbles, chiefly ornamental, belong to one edifice dedicated to +the guardian deity of the city, raised at the time of the greatest +political power of the state, when all the arts which contribute to +humanise life were developing their beneficial influence. Many of the +writers of Athens, whose works are the daily textbooks of our schools, +saw in their original perfection the mutilated marbles which we still +cherish and admire. The Elgin collection has presented us with the +external and material forms, in which the art of Phidias gave life and +reality to the beautiful mythi which veiled the origin of his native +city, and perpetuated in groups of matchless simplicity the ceremonies +of the great national festival. The lover of beauty and the friend of +Grecian learning will here find a living comment on what he reads; and +as in the best and severest models of antiquity we always discover +something new to admire, so here we find fresh beauties at every +visit, and learn how infinite in variety are simplicity and truth, and +how every deviation from these principles produces sameness and +satiety. It is but just that those who feel the value of this +collection should pay a tribute of thanks to the nobleman to whose +exertions the nation is indebted for it; and the more so as he was +made the object of vulgar abuse by many pretended admirers of ancient +learning. If Lord Elgin had not removed these marbles, there is no +doubt that many of them would long since have been totally destroyed; +and it was only after great hesitation, and a certain knowledge that +they were daily suffering more and more from brutal ignorance and +barbarism, that he could prevail on himself to employ the power he had +obtained to remove them to England. These marbles may be considered in +two ways; first, as mere specimens of sculpture; and secondly, as +forming part of the history of a people. As specimens of sculpture +they serve as excellent studies to young artists, whose taste is +formed and chastened by the simplicity and truth of the models +presented to them. The advantage of studying the ancients in this +department of art rests pretty nearly on the same grounds as those +which may be given for our study of their written models. Modern times +produce excellence in every department of human industry, and our +knowledge of nature, the result of continued accumulations, needs not +now the limited experience of former ages. The sciences founded on +demonstration, though they may trace their origin to the writings of +the Greeks, have advanced to a state in which nothing would be gained +by constantly recurring to the ancient condition of knowledge. But it +is not so with those arts which belong to the province of design; they +require a different discipline, and the faculties which they employ +may have received a more complete development two thousand years ago, +under favourable circumstances, than they have now. Their perfection +depends on circumstances over which we have little control: they +cannot, in our opinion, ever become essentially popular in any country +but one where the climate favours an out-of-door life, and where they +are intimately blended in the service of religion. If then a nation +has existed whose physical organisation, whose climate, and whose +religion all combined to develop the principles of beauty, and taught +man to choose from nature those forms and combinations which give the +highest and most lasting pleasure, we of the present day who do not +possess these advantages must follow those who were the first true +interpreters of nature. Their models possess the advantage of being +fixed; for without some standard universally admitted, we should run +into all the extravagances of conceit and affectation. + +"No work of the present time is ever universally admitted as an +indisputable standard. It is only when time has placed an interval +between the present and the past, wide enough to destroy all the +rivalries of competition; that great works receive the full +acknowledgments of their merits, and become standards to which we all +appeal. Thus in the art of writing our own language, we refer to the +best models of past instead of to the works of our own days; and our +youth at school are chiefly trained on the written models of Greece +and Home, instead of those of our own country. The advantage of this +consists in having before us examples which all appeal to, not because +we contend that they are in all respects the best, but because they +were the best of their day, and being written in a language no longer +subject to change, may be taken as an universal standard by which all +civilised nations may measure their thoughts and the mode of +expressing them. The frieze of the Parthenon and the dramas of +Sophocles, the forms of the marble and the conceptions of the great +poet, still speak to our imagination and our understanding: we +recognise, in both, the beauty of proportion, the simplicity and truth +of design; and we all assent to a standard which we feel to be in +harmony with nature, and to which all nations will yield a more ready +obedience than to any other that we can name. + +"Though the artist and the student may examine the sculptures of the +Parthenon with somewhat different views, their studies are more nearly +allied than is generally supposed. The artist who looks at them merely +as delineations of form, without reference to the ideas which gave +them their existence, loses half the pleasure and the profit; and the +student who merely names and catalogues them, without connecting them +with the written monuments of Grecian genius, that is with the +illustration of ancient texts, is also pursuing a barren study." + +And now the visitor's way lies through the sculpture galleries, back +to the grand entrance. He has accomplished the labour of examining all +that is exhibited to the public generally of the contents of the +national museum. He may wander into the eastern wing of the building +(if it be open to the general visitor), and through the northern, +where the vast library of printed books and manuscripts are deposited; +but these are only accessible to the public under special regulations. +This remark is applicable also to the print-room. + +The visitor, however, cannot leave the British Museum, having wandered +over it and examined its various curiosities, without getting +something from his journey. It is full of suggestive matter, which, +with a little direction, may be turned to useful account by large +classes of the people. It affords glimpses into the mysteries of the +Animal Kingdom, with all its varieties, its wonders, its traceable +progresses, its past and extinct forms, its promises of future +developments. Then the mineralogical galleries afford the general +visitor a peep at the formations of the earth; the various +developments of minerals; the natural state of ores and stones which +most men see only in their manufactured state. From the mineralogical +tables the visitor stepped aside to examine the wondrous revelations +of extinct animal life recovered from the bowels of the earth; he saw +the colossal megatherium, the towering mastodon, and the great Irish +elk. He understood something of the progress of animal life, from the +fishes and the saurians. Then he passed into the Egyptian room, and +found himself surrounded with the preserved bodies of the ancient +Egyptians; he examined their household gods; he pried into their +coffins; he saw their food; he was familiarised with their apparel. +Still proceeding onward, he came to the beautiful bronzes; and then he +saw the wonders that the ancient tombs of Etruria disgorged. He still +advanced in the galleries, till he came to a room that was a little +museum in itself--an exhibition of the curious industries of many +different countries. Here were Buddhist temples; Chinese chopsticks; +marvels from savage islands; a tortoise-shell bonnet; a Chinese +bell;--in short, a room packed from the ceiling to the floor with a +compact mass of curiosities. And then he left the upper floor of the +building, after having spent two days there, through two towering +cameleopards. He came a third time, and at once passing many things +that tempted him by the way, he passed on into the great and wonderful +Egyptian Saloon. Here he lingered for hours over ancient Egyptian +tombstones; before colossal sarcophagi; thinking of the tough work +Belzoni must have had of it with the young Memnon; endeavouring to +realise the approach to the ancient Egyptian temples through rows of +colossal and majestic sphinxes. Next he passed on to the ruins of +Nineveh, and its mystic mounds. Here he was with Layard for a time, +dreaming of the ancient Assyrians and their winged bulls. Hence he +passed into the Lycian room, and saw something of the strange remains +of the Xanthus of old; and then, probably, he went home to dream of +these great marvels of the times gone by. But he came again; and this +time hovered throughout the day amid the ruins of the arts of ancient +Greece. And now he has examined these; and he may leave the national +museum, assured that he has some useful knowledge of the curiosities +which scientific men have gathered from the remote parts of the world, +for the benefit of the learned resident in England. + +The tens of thousands who flock to the museum in holiday times prove +its attractions; and it is with the hope that these attractions may be +enhanced by the help of a methodical and homely guide, chattering to +the visitor various bits and scraps of pertinent information as he +passes from one object to another, that these four visits have been +presented to the public. They do not pretend to be scientific books, +but simply companions of the hour, that urge little points of +information while the mind is particularly impressible; and showing +the kind of interest that attaches to objects which, for the want of a +timely word, the visitor would have passed unnoticed. + +Many objects which are curiosities to the scientific man, but which +could not in any way interest the casual visitor, have been passed by +without hesitation. + +Our main object has been to give the visitor clear impressions of the +different departments or classes into which the national collection +naturally divides itself, by guiding his eye consecutively to those +objects which bear relation to each other. It was necessary, to make +ourselves attractive as guides, to eschew all learned and stiff +formalities; to class matters easily as we found them; and to sustain +the visitor's interest throughout his four journeys. The monotony of a +formal catalogue is repulsive to visitors chiefly bent upon enjoying a +few hours amusement; therefore we chose to direct the eye to objects, +and at once to interest the visitor in them, by shortly explaining +their points of interest. The success which this endeavour met +elsewhere has encouraged us to perform the present task; and we hope +shortly to be at the elbow of visitors to other interesting buildings +and exhibitions. + +The popularity of the British Museum may be shown by quoting the last +return of the number of visitors, &c., presented to the House of +Commons. This return proves that, while the public interest in the +collection is on the increase, that the guardians of the different +departments look out eagerly for new curiosities:--"The number of +readers--or rather of visits made by readers, in 1850, was +78,533:--or, an average of some 268 per diem:--the Reading Rooms +having been kept open 291 days. The number of books returned to the +shelves of the General Library from the Reading Rooms was 119,093; to +those of the Royal Library, 11,252; to those of the Grenville Library, +387: to the closets in which the books are kept from day to day for +the use of the readers, 110,950:--making a total of 241,682, or 830 +per diem. The number of volumes added to the Library amounts to 16,208 +(including music, maps, and newspapers); of which 837 were presented, +11,793 purchased, and 3575 received by copyright. The Keeper of the +MSS. has been busy cleaning, cataloguing, and stamping. Eleven of the +valuable Cottonian MSS. on vellum (including the Chronicle of Roger de +Wendover, supposed to have been utterly destroyed), and two Old Royal +as well as five Cottonian on paper, all injured in the fire of 1731, +have been carefully repaired, inlaid, and rebound. The purchases +include a Psalter of the tenth century, formerly belonging to the +monastery of Stavelot, in the diocese of Liége,--'a remarkably fine +Greek MS.' containing the works ascribed to Dionysius the +Areopagite,--and the Homilies of Gregory of Nazianzum, 'with scholia +written in the year 6480 (A.D. 972);'--together with nineteen +additional volumes of a series of transcripts from the Archives at the +Hague, of documents relating to English history, extending from 1588 +to 1614 and from 1689 to 1702.--In the 'Department of Natural +History,' we find that great progress has been made in the arrangement +of the contents of Room No. VI.,--its wall cases having been entirely +filled with the gigantic Osseous Remains of Edentata and Pachydermata, +and that the Central Room of the Northern Zoological Gallery has been +devoted to a collection of the Beasts, Birds, Fish, Reptiles, Shells, +Sea Eggs, Starfish, and Corals found in the British Islands. The +purchases include 'a silver decadrachm of Alexander the Great,' from +the collection of Colonel Rawlinson,--the first ever discovered,--'and +two very rare British _gold_ coins, having on them the name TIN.'" + +THE END. + + + + +NOTES + + +[1: Undoubtedly the finest coral is dredged from the Mediterranean; it +is an important article of commerce at Marseilles.] + +[2: "The shrikes, or butcher-birds (_laniadae_), are a numerous and +widely-diffused assemblage, living upon the smaller birds and insects; +the former of which the shrike sticks, when killed, upon thorns, as a +butcher hangs up meat in his stall; hence the name of the +genus."--_Vestiges of Creation_.] + +[3: Vestiges of Creation.] + +[4: These birds build in the crevices of precipitous rocks, and tho +female lines the nest with the down plucked from her breast. From +these nests natives rob the down and sell it.] + +[5: Vestiges of Creation.] + +[6: "Oxides are neutral compounds, containing oxygen in equivalent +proportions."--_Dr. Ure_.] + +[7: Sesquicarbonate of soda that is found in the west of the Delta. In +Mexico there are several natron lakes.] + +[8: The cuneiform character, which was used in every part of Asia +Minor, up to the time of Alexander the Great, consists of a series of +wedges or accents variously combined, as, [Cuneiform: *** **]]. + +[9: A Metope may be described as the intermediate space in a Doric +frieze, between two triglyphs, or separating grooves.] + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOW TO SEE THE BRITISH MUSEUM IN +FOUR VISITS*** + + +******* This file should be named 13755-8.txt or 13755-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/7/5/13755 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: How to See the British Museum in Four Visits + +Author: W. Blanchard Jerrold + +Release Date: October 15, 2004 [eBook #13755] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOW TO SEE THE BRITISH MUSEUM IN +FOUR VISITS*** + + +E-text prepared by Clare E. Boothby, Keith M. Eckrich, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + +HOW TO SEE THE BRITISH MUSEUM IN FOUR VISITS + +by + +W. BLANCHARD JERROLD + +London + +1852 + + + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +INTRODUCTION + +VISIT THE FIRST + + SOUTHERN ZOOLOGICAL ROOM.--Hoofed Animals:--Giraffe; + Walrus; Rhinoceros; Buffalo; Antelope. + + SOUTHERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY.--Hoofed Animals:--Wild Ox; + Hippopotamus; Elephant; Llama; Bison; Armadillo; Deer. + + MAMMALIA SALOON.--Bears; Monkeys; Cat Tribe; Dog Family; + Bear Tribe; Mole Tribe; Marsupial Animals; Seal Tribe; + Corals + + EASTERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY.--Birds of Prey; Perching + Birds; Scraping Birds; Wading Birds; Web-footed Birds. + + NORTHERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY.--Bats; Reptiles; Serpents; + Tortoises; Crocodiles; Frogs. + + BRITISH ZOOLOGICAL ROOM.--Carnivorous Beasts; Glirine + Beasts; Hoofed Beasts; Insectivorous Beasts; British + Reptiles; British Fish. + + NORTHERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY--_(continued)_.--Spiny-finned + Fishes; Soft-finned Fishes; Cartilaginous Fishes; + Sponges; Shell-fish; The Beetle Tribe; Butterflies and Moths. + + EASTERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY.--Star-fish; Sea-eggs; Shells. + + +VISIT THE SECOND + + NORTHERN MINERAL AND FOSSIL GALLERY.--Fossil Vegetables; + Minerals; Fossil Animals; Fossil Fishes; Fossil Mammalia. + + THE EGYPTIAN ROOM.--Human Mummies; Animal Mummies; + Sepulchral Ornaments; Egyptian Deities; Sacred + Animals; Household Objects; Tools; Musical Instruments; + Toys; Textile Fabrics. + + THE BRONZE ROOM.--Greek and Roman Bronzes. + + ETRUSCAN ROOM.--Etruscan Vases + + ETHNOGRAPHICAL ROOM.--Chinese Curiosities; Indian + Curiosities; African Curiosities; American Curiosities + + +VISIT THE THIRD + + EGYPTIAN SALOON.--Egyptian Sculpture; Egyptian + Coffins; Egyptian Tombstones; Sepulchral Vases; + Human Statues; Egyptian Sphinxes; Egyptian Frescoes. + + THE LYCIAN ROOM.--Lycian Tombs; Lycian Sculpture. + + THE NIMROUD ROOM.--Assyrian Sculpture. + + +VISIT THE FOURTH + + Townley Sculpture; Antiquities of Britain. + + PHIGALEIAN SALOON.--Battle with the Amazons. + + ELGIN SALOON.--Elgin Marbles; Metopes of the Parthenon; + Eastern Frieze; Northern Frieze; Western Frieze; + Southern Frieze; Eastern Pediment; Western Pediment; + Temple of the Erectheum; Temple of Theseus; + Lantern of Demosthenes. + + +CONCLUSION + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +The money to found a British Museum was raised by a lottery in the +middle of the last century. Sir Hans Sloane having offered his books +and museum of natural history to Parliament, for less than half its +value (20,000L.), it was purchased, together with the famous Harleian +and Cottonian MSS., and deposited in Montague House, Bloomsbury, which +had been bought of the Earl of Halifax, for the sum of 10,250L. Of the +present British Museum this beginning forms a very insignificant part. +The nucleus was established however; and soon eminent men, who valued +their literary and scientific collections as storehouses that should +be accessible to all classes of students, began to turn their +attention to the collections in Montague House. Foremost among the +donors George the Second should be mentioned, as having made over to +the nation the royal library, together with the right of demanding a +copy of every book entered at Stationers' Hall. Successively, the +libraries of Sir Joseph Banks, Dr. Birch, Sir John Hawkins, Dr. Burney +and Garrick, and the Royal, Arundel, Lansdowne, Bridgewater, and other +MSS. were added to the great store. Captain Cook returned home with +additions to the museum of natural history; Sir William Hamilton's +collection of vases was purchased in 1772; the spoils of Abercrombie's +Egyptian campaign enriched the museum with some fine Egyptian +antiquities; grants of money secured the Townley marbles, the +Phigalian sculptures, and at last the Elgin marbles; and of late, the +accessions to the vast collection, including Layard's treasures, the +Xanthian marbles, fossils, birds, curiosities, from the frozen seas, +China, the solitudes of Central Africa, and other remote places, where +scientific men have been of late prosecuting their studies have been +received. In 1823 it was allowed by Parliament that the collection had +grown too large for the house in which it was crammed; and accordingly +in this year it was resolved to destroy the old residence of the Earl +of Halifax, and build a new structure on its site. Sir Robert Smirke, +the architect of the present structure, has certainly had good cause +to complain of the niggardly supplies voted from time to time for the +building, which has been twenty-eight years in progress. The +regulations for the admission of the public have fairly kept pace with +the progress of those liberal ideas to which the collection is greatly +indebted, and of which it is a monument. It will be interesting for +the visitor of to-day, to contrast the rules by which he is admitted, +with those that fettered his ancestors of the eighteenth century. In +the year 1759, the trustees of this institution published their +"Statutes and Rules relating to the Inspection and Use of the British +Museum." This instructive document may now serve to illustrate the +darkness from which, even now, we are struggling. Those visitors who +now consider it rather an affront to be required to give up their cane +or umbrella at the entrance to our museums and galleries, will be +astonished to learn, that in the early days of the museum, those +persons who wished to inspect the national collection, were required +to make previous application to the porter, in writing, stating their +names, condition, and places of abode, as also the day and hour at +which they desired to be admitted. Their applications were written +down in a register, which was submitted every evening to the librarian +or secretary in attendance. If this official, judging from the +condition and ostensible character of an applicant, deemed him +eligible for admittance, he directed the porter to give him a ticket +on the following day. Thus the candidate for admission was compelled +to make two visits, before he could learn whether it was the gracious +will of a librarian or secretary that he should be allowed the +privilege of inspecting Sir Hans Sloane's curiosities. If successful, +his trouble did not end when he obtained the ticket; for it was +provided by the trustees that no more than ten tickets should be given +out for each hour of admittance. Accordingly, every morning on which +the museum was accessible, the porter received a company of ten +ticket-holders at nine o'clock, ushered them into a waiting-room "till +the hour of seeing the museum had come," to quote the words of the +trustees. This party was divided into two groups of five persons, one +being placed under the direction of the under-librarian, and the other +under that of the assistant in each department. Thus attended, the +companies traversed the galleries; and, on a signal being given by the +tinkling of a bell, they passed from one department of the collection +into another:--an hour being the utmost time allowed for the +inspection of one department. This system calls to mind the dragooning +practised in Westminster Abbey, under the command of the gallant +vergers, to the annoyance of leisurely visitors, and of ardent but not +active archaeologists. Sometimes, when public curiosity was +particularly excited, the number of respectable applicants for +admission to the museum exceeded the limit of the prescribed issue. In +these cases, tickets were given for remote days; and thus, at times, +when the lists were heavy, it must have been impossible for a passing +visitor in London to get within the gateway of Montague House. In +these old regulations the trustees provided also, that when any +person, having obtained tickets, was prevented from making use of them +at the appointed time, he was to send them back to the porter, in +order "that other persons wanting to see the museum might not be +excluded." Three hours was the limit of the time any company might +spend in the museum; and those who were so unreasonable or inquisitive +as to be desirous of visiting the museum more than once, might apply +for tickets a second time "provided that no person had tickets at the +same time for more than one." The names of those persons who, in the +course of a visit, wilfully transgressed any of the rules laid down by +the trustees, were written in a register, and the porter was directed +not to issue tickets to them again. + +These regulations secured the exclusive attendance of the upper +classes. The libraries were hoarded for the particular enjoyment of +the worm, whose feast was only at rare intervals disturbed by some +student regardless of difficulties. To the poor, worn, unheeded +authors of those days, serenely starving in garrets, assuredly the +British Museum must have been as impenetrable as a Bastille. We +imagine the prim under-librarian glancing with a supercilious +expression upon the names and addresses of many poor, aspiring, +honourable men--men, whose "condition," to use the phrase of the +trustees, bespoke not the gentility of that vulgar age. In those days +the weaver and the carpenter would as soon have contemplated a visit +to St. James's Palace as have hoped for an admission ticket to the +national museum. + +These mean precautions of the last century, contrast happily with the +enlightened liberty of this. Crowds of all ranks and conditions +besiege the doors of the British Museum, especially in holiday times, +yet the skeleton of the elephant is spotless, and the bottled +rattlesnakes continue to pickle in peace. The Elgin marbles have +suffered no abatement of their marvellous beauties; and the coat of +the cameleopard is with out a blemish. The Yorkshireman has his +unrestrained stare at Sesostris; the undertaker spends his holiday +over the mummies, and no official suppresses his professional +objections to the coffins. The weaver observes the looms of the olden +time: the soldier compares the Indian's blunt instrument with his own +keen and deadly bayonet. The poor needlewoman enjoys her laugh at the +rude sewing-instruments of barbarous tribes: the stone-mason perhaps +compares his tombs with the sarcophagi of ancient masters. No +attendant is deputed to dog the heels of five visitors and to watch +them with the cold eye of a gaoler; no bell warns the company from one +spot to another: all is open--free! + +Through the bright new galleries of Sir Robert Smirke, crowded with +the natural productions of every clime, the printed thoughts of the +greatest and best men, the marvellous art of forgotten ages, and the +poor barbarisms of savage life, we propose to conduct the visitor, in + +FOUR DISTINCT VISITS. + + + + +VISIT THE FIRST. + + + +On arriving in front of the British Museum for the first time, the +visitor will not fail to notice the Grecian Ionic facade, ornamented +with forty-four columns, and rising at its extreme point to the height +of sixty-six feet. The sculpture which decorates the tympanum of the +portico is the work of Sir Richard Westmacott, and is an allegorical +representation of the progress of civilisation. The spiritual +influences that have successively worked upon the savage natures of +the dark ages, have here distinct types. Religion tames the savage; +Paganism makes him a crouching sensualist; the Egyptian sees a God in +the stars of heaven; and then the mathematician, the musician, the +poet, and the painter set to work, and these prophets of mysterious +beauties realise civilised mankind. The visitor enters the museum, +after ascending a noble flight of steps, by a massive carved oak door, +into a fine entrance hall, the ceiling of which is highly coloured, +and the general decoration of which is Grecian Ionic. Here he will +observe, in addition to one or two of the Nineveh sculptures, at once, +three statues: one of the aristocratic lady sculptor, the Honourable +Mrs. Damer; Chantrey's statue of Sir Joseph Banks; and Roubillac's +study of Shakspeare, presented to the museum by David Garrick. Before +entering the galleries of the museum the visitor should observe, that +the building faces the four points of the compass, and that the facade +forms the southern line. This observation will facilitate a careful +and regular examination of the interior. Branching westward from the +entrance hall, then eastward to the gallery, is a noble flight of +seventy steps, the walls of the staircase being richly inlaid with +marble. Having ascended this staircase, the visitor's attention is at +once arrested by two stuffed giraffes--the giraffe of North Africa, +and the giraffe of South Africa, given to the museum by the late Earl +of Derby. These striking zoological specimens at once introduce the +visitor to + +THE SOUTHERN (CENTRAL) ZOOLOGICAL ROOM, + +which is devoted, together with the next room to the east, to Hoofed +Animals. Looking eastward from the western side of the room he will +observe at once that his way lies down a passage, marked on either +side by formidable zoological specimens, which he would rather meet, +with their present anatomy of hay, than in their natural condition. In +the first room, near the giraffes, stand the walrus of the North Sea; +the African rhinoceros; and the Manilla buffalo. He will next observe, +that the walls of the room are lined with glass cases, about twelve +feet in height, and that in these cases various stuffed animals are +grouped. The groups in this room include the varieties of the +Antelope, Sheep, and Goats. Grouped together in two or three cases, +are the sable and other antelopes from the Cape of Good Hope; the +algazelle, and the addax and its young from North Africa; the +sing-sing, and the koba from Western Africa; the sassaybi; the chamois +of the Alps--the subject of many a stirring mountain song; the goats +of North Africa; the strange Siberian ibex; the grue and gorgon from +the Cape; varieties of the domestic goat, and the beautiful Cashmere +goat. Here also are specimens of sheep, including the wild sheep from +the Altai; the bearded sheep of North Africa; the American arguli; the +nahorr and caprine antelopes from Nepal; and upon the higher shelves +of the cases are grouped the gazelles from Senegal, Nepal, and Madras, +whose praises have been sung more than once. The beauty and grace of +these delicate creatures, with their taper active limbs, and the soft +expression of their heads, may be faintly gathered even from these +inanimate stuffed skins with the glassy eyes instead of "the soft +blue" celebrated by the poet. Grouped hereabouts are also the +four-horned antelope of India; the pigmy antelope from the coast of +Guinea; and the madoka from Abyssinia. Before leaving this room, or +ante-room, to the great zoological sections of the museum, the visitor +should notice the varieties of horns,--straight and tortuous, but all +graceful,--of different kinds of hoofed animals. + +Advancing eastward the visitor arrives in + +THE SOUTHERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY. + +Here the visitor is still in the midst of the hoofed beasts. The way +lies between two rows of animals. Of these the visitor should notice +particularly the wild oxen of India and Java; compare the Indian +rhinoceros with that of South Africa; and notice the hippopotamus +family, from South Africa, as well as a diminutive specimen of the +Indian elephant, and a half-grown elephant, from Africa. Having +noticed these ponderous creatures, the attention of the visitor will +be next attracted to the Llamas, which are arranged in the first two +wall-cases. Of these, the wild are generally brown, and the tame of +mixed colours. The next fourteen wall-cases are filled with specimens +of the different species of Oxen and the Elephant tribe. Among the +former the visitor should notice the white bulls of Scotland and +Poland: the splendid Lithuanian bison, with his shaggy throat, a +present from the Russian Emperor; the bison of the American prairies; +and the elando. The specimens of the elephant tribe, ranged in the +upper compartments of these cases, include the tapir of South America; +the tennu, from Sumatra; the European boar, with its young; the +Brazilian peccari: and other curious animals. Here, too, are specimens +of the Armadillo tribe. The attention of the visitor will, however, be +soon riveted upon an animal which, with the beak of a duck and the +claws of a bird, has the body of an otter. In Australia (its native +country) this singular animal is commonly called a water mole, but to +scientific men it is known as the mullingong; it is placed in the same +order with its neighbour, the spring-ant or echidra, also a native of +Australia. Before leaving these cases, the visitor should pause to +notice the Sloths, and particularly the repulsive aspect of the +yellow-faced sloth of South America. + +The visitor should now pass to the cases marked from 17 to 30. These +are devoted to the Horse tribe and Deer. Here the reindeer from +Hudson's Bay, the red fallow deer of Europe, the elk, and the cheetul +of India, will catch the eye immediately. The beautiful South African +zebra is here also, grouped near the Asiatic wild ass, and the +Zoological Society's hybrids of the zebra, wild ass, and common +donkey. The upper shelves of the cases are devoted, as usual, to the +smaller specimens of the tribe below. Here are the European roebuck, +the West African water musk, the Javan musk, the white-bellied and +golden-eyed musk. Having examined these zoological specimens, the +visitor should proceed on his way east to + +THE MAMMALIA SALOON. + +This saloon is one of the most interesting parts of the exhibition to +the general visitor, as he sees here at a glance the various classes +of the highest order of the animal creation, all grouped after their +kinds, and in that gradation of development which nature has assigned +them. Those specimens which are placed on the floor in the central +space of the room include some large varieties of the Bears, and a few +small specimens of Seals, including the young of the harp seal, with +the white fur, which clothes them on their first appearance in the +world, and the young of the Cape of Good Hope eared seal; but these +isolated specimens should not engage the attention of the visitor +before he has followed the systematic arrangement or classification +adopted with regard to the animals deposited in the wall-cases that +line the saloon. The first series or family of animals to which, +according to Cuvier, his particular attention should be attracted are + +THE MONKEYS, + +ranged in the first eleven wall-cases. These cases contain the species +of monkeys found in the Old World. The varieties in colour, shape, +size, and attitude, are endless. Here are the green monkeys from +Western Africa; the white-throated monkey from India; the bearded +monkey, with a republican air about him; and the monkey who appears to +have had his ears pulled, but is in reality known to scientific men as +the red-eared monkey; both from Fernando Po: the Risley of monkeys, +called the vaulting monkey, with his white nose; and the talapoin, +from Western Africa; the gaudy macaque, known as the brilliant from +Japan; that dingy gentleman, the sooty mangabey, from Africa: the +African chimpanzee (to whom satirical gentlemen with a turn for +zoological comparisons, are greatly indebted); the ourang-outan, with +his young, from Borneo; the presbytes, dusky and starred, from +Singapore, Malacca, and Borneo; and the drill and mandrill, from +Africa. The Monkeys of the New World are grouped in six cases (12-18). +Herein the visitor should particularly notice the curious spider +monkeys, from Brazil and Bolivia: the negro monkey; the apes, with +large eyes, like those of the owl, called night apes; the howlers, so +called from the incessant howling they maintain at night in their +native forests; the quaint marmozettes and handsome silky monkeys; and +the Jew monkeys. The next two cases contain specimens of the lemurs, +more familiarly known as Madagascar monkies. Of these the flying lemur +is the most remarkable species. Specimens of this species are grouped +in the lower part of the cases; they are from the Indian Archipelago; +and in the texture of their skin and the loose and light way in which +it connects their limbs, they resemble bats. They nurse their young by +forming a kind of couch with their body suspended downwards from the +branches of a tree. + +It now remains for the visitor to direct his attention to the fine +collection of + +RAPACIOUS ANIMALS, + +ranged in thirty-two distinct wall-cases in this room. The first +tribe, taking the cases in their order of succession, to which the +visitor's attention will be attracted on passing from the cases of +lemurs, is + +THE CAT TRIBE. + +The animals which he will find grouped in the first seven cases +(21-27) are properly Cats. Here is the South African lion, the fine +black leopard, which is pointed out to visitors as a beast that killed +its keeper; the lynxes of Spain, Sardinia, and America; the wild cats +of Europe; the curious booted-cat, imported from the Cape of Good +Hope; the American ocelots; and the Asiatic and African chaus. These +animals are picturesquely grouped in seven cases. In the next case, in +order of succession (28), are the hyaenas of South Africa and Egypt. +Here are the spotted hyaena, with its young; and the striped hyaena. +The three following cases are filled with varieties of the civet +family (esteemed for the strong scent which some of them, as the +African cibet and the Chinese and Indian zibet, yield), including the +hyaena civet from the Cape of Good Hope: genets and ichneumons, which +will be found on the lower shelves; and the Mexican house-marten. The +five following cases are filled with the varieties of + +THE DOG FAMILY. + +Here the sporting visitor may amuse himself by examining the points of +the Dogs of the four quarters of the globe. Here are the well-known +Newfoundland dog, the wild dogs of different climates, the four-toed +hunting dog of Abyssinia and South Africa, the Cape of Good Hope dog, +with its long ears; the varieties of fox and wolf; all expressing +great activity and extraordinary cunning. Ladies will be pleased to +notice a lap-dog almost hidden by his long hair, placed under a +particular glass-case: this exclusive little aristocrat is from +Mexico. + +In the next case to which the visitor will direct his attention (38) +are grouped the varieties of the Mustelina, or Martens, of America and +Europe. These lesser specimens of the cat tribe, include the weasels +of Himalaya, Mexico, and Siberia; the American and European polecats: +the lesser otters, from the north of America and Europe; and the +curious animal known as the false sable of America. It is amusing to +notice the sameness of expression--that of cunning--shown in the heads +of every specimen of the cat tribe. The next case (39) introduces the +visitor to those mammalia which are included in + +THE BEAR TRIBE. + +This tribe includes the Racoons, Otters, Badgers, Skunks, Gluttons, +and Bears. The case to which the visitor's attention is now directed, +contains the varieties of the glutton family--the Chinese musk weasel; +the European and North American badgers; the Javan stinkard, and the +American skunks and conepats. + +The next case (40) is devoted to the otter family. These ingenious +animals are found in the four quarters of the world. Here are the +common European otter; the otters of Java and India; the clawless +African otter, from the Cape of Good Hope; and the sea and muffled +otters, from America. Next to these interesting animals, are some of +the bears, including the savage Arctic white bear, the Malay bear, and +the Indian sloth bear. Next to these bears, the racoons are grouped, +and they close the collection illustrative of the bear tribe. In the +case following those which contain the racoons is one (43) in which +the varieties of + +THE MOLE TRIBE + +are arranged. These include Moles from the four quarters of the world. +There are the North American marsh moles and long-tailed star-nosed +moles; the golden moles, from the Cape of Good Hope; the varieties of +the shrew-mouse, including the remarkable blue shrew-mouse of India, +the African elephant shrew, and the Russian musk shrew; the Javan +insectivorous squirrel; and a curious variety of hedgehogs, from +opposite quarters of the globe. Having examined these inferior +mammalia, the visitor will pass in direct order of succession to the +cases in which + +THE MARSUPIAL ANIMALS + +are deposited. These fill nine wall-cases, and they should be +carefully examined, as exhibiting a peculiar economy of animal life. +The marsupial animals are placed by some zoologists in the lowest +class of mammalia. They include carnivorous, herbivorous, and +insectivorous families, and their head-quarters appear to be +Australia. In the first two cases (44, 45) which the visitor will +examine, are the varieties of Australian phalangers; and here also are +the New Holland bears, the Australian wombat, the flying squirrel of +Norfolk Island, the flying phalangers; and in the right corner of the +case are grouped those notable animals to which public curiosity has +of late years been so keenly directed--the kangaroos. In the next five +cases (46-51) the visitor will find more varieties of these strange, +awkward-looking creatures. Here amid the kangaroos of Australia are +the long-nosed, rock, and jerboa kangaroos, the New Guinea +tree-kangaroo, and below, the Australian koala. The two next cases +(52, 53) contain the varieties of Australian opossums, and below are +the opossums of America. + +These close the attractions of the wall-cases, and the visitor should +now glance round the saloon at the specimens of the varieties of + +THE SEAL TRIBE, + +which are arranged along the tops of the wall-cases. These include the +leonine seal of the Southern Ocean, the Cape porpoise and dolphin, and +the long-beaked dolphin of the Ganges. Having noticed these specimens, +the visitor should proceed to examine the extensive collection of + +CORALS, + +which are arranged upon the central tables of the saloon. To explain +the presence of coral in the midst of a zoological collection it is +necessary to remind the visitor that this beautiful substance, which +is chiefly a deposit of carbonate of lime, is also the fossil remains +of that animal known to zoologists as the polypus. These polypi put +forth buds, which remain attached to the parental polypus, and +generate other buds; and in this way countless polypi, linked +together, yet maintaining a separate and distinct existence, spread +themselves over miles and miles of submarine rocks, in endless +varieties of shape, and leave their remains to be dredged by the hardy +fisherman, for the adornment of beauty. These beautiful polypi +skeletons cluster in curious formations, as the visitor will perceive +on examining the fine collection of corals before him.[1] Among the +remarkable coral formations to which the general visitor's attention +may be directed, are the sea-mushroom, the remains of a single polypus +of great size; the brainstone, which presents a circular mass of long +winding cells, and altogether has the appearance of the masses and +veins of the brain; the sea-pen, and the sea-fan. In the cases, ranged +together in the saloon, the visitor who feels interested in the +infinite varieties of coral formation, will find specimens that-will +give him a full idea of the architectural abilities of the active +zoophytes that carry on their operations upon the rocks that lie not +far below the surface of the ocean. From the coral tables, the +visitor's way lies out of the Mammalia Saloon to the north, into a +gallery of which all Englishmen who understand the value of a perfect +museum, are justly proud. + + +THE EASTERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY + +of the British Museum runs the entire length of the building. It is +divided into five compartments, and its space is devoted to the +display of Birds, Shells, and a few Paintings. The birds exhibited in +this gallery fill no less than one hundred and sixty-six wall-cases; +and the shells which are distributed throughout the central space +occupy fifty large tables: the lesser tables which are placed here and +there near the birds, being devoted to the display of birds' eggs. The +pictures are hung above the wall-cases. This general glance at the +arrangement of the gallery, will prevent the visitor from falling into +the error of distracting his attention from one order of zoological +development to another at frequent intervals. Already he has examined +the various species of animal life which rank in the highest +class--the mammalia. Before him now, are ranged vast numbers of the +second class of animal life; and he will do well to pay these some +attention, and to get definite impressions regarding them, before he +turns to the other attractions which the museum offers. Before +proceeding to examine the first order of birds which are in the first +eastern room, the visitor should glance at the historical portraits +suspended above the cases. Among them he will find a Mary Queen of +Scots, by Cornelius Jansen; a Cromwell, presented by the Protector to +Colonel Rich of the parliamentary forces, by whose great-grandson it +was bequeathed to the trustees of the museum; William Duke of +Cumberland by Morier; Zucchero's Queen Elizabeth; Sir Peter Lely's +Charles the Second; and the Queen of George the Second by Jarvis. +Having sufficiently examined these works, the visitor should at once +begin his inspection of the Raptores or + +BIRDS OF PREY. + +These include some splendid ornithological specimens. They are divided +into two families: those who pursue their depredations by day; and +those which wait till night cloaks their proceedings. It is almost +possible to read the special instincts of the two families in their +formation, and expression. The daring expressed in the fierce glances +of the eagles and falcons, bespeaks the fearless spoliator, in broad +daylight and in the face of an enemy; whereas the large vacant eyes of +the owls, have a cruel, coward look, that stamps the midnight +assassin. + +In the first case the visitor will notice the strongbearded vulture of +the Alpine and Himalayan mountains. The next six cases (2-7) are +filled with the varieties of the Vulture, including the American, +carrion, black, and king vultures; the South African sociable vulture; +the angola vulture from Congo; and, towering above all, the great +condor of the Andes, with his immense breadth of wing. The vultures, +with their fierce and cruel aspect, are, nevertheless, cowardly birds, +and feed rather upon dead bodies than venture to kill for themselves. + +Next in order, after the vultures, the visitor will find the Eagle +branch of the falcon family distributed in ten cases (8-17). This +family includes some handsome birds. Foremost amongst these the +visitor will remark the athletic golden eagle of Europe, a frequenter +of Great Britain. This bird preys upon hares and rabbits, and has been +known to plant its claws in a young lamb with success. In this +vicinity are also the Indian Pondicherry eagle, sacred to the +Brahmins; the Egyptian booted eagle; the Brazilian eagle; the South +American harpy eagle; the European Jean le Blanc eagle; the marine +eagle of the Indian Archipelago; the South American crested goshawk; +the varieties of the osprey; and the short-tailed falcon from the Cape +of Good Hope. Next after the eagles, are ranged the Kites and Buzzards +(18-24). These include the South American caracaras; the European +rough-legged falcon; the European kite; the Indian colny falcon; +varieties of the honey buzzard; and the North American spotted-tailed +hobby. The true falcons follow next in order of succession (24-26). +The courage of these birds is familiar to all who have read of the +hunting days of old. In the cases before the visitor, are grouped the +European hobby and kestrel, and the peregrine and jet falcons. Many +visitors from the country will be familiar with some of the +sparrow-hawks in the next case (27). They may be often seen sweeping +swiftly along near the earth, intent upon their prey. The last cases +of diurnal birds of prey (28-30) contain the Harriers. These are birds +of prey that meet their victims on the ground, and frequent bog-lands. +The specimens here presented, include the secretary of the Cape of +Good Hope; the chanting falcon from the same region; the ash-coloured +falcon, hen-harrier, and Madagascar falcon. + +And now, proceeding on his easterly way, the visitor approaches the +Birds that Prey by Night. They are solemnly assembled in five cases. +Their reputed wisdom has its parallel in the human family: we also +have our owls, with their large eyes and solemn demeanour, who cheat +people into the idea that there must be something in all that +solemnity and gravity of expression. Poets of the dismal school, +however, owe a great debt of gratitude to these mysterious and +unsociable birds. The visitor will at once call to mind the usual +sequel of poems that open with the hooting of the owl, or with the +intimation that it is the hour when the wise bird opens his eyes with +some effect. Let us glance at the varieties of the dismal family +before which we have brought the visitor. Here are the snowy owl of +North America and the hawk owls. In the cases (32, 33) are grouped the +eagle owls, including the great-eared owls, and the North American +Virginian eared owl. The next two cases contain the howlets, including +the Tengmalm's owl of the north of Europe; the Javan bay owl, and the +barn white owls of various countries. These birds close the collection +of birds of prey; and the visitor, refraining from the temptation to +inspect the central tables, for the present, should advance into the +room, the wall-cases of which are filled with + +PERCHING BIRDS. + +The perching birds are subdivided into five families: the Wide-gaping; +the Slender-Beaked; the Toothed-Beaked; the Cone-Beaked; and the +Climbers, or Scansores. The family of wide-gaping birds, is that +ranged first in order, occupying cases 36 to 42. The visitor will +first remark the goatsuckers with their wide bills and large eyes, +adapted to catch the insects on which they feed. The varieties here +collected, include the great goatsucker; the goatsuckers of Europe, +New Holland, North America, and Africa; and the wedge-tailed +goatsucker. The next case (38) contains specimens of the varieties of +Swallows and Swifts, including those of North America; the esculent +swallow of the Indian Archipelago; and the sandmartin of Europe. In +the two following cases (39, 40) are grouped the varieties of the tody +and broadbills, from the West Indies, and Brazil; and the curncuis +from the southern parts of Asia and America. The visitor next arrives +before two cases (41, 42) of birds of brilliant plumage, suggestive of +the regions where the humming birds float in the air "like winged +flowers." The kingfisher at times startles the English pedestrian when +he is sauntering near a high-banked brook;--its gaudy plumage +contrasts so forcibly with the sober tints of our English song birds, +that he is at first inclined to take the gay fellow for a truant cage +bird. But the fisher is quite at home, and is probably diving for his +fish dinner. The kingfishers grouped in the two cases before which the +visitor now stands, include specimens of the Australian brown +kingfisher; the green and great jacamars of South America; the +European bee eater; the Javan night bird; and the Ternate kingfisher +from the Philippine Islands. Having feasted his eyes upon the gaudy +colours of these feathered fishermen, the visitor will find in the +next case (43) the first specimens of the slender-beaked perching +birds. These slender beaks are divided into sub-families of Sun Birds; +Humming Birds; Honey Eaters; and the Creepers, &c. The sun birds live +upon the pollen of flowers. The specimens here grouped together, +include the numerous species of African and South American sun birds; +the paradise birds of Molucca; the promerops of New Guinea and Africa; +the Sandwich Islands honey eater; and the Australian rifle bird. Next +in order are grouped the famous American humming birds (44). These +brilliant little creatures, not larger than moths, are famed for their +beauty all over the world. The delicacy of their structure, the +splendour of the colours in which they are habited, their poetical +diet, and the impossibility of keeping them alive in a confined state, +are the attributes of delicacy and beauty which have made them objects +of interest to all persons who have any insight to the mysterious +graces of animal organisation. So brilliant is the plumage of some of +the varieties, that they have been named after gems: thus, in the case +before which the visitor has arrived, he will find the garnet-throated +humming bird, and the topaz humming bird. Next to these brilliant +creatures of the south, in case 45 are the curious Australian honey +eaters, with their feathered tongues, made to brush the sweet essences +from flowers: and the two following cases contain the remaining +varieties of the slender-beaked family. Here are the Creepers of +Europe; the Nuthatches of North America and Europe; varieties of the +Wren; and the Warblers of Guiana and Patagonia. The visitor next +approaches the varieties of the family known as the tooth-beaked +perching birds. To this family our choicest songsters belong. They +fill five cases (48-52). The visitor will observe in the first of the +four cases, the tailor birds, remarkable for the fantastic domes they +form to their nests; the Australian superb warbler; and the Dartford +warbler of Europe. The common song birds of Europe are grouped here, +including blackcaps, wrens, the active little titmice, together with +the North American wood warblers. Next to these are cases (53-55) of +Thrushes, including the tropical ant thrushes; the Javan mountain +warbler; the Brazilian king thrush; the rock thrushes: the imitative +Australian thrush; the blackbird; the North American mimic thrush; the +Chinese and South American thrushes, celebrated for their babbling; +the yellow orioles, of Europe and the east; and here also are the +short-legged thrushes of the tropics. + +The two next cases (56, 57) contain the Flycatchers, which catch +insects on the wing. The varieties to be seen here include the South +American pikas and shrikes, with their gay plumage. These +shrikes[2]--better known as butcher-birds--are so called from the +cruelty with which they treat their prey. In the second case of +flycatchers are grouped the true flycatchers, which are mostly from +the old world; those from America being the solitary flycatcher, the +black-headed flycatcher, the king and broad-billed tody, and the +white-eared thrush. In the two next cases (58, 59) are the families of +the Chatterers, with their resplendent plumage. In the first case, are +groups of the Asiatic and American thick-heads, and the gorgeous +little Manakins of South America and Australia. They are called after +their colours, as the speckled manakin, the white-capped South +American manakin, the purple-breasted, variegated, purple-throated, +and rock manakins. Next to the manakins, are the Indian, African, and +American caterpillar eaters; the Malabar and African shrikes; and in +the two last cases of the tooth-beaked group, are placed the true +butcher-birds and bush shrikes. + +The next group of perching birds are the cone-beaked. This group +includes the large family of the Crows to which the birds of paradise +of New Guinea are allied; that of the Finches, with their relations +from every clime; and the Hornbills, remarkable for the size and +strength of their bills. The first two cases (62, 63) devoted to this +group, contain the varieties of the Crow family. Here the visitor +should notice the finely-marked jays from various parts of the world; +the noisy and piping rollers of Australia and New Guinea; the crows, +rooks, and jackdaws from various parts of Europe; the New Zealand +wattle bird; the African changeable crow; and the rufous crow of +India. The next case (64) is bright with the gleaming plumage of the +New Guinea crows, or birds of paradise; and here, too, are the curious +grakles--the foetid and the bare-necked from South America; and the +Alpine and red-legged crows, or choughs, of elevated lands. Next in +succession is a case (65) in which are grouped the shining thrushes of +Australia, Asia, and Africa, which include the ingenious and tasteful +satin bower birds, that form decorated bowers of twigs and shells to +sport in; and here amid the grakles of the Indian Archipelago will be +found those curious birds, that gather their sustenance from insect +larvas which secrete in the coarse skin of the rhinoceros: these birds +are known under the name of African beef-eaters. The Starlings, which +are also of the crow family, are grouped in the case (66) next to that +in which the visitor found the beef-eaters and shining thrushes. They +resemble the beef-eaters closely in their mode of life, like them +deriving their food from the insect life that congregates upon various +kinds of cattle. Starlings are found in all the quarters of the globe, +and present many varieties, as the observer of the case under notice +will see. Here are the rose-coloured thrushes of Europe; the grakles +of Malabar, India, South Africa, and South America; and the stares of +America and Europe. The next case contains the varieties of the +American Icteric Orioles, which lay their eggs in the nests of other +birds, like the cuckoo. Among the varieties, the visitor should notice +the red-winged, crested, and banana orioles. The African and Indian +Weavers, so called from the peculiar construction of their nests, +occupy the case (68) next to that filled by the orioles. Here are also +the African, European, and American grosbeaks, so christened from that +strength of bill which enables them to demolish hard fruits. Among +these are the African widow birds; the Galapagos ground sparrows. The +beauty of the Tanagers of North and South America is well known. In +order of succession they here follow the grosbeaks (68, 69), and +present a brilliant group, including the golden tanager, the +red-breasted, the summer, and the bishop. And then the Finches, in all +their varieties of colour and size, occupy two cases (69, 70). Here, +among the more sober and unassuming of the numerous family, the +visitor will notice the common sparrow that chirps cheerfully through +the smoke of London alleys; the brown linnet with its lively notes; +the gayer goldfinches, greenfinches, chaffinches, the North American +songfinch, and the many varieties of the buntings, including the +epicure's ortolans that are found in various parts of the world. Next +in order to the finches, the Larks are grouped in a single case (71) +with other varieties of the great finch family. These birds sing as +they soar into the air; and on cloudless days, how often do the happy +notes of the skylark come down to the wanderer upon earth, with a +cheerful influence:-- + + "... The lark that sings in heaven + Builds its nest upon the ground." + +Here, with the larks, are several curious birds, including the +crossbeaks of Europe, the grosbeak of the South Sea Islands, the plant +cutters of South America, and the colies of India and the Cape, that +sleep in companies each suspended by one foot. The two last cases of +the cone-beaked perching birds, are devoted to those birds known +collectively as Hornbills, from the size and formation of their bills. +These remarkable birds are said to be another off-shoot of "the great +corvine nest;" and the author of "The Vestiges of Creation" regards +the hollow protuberance upon the upper mandible (which is the +distinguishing feature of the family), as "a sounding-board to +increase the vociferation which these birds delight to utter." The +remarkable varieties in the cases, are the helmet hornbill of India, +and the African rhinoceros hornbill. These birds prey upon small birds +and reptiles, which they toss into the air and then swallow whole. + +The Scansores, or Climbers, form the last section of the perching +birds. This is an interesting group, since it includes all the +varieties of the parrot, cockatoo, and macaw species; the woodpeckers, +the toucans, and the cuckoos. + +The visitor will arrive first before the three cases (74-76) devoted +to the Parrots, Cockatoos, and Macaws. The gaudy colours which they +display, and their well-known habits and powers, always ensure them a +large circle of spectators. Here the visitor should notice the +red-crowned parrot, and ground parrot of Australia; the South American +yellow-headed, and hawk-headed parrots; the horned parrot from New +Caledonia and the racket-tailed parrot of the Philippines. Among the +Macaws are the hyacinthine macaw of South America, and the blue and +yellow varieties. Among the Cockatoos, the visitor should notice the +great white cockatoo from the Indian Archipelago; and here also are +the Alexandrine parroquet and the Papuan lory. The Toucans, which +inhabit the deep recesses of tropical American forests, here occupy +the next case (77). They are recognised as a branch of the great +corvine family. Their enormous beaks are peculiarly adapted for +searching in quest of eggs about the crevices of trees. The varieties +here, include the Janeiro toucan, and the yellow-breasted toucan. The +three next cases contain the many varieties of the Woodpecker. +Woodpeckers are represented by naturalists as crows with a structure +adapted to "an insect-eating life amidst growing timber." They are to +be found in all quarters of the globe, searching out, with their long +beaks, the minute life that gathers in the interstices of trees. The +first case of the series, contains the South American and African +barbets, and the groove-billed barbican; the minute woodpecker, the +North American three-toed and white-billed woodpecker, and the spotted +woodpecker common in Europe. In the second case are the larger +varieties of the woodpecker, including the well-known great black +woodpecker of Europe; the North American red-headed woodpecker, and +the South American yellow-crested variety; the Carolina woodpecker; +and the Cayenne woodpecker. The third case contains the African and +American ground woodpeckers; and the Wrynecks of Africa, Europe, and +India. The chief food of the wrynecks consists of ants, which they +pick up with their delicately tapered tongues. + +The three last cases devoted to perching birds, are occupied by the +varieties of the Cuckoo family. In this country, the notes of the +cuckoo are hailed as the announcement of the dawning summer; and the +solitary and peculiar habits of the bird, but particularly its custom +of placing its eggs in the nests of larks, finches, sparrows, &c., and +so getting alien birds to bring up its young, have always made it an +object of particular curiosity to people generally. This latter custom +has been explained, by a high authority, thus:--"The fact is, that the +cuckoo is obliged by its constitutional character to stay an unusually +short time in the northern regions where it produces its young. In our +country its normal stay is only from the middle of April to the +beginning of July. Belated in its approach to the nursing regions, it +is obliged to make use of the nests of other birds, which it finds +ready built. What is worthy of notice, it employs the nests of its own +nearest relations, the larks, pipits, finches, sparrows, &c.--an +arrangement we may suppose to be connected in some way with the early +history of the whole group of species--a family or clan sacrifice, as +it were, for the benefit of a less fortunate member."[3] In the first +case of cuckoos, are the African honey cuckoos, and the South American +rain cuckoos. The birds of the former of these varieties are noted for +guiding depredators to the wild honeycombs; and the latter live upon +insects, snakes, and fruits. Here too are the Coucals of Africa, Java, +South America, and Australia, including the Australian giant coucal, +the Asiatic, South American, and West Indian anis; and the two cuckoos +of the tropics, including the gilded cuckoo, the greatspotted cuckoo, +and white-crested cuckoo from Africa, and the common European cuckoo. +Before leaving the region devoted to perching birds, the visitor +should glance at a few of the pictures which are suspended above the +cases in this compartment. They include, amongst various portraits of +British Museum donors, three of Sir Hans Sloane, one by Murray; Robert +Earl of Oxford, by Sir Godfrey Kneller; and Edward Earl of Oxford, by +Dahl. + +The visitor's way now lies to the north, into the third, or central +compartment of the gallery, the wall cases of which contain the +gallinaceous, or + +SCRAPING BIRDS. + +This order is divided into four distinct families--the Pigeons, the +Curassows, the Pheasants, and the Grouse and Partridge tribe. Of these +families the museum contains a fine and complete collection. The +beauty of the pheasant family--its varieties ranging from the gaudy +splendour of the peacock to the more modest beauty of the common +hen--are here fully represented. + +In the first case (84) of Scraping Birds, are grouped the Asiatic, +African, and Australian tree pigeons, which inhabit the woods, and +live on berries and various kinds of seeds. The collection includes +the Javan black-capped pigeon, and the parrot and aromatic pigeons of +India. The two next cases (85, 86) are filled with the true pigeons +and turtles of various parts of the world, in all their varieties--the +Indian nutmeg pigeon, and the Australian antarctic pigeon. The next +case is devoted to the common European turtle and the North American +migratory pigeon. The next case is filled with the varieties of the +ground Dove, among which the visitor should notice the ground turtle, +the West Indian partridge pigeon, the great crowned pigeon of the +Indian Isles, and the bronze-winged pigeon of Australia. Leaving the +pigeons behind, the visitor's attention is next called to the two +cases of Curassows (89, 90), the poultry peculiar to South America. +They feed on fruit, worms, and insects; and live in small flocks. The +curassows are followed by the varieties of the pheasant tribe, grouped +in thirteen cases (91-103). The three first cases are given up to the +splendid East Indian Pheasants known to Europeans generally, as +peacocks. They were brought to the west and valued for the beauty of +their plumage many centuries before the Christian era, and no doubt +helped to inflame the imagination of the Mediterranean merchants who +dreamt of the untold wealth of the Indies. The specimens of these +birds here preserved, are fine samples of the species. They include +the iris and crested peacocks, the Japan peacock, the Thibet +crossoptilon, and the Argus pheasant. The two following cases (94, 95) +of the pheasant family contain the varieties of true Asiatic +pheasants; but the visitor's attention will be immediately riveted +upon the specimens of the splendid Chinese pheasant known as Reeves' +Chinese pheasant. The plumage of this pheasant is very beautiful, the +feathers of the tail measuring sometimes between five and six feet in +length. The three following cases (96-98) are filled with varieties of +the pheasant from Indian climes. In the first case are the pheasants +from the Himalayan Mountains, and the pencilled variety from China. In +the third case the visitor should notice the handsome fire-backed +pheasant of Sumatra, the superb pheasant, Sonnerat's wild cock, and +the cock of Java. The two following cases (99, 100) contain the +remainder of the pheasant varieties. Amongst these the visitor will +find, the horned and black-headed pheasants of India, the American +turkey, the pintados of Africa and Guinea, and the pheasants from the +north of Asia that live upon bulbous roots, known as the Impeyan +pheasants. The immediate successors of the pheasants, in point of +order, are the Partridges, of which the collection contains three +cases (101-103). These birds inhabit both hemispheres, and specimens +of the different varieties are grouped in the cases. In the first case +the visitor should notice the Currie partridge, from Nepal, the Cape +and bare-necked partridges of Africa, and the sanguine pheasant; in +the second case, the common European partridge and quail, the red +European partridge, the Indian olive partridge, and the Andalusian +quail; in the third and last partridge case, Californian and crested +quails, and the Indian crowned partridge. Next in order are the +Grouse, grouped in two cases (104, 105). In the first of these cases +the visitor will notice the wood grouse of Scotland, and the ruffed +and other grouse of America; in the second case, the sand-grouse of +the scorching deserts. The last case of the scraping birds is occupied +by the Sheathbills, which, as the visitor will perceive, closely +resemble grouse. They are from South America; the tinamous, from the +warmer parts of the Continent; and the megapodius, of Australia and +the Asiatic islands. + +It now remains for the visitor to notice a few of the paintings +suspended in this compartment, above the wall cases. These paintings +include a copy of Klingstad's portrait of Peter I. of Russia, three +historical portraits, presented to the museum by the Rev. A. Planta, +and a hunting scene by Geo. B. Weenix. + +The visitor should now advance into the fourth compartment of the +gallery, the wall-cases of which are devoted to the specimens of + +WADING BIRDS. + +Most interesting families of birds are included in this order. First, +there are the Ostriches, which are the envy of all people cursed with +weak digestive powers; then there is the Dodo, with its mysterious and +half-told history; also the Bustards, the Coursers, the Plovers, the +Cranes, the Storks, the Sandpipers, the Snipes, &c. These varieties of +wading birds are carefully classed, and represented in the compartment +of the gallery to which the visitor has now worked his way. First in +the order of arrangement stand the ostriches, occupying the cases +(107, 109). Some naturalists refuse to class ostriches with the order +of wading birds, and elevate them to the dignity of a distinct order, +Cursores, or runners; but in the museum, as the visitor will perceive, +they are at the head of the wading order. Unscientific people know +more about the ostrich than about most other birds of foreign climes. +Few people have not heard that the egg of the ostrich weighs three +pounds--that the sun is the bird's Cantelo--that he has only two toes +to each foot--that he sometimes exceeds six feet in height--and that +it would not be an act of madness to back a stout specimen, for speed, +against an average horse. The digestion of the ostrich has been +considerably strengthened in the minds of unscientific persons by +imaginative travellers; the fact being that these birds live upon +vegetable food, occasionally swallowing stones, or a bit of iron, in +aid of that digestion which has been so misrepresented. In the cases +before the visitor are the African ostrich, and his relations, the +Australian cassowary, and the American emu--all characterised by the +absence of a hind toe. Having noticed these fine birds, the visitor +will be anxious to learn something of the mysterious case (108), which +contains a foot, the cast of a skull, and a painting. Here he sees all +that has yet been traced of the extinct dodo, a bird which is believed +to have existed in vast numbers up to a recent period, chiefly on the +Bourbon and Mauritius islands. The painting is said to be an authentic +Dutch performance, taken from the living bird at the time when the +Cape of Good Hope was doubled by adventurous men heated with +exaggerated notions of the exhaustless wealth of the Indies. Its +precise position among birds has not been finally assigned. It appears +to have been incapable of flight, to have had a vulture's head, and +the foot of a common fowl. It is conjectured that the race was +extinguished by the rapacity of the first settlers in the Mauritius, +who, finding the dodo excellent eating and an easy prey, demolished +every specimen of the species. Near these wrecks of the dodo, and in +the same case, is the New Zealand wingless bird, now almost extinct, +but to scientific men an interesting link between the bird and the +mammalia. The Bustards occupy the two next cases (110, 111) to which +the visitor should direct his attention. Here are the two bustards of +the eastern hemisphere, the great European bustard, the African ruffed +and white-eared bustards, and the Arabian bustard. The next case (112) +contains the varieties of wading birds called, from their power of +running, Coursers. These are chiefly found in Africa; but the +varieties in the case include, in addition to the North African +cream-coloured courser, and the double-collared courser, the +thick-kneed European bustard. The Plovers are arranged next in order +to the coursers. The varieties included in the case (113) are from +Africa, North America, and Europe. Here are, amongst others, the +beautiful golden-ringed and dotterel plovers of Europe, and the +American noisy plover. In the case which next claims attention (114) +are the turnstones, that turn stones on the sea-shore in search of +food; the oyster catchers, that wrench shell fish from their shells; +and the South American gold-breasted and other trumpeters. The Cranes, +of which there is an extensive collection, now claim the visitor's +attention. They are from all parts of the world, and love the borders +of rivers and lakes, where they can prey upon small reptiles and fish. +In the first cases (115-118) are the true cranes, including the common +European variety, the Indian crane, the South American caurale snipe, +the common and purple-crested herons of Europe, the Pacific heron, the +crowned heron, the North American great heron, and the African +demoiselle heron. In the two following cases (120, 121) the visitor +will find the American blue heron, and the great and little egrets; +and in the next two cases given to the crane family (122, 123) are the +bittern and little bittern of Europe, the American lineated bittern, +the squacco and night herons of Europe, the American night heron, the +European spoonbill, and the South American cinereous boatbill. The +examination of these varieties will give the visitor a clear idea of +the peculiarities of birds that frequent marshes and the borders of +streams. + +The next case to which the visitor will direct his steps, is that +(124) in which the Storks of Europe and America, including the white +and black varieties, are grouped. In the case next in order of +succession to that given to the storks (125) are some interesting +branches of the crane family, including the Indian gigantic crane. +Here also are the jabirus of America and Senegal, and the +North-American ibis, which will introduce the spectator to the case of +ibises, among which is the sacred ibis of the Egyptians; the +black-headed Indian ibis; and that of New Holland. Next, in order +(127), are the Godwits, which follow the mild seasons from one country +to another; among them are the English red godwit; and the Australian +terek snipe. In the next case (128) the visitor should examine the +varieties of Snipes and Sand-pipers it contains. These birds hunt +their food in gravel and amid stones in most localities. The most +remarkable of the group are the lanky avocets, with their long legs +adapted to hunt rivers for fish spawn and water insects: among them, +the long-legged plover should be noticed. The varieties of the +sand-piper, in the next case (129), now claim a careful inspection. +Sand-pipers inhabit various parts of the world, and, like the ibises, +love the neighbourhood of water, where they seek the food congenial to +them. The Phalaropes, which are also represented in this case, are +natives of the eternal ice of the arctic regions, where they subsist +upon crustacea. The visitor passes from the sand-pipers to the case of +Snipes (130), including the British varieties, and the snipe of India. +In the next case (131) the visitor should notice the Chinese and South +American jacanas, that walk about unconcernedly upon the floating +leaves of water plants; with these are grouped the South American +Screamers. The three last cases devoted to wading birds, contain the +varieties of the British and North American Rails: the varieties of +the Gallinule, including the European purple gallinule, the South +American variety, and the Australian black-backed variety; and the +Finfoots of Africa and America. All these birds inhabit marshy land, +or the banks of streams, and derive their food from the insect life +that swarms near the water. With the finfoots the collection of wading +birds closes; but before going on his way, the visitor should glance +at the paintings which are hung about the wall cases in this room or +compartment. These include portraits of Lord Chancellor Bacon; Andrew +Marvel; a copy from the picture at Wimpole of Admiral Lord Anson; +Camden; Matthew Prior; William Cecil, Lord Burghley; Sir Isaac Newton; +Archbishop Cranmer; and George Buchanan. Having examined these works, +the visitor's way lies in a direct line to the last room of the +eastern gallery--to that, the wall cases of which, are filled with the +families of + +WEB FOOTED BIRDS. + +This section of the birds includes all those which are able to support +themselves upon the surface of the water. The varieties include the +gaudy Flamingos; the Albatross that frighted the ancient mariner; the +Pelicans with their pouches; the impetuous Gannets, and the remarkable +Frigate Bird. And here, too, the visitor will find the varieties of +ducks, geese, and swans, all classed in regular order. The web-footed +birds occupy no less than thirty-one cases; to each of which the +visitor should pay some attention. The first case of the series (135) +is gay with the bright red plumage of the flamingos, with their +crooked upper mandible, and their long legs and necks. The next four +cases (136-139) of the series are occupied by the varieties of the +Goose. In the first of these cases the visitor should notice the +varieties of the spur-winged goose from various parts of the world; +including the black-backed goose. In the three following cases the +white fronted and grey-legged European geese; the Canada and +Magellanic geese; and the Indian barred-headed goose; and the +cereopsis from New Holland. The stately Swans from various parts of +the world, all graceful; including the handsome black-necked swan, and +the whistling swan, occupy the three cases next in succession +(140-142). The Ducks occupy no less than eight cases; and the visitor +will linger over the beautiful varieties, without once allowing the +unkind association of green peas to enter his head. In the first four +cases (143-146) are the sub-families of the true duck, collected from +various parts of the world;--the teal from China; the whistling duck +from South America, and the European varieties of the common teal, the +widgeon, and the sheldrake. Three cases (147-149) are filled with +those sub-families of the duck which prefer the sea or the great +lakes, including the handsome red-crested European duck; the eider +duck, which is robbed of its down for the comfort of mankind;[4] the +scoter and nyroca ducks; and, in the third case, the spinous-tailed +ducks of southern climes. The arctic birds, known as the Mergansers, +are grouped in the next case (150): and, proceeding on his way, the +visitor will arrive before the cases (151-152) of Divers, from the +north, so called from the strength with which they dive for the fish +upon which they live; but their powers in this respect are not +equalled by those of a sub-family of web-footed birds, which the +visitor will presently reach. Before reaching the cases in which the +interesting sub-families of the Gulls are exhibited the visitor should +remark the varieties of the Grebes in case 152; the two following +cases devoted to the Auks from the arctic regions; and the true Auks +of Britain; the varieties of the Penguins, or marine parrots; and the +Guillemots. From these birds the visitor's way lies in the direction +of the six cases (155-160) in which the sub-families of the gulls are +grouped. The contents of the first cases will at once strike him: here +are the Petrels, and the associations of shipwreck and disaster with +which they have ever been connected. The group includes the stormy +petrel, and the albatross. They have an altogether wild and singular +appearance. The true gulls of every sea are grouped in the next three +cases (157-159): they come from the ice of the polar seas, and from +our own shores, including the kittiwake gull, and the European +black-backed gull. The last case of the gull family (160) is given to +the Terns, which are caught in all parts of the world; and the +Skimmers, so called from the dexterity with which they skim the +surface of the water, keeping the under mandible immersed, and the +upper dry, in search of prey. Next to the gulls are placed the Tropic +Birds (161), the name of which indicates their native clime. These +birds prey upon fish; some, as the red-tailed tropic bird, darting +upon the flying-fish; and others, as the darters, boldly plunging into +the tide from overhanging boughs, in search of their favourite prey; +here, too, is the common Cormorant. Four more cases remain for +examination, and then the visitor will have closed his inspection of +the museum specimens of birds. These four cases contain, however, one +or two birds, the habits of which are singular. First, there are the +Pelicans with their capacious pouches. The rapidity with which these +birds swallow small fish has been witnessed by most people at our +Zoological Gardens. The visitor should notice next, the European +Gannet, of which strange stories of strength and prowess are related. +The velocity with which they dive in search of food has been variously +estimated. It is said that on the coast of Scotland, fishermen have +found them entangled in their nets at the extraordinary depth of a +hundred and twenty feet below the surface. Pennant relates a story of +a bird, which, on seeing some pilchards lying upon a floating plank, +darted down with such strength, that its bill pierced the board. And +now the visitor should turn to contemplate the grand and solitary +Frigate Bird. This bird appears to have the power of sustaining itself +in the air for an indefinite period, and to wander with the utmost +confidence on its broad pinions, over hundreds of miles of ocean, now +and then dipping to secure its prey. This slim, pale, and solitary +wanderer must have a noble appearance, when calmly sailing upon its +great expanse of wing, a thousand miles from any resting-place, its +food floating in the element below, to be taken at will. Before +leaving the last, or most northerly apartment of the eastern +zoological gallery, the visitor would do well to notice a few of the +pictures which are suspended above the wall cases. Here are portraits +of Voltaire; the hardy Sir Francis Drake; Cosmo de Medici and his +secretary (a copy from Titian); Martin Luther; Jean Rousseau; Captain +William Dampier, by Murray; Giorgioni's Ulysses Aldrovandus; Sir Peter +Paul Kubens; the inventor of moveable type, John Guttenberg (which +would be more appropriately placed in the library); John Locke; a poor +woman, named Mary Davis, who in the seventeenth century, was +celebrated for an excrescence which grew upon her head, and finally +parted into two horns; the great Algernon Sidney; Pope; Ramsay's +portrait of the celebrated Earl of Chesterfield, who, according to Dr. +Johnson, "taught the morality of a profligate, and the manners of a +dancing master," and a landscape by Wilson. At the northern door of +this gallery are, a painting of Stonehenge, and one of the cromlech at +Plas Newydd, in Anglesea. + +The visitor's way now lies to the west out of the eastern zoological +gallery into the most southerly of the two northern galleries. This +gallery, which consists of five compartments, or rooms, is called + +THE NORTHERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY. + +The wall cases of this gallery, to which the visitor's attention +should now be exclusively devoted, contain various zoological +families. In the first eight wall cases of the room are distributed +the varieties of Bats. These are placed here, away from the mammalia, +on account of the pressure of room. They are not to be mistaken as +birds in any particular. They are essentially mammalia, inasmuch as +they produce their young in a breathing state and suckle them. The +bats of England and other cold climates remain in a torpid condition, +and only spread their wings of stretched skin when the songbirds +report the advent of the warmth of spring. The visitor will notice +amongst the varieties in the three first cases, the Brazilian bats, +including the vampire bat (which has been known to attack a man in his +sleep and suck blood from him), the remarkable leaf-nosed bats which +are ranged upon the upper shelves, and the Indian and African +varieties; and underneath are grouped the well-known horse-shoe bats +of the eastern hemisphere. In the next case (4) are the long-eared +European bats, with ears like curled leaves; and the American, +African, and Australian varieties. The fifth case is filled with +groups of the African and Indian taphozous; the South American +tropical bats; and the West Indian chelonicteres and moormops. The +last three cases, devoted to the varieties of the bat (6-8), contain +those sub-families which are known as Flying Foxes, from their great +size. These live on fruits, and inhabit Australia, and the southern +countries of the eastern hemisphere. + +The visitor's way now lies westward into the second compartment of the +northern zoological gallery; for in this room, as in the rooms through +which he has already passed, he should confine his attention, for the +present, to the wall cases, reserving the examination of all table +cases for his return visit, on his way out. And here the visitor may +well pause to think upon the zoological travels he has already made, +from the mammalia, which present the highest types of animal life; +through the sub-families of birds, which form Cuvier's secondary class +of vertebrata, or animals with a back-bone; to the threshold of the +room in which the tertiary class of back-boned animals are deposited. +This class includes the great families of + +REPTILES, + +of which there are no less than six hundred and fifty-seven varieties. +Reptiles are vertebrated animals belonging to Cuvier's first great +section, but distinguished from mammalia and birds, by their cold +blood, their oviparous generation, and the absence of either feathers +or hair from their bodies. They take precedence of fish in the animal +kingdom, having lungs for aerial respiration, and "a higher +circulatory organisation than the exclusive inhabitants of the water." +In the museum, Cuvier's classification has been followed, with slight +variations; that is to say, the reptiles have been re-divided into +four classes:--the Sauria, or Lizards (in which class some modern +naturalists, as Merrem and others, include serpents); the Ophidia, or +Serpents; the Testudinata, or Tortoises; and the Batrachia, or Frogs. +The lizards occupy the first ten wall cases in this room. + +The first case contains those lizards of India and Africa which have +long held the regard of eastern nations, upon the slender report that +they hiss upon the approach of a crocodile, and so warn the incautious +traveller to retreat in time. The truth is, these sauria prey upon the +crocodile's eggs, no doubt to the particular annoyance of the +crocodile, who are, therefore, it is more than probable, no friends of +the monitors. The Egyptian would love the monitor for feeding upon the +crocodile germ, as much as for his timely warning of the approach of +the uncouth enemy. The curious heloderms, from Mexico, with their +ophidian teeth, lie at the bottom of the fifth case: they are +supposed, but as yet on insufficient grounds, to be poisonous. In the +next case (6) are the lizards of tropical America, called safeguards. +Their reputed peculiarity is that, of beating beehives till they +compel the bees to retire, and then feasting upon the sweet booty: in +the same case with these, is the lizard with the double-keeled tail, +known as the crocodilurus. The visitor next faces a case (7) of +Serpent Lizards, which do not deserve their reputation for poisonous +properties, being quite harmless: here, also, are the Skinks and other +varieties, including the blind worms with their hidden legs. Having +dismissed the serpent lizards, the visitor will notice the Night +Lizards and Guanas. The former are inhabitants of warm climates, and +from the ease with which they can adapt themselves to any positions, +they may be troublesome visitors; they can run with ease about the +walls and ceilings of rooms, like flies; and their propensity is to +roam abroad in the darkness of the night. Their broad, ugly heads, and +repulsive general appearance, have won for them the character of +poisonous reptiles, but the truth is they are harmless. The Crested +Lizards which the visitor will notice hereabouts, are the American +fruit-eating species, celebrated for violent quarrelling among +themselves, and for their power of changing colour with great +rapidity. They do not crawl upon the earth, but live on trees, the +fruits of which sustain them. Here, too, are the Anoles, with their +distended toes, that enable them to imitate the crawling feats of the +night lizards. The tenth case devoted to the lizard tribe, is the most +interesting of the series. It contains the family of lizards known as +the Agama. This family boasts many famous scions. First, here are the +Indian dragons; their resemblance to the fabled monster slain by St. +George, consists of a loose skin over the ribs, which they can open or +fold at pleasure. These bat-like wings will not support them in the +air, but serve to steady their bodies when leaping from branch to +branch of a tree. From these lilliputian representatives of the +monster of fable, the visitor's attention will most probably be called +by an important-looking lizard, of which Mr. Allan Cunningham brought +the first specimens to this country, from Port Nelson, Australia. We +allude to the lizard with a frill round its neck, which has been +universally likened to that worn by Queen Elizabeth: it is called the +frilled agama. It is supposed that this harmless sauroid extends this +frill to frighten away its enemies; as old ladies, who can preserve +their presence of mind in the neighbourhood of a bull, open their +umbrella to frighten it into an opposite direction. Under these +interesting sub-families are grouped the varieties of a species of +agama that has won for itself an imperishable reputation--having +furnished imaginative minds with matter for the most extravagant +speculations--and yielded to the political writer abundant sarcastic +images. No politician who has thought proper in the course of a long +career, to change his old principles for new ones (as housewives +exchange worn-out apparel for new gilded pottery); no philosopher who +has by turns embraced conflicting principles of human action; no man +of science who has published two opposite theories of the formation of +our universe, can pause without emotion before this case of classed +Chameleons; for the politician, the philosopher, and the man of +science have inevitably figured in hostile reviews under the head of +colour-changing sauroids. The popular notion respecting the +colour-changing powers of these lizards is, that at will the chameleon +can habit itself in any colour of the rainbow; that by turns it is a +red chameleon, a blue chameleon, a green chameleon, and a yellow +chameleon. The fact of the case is very far-from this notion. +Chameleons are found chiefly in Africa and India, but also in some of +the tropical islands. In their habits they are sluggards, lounging +generally about trees, and distending their long tongues covered with +a glutinous secretion, to secure passing insects, upon which they +subsist. They have eyes of wonderful power, and can look backwards and +forwards at the same moment; but as regards their colour, it is well +to assure the visitor, that their usual tint when resting in the shade +is a blue-grey, which sometimes pales to a lighter grey, turns green, +assumes a brown-grey tint, or darkens to a decided brown. These are +the sober observations of observant naturalists on the subject. + +The class of reptiles to which the visitor should next direct his +attention are those classed by Cuvier and others under the head of +Ophidia, or + +SERPENTS. + +The particulars in which, the serpent differs from the lizard are, +that the former have no feet, cast their bright coats annually (like +our metropolitan postmen), and swallow their food without masticating +it. They occupy seven cases. The upper part of the first case contains +many of the most poisonous serpents. Among these are the well-known +and formidable Rattlesnakes of America, with specimens of their +rattles lying near them, which, as the visitor-will see, are a +succession of osseous joints. Here too are the terrible cobra di +capello, and other poisonous serpents of India; the South American fer +de lance; the vipers of Europe; the North African crested viper; and +the Cape of Good Hope and Western African puff adder; the Guinea +nosehorn viper, and the common viper found in England--our only +dangerous serpent. These serpents all inflict their poisonous wounds +by means of two fangs, which they protrude from the mouth, and from +the points of which they inject the poisonous matter into the wounds +they inflict. On the lower shelves of this case the visitor will find +some specimens of the Sea-Serpents, which frequent the East Indian +seas, and the coast of New Holland. They are dangerous reptiles, +having small fangs amid their teeth, with which they attack bathing +animals or men. Some of them have been found sleeping on the warm +bosom of a tropical ocean; and upon the warm sands of the shore they +are often found, coiled up in a torpid state. They vary greatly in +size: but the visitor will perceive none approaching in length to that +remarkable reptile which artists, despairing in their attempts to give +it the proper dimensions, lately coiled about the wide pages of +pictorial papers. + +The visitor will next have his attention drawn to that family of +serpents of which the Boa is the great representative. These are all +grouped together in cases (12-15). This family has what naturalists +call "the rudiments of legs." They are a nobler family than that which +the rattlesnake represents, inasmuch as they do not depend upon poison +to master their enemy; but fight legitimately, with their muscular +strength. The terrible pictures which adorn the pages of eastern +travels for children, of poor Indians with just their heads appearing +above the folds of a gigantic boa, will probably recur to the visitor, +as he surveys the tortuous folds of the placid specimens of the family +that lie before him. It is therefore hardly necessary to inform him +that the boa family destroy their prey by coiling round it, and having +secured their tail to a tree to give themselves additional strength, +by crushing every bone in its body. Having thus taken the life out of +the victim, the destroyer, with some trouble, if the animal be large, +swallows it, and lies down for weeks to allow the process of digestion +to go on. Some of these boas are from Africa, some from India, and +some from America. The last two cases of serpents (16, 17) include +many varieties. Here are the common water and ring snakes of England; +the coach whip snakes, that live coiled about trees; the black and red +ringed snakes, known as the coral snakes; and the varieties of +serpents with which the famed serpent charmers of India exhibit their +skill. The juggler snakes have the peculiar power of inflating the +skin of the neck till it bulges over the head, and so forms a kind of +hood. The Indian varieties of these hooded snakes are poisonous, and +are distinguishable from the others by a yellow spot on the back of +the neck. + +From the serpents the visitor should turn to the families of the +Testudinata, or + +TORTOISES. + +Tortoises are broadly divided into three species, namely, land +tortoises; fresh water tortoises, of which there are no less than +forty-six varieties; and marine tortoises, well known to the citizens +of London, in the shape of turtle-soup. The land tortoises subsist on +vegetables, and are said to live occasionally more than two hundred +years. The two first cases devoted to Testudinata (18, 19) contain the +American, Indian, and African varieties of the land tortoise. Here is +the gigantic tortoise from Galapagos, for the flesh of which many a +sailor has been grateful. The visitor will remark that the shells of +some of the sub-families are handsomely marked. The fresh water +tortoises, having the greatest number of sub-families, occupy three +cases (20-22). This species is found in the marshes or rivers of warm +climates, where they prey upon small fishes and frogs. The thurgi +tortoise of India, and the American snapping-tortoise, grow to a great +size. In the lower part of case 22 are specimens of those tortoises +which sleep with their heads bent under the margin of their shell. In +the last case devoted to tortoises, are those hard tortoises known as +the three-clawed terrapins of Asia, Africa, and America. These are the +strictly carnivorous family that feed in the water; and may be seen +preying upon the human remains that float down the Ganges. Under these +terrible epicures are the marine tortoises or turtles; and among them +the green turtle of the tropics. Shellfish and sea-weed are its chief +food; of its flesh, all Londoners who have not tasted it, can speak +pretty confidently from hearsay. It grows occasionally to a great +size; those smaller ones which the citizens prize weighing generally +about 600 lb. Here too are the turtle of the Mediterranean, and the +hawksbill turtle of Arabia, to which ladies are indebted for the +choicest of their tortoise-shell combs. Having sufficiently dwelt upon +the interesting histories of the tortoises, the visitor's way lies +forward in the direction of the two cases next in order of succession, +which are devoted to the Loricata, or + +CROCODILES. + +The varieties of this family are not many; they are grouped in three +cases (24-26). Here are the terrible common crocodiles which have long +been the terror of the people whose native land they inhabit; the +alligators, which patronise America exclusively; and the gavials of +India. They are said to act as orderlies, in the rivers they frequent, +devouring all the putrid matter that would else infect the atmosphere. +Here too are those curious snakes which are equally thick at either +end--a peculiarity which has earned for them the appellation of +double-headed, and the supposed power of walking indifferently +forwards or backwards. The visitor now approaches the + +FROGS, + +called by zoologists after the Greek name, Batrachia. The author of +the Vestiges of Creation remarks, that the frog is the only animal +that, like man, has a calf on the hinder part of its legs. The +batrachian animals are here all grouped in one case (26). They have +many peculiarities. They are in the first place almost ribless; their +feet are in no way armed; many of the toads have no teeth, and those +of the frog are insignificant for its size; they have no tails; +neither the frogs nor the toads are venomous; the fiery expectorations +of the poor toads are matters of household fable only; and their +croaking choruses have startled many a poor traveller. One variety, in +the case with which the visitor is now engaged, is remarkable. Here +are specimens of the tree frogs that can walk with their backs +downwards on the most polished surfaces, and can slightly change their +colour; the paradoxical frog from Surinam, which is larger as a +tadpole than in its condition of maturity; the Brazilian horned toads; +the American bull frogs; and the Brazilian pipa, the female of which +deposits its eggs upon the back of the male, who carries them about +till they burst from their shells; the repulsive siren of Carolina, +which Mr. J.E. Gray likens to an eel with fore-legs; and lastly, here +is the blushing proteus, which in its native subterranean caverns is +of a pale pink, but when brought to the light of day, deepens into a +crimson blush; this is represented by a waxen model. It is strange +that political and controversial literature, so rich in chameleons, +asses in lions' skins, and other figures for human fallibility and +stupidity, should not contain a few, just a few, varieties of the +blushing proteus. + +The visitor has now examined all the wall cases of the second room; +and his way again lies to the west. The third or central room of the +gallery, which he is now about to enter, is to a large class of +country visitors, perhaps the most interesting apartment of the +museum. Herein is deposited a complete museum of the animal life of +Britain, comprehending the beasts and birds native to its soil, and +the fishes that swim in its waters. + +THE BRITISH ZOOLOGICAL ROOM. + +In this room, as in the previous rooms, the vertebrated animals are +grouped in the wall cases or on the top of the cases. It is hardly +necessary to guide the visitor systematically through the intricacies +of a collection, every beast, bird, fish, and shell of which is native +to his own land. In the wall cases devoted to British vertebrate +animals he will notice, first the Carnivorous Beasts, which include +the foxes; stoats; cats; &c.:--the Glirine Beasts, including rabbits; +squirrels; hares; rats; and mice:--the Hoofed Beasts, as the fallow +deer; the stag; and the roebuck:--and the Insectivorous Beasts, +including moles; hedgehogs; &c. + +The collection of British birds includes the Birds of Prey, as the +hawks; the eagles; and the owls:--the Perching Birds, as the swallows; +kingfishers; thrushes; butcher birds; rollers; and wagtails:--the +Scraping Birds, as pheasants; pigeons; quails; partridges; and +guinea-fowls:--the Wading Birds, including the woodcock; snipes; +herons; sandpipers; storks; &c.:--and the Web-footed Birds, including +swans; ducks, and sea ducks; grebes; divers; auks; petrels; gulls; +gannets; cormorants; &c. The eggs of the birds are in a table case (1) +and arranged like the birds. + +The British reptiles are all collected in the upper part of one case, +including toads; frogs; and lizards. + +The British fish occupy the remainder of the wall cases. These include +perch; bream; the john-dory; carp; barbel; salmon; pike; trout; +sturgeon; the shark; thornback; lamprey; turbot; plaice; sole; +flounder; cod; haddock; &c. + +INSECTS AND SHELLS. + +Three tables (2-4) are devoted to insects with jaws; the insects that +are furnished with a proboscis; and a collection of British Crustacea, +including lobsters; crabs; woodlice; shrimps; &c. On the table upon +which the Insects with Jaws are spread, the visitor will notice many +household torments, including beetles; crickets; earwigs, bees; and +wasps: and in the general collection, ants; grasshoppers; cockroaches; +dragon-flies; &c. The Insects with a proboscis include some beautiful +butterflies with their painted wings; gnats; and, to the horror of +many female visitors, bugs. + +The three next tables are covered with specimens of the shells of +British mollusca, or soft-bodied animals. Here are the shells of +snails, cockles, mussels, oysters, &c. + +The collection closes with a table case (8) which is covered with +specimens of those animals called by Cuvier radiated creatures, or +creatures whose nervous force is concentrated in a central point +whence it radiates, as in the starfish; sea eggs, &c; corals; sea +pens; corallines, &c. + +Having made this rapid survey of the animal life of Great Britain from +its highest to its lowest developments, the visitor should again +resume his journey westward, to the fourth room of the gallery, in +which the collection of + +FISHES + +begins. Here the Osseous or bony fishes are distributed in and on the +top of the wall cases. While taking a general glance at the +arrangement of the room, the visitor will at once be struck by the +specimens of Sword fish--especially by the Indian flying sword fish, +which are placed on the top of the wall cases on account of their +length--and some of the pikes or swords of these fish, one of which, +it is asserted, was driven, by the fish to which it belonged, into the +hull of a stout oak ship. On the top of one of the cases the visitor +should notice also the remarkable large head, from Mexico, with a long +dorsal ray. + +There are six orders or families of osseous or bony fish; and +specimens of all these will be found in the wall cases of this room. +First there is the family of + +SPINY-FINNED FISHES. + +This family occupies the first thirteen wall cases. Among the fishes +in the first four cases, the visitor should notice the flying +gurnards; the sea scorpions, and flying sea scorpions; the paradise +fish; and the perches, including the fingered variety. The next cases +(4-9) include, amid other varieties, the chaetodons, or +bristle-toothed fish; mackarel, and horse mackarel; tunny; scombers, +&c.; john-dories; and pilot fish. Then follow, next in succession, two +cases (10, 11) containing the lively dolphins, which are remarkable +for the rapidity with which they change colour when they are withdrawn +from the water; the sturgeons, with their lancet spine; and the sea +garters. The next two cases include the remaining specimens of the +spiny-finned fish. Among these are the wolf fish; the curiously formed +tobacco-pipe fish; the big-headed dolphins or anglers; the hand fish, +with its long fins; and the rook fish. + +THE SOFT-FINNED FISHES + +are deposited in nine cases. In the first two cases (14, 15) of the +series, are the fresh water fish of different countries, including the +voracious and long-lived pike: these form an interesting group for the +contemplation of anglers. The next case is devoted to hard-coated +fish, as the Callichthes, which are cased with a thick scale armour; +and the hard-coated Loricaria. The fish grouped in the other cases of +the series, are mostly familiar to the general visitor. Here are the +varieties of the salmon and the herring; cod; ling; turbot; flounders; +eels of various kinds; whiting; and the lump fish. The remaining four +cases of this room are devoted to a series of fishes including, in +cases 23, 24, the globe fish with a parrot's beak; and the ungainly +sea horses. The two last cases (25, 26) include the file fish; the +coffin fishes with their hard case of octagonal plates; and the +European and American sturgeons. Having examined the varieties of +osseous fishes, the visitor should continue his westerly course into +the fifth and last room, a compartment of the northern zoological +gallery. In this room he will find the wall cases devoted to + +CARTILAGINOUS FISHES. + +Many of the specimens of this division are placed on the top of the +wall cases, being too large to be placed inside the cases. The +Cartilaginous fishes here brought together include the varieties of +the ray; torpedos; and sharks. At the western extremity of this room +the visitor should terminate the onward course of his first visit, +and, remembering that the table cases of the northern and eastern +galleries through which he has passed, remain to be examined on his +way back to the grand staircase, should begin to retrace his steps, +confining his attention, as he returns, to the table cases placed in +the central space of the rooms through which his way lies. He should +now therefore face the east, and return, in the northern zoological +gallery towards its eastern extremity. The table cases deposited in +the room with the cartilaginous fish are covered with + +SPONGES + +of different kinds. It will be interesting to the visitor to know +something of the natural history of the sponge. It has been +ascertained, beyond a doubt, that the sponge is an animal that sucks +in its food and excretes its superfluities; that certain of its pores +imbibe, while others exude; and that according to the relative +positions of the two distinct sets of pores, is the shape of the +sponge determined. In a natural state, as it is found in the +Mediterranean, the sponge is surrounded with a thick glutinous matter, +which is its vital part; like coral, it is a zoophyte: it propagates +in the same manner, and its life is indestructible till it is removed +from its proper element, and the glutinous matter which makes its +vitality has been boiled out of its pores, leaving the soft and +beautiful skeletons, of which these cases contain many specimens. Here +also are some old sponges preserved in flint. Having noticed these +beautiful zoophytes, the visitor should proceed in an easterly +direction into the room he recently quitted, to examine the table +cases it contains. The first tables to which he should direct his +attention here, are those in which a series of Crustacea or +hard-coated animals are deposited. They are of Cuvier's order of +animal life, known as the articulata, or animals whose bodies consist +of a series of moveable joints. These are mostly inhabitants of the +sea, and rank in the animal kingdom as the highest class of the +Articulata, except the insects, who head the order. The tables upon +which the Crustacea or + +SHELL FISH, + +are deposited, are numbered from 13 to 24. The four first cases +(13-16) are covered with Crabs of various kinds, including the +long-legged spider-crabs, common crabs with oysters growing upon their +backs, and fin-footed swimming crabs. The next case (17) contains in +addition to the long-eyed or telescope crab, varieties of the +land-crab, which is found in various parts of India; one kind, that +swarms in the Deccan, commits great ravages in the rice-fields. The +two next tables are covered with Chinese crabs, square-bodied crabs; +those crabs with fine shells known as porcelain crabs, and the curious +death's head crab, which seems to build a kind of nest of sponge or +shells. But upon the next table (20) the visitor will find the most +remarkable of the crabs, together with an astonishing lobster. This +crab is known as the hermit crab. The visitor will perceive, that it +has a long naked tail; and he should know that the one all-absorbing +care of its life seems to be to find a place of safety in which this +unprotected part may be screened from the dire mischances of war. +Accordingly, at an early age, it sets out in search of a deserted +shell into which it backs its tail; or if an unoccupied shell be not +at hand, without much ceremony, the hermit contrives a summary +ejectment of the lawful tenant, that it may shield its tail and be at +rest. Upon the same table with this unceremonious hermit, lies the +tree-lobster, which is believed to climb cocoa-trees in search of the +nuts. Upon the next table (21) are the sea craw-fish and sea locusts; +and upon the succeeding table (22) the visitor will remark the +destructive scorpion-lobster of India, the excavations of which +seriously damage the roads of that part of the world; Shrimps in all +their varieties; the delicate alima, with its pale thin shell; and the +long king crab. Upon the last two tables devoted to shell fish, or +crustacea, are spread the goose shells or barnacles, whale lice, and I +the sea acorn. + +Having examined these crustacea, the visitor should turn his attention +to the twelve tables (1-12) upon which a fine collection of + +INSECTS + +is spread. The first eight tables are covered with varieties of + +THE BEETLE TRIBE. + +These include some beautiful insects. The care with which the many +thousand varieties have been classified by zoologists, and the +minuteness with which the habits of each variety have been traced, +have raised these insects to a conspicuous position in the great +Animal Kingdom. Their beauty, as they lie here in vast numbers before +the spectator, is dazzling. Every colour and every combination and +shade of colour can be traced upon them; and in these varieties of +tint there appears to be a wise provision of nature, the blue coloured +beetle being the frequenter of the bark of trees, the green beetle +revelling among the leaves; and the gay red and light beetles being +the _habitees_ of flower cups. Upon the first table of the series (1) +are some curious varieties. Here are the remarkable burying-beetle, +that deposits its eggs in the rotting flesh of small dead animals, and +then, with the assistance of some kindred beetles buries the body, +leaving its progeny to enjoy the carrion when they quicken; the sacred +scarabaeus of the Egyptians, and the British variety of the same +beetle, that bury their eggs in their dung. Upon the next table (2) +are the golden tropical beetles, whose wings are used by the natives +as ornaments; the celebrated glow worms, the females of which emit a +phosphorescent light, in order to attract the attention of the +males--thus these lights are love signals; the Brazilian +diamond-beetle, a splendid insect, and the harlequin beetle. The third +table (3) is covered with varieties of the kangaroo beetles, a +brilliant collection of ladybirds, the varieties of earwigs, +cockroaches, originally tropical insects only; the praying insects, +called so from their habit of erecting their fore legs and assuming a +prayerful attitude, when, in fact, they are preparing for an attack +upon their prey: and the insects which the uninitiated visitor has +already mistaken for pieces of stick, but which are the walking +leaf-insects; some with wings like dead leaves, and others wingless. +The fourth table (4) is covered with the varieties of the Cricket, +including the great Chinese cricket, dragon-flies, scorpion-flies, the +terrible tropical white ants, caddis flies, wasps, saw-flies, bees, +hornets, and sand wasps. + +BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. + +Then follow three tables (5-7) of splendid butterflies, with their +brilliant tints. The two tables (8, 9) ranged next in order to those +upon which the butterflies are distributed, are covered with varieties +of the moth. Here are the silkworm moth and its cocoon as kept in +Siberia; the ghost moth of our hop grounds; the hawk moth, the death's +head moth, and the large Brazilian owl moth. + +The next table (10) is covered with a great variety of flies and bugs, +including the Chinese lantern flies. + +The eleventh table is given up to Spiders in all their varieties, +including the tarantula, a formidable insect with a power of severe +biting; and the curious spider that bores a nest in the ground, lines +it sumptuously with its own silk, and then constructs a lid that +closes inevitably, as the insect leaves its house. Here too are the +scorpions. The last table of the series (12) is covered also with +varieties of the spider, including the land and shepherd spiders; the +African scarlet tick, and the centipedes. The visitor has now +completed his survey of the contents of this room, and should at once +pass forward in an easterly direction, traverse the British zoological +room, which he has already examined throughout, and pass into the +fourth room of the gallery. + +The table-cases in this room present nothing that can greatly interest +the unscientific visitor. They are covered with varieties of + + +STARFISH; SEA-EGGS, ETC. + +The sea-eggs are scattered over the first nine tables (1-9) in the +room. They live on small animals and sea-weed. The varieties include a +flat kind, vulgarly called sea-pancakes. The remaining cases of the +room are loaded with varieties of the star-fish. The mouth of the +star-fish is on its lower side, through which it takes its food. It +has innumerable feet, which it displays when in the water, and by +means of which it can climb rocks. Some of the varieties fall to +pieces on being taken from their native element, as the lizard, or +brittle star-fish. The gorgon's head, which has innumerable branches +from its central part, should be observed by the visitor; and the +sea-wigs, which are a kind of star-fish, somewhat resembling the +gorgon's head, with innumerable radii. They are placed upon table 24, +near a cast of a stem and flower, that has the appearance of a fossil +plant, but is in reality a cast of a crinoid star-fish that once +existed in great abundance. In the most eastern room of this gallery +are a few tables upon which are deposited the shells and tubes of +molluscous animals, to illustrate their changes, and the way in which +the animal adapts them to his position. The third and fourth tables +will, perhaps, interest the general visitor. Here he will find +specimens exhibiting the growth of Shells, and also how the animal +repairs any damage to its shell. Here, too, are the shells upon which +the modern cameo-cutters of Rome, work. As the visitor will perceive, +the design is engraved in relief upon the light outer layers of the +shell, leaving the darker under part exposed, as a back-ground. + +The visitor's way now lies out of the northern gallery, by its eastern +door, near which he should notice a remarkable sun fish, of a bulky +and squat appearance. Having regained the first, or most northerly +room of the great eastern zoological gallery, the visitor should turn +to the south, examining the table cases of this gallery as he returns +through its spacious rooms. All the table cases of this gallery, with +the exception of a few small side tables, are covered with the vast +varieties of the + +SHELLS + +of molluscous or soft animals. These shells, scattered over no less +than forty-nine tables, represent the architectural capacities of the +great order of soft-bodied animals, only inferior in rank, in Cuvier's +"Animal Kingdom," to the Vertebrate animals. + +Upon the first table, before which the visitor will find himself (49), +are some interesting specimens of the well-known Cuttle fish, +exhibiting its varieties, including the common cuttle fish found upon +our coasts; those which have the power of secreting a dark fluid, and +those from India, whose ink-bags furnish artists with that valuable +brown called sepia. Here, too, are the skeletons of the slender +loligos, or sea leaves, known also as sea-pens; and the crozier shell. +Upon the next six tables (48-53), proceeding southward, are the +varieties of the Oyster, the Mussel, and beautiful Mother-of-pearl +shells. But hence the visitor will probably proceed rapidly to the +south; inasmuch as the varieties of the mussel family, including the +Chinese pearl mussel and Scotch pearl mussel, the borers, the club +shell, and the cockle family, are not generally interesting; but he +will probably linger for a few moments near the pond mussels placed +upon some of the tables (38-41). The tables numbered from 24 to 30 are +covered with the varieties of hard shells, which, however, present no +points of interest to the general visitor, who may at once pass on to +the varieties of the Nautilus and Argonaut, (tables 23, 24). And here, +too, we must entreat the visitor to forget the poetic history of the +inhabitants of those beautiful shells, and learn that the extended +arms of the nautilus are used only to clasp its shell; that it has no +sails of any kind. The varieties of the paper nautilus, or argonaut, +are the most delicate and beautiful. The next table (22) displays the +shell of the curious carrier, that embodies all kinds of foreign +substances with its shell; the slipper shell, and the rose bud. Upon +the next table (21) are the Screws; the curious ladder shells from +China; and upon table 20, are the varieties of fresh water Clubs. The +next two tables (18, 19) display some curious and beautiful shells, +including Venus's ear, the pagoda shell, and varieties of Snails, +including the apple snails. Proceeding on his southern way, the +visitor should pause to notice the ear shells, placed upon tables 18, +17, including the beautiful rainbow; the button shells, the rainbow +eardrop, and the pyramid upon table 16; the pomegranate from the Cape +of Good Hope, New Zealand imperial, and pheasant, and the West Indian +golden sun, upon table 15; the weaver's shuttle and pig cowries, +including the Chinese variety, highly valued by the Chinese, as an +ornament; also upon table 15, more varieties of cowries, including the +money cowry of Africa, used there as money, and the orange cowry from +the Friendly Islands, where it is worn as an ornament; the five +varieties of the Volutes, including the red clouded volute, the +Chinese imperial volute, the bishop's mitre, and the papal crown, +distributed upon tables 12 and 13. The Melons, the large varieties of +which are put to domestic uses by the Chinese, the olives, and butter +shells, upon table 11; the magilus, whelks, and the needle shell upon +table 10; the purple shell that emits the colour from which it is +named, the mulberry shell, and the unicorn shell, distributed upon +table 9; the tun shell, the harps, the harp helmets, and the helmets +upon which cameos are carved, distributed about tables 8 and 7; the +spindle shells, including the great tulip shells, and the turnip +shells, occasionally used as oil-vessels in Indian temples, +distributed about the tables 5, 6, and 7 are all worth examination. +The splendid cone shells, which include the king of the collection, +pointed out to visitors as the glory of the sea, from the Philippine +Islands, and the African setting sun cone, upon tables 5 and 4; the +rock shells upon table 4: the trumpet shells upon table 3, so called +after the large kinds which savage tribes have been known to use as +horns; and upon the last two tables, the stombs, including the +beautiful varieties from the West Indies and China, close the list. + + * * * * * + +The visitor has now reached the Southern Extremity of the Eastern +Zoological Gallery, and brought his first visit to a conclusion. He +may well pause, however, before dismissing from his mind the objects +which have engaged his attention. + +First, then, he examined the varieties of MAMMALIA. The mammalia, of +which man himself is the highest type, are the leading class of the +great order of vertebrate, or back-boned animals, and fishes are the +lowest, the intermediate classes being birds and reptiles. VERTEBRATA +are of higher rank in the animal kingdom than the mollusca, or +soft-bodied animals, those having "red blood and a double-chambered +heart." The mammalia are the class which suckle their young; second to +them are the BIRDS; and then the blood cools, the organisation is +inferior, and the REPTILES are produced; and lastly come the FISHES, +with cold blood, and wanting aerial lungs. Philosophers, who have +settled the scheme of the world as one of progression, complication, +or development, trace animal life from the polypus, (which belongs to +the order of Radiata, or animals that have a central point in which +the vital force of the animal appears to preside, diverging in radii, +as in the sea-eggs, starfishes, coral, sponges); the polypus advances +to the Articulata, or jointed animals, including all kinds of worms, +leeches, or ringed animals, of which insects are the most highly +organised developments; next to the Mollusca, or soft-bodied animals; +and then from these, which include the shell-fish, the scheme +gradually progresses to the fish with backbones; and here the lowest +order of Vertebrata is developed: the fish merges into the reptile, +the reptile into the bird; the bird, as in the ornithorhyncus, into +the Mammalia. + +Thus the gradations of life may be clearly apprehended by the visitor. +The highest development of animal life he has seen in the MAMMALIA +SALOON, all the animals of which produce their young alive and suckle +them; the order of life immediately below the mammalia, he has +examined in the marvellous varieties of birds arranged in the NORTHERN +GALLERY; then he turned to the west, and examined the third order of +animal life in the REPTILES; then the fourth order represented by +FISH; and so on till he watched the simpler forms of life in the +STAR-FISH and the SPONGE. + +The history of this marvellous progress of animal life, so far as +scientific men have gazed into its deep mysteries, is surely worth +attention. Few have the courage and the enthusiasm to follow each +footstep of the tiny ant at his complex labours,--few are the Hubers +that dwell among us; but to us all is given the love of that knowledge +which opens our eyes to a few of the mysteries that lie thickly on our +path, in the formation of the gravel upon which we tread, the clouds +that grandly glide above us, and the leaves that gather upon the +trees. After all the labours of our learned men, we are only now +pressing, with trembling footsteps, the avenue to the endless schemes, +and systems, and wonders, that lie buried in and about our world. +Still let all who enter our museum, go there with the resolve to +accomplish something by their visit. Even in the common concerns of +life; in the petty matters that wear away the brain at last; in the +market-places of the world, this insight is not without its effect. +The heart is humbled as the eyes open to the grandeur of the scheme, +and to the consequent littleness of individual manhood; but again, the +breast swells with the purest of all pride, when the thinker says to +himself: I am the King--because the hero or highest type of the +Articulata, Radiata, Mammalia, or any order of vegetable or animal +life. All these great and complicated developments are the beautiful +works of the Great Unseen, but I am His masterpiece. One may well +dream in this zoological museum, amid the staring glass-eyed skins of +an inferior brotherhood--of the long, long time ago when the fossils, +which are now scattered here and there, to assure us of their former +vitality, moved about the world, before they were stricken with +universal death, and buried by nature, deep in her teeming bosom, to +flourish presently in the veins of plants--the plants to die again, +and be dug, long ages after, from our deep coal-fields. These thoughts +towards nature, towards the marvellous records of an antiquity, the +remoteness of which we cannot realise, will rise to the minds of all +visitors who can see in the vast collection of animal life through +which we have guided them, revelations of the endless forms and the +endless beauties that pass often unnoticed, because not understood, +under every step that man takes in the many journeys that lie between +his hopeful cradle and his inevitable grave. + +END OF THE FIRST VISIT. + + + + +VISIT THE SECOND. + + + +On entering the British Museum for the second time, the visitor should +ascend the great staircase, pass through the south, central, and +mammalia saloons; traverse the eastern zoological gallery, and +continue north, direct into the first room of the most northern +gallery of the northern wing;--where the studies of his second visit +should begin. His first visit was occupied in the examination of the +varieties of animal life distributed throughout the surface of the +globe. The greater part of his time on this occasion will be devoted +to the study of the wonders that lie under the surface of the earth; +of the revelations of extinct animal life made by impressible rocks; +and of the metallic wealth which human ingenuity has adapted to the +wants and luxuries of mankind. In the fossil remains he will be able +to recognise traces of an animal life, of which we have no living +specimens; of trees, the like of which never rise from the bosom of +the soil at the present time. The lessons that lie in these +indistinct, disjointed revelations of the remote past, are pregnant +with matter for earnest thought to all men. They are part of our +history--links that hold us to the sources of things, and recall us +again and again to the condition of our universe, as it trembled into +space, and as now we inhabit it--a great and marvellous globe, every +grain of which has an unfathomable story in it. Philosophers have +laboured long at the story of the earth; and their revelations have +tended to settle it, in a form not unlike the following:-- + +Originally, within the space bounded by the orbit of Uranus, a gaseous +matter was diffused at a high temperature. By laws, the origin of +which we have not yet traced, the condition of the diffused heat was +changed, and the particles of the gaseous matter, condensed and +agglomerated by attraction, into a series of planets, of which our +earth is the third in point of size. That the earth has undergone vast +changes, is evident to the most superficial geological student. We are +only able to investigate the crust of the earth, with all our +ingenious boring instruments: but even in this crust we may trace a +gradual change, and recognise the silent operations of nature in ages +never counted by man. According to the popular theory, the earth must +have been sixty times as large as its present size, and have cooled to +its present dimensions, retaining still, in its unfathomable bowels, a +burning heat. The conclusions of geologists, after long and patient +examination, are, that certain rocks mark the age of the world--that, +in fact, the crust of the globe consists of a certain number of +strata, each belonging to a certain era, as the rings of a tree tell +its years of growth. The more they test this theory, the more certain +are they that the history of our globe may be accurately read in the +strata which compose its crust. "A granitic crust, containing vast and +profound oceans, as is proved by the extent and thickness of the +earliest strata, was the infant condition of the earth. Points of +unconformableness in the overlying aqueous rocks, connected with +protrusions of granites, and other similar presentments of the +internal igneous mass, such as trap and basalt, mark the conclusions +of subsequent sections in this grand tale. Dates, such as +chronologists never dreamed of--compared with which, those of Egypt's +dynasties are as the latter to a child's reckoning of its +birthdays--have thus been presented to the now living generation, in +connexion with the history of our planet."[5] These changing masses +have been discovered with remains of organic life wrapped in their +particles, each mass enclosing a petrified museum of the life that +flourished while it was in course of formation: thus not only have we +distinct proof of extinct forms of animal and vegetable life, but we +are also able to assign the dates of their existence. + +The MOST EASTERLY ROOM of the NORTHERN MINERAL and FOSSIL GALLERY, is +that to which the visitor's attention will be first directed. In this +room, as in the next three, the table cases are devoted to the +minerals; and the wall cases, along the southern side of the gallery, +are filled with + +FOSSIL VEGETABLES. + +The wall cases of this room contain the various strata which have +traces of vegetable life. The earliest vegetable life of which the +geologist has found fossil remains is in the form of sea-weeds, +specimens of which the visitor will notice in case 1. The grand +harmony of the world's development is shown in this adaptation of the +earliest vegetable life to that of the earliest animal life--the +polypus drawing its sustenance from the sea-weed. In the next three +cases the visitor will notice various remains of fossil ferns (in clay +slate) and horse-tails, all indicating the former high temperature and +moisture of the localities in which they are found, since they are of +large proportions, and it is observable that these plants grow in bulk +according as they near the tropics. That the ferns and club mosses +have diminished with the decrease of temperature of the earth, is +proved by comparing the fossil club mosses, which have been found as +large as beech trees, whereas at the present time the most gigantic +club moss rarely exceeds three feet in height. In the lower sections +of the third, fourth, and fifth cases, the visitor may notice some +fine specimens of polished fossil woods; but the varieties of +vegetable fossils can hardly engage his serious attention for any +length of time, unless he have some real knowledge of botany and +geology; yet he may gather the solemn teaching that lies in those dark +masses of early coal formation and clay slate, even though he be +unable to explain the first principles of botanical science. He may +notice, however, in the fifth and sixth wall cases, fossil specimens +of extinct plants, including the sigillaria, which, when living, is +supposed to have attained often to the height of seventy feet. Having +noticed these vegetable remains, the visitor should cross to the +northern wall of the room, and examine the sandstones upon which the +tracks of an extinct animal called the chirotherium--and footprints, +supposed to be of birds, are distinguishable. + +The central object in the room is a tortoise found in Hindostan, near +Allahabad. It is carved out of nephrite or jade, and is deposited upon +a curious table of inlaid ancient marbles. Against the eastern wall +are deposited some beautiful varieties of branched native silver from +Norway; Lady Chantrey's specimen of part of a coniferous tree, +semi-opalised; and a mass of websterite from Newhaven, Sussex. The +table cases now remain for examination. These are devoted to varieties +of + +MINERALS. + +and their combinations. The visitor should examine the cases in the +order in which they are arranged, beginning with the cases marked 1 +and 1A. These two cases contain specimens of native Iron. Native iron +has nearly always proved to be of meteoric origin; and the specimens +are here arranged in the order in which they have been found. They +have fallen from the heavens at different places, and at different +periods. The largest known aerolite is that which fell in Brazil, and +was no less than eight feet in length. These huge solid masses of +iron, discharged from the clouds in a burning state, may well set the +brains of philosophic men to work, to unravel the splendid mystery +that contrives laboratories high up in the air, from which dense tons +of pure iron are discharged upon our earth. Humboldt, discarding the +Laplaceian theory that aerolites were detached masses of the moon, +which ignited on reaching the oxygen that surrounds our globe, asserts +that they are Lilliputian planets, having their system as we have +ours; that they are identical with shooting stars, and that they +occasionally fall to the earth by coming within the attraction of a +body of overpowering magnitude. In the case with these meteoric +specimens of native iron are specimens of native Copper--not often +found in a pure state; native Lead, of meteoric origin; one specimen, +exhibited in the form of a medal, having been cast out of the crater +of Vesuvius about two hundred years ago; and native Bismuth, which +expands as it cools. + +In the second case the visitor will particularly notice the beautiful +threads of native Silver from the Hartz Mountains; and the various +forms in which pure silver is found; native Mercury, and combinations +of mercury and silver called native amalgam, some moulded into figures +by Mexican miners; native Platinum from Siberia; and Palladium. + +The third case of the series is resplendent with samples of native +Gold--a metal that plays so powerful a part in the affairs of +men--that has roused the fiercest passions of mankind, and been +coveted by human beings from the remote times when the Phoenicians +dreamt of golden lands in the east. Half of this table case is covered +with native gold and alloys. Pure gold is generally found in separate +crystals or grains, but the metal is mostly found combined with other +substances. It is alloyed, for manufacturing purposes, with copper and +silver. + +Half of the third case, and cases 4, 5, and 6 in this room, are +covered with various electro-negative metals and metalloids, classed +according to the system laid down by Berzelius. In the third case are +Tellurium and Tellurets. In the fourth are samples of native Arsenic, +and its combinations with nickel and cobalt; Carbon in its various +forms, pure as in the diamonds, which the visitor will notice +attentively, some imbedded in the earth in which they were discovered, +and models of celebrated diamonds; Black Lead in porcelain earth, for +which Cumberland is celebrated; Selenium in its combinations with +lead, mercury, sulphur, and other metals; and a medallion, in +selenium, of Berzelius, who discovered this metal in 1818. The sixth +case is covered with Sulphurets, chiefly of iron, these being commonly +known as iron pyrites. These specimens of the commonest of metallic +ores are from various parts of the world. Upon this table also are +deposited Lord Greenock's sulphuret of cadmium, commonly called +greenockite; and sulphurets of nickel. Having examined the first six +cases of the series ranged along the southern side of the room, the +visitor should turn to the six last cases of the series (55-60). The +first northern case (55) is covered with various Sulphates, or metals +in combination with sulphuric acid, exhibiting beautiful crystals and +colours, including sulphate of magnesia from Oregon; sulphate of zinc, +or white vitriol; sulphate of iron, or green vitriol; and the splendid +blue sulphates of copper from Hungary; beautiful sulphates of lead +from Anglesea; sulphates of alumina; common alum; and the splendid +specimens of lazurite, or lapis-lazuli,-- + + "Blue as the veins o'er the Madonna's breast," + +from which the beautiful pigment called ultramarine is extracted. In +1828 M. Guimet succeeded in making an artificial ultramarine, known +now extensively as French ultramarine, which is little, if at all, +inferior in beauty to lazurite. The next case (56) contains the +Arseniates, including arseniate of lime, crystallised; arseniates of +copper; arseniate of nickel; and red cobalt, or arseniate of cobalt. +The next case is devoted to the Phosphates, or metals mixed with +phosphoric acid, including crystals of the phosphate of iron from +Fernando Po, Bavaria, and Cornwall; phosphates of manganese; phosphate +of copper; yellow and green uranite; phosphates of alumina, including +the blue spar, which has been mistaken for lapis-lazuli, and the +phosphate of alumina known as turquois, found only in Persia, and +esteemed as an ornament. In the two supplemental table cases, 57 A and +B, the visitor may notice specimens of Pyromorphite, a combination of +phosphate and chloride of lead, and a combination of chloride of +calcium with phosphate of lime. These combinations, however, cannot +interest the general visitor. + +The case marked 58 contains the varieties of Fluorides, or +combinations of fluorine and the metals. These include the fluoride of +calcium, of which the most familiar variety to Englishmen is that +known as Derbyshire spar, of which many useful articles are +manufactured in this country. Ladies particularly will halt with +interest before the case marked 58 A, where the fluorides, better +known as the topaz, are deposited. These include a fine series of +crystals from the Brazils, Siberia, and Saxony. + +The 59th case is covered with Chlorides, or combinations of chlorine +with other substances, including rock salt, or chloride of sodium; +sal-ammoniac from Vesuvius; fine chloride of copper, exhibiting +beautiful crystals; and chlorides of silver and mercury. The two last +cases in the room (60 and 60 A) contain samples of coal, bitumen, +resins, and salts. Here will be found the honey-stone of Thuringia; +crystals of phosphate of magnesia and ammonia called struvite; +beautiful specimens of amber, some pieces of which inclose insects; +and copal, also containing insects; fossil copal; mineral pitch, from +naphtha to asphalt; the elastic bitumen of Derbyshire, exhibiting its +different degrees of softness; Humboldt's dapeche, an inflammable +fossil of South America; and brown and black coal. Having noticed all +these varieties, the visitor should advance at once westward into the +second room of the mineralogical gallery. + +Here, against the southern wall, are groups of + +FOSSIL ANIMALS + +ranged inside and upon the top of the wall cases. The most remarkable +of the remains inclosed in the wall cases of this room are the remains +of the carapace and other portions of the gigantic Fossil Tortoise +from the Sewalik Hills, Bengal, discovered by the enterprising Major +Cautley; and the gigantic fossil bones of an extinct genus of birds +that inhabited New Zealand in the remote past. But these wall cases +are mainly devoted to the exhibition of chelonian, or tortoise +fossils, which are the highest class of fossil reptiles, except the +serpents, and found only in the later or oolite formations of the +earth. The regularity with which the various families of reptiles are +discovered in the earth's strata, according to their order, is +remarkable. First the Lizards are found in the magnesian limestone, +immediately above the coal deposit, indicating their early appearance +on the earth; the next deposit, or new red sandstone, introduces us to +the Frogs; the oolite to the Tortoises; and the recent tertiary strata +to the Serpents. The bones of the tremendous wingless birds, which are +deposited in the third case of this room, have been recognised by +Professor Owen as the remains of an animal that must, when living, +have stood eleven feet high. By the windows in the northern wall of +the room are deposited the beautiful crystallised mass of Selenite, or +sulphate of lime, found in the duchy of Saxe Coburg, and presented to +the museum by Prince Albert; and a mass of carbonate of lime, +presented by Sir Thomas Baring. Having noticed these prominent +attractions of the room, the visitor should direct his attention to +the table cases, and first to those ranged along the southern half of +the room (7-13). Five of the tables are loaded with further specimens +of the Sulphurets, or metals in combination with sulphuric acid. In +the first case (7) are sulphurets of copper, and copper iron; in the +second case (8) are the series of sulphurets of lead, or galena, from +various parts of the world; in the third case (9) are specimens of +sulphuret of bismuth, needle ore, or sulphuret of bismuth, copper, and +lead, and sulphurets of mercury, or cinnabar, chiefly from Spain, the +light variety of which is the bright vermilion used by artists; in the +fourth case (10) are the sulphurets of silver, the beautiful +crystallised sulphurets of antimony, chiefly from Transylvania, and +the delicate plumose antimony, or feather ore; in the fifth case (11) +are the sulphur salts, including the ruby, silver, &c.; and in the +sixth case (12) are the sulphurets of Arsenic, red orpiment, of which +the best comes from Persia, cobalt glance, &c., bringing the series of +sulphurets to a conclusion. + +In the next case (13) the series of Oxides begins. Herein are the +oxides and hydrous oxides of manganese.[6] Having examined the +sulphurets and oxides, the visitor should cross to the northern suite +of tables marked from 48 to 54. Here are arranged a series of the +Carbonates, or combinations of carbonic acid with earths, metallic +oxides or alkalis. + +In the first case (48) are some specimens of brown spar from Hungary, +fibrous and crystallised carbonates of iron, and manganese spar; in +the second case (49) are the varieties of zinc spar, or carbonates of +zinc, lead spar, or carbonates of lead, and carbonates of bismuth and +cerium; in the third and fourth cases (50, 51) are the carbonates of +copper, the 51st case containing those splendid green carbonates of +copper from the mines in the Uralian Mountains, known commonly as +Malachite, and when in a polished state vulgarly mistaken for a green +and beautifully veined marble. Most visitors on examining these lumps +of malachite will think of the beautiful colossal furniture +manufactured of it by the Russians, and exhibited by them in their +department of the Great Exhibition. The next three cases (52-54) are +filled with series of sulphates, and some nitrates, including native +nitre, or saltpetre. The Sulphates in the cases include glauber salt, +or sulphate of soda; heavy spar or sulphates of baryta, among which +are some splendid crystallisations from Piedmont, Hungary, Spain, and +other countries; sulphate of strontia, known also as celestine, among +which are some delicate blue crystals from Sicily; sulphates of lime, +as gypsum, including some fine specimens of alabaster, and the fibrous +sulphate known vulgarly as tripe-stone. The visitor has now examined +the contents of the second room; the fossil tortoises and great +wingless birds; the mineral combinations--nearly all of which are +useful to man; and the way westward may be resumed to the third +department of the northern mineralogical gallery. In the wall cases of +this room are deposited some of the most interesting + +FOSSIL ANIMALS. + +Of these the celebrated fossil Salamander (which a German enthusiast +mistook for a fossil human skeleton), deposited in the first case, +will probably be most attractive to the general visitor. The first +three wall cases are devoted to the batrachian or Frog fossils; some +of the chelonian or Tortoise fossils; and the fossil crocodiles. +Fossil lizards are the most numerous of all fossil remains. Of these, +including the fossil crocodiles, the visitor will notice specimens in +the wall cases of this room, indicating the enormous size to which +these extinct reptiles must have grown. One, the Iguanodon (case 3) +was an animal that measured seventy feet in length. It existed in this +country; various bones of it are in this case. The remains of the +fossil Alligator, known as the mosasaurus, are also here, together +with the wealden lizard of Kent, which was about twenty-five feet in +length, and part of Cuvier's wonderful fossil Flying Lizard, or +sterodactylus, which is described as a reptile having mammalian +characteristics, a bat's wings, enormous eyes, and a bird's neck. In +the westerly cases of the room the visitor should notice the fossil +sea lizards divided into two families--the Plesiosaurus, and the +Ichthyosaurus. The plesiosaurus was an extraordinary reptile, of +gigantic size, the length of whose neck exceeded that of its body and +tail. It had ribs like a chameleon, and the body of a whale: it +chiefly inhabited the water; but as the visitor will find the chief +types of these extraordinary extinct reptiles in the next room, he may +at once, with the comfortable assurance that the Weald of Kent yields +nothing in the present day like the wealden lizard, turn to the table +cases of the room, in which he-will find further varieties of + +MINERALS. + +The southern range of tables is numbered from 14 to 23; and the +northern range from 38 to 47. The first three tables of the southern +range (14-16) are covered with the varieties of Oxides of Iron, +including magnetic iron ore; natural magnets; the salam-stell of the +East Indies; iron glance from Elba, Vesuvius, and Stromboli, some of +which are very beautiful; brown iron stones, including the variety +used as hair powder by natives of South Africa; and the pea ores that +fell in a shower, on the 10th of August, 1841, in Hungary. In the next +case (17) are the Oxides of Copper; bismuth; red oxide of zinc; cobalt +ochres; oxide of uranium; and pitch ore. In the nineteenth case are +the Oxides of Lead; and in the twentieth are the first of the oxides +of electro-negative substances. This case contains the valuable +alumina known as noble corundite, and to jewellers in its formations +of ruby, sapphire, and the oriental emerald, topaz, and amethyst. +Herein also is the kind of corundum known as emery, and esteemed for +its polishing properties. In this case also are the Aluminates of +Magnesia, including the sapphirine; the chrysoberyls from Brazil, and +those inclosed in quartz and felspar with garnets. The next four cases +(20-23) are loaded with the varieties of the Acid of Silicium or +silica, which constitutes the greater part of hard stones and minerals +with which the earth is encrusted. It is nearly pure in the rock +crystal, of which there are many specimens in the first case (20), +including those crystals called Bristol and Gibraltar diamonds, +cairngorms, the smoky topaz; rock crystals inclosing foreign +substances, and in a wrought state: of these Dr. Dee's snow-stone is +one. The next two cases (21, 22) are devoted to the varieties of +common quartz, including the flexible sandstones of Brazil (of which +there are some larger specimens upon a separate table) and to those of +the east; milk quartz; the Salzburg blue quartz, &c.; some varieties +of the cat's eye; hornstones, including wood changed into hornstone: +and herein begin the flints, including some specimens changing into +calcedony, smalt blue calcedony from Transylvania; the Icelandic +stalactical calcedony; and the fine Cornish calcedony. Upon the last +southern table (23) are ranged further varieties of calcedony. These +include the blood stone; the curious Mocha stones; and agates, +including the agate nodule from central Asia. Having sufficiently +examined these beautiful varieties of calcedony, the visitor should +pass at once to the northern range of tables. + +Upon the first of these tables (38) are some new scientific varieties +of mineral substances, in which the unscientific visitor will not take +any interest; herein also are Oxides of Antimony, including white +antimony from Bohemia; red antimony, or kermes, not to be mistaken for +the ancient dye used by the old Greek and Roman dyers, which was +obtained from the female _coccus illicis_; and tungstates of lime, +lead, and of iron and manganese. + +In the second case (39) are the Molybdates and molybdic acid; the +Chromates, including red lead ore from the Siberian gold mines of +Beresof; chromate of lead and copper, and crome iron from Var, in +France;--the Borates, including borates of magnesia, and borate of +soda, or borax. In the third case (40) are some remarkable varieties +of silicates, which contain borates from Norway and other countries; +and in the fourth case (41) are the first in order, of the carbonates, +including carbonates of soda, the beautiful crystals of carbonate of +baryta, carbonate of strontia and aragonites, from Aragon, Hungary, +Bohemia, and Vesuvius; and in the next case (42) are deposited further +varieties of aragonite, and some remarkable varieties of calcite, or +carbonate of lime. The next three cases (43-45) are chiefly devoted to +the various crystallisations of calcite, including that generally +known as the Fontainbleau crystallised sandstone, and the stalactic +and fibrous varieties from Africa, Sweden, and Cumberland; while the +two cases marked 45 A and B are covered with polished samples, known +to people generally as marbles, including the beautiful fire marble. +The forty-sixth case is also covered with calcites, including the +reastone, the limestone incrusted upon a human skull, found in the +Tiber at Rome. In the 47th case are varieties of carbonate of +magnesia, and magnesian limestone, including a remarkable one from +Massachusetts. Some marble tables are also in this room, placed here +to exhibit the beauties of various calcites. The table of Serpentine +is here: also the table inlaid with porphyries; one with a series of +bivalve shells (25); and in the centre of the room is the stalagmitic +table, from the Blythe lead mine, Derbyshire, with black marble legs +from Bakewell, given to the trustees of the Museum by the Duke of +Rutland. Before leaving this room the visitor should not fail to +notice the Maidstone Iguanodon deposited in a bed of sandstone, and +placed beneath the central north window of the room. The bones are +disjointed, but the general form of the reptile may be more perfectly +seen here than in any other fossil remains of the iguanodon. Having +noticed this fossil, and remarked the classed groups of gigantic dark +fossil bones, which cover the southern wall, the fossil turtles from +Sussex and other parts, and the great fossil thigh bones of reptiles +that have passed long since from the face of the earth, the visitor +should once more advance into the fourth room of the gallery. + +In this room the wall cases are devoted to + +FOSSIL ANIMALS. + +Of these the most interesting specimens are the remains of the Marine +Lizards known as ichthyosauri from the English lias formation. To the +right on entering, against the eastern wall of the room, the visitor +should first notice the fossil remains of various carnivorous animals, +including the skulls and other osseous wrecks of hyenas, bears, &c., +and also, carefully screened in an additional glass case, hereabouts, +the lower jaw of a marsupial animal on a slab of oolitic limestone--an +early deposit, in which the highest class fossils generally found are +the tortoises. + +In this room, however, the visitor will notice the progress of early +creation--first, the zoophytes; then the fish lizards; then the fossil +ruminants; then the fossil carnivora. Examples of these fossil remains +are all included in the room which the visitor has now reached. First, +he should examine the fossil remains of the ichthyosauri, or fish +lizards, ranged in the first three wall cases, particularly that +eighteen feet in length, deposited in the third case, one on the upper +shelf of the fourth case, and another on the upper shelf of the fifth +case. The case marked F contains fossils of a higher order than the +reptiles, as the bones and antlers of deer, found in later strata of +the earth's crust; and on the top of the case are the horn and skull +of a species of Texan bos. Having noticed these curious remains, +principally of extinct species of animal life, the visitor should at +once turn to the table cases which contain the last of the +illustrations of the mineral kingdom. + +MINERALS. + +The southern tables include the numbers 24 to 30. The first table +contains a very attractive collection of minerals, including the +varieties of jasper; all kinds of opals--the sun opal, the semi-opal, +wood opal, and wood partially opalised. The second table (25) is +covered with varieties of Silicates of Lime, magnesia, and alumina; +also soapstone, keffekil, or the meerschaum, highly esteemed by +smokers, serpentine, chrysolite, &c. The third case (26) is devoted to +Silicates of Zinc, magnesia, serium, copper, iron, bismuth, and other +minerals; the fourth and fifth cases (27, 28) to zoolitic substances; +the sixth case (29) to various minerals including samples of jade or +nephrite, of which the tortoise, in the first room of this gallery, is +manufactured; and the seventh case (30) to felspathic substances, +including amazon stone from the Urals, and Labrador felspar. The +northern cases are numbered from 31 to 37. In the first case (31) are +varieties of felspar; in the second case (32) are micaceous and other +mineral substances; in the third case (33) are basaltic hornblende, +tremolite, &c.; in the fourth case (34) are varieties of asbestus, +which defies the action of fire; jeffersonite; jenite from the Elba, +&c.; in the fifth case (35) are various pyroxenic minerals; in the +sixth case (36) are various kinds of garnets, including the lime and +chrome varieties; and in the 37th case are the silicates, including +beryls, and the emerald. + +Having brought his examination of the mineral kingdom to a conclusion, +the visitor should notice the fossil zoophytes and shells from various +deposits, arranged upon the other tables of the room. He will now +leave the mineral kingdom, and advancing once more westward, will +reach the fifth room of the gallery, which is entirely given up to +various fossil remains. + +FOSSIL FISHES + +The first object that will arrest the visitor's attention on entering +this fine apartment is the gigantic skeleton of the extinct elk of +Ireland, which towers above every other object, from its pedestal, +placed in the centre of the room. It is seven feet in height, and +eight feet in length. + +The southern wall cases and the southern table cases of this room are +covered with the fossil remains of various fishes. These are important +to the student as exhibiting high forms of animal life that existed at +the time of the formation of the most ancient strata in which organic +remains have been discovered. The visitor will notice the perfect +forms imprinted upon the various strata here exhibited. + +In case 7 he will be struck with the fossil remains of some of the +sauroids or lizard-like fishes, only two species of which survive to +the present day, but which, in remote ages, abounded in the seas, and +were particularly voracious. On the middle shelf of the wall case +marked B the visitor should notice the fossil remains of the enormous +and powerful carnivorous fish called the rhizodus; also the macropoma, +like a carp in shape, in wall cases 13, 14; the fossil bremus in case +19; the extinct species of fossil carps, in cases 24, 25; the fossil +pikes in cases 24-27; and the fossil herrings in the middle of cases +25-27. Having noticed these fossils the visitor should examine the +wall case in the north-eastern corner of the room in which are +deposited many bones of mammalia from the Sewalik Hills, including the +teeth and jaws of an extinct species of camel; and the skull of the +remarkable livatherium; and on the top of the case are various bones +of the same extinct monster. The tops of the southern cases display +various fossil remains, including the head-bones of the asterolepis; +the skull and antlers of the Irish elk; and various skulls of +different kinds of oxen. The western wall case is filled with a +curious collection of various fossil parts of an extinct species of +rhinoceros found in this country, also skulls of the rhinoceros dug up +in Siberia. There is something impressive in the effect--the +atmosphere of this and the sixth rooms. As crowds of holiday people, +inhabitants of an island in which no dangerous living animals now +abide, wander amid the fossil remnants of ages when the most terrible +monsters must have lived in British waters and crawled upon British +ground, curious contrasts rise in the brains of contemplative men. The +mind wanders back to the age of reptiles--to times when no human +footprint had sunk into the earth--and the great agents of nature were +silently depositing in the congregating and shifting earths dead +images of the prevailing life. Ages roll on as the reptiles give place +to higher animal organisation developed in carnivora, the quickening +blood warms, and then as the sovereign of all the grades of life, +erect and gifted with reason, comes man. Something of this vast and +half-told progress is shown in the range of fossil cases with which +the visitor is engaged. He has passed the era of reptiles and fishes, +and on entering the sixth and last room of the gallery, he will notice +the higher series of fossils. The distribution of the + +FOSSIL MAMMALIA + +in this room is very striking; the central space being fully occupied +by the cast of the wonderful megatherium of the Pampas, and the +skeleton of the North American mastodon. The megatherium is described +zoologically as having combined the characteristics of the armadillo, +sloth, and ant-eater. In height it averaged eight feet; its feet were +a yard in length; and its claws were of terrible strength; it was +encased in an impenetrable scaly armour; and it lived upon roots. The +mastodon was of the elephant kind. But the gigantic tapir described by +Baron Cuvier, or the dinotherium, supposed by the Baron to have +reached the extraordinary height of eighteen feet, of which only +partial remains have been found, and are here deposited, is the +largest fossil mammalia yet discovered. It is said to have had the +habits of the walrus. The southern wall cases of the room contain a +fine collection of the fossil remains of elephants and mastodons, +chiefly from the Sewalik Hills of northern India. The third case (c) +is filled with Brazilian fossils of varieties of the megatherium, +monkeys, &c. On the right of the entrance from the fifth room are some +fossil mammalia from Montmartre arranged by Cuvier. Having wandered +about amid these suggestive wrecks of the remote past, the visitor +should approach the central upright case placed against the western +wall of this noble room. Here is a fossil of part of a human skeleton, +the possession of which our geologists owe to the fortune of war--it +having been found on board a French ship captured by an English +cruiser. As the visitor will perceive, the skull is wanting, but this +important part is said to lie in an American museum. However, the +spine, the thigh bones, and the ribs are distinctly visible. This +precious relic was extracted, with other human fossils, from the +cliffs of Guadaloupe, about forty years ago. It is the skeleton of a +savage slaughtered about one hundred and fifty years ago, and buried +in the spot where it was found. As yet, the period when man first +appeared upon the face of the earth is not told in geology. No fossil +human remains have been found even in the ancient tertiary strata. The +story of human life is revealed in other records, if not in the +sepulchral strata of the earth's crust. In this very Museum, which the +visitor now treads--in these cases of fossil bones which in themselves +are common material enough, the lordly intellect that has traced their +deep significance, proves that, of all animal types, man is the +highest and the strongest--removed from the most powerful mammoth and +megatherium--the bones of which he has re-fixed, that they may, as +stones, tell the story of their wonderful characters when alive. A +curious resurrection this, by Cuvier and others, of long ages ago, to +be pondered well. Not a holiday matter, to be stared at--an hour's +wonder--and then forgotten, as of no value in the markets of the +living world; but a great and a serious science, with more romances in +it than shelves of novels. To know something of the early state of the +world which we enjoy--to have some evidences given to us that before +human animals began to play their part here, wonderful monsters, part +mammalia, part birds, part reptiles, gambolled upon the scene; that +wingless birds stalked upon marshy grounds; that strange and ghastly +lizards crawled upon our fruitful Kent; and gigantic fish floated in +our tranquil waters, but no beautiful humming birds, majestic lions, +and graceful horses--only crawling and swimming life, everywhere +preying, and the early sea-weed rising in the sea because the polypus +wanted its food: to think of these things is to have some knowledge. +In these dim regions of the past, what glimpses are there of the great +eternal laws, the natural progresses, the continual upward tendency of +all things! And then, taking this revealed book of the past in his +hand, how a man may sit and ponder on all that is to be--dream of +times when some future geological hammer will be rapping at the clay +about the stone relics of his bones, and a man will gaze upon his +hardened anatomy with a mild and holy joy--when all that breathes and +moves to-day will be entombed in ancient strata of the earth, and busy +life will be carried on a hundred feet above the ruins of the present. +These thoughts dwell happily with good men. + +Hence, proceeding on his way, the visitor returns east from the sixth +room into the fifth, and turns thence south, into the passage which +leads into the western gallery of the Museum, and immediately into + +THE EGYPTIAN ROOM. + +This room is always an attractive part of the Museum to the majority +of visitors. Here are arranged illustrative specimens of the arts and +customs of people who lived two thousand years before our era; and the +preserved bodies of men and women who trod the streets of Thebes and +Memphis, partakers of an advanced civilisation, when the inhabitants +of Europe were roaming about uncultivated wastes, in a state of +barbarism. Here are graceful household vessels, compared with the art +of which the willow pattern of the nineteenth century is a barbarism, +and fabrics of which modern Manchester would not be ashamed. Into this +room a vast collection of Egyptian curiosities is crowded; and, with +patience, the visitor may glean from an examination of its contents a +vivid general idea of the arts and social comforts of the ancient +people who built the Pyramids, and were in the height of their +prosperity centuries before the Christian era. The cases are so +divided and sub-divided that it is only by paying particular attention +to the numbers marked upon them that the visitor can hope to follow +our directions with ease. He will see, however, on first entering the +room, that the mummies are placed in cases occupying the central space +of the room; and that huge and gaudily painted coffins, having a +somewhat ghastly effect, are placed perpendicularly here and there on +the top of the wall cases. But the attention of the visitor on +entering this room is usually rivetted at once upon the human remains +of people that flourished more than two thousand years before our era. +The first thought that rises in the mind of the spectator on beholding +these wrecks of the human form, is,--why all this trouble, these +bandages, these scents, and these ornaments? It is as well, therefore, +to explain that the ancient Egyptians believed that there would be a +resurrection of the body hereafter. They believed that these poor +mummies would issue from these waxen bandages, and once more walk and +talk as of old; hence their gigantic excavations at Thebes for secure +tombs; hence the great Pyramids built to preserve the sacred forms of +their Pharaohs. Some of the ancient Egyptians retained the embalmed +bodies of their relations in their houses, enclosed in coffins, upon +which the face of the deceased was faithfully pourtrayed. Some +specimens of these representations are in the room, and some in the +Egyptian saloon below. The mummies of the poorer classes were not so +well preserved as those of the rich; therefore, remains of the plebs +have crumbled to dust, while those of the sacerdotal class, having +been deprived of the intestines, and the brain having been drawn +through the nose, having been filled with myrrh, cassia, &c., soaked +in natron,[7] and then securely bandaged, have remained in a +comparatively sound state to the present time, and may be found in +every museum of any note. + +HUMAN MUMMIES. + +The first five cases to which the visitor would do well to direct his +attention are those marked from 46 to 50. In the first division is +deposited the mummy of a female, with a gilt mask over the head and an +oskh or collar about the neck; and mummies of children, and fragments +of coffins, with paintings of Egyptian deities upon them. In the +second division of the cases, lies some of the kingly dust of the +builder of the third pyramid, King Mencheres; also, part of his +coffin; the sides of a coffin decorated with drawings of deities; +clumps of mummied hair; and mummies of children. In the third division +are tesserae from Egyptian mummies of the Grecian period, with various +figures, including one of Anubis, the embalmer of the dead; a mummy of +Amounirion covered with a curious network of bugles in blue porcelain; +the upper part of a coffin with dedications to the Egyptian god +Osiris; a small coffin containing the mummy of a child; the mummy of a +female, Auch-sen-nefer, upon which is a scarabaeus, the sacred beetle +of the Egyptians. In the fourth division the principal object is the +coffin of the last-named mummy, with representations of various +deities, including Nutpe, or the Abyss of Heaven, a female figure with +a vase on her head; and linen wrappers from mummies of the Greek +period. Having examined these human relics of remote antiquity, the +visitor should pass at once to cases 63, 64, leaving the intermediate +cases for future examination, where he will find scraps and fragments +of the coffins, wrappers, and ornaments of various mummies. In the +first division are fragments of the mask of mummy coffins; fragments +from the lower end of coffins with the Egyptian bull Apis carrying a +mummy upon it; and hands (one holding a roll) from mummy coffins; +sepulchral sandals, one with a foreign figure bandaged, in token of +the enemies of the deceased being at his feet. In the second division +are a variety of sepulchral tablets to Osiris, Isis, Anubis, and other +Egyptian deities. The next twelve cases are filled with human mummies +and their coffins. In the first case is a mummy (1) of Pefaakhons, an +auditor of the royal palace during the twenty-sixth dynasty. This +mummy is about two thousand two hundred years old. Upon it the visitor +may notice the representation of Egyptian deities Osiris, the Hawk of +Ra, Isis, the embalmer Anubis, and the bull Apis. Mummy number two, in +this case, is that of a priest of Amoun, Penamoun, swathed in its +bandages, and here also is the outer linen case of the mummy of +Harononkh. The next case (66) is devoted to the mummy and coffin of +Tatshbapem: the figures here represented are the deceased praying to +Osiris, the usual figure of the embalmer of the dead, Anubis, and a +scarabaeus, or sacred beetle, made of beads. The next case contains +the coffin and mummy of a priestess of Amoun, named Kotbti. The hair +is attached to the mask of the face, as the visitor will observe, by +two ivory studs: there are wooden models of the hands and arms +decorated with bracelets and rings; each hand upon the coffin holds a +nosegay, and here again the black Anubis with, his golden face appears +in company with Thoth (a figure of a man with the head of an ibis), +the Mercury of the Egyptians, god of the moon and inventor of speech, +Isis, the Egyptian Ceres, and Nutpe, the Abyss of Heaven. The next +case (68) is the highly decorated coffin of the incense-bearer of the +abode of Noumra. Here the judgment scene of the Amenti is pourtrayed; +Osiris, in the shape of a sphinx; and other sacred figures. The +following case (69) contains a mummy (l) of a Theban priest of Amoun, +swathed in its outer linen coverings, which are decorated with various +Egyptian divinities, and with Asiatic captives at the feet: the second +object in this case is the coffin of an incense-bearer of the temple +of Khons, with the usual representations of the sepulchral deities. +Advancing in the regular order in which the cases are numbered, the +visitor will next notice in case 70 the inner coffin of a supposed +Egyptian king, with the bandages with inscriptions at the side. Three +mummies are placed in the next case (71) the first of which is +crumbling rapidly, the feet being already gone: and the bandages of +the second present pictures of Anubis embalming the deceased, and Isis +mourning over the ceremony. The next four cases (72-75) are also +filled with mummies and their appendages, of which the mummy and +coffin of a sacred functionary with a gilded face, and a picture of +the deceased adoring King Amenophis the First, in the 73rd case, and +the mummy and coffin of a musician of the Roman era of Egypt in case +74 are the most remarkable. The last case of mummies (76) contains +three mummies. The first is that of a priestess of Amoun, whose form +is discernible through the bandages, the feet of which are visible, +and the third is that of a woman named Cleopatra, of the family of +Soter, Archon of Thebes, with a comb in the hair, and upon the +bandages the usual sepulchral deities, including the black Anubis, and +in the next case is her coffin. + +The visitor having completed his survey of the human mummies should +return to the series of cases marked from 52 to 58, in which he will +find a curious assortment of + +ANIMAL MUMMIES. + +Animal life was venerated by the Egyptians. Certain animals were +sacred in certain parts of the country; but the ibis and the hawk were +generally worshipped. The sacred birds were attended to by the +priests. Seven cases in this room are entirely filled with the mummies +of these sacred birds. Here are mummies of dog-headed baboons, +worshipped at Hermopolis, and sacred to Thoth; a head of the +cynocephalus from Thebes; mummies of jackals, sacred to the sepulchral +Anubis; the head of a dog in bandages, and one with the bandages +unrolled. Mummies of oats, the female being sacred to the goddess +Pasht, or Diana, and the male to the sun; a wooden figure of a cat +containing the mummy of one; and bronze cats from the cat mummy pits +of Abouseir. In the fifty-fourth and fifty-fifth cases are mummies of +parts of bulls; gazelles; unrolled heads of rams; and the mummy of a +lamb. In the two following cases (56, 57) are a variety of mummies of +the ibis, perhaps, the most sacred bird of the Egyptians, and the +emblem of Thoth: these include Sir J. G. Wilkinson's present of the +black ibis and two eggs; and conical pots containing mummies of the +ibis. The last case (58) contains some strange mummies, including +those of crocodiles, emblematic of the Egyptian Sevek, the subduer; +mummies of snakes sacred to Isis, in the shape of circular cakes; and +in case 60, the visitor may notice more specimens of mummy snakes and +fish. The next two cases are filled with the specimens of some dried +birds of ancient Egypt, some stamped with the names of Sesostris, +Amenophis, and Thothmes; and some from the Pyramids of Illahoun, +Howara, and Dashour. The visitor should now direct his attention to +the large collection of + +EGYPTIAN SEPULCHRAL AND OTHER ORNAMENTS. + +These are interesting as illustrative of the Egyptian art of remote +period. These fragments occupy no less than twenty-four cases +(77-102). In the first case (77) the visitor should notice the coffin +of the mummy Cleopatra, ornamented on the outside with ordinary +emblematical drawings and on the inside with a Greek zodiac. The three +next cases (78-80) are filled with sepulchral tablets representing +various Egyptian divinities, among which the embalmer of the dead, +Anubis, ever figures prominently. The cases marked 81, 82, are filled +with a collection of rings of ivory, jasper, and cornelian; gold, +silver, and porcelain earrings and bracelets; signets with scarabaei, +or sacred beetles, in gold, silver, bronze, and some of the +Graeco-Egyptian period, in iron; necklaces, ornamented with various +religious symbols, in gold, jasper, amethyst; and in the 83rd case are +some specimens of old Egyptian glass. The next six cases (84-89) are +entirely devoted to sepulchral ornaments, including sepulchral tablets +showing priests adoring the sun, scenes of the embalmment of the dead, +and devotees adoring their favourite deities; pectoral plates; patches +from the network outer coverings of mummies, including the popular +scarabaei, wings, sceptres headed with, the lotus flower, and the +crowns of upper and lower Egypt, all in porcelain--all taken from the +coffins of various mummies. Case 90 contains the coffin of the archon +of Thebes, Soter, with the hawk of the sun on the top, and the +judgment scenes of the Amenti on the sides. The next three cases +(91-93) are filled with more specimens of Egyptian ornaments, +including four sides of a sepulchral box in wood (92), and sepulchral +tablets. The three cases next in succession (94-96) are filled with +amulets of all kinds, chiefly in the form of the scarabaeus, cut in +stone. The scarabaeus of the Egyptians was an emblem of the Divinity, +which the devout wore about their necks, and hung round the necks of +their dead relatives, as in the present day an effigy of the Virgin +rests often upon the cold breast of a Catholic corpse. As the visitor +will perceive, the collection of amulets comprehends representations +of various sacred animals, including the hedgehog. They are, in some +cases, nearly four thousand years old. The collection of scarabaei +includes one recording the marriage of Amenophis III. to Queen Taia, +and several bearing the name of Rameses, or Sesostris, according to +the Greeks. These ornaments are in various substances; the more +valuable being in cornelian, and basalt. The following three cases +(97-99) contain sepulchral tablets in wood, with various sacred +drawings upon them; and in the 100th case are inclosed the sepulchral +scarabaei, usually engraved with a prayer, and found inserted in the +folds of mummy bandages. Several are costly, as for instance that +marked 7875 of green jaspyr, said to have been extracted from the +coffin of King Enantef. The next two cases (101, 102) contain various +interesting fragments from mummies, including plain scarabaei and +other symbolic amulets, and ornaments inscribed with the names of +early Egyptian kings. Having noticed these revelations of Egypt's +sepulchres, the visitor should turn at once to the eastern wall cases +in which he will find a vast collection of + +EGYPTIAN DEITIES. + +The innumerable little figures scattered throughout the first seven +cases are all Egyptian deities with their appropriate symbols, +including those in porcelain and stone with holes bored in them for +the purpose of attaching them to mummy bandages; those in wood which +were carved generally to decorate tombs, and those in bronze which +were the household gods. It would be impossible for the general +visitor to examine this collection in detail, but he may notice the +chief deities with the extraordinary jumble of human and brute life +which they present. First of all the visitor will remark, in the first +division of the first case, a sandstone figure, seven inches high, +seated upon a throne with lotus sceptres, and attendant deities; this +is Amenra, the Jupiter of the Egyptians; and in the same case Phtah, +the Vulcan of the Egyptians, with a gour, or animal-headed sceptre in +both hands, and an oskh, or semi-circular collar, about his neck; the +Egyptian Saturn, Sabak, with the head of a crocodile, with the shenti +about his loins; and Thoth, the Egyptian Mercury, with an ibis head +surmounted by a crescent moon. In the second division, or case, amid +the strange figures, the visitor should remark the Egyptian Juno, +Mout, or mother, represented in the act of suckling, and wearing the +pschent, or cap, worn only by deities and Pharaohs; the Egyptian +Minerva, Nepth, on a throne, with the teshr, or inferior cap on her +head; a human form with a goat's head, wearing a conical cap +ornamented with two ostrich feathers, and disk on goat's horns, +representing Num, or water, called Jupiter Chnumis by the Greeks; +Khem, the Egyptian Pan, standing on nine bows; a youthful figure with +one lock of hair, and supporting the lunar disk, representing Chons, +or the Egyptian Hercules; an Egyptian Venus, Athor, in gold, +cow-headed; Ra, the sun, seated, and hawk-headed; Nefer Atum, with the +lotus flower and plumes for head ornaments, from Memphis, and +reverenced as the guardian of the sun's nostril; and the Egyptian +Diana, Pasht, or Bubastis, a bronze female figure with the head of a +cat. The third division includes a group, in vitrified earth, +representing Amenra seated on a feathered throne; a triad, in blue +porcelain, of Amoun Mout, the mother, and Chons, or Hercules; a figure +in lapis-lazuli of the Egyptian Minerva, Nepth; Num, ram-headed, +walking; Ptah-Socharis standing upon two crocodiles, and supporting +two hawks on his shoulders; and Pasht, the Egyptian Diana, +lion-headed. The third and fourth cases are filled with more specimens +of ancient Egyptian deities. In the first division the visitor should +remark a stone figure of the Egyptian Pluto, Osiris Pethempamentes, +with the atf, or conical cap, on his head, and the curved sceptre, and +three-thonged whip in his hand; a figure in stone, seated, wearing a +conical cap, and holding the sceptre called a gom, which represents +the Egyptian Bacchus, Osiris Ounophris; and a painted wooden figure, +kneeling, and supporting a building and a basket, representing the +Egyptian Proserpine, Nepththys, mistress of the palace. The second and +third divisions contain some remarkable figures, including bronze +groups of Osiris-ioh, or the moon, with the lunar disk; a walking +figure of Anubis, with a jackal's head; the ibis-headed Thoth, and +Har-si-esi with a hawk's head, each pouring a flood of water upon the +earth; various hawk-headed and other deities, in the beautiful lapis +lazuli, blue porcelain, and green felspar, including Isis suckling her +son Horus, and walking with a throne on her head; Nephthys walking; a +porcelain Horus with the mystic lock; a blue porcelain plate, +representing a procession of female deities; a snake-headed deity, +also in blue porcelain; and a porcelain Thoth carrying a scarabaeus. +In the fourth division the visitor will at once notice a small +monument in calcareous stone, about one foot two inches in height, +with various deities represented upon it; also other monuments, one +decorated with a flying scarabaeus; Horus seated upon a throne flanked +with lions; and Pasht upon a throne supported by two negroes and two +Asiatics. The fifth case is devoted also to deities, which the visitor +will recognise, and here he should notice the terra-cotta figure, with +a buckler and sword, which represents the Mars of the Egyptians, known +as Onouris. The principal object in the sixth case is the mummy-shaped +coffin of a Theban priest, called Penamen, and grouped near it are +offering stands and fragments. The seventh case contains one or two +remarkable groups, including some sacred animals; statues of Horns and +the son of Horus supporting three vases upon goat's horns; various +figures of Khons, one standing on a lotus flower; an extraordinary +figure of Phtah-Socharis upon two crocodiles; Ta-ur, an erect +hippopotamus, with human breasts, and the back covered by a +crocodile's tail; Typhon, ass-headed; and the tortoise-headed guardian +of the third hall of the Amenti, recovered from the tombs of the kings +at Thebes. Having noticed these remarkable combinations and symbols of +the religious idea of ancient Egypt, the visitor should rapidly +examine the extraordinary collection of + +SACRED ANIMALS, + +which exhibit, in their infinite variety, a confusion of species so +ingenious and astonishing, that the spectator who has the least +zoological enthusiasm is utterly confounded by the strange sights that +are here. These animals are collected into four cases (8-11), the two +first of which are chiefly devoted to the quadrupeds; and the two last +to the birds. Among the former, or quadrupeds, the visitor will +particularly remark the cynocephali, or dog-headed baboons, in bronze +and stone; various lions; cats, with bored ears; jackals; shrew mice +bearing the winged world; bulls; gazelles; a kneeling ibex; a ram +walking with the conical cap on its head; a sow with pigs, in bronze; +a quadruped with a viper's head; sphinxes, one covered with a lotus; +and various models of hares, ram's heads, &c. These animals, that is +to say the sacred animals that actually had life, were waited upon by +the priests, and the pain of death was inflicted upon any person who +killed them. Among the birds are many figures of hawks, some with +human faces, others with the solar disk on the head, or the conical +cap; the ibis, variously decorated; snakes and fishes; uraei; wooden +fragments of vipers; frogs; scorpions; a bronze crocodile; scarabaei, +in lapis-lazuli and other substances; emblems of stability; a wooden +head of the hippopotamus from the Tombs of the Kings at Thebes; +vultures; and snakes. + +Next to the cases of sacred animals are two (12, 13) devoted to small +statues of various kinds, in various substances. In the first division +of these cases are stone heads of priests, and officers of state with +long hair; and in the second, many curious objects are arranged, +including figures of men seated on thrones; a standing figure of a +Pharaoh; a long haired officer of state carved in ebony; rowers, with +moveable arms, taken from the models of boats. The third division +includes a dark green figure of a royal scribe, kneeling and holding a +tablet on which the prenomen of Rameses is visible; kings in various +attitudes; the bronze figure of a kneeling priest supporting a bowl +containing loaves; an altar of libation, with sacred animals, and +vases, cakes, &c.; various figures of scribes and others; a female +figure with a calf suspended about the neck by its legs, and the hand +resting upon the horns of a gazelle; reclining female figures; parts +of two females supporting monkeys; a seated female with blue hair; and +fragments of figures. The fourth division contains other Egyptian +figures. Having examined these two cases the visitor should approach +those in which the larger + +EGYPTIAN HOUSEHOLD OBJECTS + +and other curiosities are deposited. These cases are six in number +(14-19). From these cases the visitor will have an opportunity of +gathering a general idea of the domestic comforts of the ancient +Egyptians. Here are arranged their chairs, stools, and head-rests, as +they were used three thousand years ago. In the first division are, an +inlaid stool from Thebes, with a maroon-coloured seat; and a +high-backed chair, inlaid with ivory and dark woods, and a seat of +cordage, also from Thebes; but the most curious objects in this +division are the Egyptian pillows or head-rests, called uls. These are +hollowed clumps of wood or metallic substance, supported upon a +column, and used by the hardy ancients as rests for the head. In the +present day the poorest beggar would think one of these uls a sorry +rest for his weary head: yet some of the specimens have the titles of +men of distinction engraved upon them. Pillows, however, were not +unknown luxuries to the Egyptians, as a pillow of linen, stuffed with +water-fowl feathers, and deposited in the second division of the cases +under notice, testifies. In this second division are fragments of +couches, the decorations chiefly representing animals; fragments, in +calcareous stone, from the propylon of the brick pyramid of Dashour; +cramps, from Thebes and the temple of Berenice; iron keys from Thebes; +bronze hinges; porcelain tiles from the door of a pyramid; an +interesting stone model of a house; a model from Upper Egypt of a +granary, with a covered shed at one corner from which a man apparently +surveyed the operations of the workmen below. A Leghorn mouse, setting +aside the feelings of enthusiastic antiquaries + +THE EGYPTIAN ROOM + +consumed the grain that lay in the model granaries. From this curious +relic the visitor will turn with some astonishment to an ancient +Egyptian wig: it is curled on the top and plaited at the sides, and is +in all respects a well manufactured article. It is a state wig, worn +only on great occasions--the Egyptians going habitually closely +shaven. In the third division of the cases are assembled various bulky +figures, which the visitor will recognise as various Egyptian deities: +there is Pasht with his lion's head; Num, ram-headed; Thoth, +ibis-headed, and others; also the figure of a Pharaoh, or Egyptian +king, with the teshr, a royal cap, all taken from the tombs of the +kings at Thebes. + +In the two next cases (20, 21) the visitor will find various specimens +of the dresses and personal ornaments of the ancient Egyptians. In the +first division are a leather cap, cut into net-work from a single +piece, the ordinary male head-dress; a leather workman's apron: a +palm-leaf basket, and a linen cloth tunic that was found in it at +Thebes. The toilet vessels of various substances and shapes, used to +contain the metallic dye for the eye-lids, called sthem, worn by the +ancient Egyptians, including the cylindrical case, bearing the royal +names, are arranged in the second division, together with ivory, +porcelain, and other hair studs, and a pair of cord sandals from +Memphis. The third division is filled with varieties of Egyptian +mirrors, pins, combs, and sandals. The mirrors of the Egyptians +consisted of circular metallic plates, with variously ornamented +handles. The specimens in this case, which have lost their lustre +under centuries of rust, include one with a lotus handle, ornamented +with the Egyptian goddess of beauty, Athor; one with a tress of hair +as a design for the handle: and others ornamented with the head of the +much reverenced hawk. The pins are in bronze and wood, and were used +by the Egyptian ladies either to bind the hair or to apply the sthem +to the eyelids. The combs show a double row of teeth, and are of wood. +The shoes and sandals are of various kinds, but the greatest variety +of these articles is deposited in the fourth division of the cases. +These are made of palm leaves, wood, and papyrus: those with +high-peaked toes are the most ancient, having been worn in the +eighteenth dynasty, about fourteen centuries before our era. + +The nine following cases (22-32) are devoted to the vases and other +domestic vessels of the Egyptians; an intervening case (27) being +filled with the cedar coffin of a prophet priest of Amoun in Thebes, +elaborately ornamented with various religious symbols. Some of the +vases are inscribed with royal names of early dynasties, proving their +great antiquity: some of the most elegant dating so far back as +fourteen centuries before our era. These specimens of ancient Egyptian +workmanship suggest a state of high artistic refinement of a remoter +antiquity than the Grecian, wrecks of which lie in the Elgin and other +saloons on the basement of the museum. Of the large collection here +arranged the visitor will only care to notice the more remarkable +specimens. The uses to which these cups and bowls and vases were put, +may be inferred partly from their shapes, and partly from the material +of which they were made; those of a costly kind being probably the +receptacles of the unguents with which the ancient Egyptians of both +sexes anointed their persons after the bath; and the larger and less +costly varieties being the wine vases, &c, in common use. Two ancient +vases are in the first division of the case (22, 23) one with the name +of a king before the twelfth dynasty, and the more modern one of the +twenty-fifth dynasty. In the second division the visitor should notice +the small aragonite vases, resembling wine-glasses; in the third case +a slab, upon which are six vases of various shapes in calcareous +stone; in the fourth a vase from Lower Egypt, with the quantity it +holds inscribed upon it. In the next five cases, 24-27 are filled with +cups, and bowls, small vases, and lamps, including pottery vases +shaped like the pine cone; blue porcelain vase with a pattern; a +highly ornamented porcelain jug; vases in the shape of the hedgehog +and the ibis; glass, long-necked vases; a large blue bowl, ornamented +with leaves; a porcelain vase of the time of Sesostris, ornamented +with petals of the lotus flower; polished terra-cotta vases; double +vases; a lamp shaped like a bottle: a vase for libations in +terra-cotta, with a spout shaped like a bird's beak; bottle-shaped +vase in painted pottery, with three handles, and symbolic decorations; +and curious perforated cups on feet. The three cases marked 30-32 +contain also some curious vases and lamps, including a vase shaped +like a woman playing a guitar, from Thebes; a vase issuing from a +flower, in red pottery; a, lamb reclining as a vase; gourd-shaped +vases; earthenware bowls covered with various deities; and lamps +ornamented with toads, boars' heads, children, and leaves, in relief. +Other vases are arranged here and there about the five next cases +(33-37) together with agricultural implements; and, strange to say, +viands prepared perhaps for some of the mummies that lie in the +immediate neighbourhood, together with odd bits and fragments, all +illustrative of times before Alexander had bequeathed the Ptolemies to +Egypt. In the first two divisions, the remarkable objects are various, +bronze buckets with ornamental outlines of various deities and sacred +animals; a rectangular bronze table, perforated to receive vessels; +bronze lamps, &c.; and in the third division the visitor should +certainly notice the two-staged stand of papyrus and cane from a +private tomb at Thebes, with trussed ducks and cakes of bread upon it; +baskets containing fruits, as figs, pomegranates, dates, cakes of +barley, &e. The fourth division contains some old agricultural +implements, including the fragments of a sickle found by Belzoni under +a statue at Karnak; a wooden pick-axe; an Egyptian hoe; a yoke of +acacia wood; eight steps of wood from a rope-ladder, and specimens of +palm-fibre rope. + +Passing from these interesting relics of ancient manufacturing skill, +the visitor will next arrive before two cases (36, 37) of Egyptian +fragments of tombs, and weapons of war, illustrating the means of +killing and the fashion of burial. In the first division are various +goms, or Egyptian sceptres and staffs, some of ebony and some of wood; +and the blade of a war-axe, with the name of Thothmes III. inscribed +upon it. A variety of offensive weapons are arranged in the second +division, including bronze war-axes, one with a hollow silver handle; +daggers; bows and arrows, the arrows pointed with triangular bronze +heads, and fragments of flint-arrow-heads; fowling-sticks; handsome +bronze bladed knives, with agate and other handles, some worked with +gold, &c. The fragments in the third division include a knotted rope; +a piked club; wooden fan handles; wooden paddles carved with heads of +jackals; a mast for the model of a boat; and in the fourth division +are a curious cuirass and helmet, from the tombs of Manfaloot, +fashioned from a crocodile skin. At this point is another intermediate +case containing a mummy, coffin, and boards. The coffin is shaped like +a mummy, with a green face, and Netpe, between Isis and Nephthys on +the breast, with the deceased being introduced to the deities, among +whom he is to be divided by Thoth. This coffin was presented to the +Museum by George III. + +Having peered into the fragmentary establishments of ancient Egypt, +followed the contemporaries of Sesostris into their dining-rooms, even +noticed specimens of their dishes, and seen them in their waxen +winding-sheets, the visitor may now pass to the next case (39) and +notice some of the remains of the materials by the means of which they +recorded their actions, and traced their lineaments. Here are +displayed the ancient Egyptian pens and pencils, colours and ink, all +shrivelled and discoloured with the mould of centuries, but remaining +still to bear witness to the early love of knowledge and of art, that +urged the Egyptian scribe and the Egyptian artist to fashion them. In +the first division are the rectangular pallets, with grooves for the +wooden pens or reeds, and hollows for the colour or ink; and here, +too, are the kash, or pens used by the ancient scribes. The pallets +have inscriptions upon them; on one there is an invocation to the +goddess of writing. Fragments of one or two colours, with the +palm-leaf baskets in which they were deposited are also in this case; +together with stands with small colour vases; slabs with colour jars; +mullets for grinding, a basket with paint-brushes made of palm-fibres; +and upon a thin piece of cedar wood is a portrait of an Egyptian +female of the Greek period. Amidst other minute objects lie Egyptian +folding wax tablets for writing; a cylindrical ink-box, with a chain +attached to hold the pen case; seals of various kinds with impressions +of bulls, jackals, and hieroglyphics; portion of a calendar on stone; +and fragments of Egyptian writing on stone, and chiefly from tombs. +These fragments illustrative of the Egyptian character are continued +in the first two divisions of the cases marked 40, 41, including a +panel and stud from an ebony box inscribed with the titles of +Amenophis III. and his daughter; and a fragment in ebony, with an +inscribed dedication to Anubis. Among the miscellaneous objects also +in these divisions are various boxes in wood, papyrus, one veneered +with white and red ivory, some inscribed with names; and one with a +pyramidal cover, veneered with ivory and ornamented with figures and +birds. The next or third division is filled with varieties of Egyptian +spoons. Some of these are curious. They are chiefly of wood; but some +are of ivory. Among them are wooden spoons, shovel, egg and +cartouche-shaped; one with the handle carved in the shape of lotus +flowers; one with a moveable cover from Memphis; one with the handle +representing a gazelle, and within fish demolishing a water plant, +from Thebes; one in the shape of a fish; one circular, with a lotus +handle and a hawk cynocephalus on its edge; one with the form of a +fish for a bowl, and a fox seizing the fish for a handle; and others +equally curious in point of design. The last, or fourth division of +the case is full of ancient Egyptian building materials, including +fragments of painted plaster; stamps for bricks; palm-fibre brushes +for colouring walls, and smoothing tools. + +EGYPTIAN TOOLS + +are disposed through the two cases (42, 43) which the visitor should +now examine. In the first division are some palm-leaf baskets; wooden +mallets, one found in the masonry of the great pyramid at Abooseir; +and staves; in the second division a large variety of curious tools is +exhibited, including Egyptian saws, bradawls, chisels, an adze, axe +blades, knives of bronze, generally inscribed with hieroglyphics, +hones, bronze nails; mysterious bronze tools, the use of which is +unknown, all interesting to those who are in any way interested in the +history of the wonderful people who inhabited the valley of the Nile, +and wielded these tools there, when our island was an untilled desert. +The third division of the case contains strange handles decorated with +the popular lotus flower, fragments of an ivory gorget, with figures +of various animals oddly grouped upon it; various fragments of +carving, and pedestals bearing inscriptions; and in the fourth, or +last, division of the case are various baskets, coloured and plain. +The first division of the next case (44, 45) is also given up to +palm-leaf baskets of various descriptions, which the visitor should +examine as illustrating the perfection to which the workers of the +palm-leaf brought their handicraft. Leaving the tools and baskets +behind, the visitor will now approach the + +EGYPTIAN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, + +which occupy the second division of the case. It is well known that +music was generally cultivated by the ancient Egyptians, even before +Terpander had devised a system of musical notation: and that in their +religious ceremonies music was much used. The sistrum, of which the +visitor will notice one or two samples in the division, was the +instrument most generally used. It consisted of wires suspended +through the sides of an arch, to which a handle, generally highly +ornamented with the head of Athor, as in the one in the case, is +fixed:--the wires terminating with heads of sacred animals, upon which +rings were suspended that produced sounds by being shaken backwards +and forwards. + +There are also some Egyptian harps; portions of flutes found in the +northern brick pyramids at Dashour; a pipe with seven burnt holes in +it; and a pair of bronze cymbals tied together by a band of linen. The +division next to that in which the musical instruments are arranged, +is filled with + +EGYPTIAN TOYS. + +Perhaps, no portion of this interesting Egyptian room so forcibly +impresses the spectator with the truth and reality of its revelations, +as these rude toys, that must have been handled by prattling Egyptian +children, when all was dark throughout Europe, save on the shore of +the southern sea, where glimmered fitful lights of awakening +civilisation, and Homer was enshrining the poor knowledge of his +period in the splendid fancies of his poet soul. Not vastly different +from the rude dolls of the present century must these of Egypt have +been when fresh from the workman's hand. They are in a very disabled +state now, however; one being a rude representation of an Egyptian +Miss Biffen, altogether guiltless of legs; and others, the flat +variety, having hair made of clay beads. In the case with these relics +are porcelain models of eggs, balls, fruit; wooden fish; leather and +palm-leaf balls, stuffed; dice, and various draughtsmen, with the +heads of cats; and one with the figure of a jackal. The last two +divisions of the case under notice are entirely filled with a variety +of specimens of + +ANCIENT EGYPTIAN FABRICS. + +This division is always interesting to visitors who have any knowledge +of the essential excellences of textile fabrics. There can be no doubt +of the high repute in which the linens of ancient Egypt were held of +old; but the samples which have remained in a state of preservation up +to the present day, being mostly bandages of the coarse cloths from +mummies, it is hardly possible to estimate fairly the excellence of +the fabrics with which, the great men of ancient Egypt adorned their +persons and those of their wives. However, one or two samples of +linen, as fine as the celebrated muslins of India, remain, and the +visitor should notice particularly those clothes in the case with fine +blue selvage. In the case also are part of the bandages of an Egyptian +mummy of the Greek period, and a sample of ancient Egyptian linen +bleached by the modern process. With these specimens are skeins of +thread, spindles, and knitting-needles; bronze sewing needles; and a +hackle for flax-dressing. With this case the visitor closes his +examination of the wall cases of the Egyptian room. On taking a +general survey of the room, the objects that will first attract his +attention are the casts of the remarkable sculptures from the entrance +to the temple at Beit-onally near Kalabshe, placed over the wall-cases +against the eastern and western walls. These are faithful +representations of the painted sculpture for which the ancient +Egyptians were famous, about thirteen centuries before our era. The +specimens in the room represent the triumphs of the second Rameses. +The cast against the eastern wall is in two distinct compartments. In +the first, Rameses, accompanied by his sons, is driving his vanquished +Ethiopian enemies into a wood: in the second part the conqueror is +investing the vanquished Ethiopian prince with a gold chain, and +behind are the spoils of war, and Ethiopians leading strange oxen to +the victor; while, in the lower division, the vanquished prince is +presenting a load of tributary treasure to the king, followed by a +crowd of Ethiopians, leading all kinds of animals. These paintings, as +the visitor will observe, are painted without regard to light and +shade, the figures are huddled together, and the drawing is of the +most rigid description. The casts against the western wall are in five +compartments, and celebrate the victories of Rameses over the Asiatic +nations. In the first compartment Rameses is receiving his Asiatic +captives; in the second he is about to decapitate a prisoner; in the +third, in his kingly cap, he is defeating an Asiatic army, who are +represented in active flight; in the fourth he is attacking an Asiatic +fortress; and in the fifth the king is again receiving Asiatic +prisoners. Having noticed these remarkable antiquities, the visitor +should examine the plaster models, placed upon the central table of +the room, of the obelisks of Karnak and Heliopolis. Above the door is +a leather cross, from the dress of a Copt priest, supposed to be about +twelve hundred years old. Above various cases are placed mummy +coffins, and figures of deities too large for the cases; but the +mummy-case deposited over case 31 is worth special attention. It is +scooped out of the trunk of a tree, has the face painted black, a +vulture on the chest, and other ornaments and symbols. Near it, over +cases 30-32, are deposited four sepulchral vases of a military +officer, containing the parts removed from the body in the process of +embalming. Each vase was sacred to a deity; the first, containing the +stomach and appendages, was sacred to Amset the first genius of the +dead; the second, containing the lesser intestines, was presided over +by the second genius of the dead, Hapi; the lungs and heart, deposited +in the third vase, were sacred to Siumutf, the third genius; and to +the fourth genius the vase containing the liver and gall-bladder was +dedicated. + +The visitor having noticed these objects has done with the Egyptian +room. It is well, however, to pause upon the threshold, and before +dismissing these interesting glimpses into the life, long since +scattered as dust, upon the soil of Egypt, to call to mind the +prominent points of the impressive story that may be read in the room +he is about to quit. He may wander back through the histories of ages +upon ages; pause before the revelations of Herodotus; and recall the +mighty romances of Homer; and, pausing even there, where all is so +dim, and little understood, turn once more to these fragmentary +monuments of a civilisation that existed even centuries before the +great Greek poet. So silently, for us of the present hour, time rolled +by in those days, that we fail to grasp the measure of the distance +which separates our fret and toil of the nineteenth century, from that +busy valley of the Nile; when the second Rameses reigned in all his +glory; when precise artists were ruling geometrical lines upon stones +to make their careful drawings; and painters, with their palm-fibre +brushes, all unconscious of the critics that lay yet silently in the +womb of time, who would shovel the dust and dirt of centuries from +before their works, and tell the story of Rameses from these rude +revelations. Curious thoughts crowd in every busy brain, before these +strange relics. Lost in the depths of the past, the mind, with a leap, +often grasps at the future; and men will be found seriously saying to +themselves, as they notice how we depend for our knowledge of ancient +Egyptian fabrics upon the shrouds of ancient Egyptians,--what, if we +looked forward, and in the remote centuries that are rolling toward +us, see all our vast and busy Lancashire some layers underground, and +archaeologists busy with our winding sheet! Well, at the least, these +thoughts are not idle. It does all of us good to think often of what +has been, and to dream of the future to which we are driving "down the +ringing grooves of time"--to think sometimes of the fine people who +had their glorious days, when London was distributed, untouched by +human hands, in clayey strata, and remote stone quarries; and +hereabouts, to the minds of the Greeks, lay the islands of the +blessed. + +The visitor should now proceed southward into the room called The +Bronze Room. Here are collected the ancient bronzes of which the +Museum trustees are in possession; including specimens of the fine +castings of ancient Greece, which, with all our modern contrivances, +we cannot surpass in the present day. The cases to the left are filled +with a supplementary collection of the remains of ancient Egyptian +art, for which space could not be found in the Egyptian room. These +occupy no less than twenty-six cases. The first eleven cases (1-11) +are filled with various sepulchral fragments in various substances, +and porcelain and terra-cotta figures, which the visitor who has just +emerged from the Egyptian room will again recognise. Here the strange +figures of the Egyptian deities occur again and again; but the visitor +should pause before the case 10, 11, in which are deposited models of +the Egyptian funeral boats, in stone and wood, from Thebes, and on the +fourth shelf a Roman caricature on papyrus, representing lions and +goats playing at dice, and foxes driving geese. In the Egyptian cases +are more specimens of cynocephali, jackal, and hawks' heads, models of +the four sepulchral vases, in pottery and wood; more mummy coffins, +fragments of inscribed pottery, large Egyptian terra-cotta vases, and +in cases 24, 25, are deposited some fragments in terra-cotta, and +bronze excavated by Mr. Layard, in ancient Assyria. Having glanced at +these Egyptian cases the visitor should turn at once to the collection +of + +GREEK AND ROMAN BRONZES, + +which fill the cases numbered from 29 to 112. The visitor particularly +interested in Greek and Roman art, might here spend an entire day. +Bronze, a mixture of copper and tin, was used by the ancients for the +manufacture of all kinds of edge-tools, long before iron was smelted +from the earth in which it is invariably found; and mineralogists of +the present day are surprised to see the works which the ancients +executed with a material, that no modern workmen could use as a +cutting medium. Stone masons' chisels, and fine edged weapons of war, +were made of bronze in those days. The collection of bronzes which the +visitor is now about to examine, cannot be said to be a perfect +collection; yet it contains some beautiful specimens, and one that is +said to be the finest bronze in Europe. The antiquarian pauses with +delight before these marvellous specimens of ancient skill; and +reflecting upon the difficulties which beset the caster in bronze, it +is astonishing to see the precision and the exquisite finish with +which the artists of ancient Greece and Rome performed their labours. +Some of their bronze manufacture were hammered, but most of those +works from which we derive a knowledge of their greatness as artists +were cast. Of those colossal bronzes which were studded about Rome, +Athens, and Delphos, few remain at the present day. The material of +which they were composed was too valuable to escape the clutch of +barbaric conquerors; therefore the bronzes which remain are chiefly of +a small size, but still sufficiently perfect to assure us of the great +works that filled every open place in the towns of ancient Greece and +Rome. In these cases the visitor will find a great number of bronze +utensils and personal ornaments: metal mirrors; lamps; incense +vessels, or thuribula; the saucers for pouring libations, called +paterae; tripods of all kinds and variously ornamented; candelabra; +and the clasps of the Romans called fibulae. + +Beginning with the first case, 29, 30, the visitor will first remark +three ancient vases or amphorae, and five jugs, from Corfu, aged about +five centuries before our era; and in the same cases, on the third and +fourth shelves, Athenian vases, variously ornamented with geometrical +designs, animals, and birds, in the most ancient style. The next case +also contains vases of the most ancient style, from Athens, including +a fine specimen surmounted by two horses. In cases 33, 34, are further +specimens of the vases of ancient Greece, on some of which red figures +are traced upon a black ground, and on others a red ground is adopted, +with the ornamental figures in black: among the ornaments on those +vases the visitor should notice the cupids represented in blue and +white on one of these vases, and on another the figure of a crawling +boy, with a low stool and an apple before him. The vases in the next +cases (35, 36) contain some fine specimens of Athenian art about the +time of Pericles, with figures traced red and black, representing +Orestes and Electra at the tomb of Agamemnon. In these cases also are +some Athenian glass vases, and opaque glass vessels from Melos; +terra-cotta bas-reliefs, representing Bellerophon destroying the +Chimera; Perseus destroying the gorgon Medusa, and other classical +subjects; and upon the third shelf, amid unguent boxes, terra-cotta +lamps, and a terra-cotta doll, is a curious vase containing bones, +with a silver Athenian coin, attached to the jar by careful relatives, +to pay for the deceased's transit across the Styx. A collection of +terra-cotta figures are arranged upon the four shelves of case 37. +These include an ancient comic actor as Hercules; Athenian ladies +bearing water jugs, called Hydriophorae; Ceres; a dancing group from +Athens; animals; stools; and dancing figures from the south of Italy. +No less than three hundred and thirty-three handles from the wine +vessels or amphorae of ancient Rhodes are deposited in cases 38, 39. +Some are inscribed with the names of the chief magistrate. Varieties +of vessels in terra-cotta fill the two first shelves of the cases 40, +41, from Etruria; upon the third shelf are fragments of large bronzes, +including the staff of AEsculapius with the serpent; and the bronze +groups distributed upon the fourth shelf include three figures of +Hercules; and two figures supposed to be a Ptolemy and his queen +arrayed as Fortune. The cases 42-45 are filled with bronze weapons, +including spear-heads from the sepulchres of Etruria; arrow-heads and +bronze swords of the Roman time; standards with the famous Roman +eagles; helmets, including a famous one dedicated to Jupiter Olympius, +by Hiero I. on the occasion of gaining a victory over the Tuscans at +Cumae, upwards of four centuries before our era; and one found at +Olympia, dedicated by the Argives; bronze plates, and military belts, +from Vulci. The next six cases (46-51) are filled with various Grecian +and Roman antiquities, of which the visitor should particularly notice +amid bronze amphorae, tripods, glass beads, weights in the shape of +busts, sacrificial knives, and bronze hatchet heads, three cistae or +boxes, with classical groups in relief upon them, the subject of one +being Hercules grasping serpents. These cistae were the toilette boxes +of the ancients. Here too the visitor should remark the hearth (a +tripod) with charcoal still upon it, with fire-irons and cooking +utensils; and a variety of tripods variously ornamented with sphinxes, +Boreas carrying away Orithyia; and leaden vases from Delos, holding +the ashes of the dead. An interesting collection of candelabra, from +the Etruscan sepulchres, is arranged in the next cases (52, 53). These +candelabra were highly esteemed throughout ancient Greece. They are +decorated chiefly with mythological subjects, and have, attached to +them, vessels for dipping into larger vessels. Those in the next case +(54) are of the Roman period. Having glanced at the censers and bronze +lamps in the next cases (56-57) the visitor may pass on to the case +numbered 58-64, in which is a large collection of bronze vessels, +including unguent vases, which are the most highly decorated, +braziers, cauldrons, and jugs. The two next cases contain a great +number of bronze figures of various heathen deities, representations +of mythological events. Here are, a winged Victory holding an egg; +figures of Juno Sospita; figures for mirrors; Apollos; a giant hurling +a rock; one of the Gorgons; figures of Mars, in the old grotesque +style; a reclining Dionysus, drinking; satyrs; Aphrodite; Aurora +bearing off Tithonus or Cephalus; Hercules; Ariadne playing on the +lyre; Hercules killing the Maenalian stag; Minerva; and other figures, +all drawn from Grecian mythology. These cases present, at a glance, +more than any other in the collection, the various excellences of +ancient bronzes. The ancient mirrors are arranged in the next two +cases (68, 69)--one polished to show their old effect; and in the 70th +case are Etruscan and Roman fibulae or clasps in general use in the +olden time, in lieu of buttons or hooks. The drainings of the lake of +Monte Falterona brought to light the most attractive objects of the +next three cases (71-73), including the fine Etruscan statue of Mars, +the large statue of a youth; and here also are a group of Aurora +bearing off Memnon; and a satyr and a bacchante for the top of a +candelabrum. Finely ornamented mirrors, with figures chased, +bas-relief, representing, among other subjects, Minerva before Paris; +Achilles arming before Thetis; a winged Hercules killing the Lernean +Hydra; Juno and her rivals preparing for the judgment of Paris; +Hercules bearing off a female figure; Venus holding a dove, as a +mirror handle; the Dioscuri, Clytemnestra and Helen; Aphrodite nursing +Eros; and Dolon, Ulysses, and Diomed. Bronze figures of Greek and +Roman divinities fill the next case, including a silver group of +Saturn devouring his children; no less than nineteen Jupiters, one in +silver with a goat at his side. These are continued in the following +case (78), including Isis; Ganymede and the eagle; Terpsichore; +Apollos; Junos; a fine Apollo from Paramythia; a Triton, with crab's +claws, and a face turning into sea weed; Dianas, one, in silver, +holding a crescent; and Neptune, distinguishable by his trident. Three +cases, next in order of number (80-82), are devoted to ancient Roman +horse-trappings. Busts of Minerva occupy the most prominent positions +in the 83rd case; and in the next case (84) are no less than +twenty-one figures of Mercury, one of which, distinguishable by the +gold collar about the neck, is reputed the most beautiful bronze in +Europe. These figures of Mercury are in various attitudes. Here the +cocks, emblematic of the athletic games, are before him--there he is +flying on Jupiter's eagle; and near these figures are arranged +twenty-eight figures of Venus; in one place the goddess is rising from +the sea, in another she is arranging her sandal, or riding her swan. +Playful Cupids, thirty-five in number, and gambolling variously, +occupy the position next in order to the figures of Venus. Here the +little god is running, there he bears the anointing-box of +Venus--there he is laughing, in another corner his laughter is turned +to tears, and in another he is ingloriously intoxicated. In another +direction he is exhibited in his amiable moods, feeding a hare with +grapes, or toying with a swan. The next case (86) contains an +assortment of ancient glazed articles including glass studs, buttons, +&c., from the sepulchres of Etruria; bronze sandals from Armentum; and +glazed ware of various shapes. In the 87th case are deposited four +curious fragments from Perugia, of chariot chasings, representing +various warlike emblems and doings; and an ancient scabbard engraved +with an outline of Briseis led by Achilles. Deities fill the next case +(89), including fourteen figures of Harpocrates; a Pan; and figures of +Bacchus. Silenus, with silver eyes and a crown set with garnets, will +be found in the next case (90) where Hercules is strangling the Nemean +lion; and another Silenus kneeling on a wine-skin. Cupid is seizing +the weapons of the strong Hercules while the latter sleeps; in the +next case (91), here also he is grappling with the Maenalian stag, and +Pan shows his goat's legs. The 92nd, 93rd and 94th cases are filled +with various mirrors from Athens; the anciently prized knuckle bones +of a small animal; bronze earrings from a tomb in Cephalonia; sling +bullets found at Saguntum; part of a lyre, and wooden flutes +discovered near Athens; a gilt myrtle crown; glass mosaics from the +Parthenon; iron knives and fetters from Athens; a jar that once held +the famed Lycian eye ointment; one of the bronze tickets of a judge; +and leaden weights. Hercules is vigorously at work in the groups of +the next case (95), and herein are figures of Victory and Fortune; two +sphinxes, and other groups. The head of Polyphemus appears prominently +in the 96th case; and in the remaining cases miscellaneously grouped, +are ancient dice, some of which have been loaded, suggesting the +antiquity of roguery; ivory hair pins; bronze needles; glass beads; +fragments of cornelian and other cups, and glass; bronze figures of +animals; inlaid and enamel work; styli for writing upon wax; ancient +medical instruments; and old Roman finger-rings. + +Over the Egyptian cases are deposited fac-similes of paintings of a +tomb at Vulci, discovered in the year 1832. These represent various +ancient games of racing and leaping. Over the cases 38-58 are other +fac-similes from a tomb, also at Vulci, in a mutilated condition; and +against the southern wall are the ceilings of the tomb. Having +examined these things the visitor should proceed on his southward +course, and, passing through the southern entrance of the bronze room, +enter the fine apartment, known as the Etruscan room, in which the + +ETRUSCAN VASES + +are arranged. These are a series of earthen vases discovered in Italy. +These painted vases are the spoil from the tombs of the ancient +Etruscans. The Etruscans inhabited the northern parts of Italy, and +flourished there in a state of comparative civilisation, when the rest +of the Peninsula, save where the Greeks were busy on its southern +shore, was in a barbarous state. The Etruscan tombs present various +degrees of ornament according to the wealth of their occupant, but in +all of them painted vases of some description are found. It is +maintained by many learned men that these beautiful vases were not a +native manufacture, but were bought by the Etruscans of the Greeks of +Southern Italy, who imported them from the famous potteries of Athens. +The Greek inscriptions on some of these vases, and the Greek subjects +from which the decorations are taken, tend strongly to confirm this +hypothesis. It is, however, altogether a mystery why the Etruscans +surrounded their dead with these vases. They were not used to hold +human bones, nor to contain food for the deceased; but that the +Etruscans held them in high estimation as sepulchral ornaments is +certain from the fact that they are found universally in their tombs, +the finer and more elaborate in the sepulchres of the rich, and the +coarser and plainer kinds in the graves of the poor. The visitor will +do well to walk carefully round this room in which the Etruscan vases +belonging to the Museum are deposited. They are arranged in the +supposed chronological order in which they were manufactured; the +clumsy and coarse ware being placed in the first case, as exhibiting +the dawn of the potter's art, and the more elaborate and +highly-wrought specimens being arranged in regular order of +improvement in the succeeding cases. + +The first five cases are filled with clumsy black ware, ornamented in +some cases with figures in relief, and extracted from tombs discovered +on the site of the oldest Etruscan towns, which circumstance has led +antiquaries to allow the Etruscans the honour of having fashioned +these rude specimens of pottery; but as the samples display a higher +degree of skill they refuse to allow the Etruscans the merit of having +improved the clumsiness of their early handiwork. In the sixth and +seventh cases are pale vases with deep red figures, chiefly of animals +upon them, chiefly from Canino and Vulci. The exertions of the Prince +of Canino in excavating on his estate in search of Etruscan tombs and +their treasures are well known; and the enthusiasm with which Sir +William Hamilton, while on his embassy at Naples, bought the +curiosities of Etruscan tombs, should be remembered. Few Englishmen, +however, can think pleasantly of those times when the Hamiltons were +at Naples, when Lady Hamilton did her country great services; then +recall the picture of the poor woman fed by a charitable neighbour at +Calais, think of Horatio's last words, and then of the country that +forgets the woman's service, and the hero's dying words. Well, the +visitor may pass on his way amidst these spoils from Etruscan tombs, +and forgetting the family to whom we owe many of them, serenely watch +the gradual improvement in the manufacture. The best have black +figures upon a dark ground. The glass cases in the centre of the room +contain those vases which are painted on both sides. On the walls of +the room above the cases are fac-similes of paintings from some of the +Etruscan tombs. Some of them represent dances and games; but one +represents a female in the act of covering the head of a man who has +just expired, while a male figure is drawing a covering over the feet, +and two spectators are in attitudes of grief in the neighbourhood. +Having roamed amid the spoils of Etruscan tombs, the search after +which is now a settled business in parts of Italy, the visitor may +take a southerly direction through two empty rooms into that at the +southern extremity of the western wing. Here a few miscellaneous +objects are deposited, amongst which in the eastern cases he should +notice some curious old enamels, and the frescoes from St. Stephen's +Chapel, Westminster, and on the floor, a model of the Victory. He +should then turn in an easternly direction into the Ethnographical +room, which, to the visitor without a guide has very much the +appearance of a confined curiosity shop; but on inspection proves to +be an interesting compartment of the Museum, in which curiosities +illustrative of the civilisation of various countries and continents +are arranged. Before applying himself to the wall cases, however, the +visitor would do well to advance to the eastern extremity of the room, +noticing the objects deposited in the central space by the way. These +consist of Flaxman's cast of the shield of Achilles; a model of the +Thugs fashioned at Madras by a native artist; a model of a moveable +temple; her Majesty's present to the museum of a great Chinese bell, +surmounted by the Chinese national dragon, and decorated with figures +of Buddh, from a temple near Ningpo; and various cromlechs or +sepulchres of the ancient Britons, ruder in their construction than +those with which the visitor has lately busied himself. Having arrived +at the eastern end of the room, the visitor should advance to the +northern wall cases, and begin his inspection. He will at once remark +that the first five cases (1-5) are devoted to + +CHINESE CURIOSITIES. + +These are distributed with particular regard to the economy of space, +and accordingly the visitor may see at a glance objects huddled +together, the uses of which are of the most opposite nature. On the +first shelf of cases 1, 2, are distributed the tally of a Chinese +soldier describing his age and place of residence; ladies' gloves; +military boots; bows and arrows; and the mock spears shown above the +walls of Woosang in 1842 to intimidate the British forces. The second +shelf exhibits the grotesque varieties of Chinese deities and leaders +of sects; and in other parts of the cases are endless Chinese +curiosities, including Chinese scales and weights; padlocks; mirrors; +a pair of Chinese spectacles in a leather case; shoe brushes from +Shanghai; chopsticks; a brass pipe; Chinese mariners' compasses; a +Chinese bank-note, value one dollar; Chinese needles; agricultural +implements; joss sticks; the sea-weed eaten by the Chinese; ancient +bronze bell; vase in shape of a lotus leaf; and an advertisement for +quack pills. The visitor should remark the great royal wicker shield +that is on the top of the case, ornamented with the head of a tiger; +and the model of a junk. The third case contains Chinese divinities, +of which the goddess of Mercy, Kwan-yin, on the first shelf, is the +most noticeable figure. The two last cases 4 and 5 given up to +Chinese, are filled chiefly with Chinese musical instruments, +including the pair of sticks used by Chinese beggars as castanets to +attract attention to their petitions; Chinese shuttlecocks, made of +feathers and lead, the Chinese battledores being the soles of their +feet, suggestive of vigorous exercise; fly-flaps; surgical +instruments; paints; boxes; and Japanese shoes. Over these cases is a +circular stand, in twenty-two parts, representing, in relief, the +chief deities of the Hindoo mythology. The four next cases (6-9) are +given up to + +INDIAN CURIOSITIES. + +Among the miscellaneous collection of objects crowded into these four +cases are many figures of Buddha in earthenware, wood, alabaster and +ivory; bronze divinities of the Hindoo Pantheon; Hindoo playing cards; +copper-plates containing grants of land; a Hindoo mathematical +instrument; a powder-horn from Burtpoor; Affghan cloak and pistol; +bows and arrows; baggage and accommodation boats; and early Arabian +bronze water ewers inlaid with silver. Over the Indian cases are +figures of Hindoo deities, including a bronze figure of Siva with four +arms, and Lakshmi, the wife of Vishnu. The four following cases +(10-13) are chiefly filled with + +AFRICAN CURIOSITIES + +of a miscellaneous description, and from various parts of the +continent. These include, in cases 10, 11, Nubian and Abyssinian +baskets; Arabic quadrants; Egyptian water-bottles; sandals, and a +variety of other manufactures from Ashantee, including a shuttle, and +specimens of native cotton cloth; an iron bar used as a medium of +exchange, and worth about one shilling on the African coast; gourd +boxes and calabashes; cloths and other curiosities collected on the +Niger Expedition; specimens of native silk from Egga; a skin bottle +for holding galena to colour the eyelids; opaque glass beads from +Abyssinia; all kinds of arms from French Guiana, Fernando Po, +Abyssinia, and Nubia, including a Nubian spear, enveloped with a +snake's skin from Thebes. Over the cases an Ashantee loom for weaving +narrow cloth, and Abyssinian baskets, and at the side an Indian inlaid +cabinet. Passing from these cases, the visitor at once reaches those +devoted to + +AMERICAN CURIOSITIES. + +The cases numbered from 14-21 are filled with articles illustrative of +the life and climate of the Esquimaux, and the extreme northern +regions of America, including the native fishing-hooks and lines; +models of canoes; skin dresses, men's boots from Kotzebue's Sound; +Lapland trousers; utensils made of the horn of the musk ox; Esquimaux +woman's hair ornaments; over the cases hereabouts the sledge which Sir +E. Parry brought from Baffin's Bay, and a canoe from Behring's +Straits; waterproof fishing jackets, made from the intestines of the +whale; harpoons of bone tipped with meteoric iron; specimens of rude +sculpture from these northern regions; clubs; hatchets; the magic dome +of an Iceland witch; baskets and mats; calumets of peace; scalps; a +model of a cradle, showing the method adopted by the Indians of the +Columbia River to flatten their children's heads. The cases 23, 24, +are filled with curiosities from more southernly parts of the North +American continent; and chiefly with various objects from the most +interesting of the old inhabitants of America--the Mexicans. The +collection from Mexico, including their divinities, specimens of their +arts, &c., are arranged in seven cases (24-30). The objects from +Guiana occupy the greater part of cases 31-34; and the remarkable +objects in the 35th case are the dried body of a female, from New +Granada; a mummy from New Granada wrapped in cotton cloths; a curious +Peruvian mummy of a child, the legs curiously bound up; and silver and +gold Peruvian sepulchral ornaments. The cases marked 36, 37, are +devoted to objects from South America, including black earthern +vessels from cemeteries in Peru; bows and poisoned arrows; and a +sacrificial bason, ornamented with serpents, supposed to be one from +the temple of the Sun at Cuzco. The rest of the cases contain +miscellaneous objects from groups of islands. The contributions from +the Marquesas and Sandwich Islands are in cases 53-56; the war +dresses, of feathers, &c., from Tahiti, in case 57; and the nets and +baskets, clubs and tatooing instruments from the Friendly Islands will +be found arranged in cases 65, 66. On the second shelf of cases 66, +67, is deposited a tortoise-shell bonnet, made in imitation of an +European bonnet from Navigator's Island. Cases 68, 69, are devoted to +objects from New Zealand; and those marked 70, 71, were collected +during an exploring expedition into Central Australia. The last cases +are devoted to miscellaneous objects from the Fiji Islands, Borneo, +and other localities; and with these the visitor should close his +second visit to the Museum; regaining the ante-room to the Southern +Zoological gallery, by passing out of the Ethnographical room through +its eastern opening. He has now completed the examination of the +galleries of the Museum with the exception of the print and medal +rooms, which are not open to the public generally, but are reserved +for the use of artists and antiquarians. He has dipped into many +sciences on his two journeys; made some acquaintance with the history +of the animals that frequent the different parts of the world; dwelt +amid the fossil fragments of long ages past; examined the elementary +substances of which the earth's crust is composed; been with the dust +of men that lived before Jerusalem was made for ever memorable; +surveyed the spoils of Etruscan tombs; and lingered amid the varieties +of household things from the barbarous nations of the present hour; +and not wholly profitless have the journeys been, even if the +scientific mysticism be not mastered, so that there remains in the +mind a general impression of the time that has gone by, the great laws +that govern the universe, and the humility that becomes man, when he +sees his individuality, in relation with the mighty past, and the +great progresses of Nature. + +END OF THE SECOND VISIT. + + + + +VISIT THE THIRD. + + + +The visitor, on entering the British Museum for the third time, will +commence his examination of the massive Antiquities, which are +scattered throughout the noble galleries that stretch along the +western basement of the building. His spirit must again wander to the +remote past. Again must he recur to the ancient civilisation of +southern Europe, and the busy people that covered the valley of the +Nile before Alexander breathed. He has already examined the household +utensils, the bodies, the ornaments, and the food of the ancient +Egyptians, and has had more than a glimpse of the artistic excellence +to which they attained long before our Christian era. Of the +sepulchral caves of Thebes, of the massive pyramids sacred to the +ancient Pharaohs, of the strange images of beasts and men, of the +sacred beetles, and the universal Ibis, he has already examined minute +specimens arranged in the cases of the Egyptian Room; but he has yet +to witness those evidences of power, and scorn of difficulties, +exhibited in the colossal works of the Egyptian people. + +On entering the Museum for the third time, the visitor should turn to +the left, and passing under the staircase, enter the galleries devoted +to Ancient Sculpture. He will at once be struck with the strange +allegorical figures clustered on all sides, the broken bodies, the +fragments of arms and legs, the corners of slabs, and other +dilapidations. Here a fine figure is without a nose, there Theseus +holds aloft two handless arms, and legs without feet. The visitor who +has not the least insight into the heart of all these collections of +fragments from tombs, and temples, and neglected ruins, is perhaps +inclined to laugh at the enthusiasm with which they are generally +examined, and the rapturous strains in which the greatest critics have +written of them. Not to all people is the enthusiasm of Lord Elgin +comprehensible. Why not allow the fragments of the Parthenon to be +ground into fine white mortar, and the busts of ancient heroes to be +targets for the weapons of Turkish youths? are questions which a few +utilitarians may be inclined to ask; and it would certainly be +difficult to show, for instance in figures, the gain the country has +made by expending 35,000L. on the Elgin marbles: in the same way that +it is difficult to appraise the beneficial influence of beauty, or to +test the developments of the universe by double entry. + +But let the visitor pace these noble galleries of his national museum +with a reverent heart, let him learn from these beautiful labours of +long ago, that not only to him and his fellows of the proud nineteenth +century, when fiery words are flashing through the seas, and steam +fights like a demon with time, were the living years pregnant with the +glories of art; but that the Egyptian, with his rude bronze chisel, +cut his native rocks with no unskilful hand, before the Son of God lay +cradled in a manger. + +Past the bewildering fragments of art in the south-western gallery to +the south-western corner of the building, then south like an arrow to +the northern end of the sculpture rooms, should the visitor at once +proceed. He will pass by fragments of Assyrian, Greek, and Roman art, +but to these he should now pay little heed, as his immediate business +is with the fine gallery of + +EGYPTIAN SCULPTURE, + +which is the most northernly apartment or gallery of the western wing. +Here he will at once notice the rows of Sarcophagi, which are ranged +on either side of the central passage of the gallery. These colossal +outer-coffins contained the mummies of distinguished Egyptians. Along +the walls of the room are ranged the sepulchral tablets, or tombstones +of ancient Egyptians, and the inscriptions generally record the name +and age of a deceased person; and in some cases, points of domestic +history and pious sentences. Their dates range over a space of time +amounting to more than twenty centuries. Interspersed with these are +other sculptures, chiefly of Egyptian deities; but the attention of +the visitor will be probably attracted first to the + +EGYPTIAN OUTER COFFINS. + +The visitor, having reached the northern end of the Egyptian Saloon, +should turn to the south, and begin a minute examination of its +contents. The sarcophagi, or outer coffins of stone, in which the rich +ancient Egyptians deposited the embalmed bodies of their relations, +occupy the greater part of the ground space of the saloon. They are +massive shells, hewn from the solid rock, polished and engraved +skilfully with hieroglyphics, which, so far as the learned have been +able to decipher, record the exploits of the great men they contained. +Some of them are in the shape of common boxes with raised lids; while +in others, attempts to represent the features of the deceased, and a +rough outline of a mummy are apparent. These massive coffins, which +are upwards of three thousand years old, and are eloquent with the +mystic written language of that remote antiquity, deserve more than a +transient notice even from the unscientific visitor. Mummies were +found in most of these, proving their use. Some were discovered placed +in an erect, and others in a recumbent posture, in the tombs of +Thebes, or on the sites of ancient cities. + +Of the sarcophagi or coffins, fashioned in the shape of a mummy, the +visitor should notice that in calcareous stone, numbered 47, which was +discovered at Tana; another, with the paintings restored, marked 39; +another in green basalt, marked 33, known to be that of a female +called Auch, decorated with the embalming deities, and inscribed with +a prayer on behalf of the deceased woman; and one of later date which +has held the remains of a member of the priestly class, numbered 17. +To arrive at a fair estimate of the average art displayed in these +ancient sepulchral remains, it is worth the trouble of the visitor to +wander a little about the saloon from one specimen to the next +immediately connected with, or proximately resembling it. Having +examined the coffins shaped like mummies, the visitor should next +direct his attention to the massive oblong cases which lie upon the +ground on either side of him. + +The first of these which he may examine is that marked 32. This +sarcophagus was excavated from the back of the palace of Sesostris, +near Thebes. Athor appears in bas-relief upon the lid; the sun is +represented in the interior, together with Heaven represented as a +female, and a repetition of the goddess Athor. + +The names of several royal ladies have been deciphered from the +inscriptions, which are the addresses of deities. The black granite +chest of a sarcophagus, numbered 23, is that of a royal scribe named +Hapimen. Here the well-known figures of the Amenti, the embalmer +Anubis, and other deities and symbols, will remind the visitor of the +Egyptian room up stairs, with its strange green little images of +figures half human and half bestial. Round the interior are the +deities to whom the various parts of the human body were severally +dedicated. Since this massive granite was the coffin of Hapimen, it +has been known to the Turks as the "Lover's Fountain," and used by +them as a cistern. The Syenite sarcophagus of a standard-bearer, is +marked 18. The chest of a royal sarcophagus that was taken from the +mosque of St. Athanasius at Alexandria, and which contained the mummy +of a king of the twenty-eighth dynasty, is marked number 10. On the +exterior, the Sun is represented, attended by appropriate deities +travelling through the hours of the day; and on the interior the +visitor will recognise the quaint symbolic forms of the usual +sepulchral gods and goddesses. The two remaining sarcophagi are those +of a scribe and priest of the acropolis of Memphis, and a bard. That +of the former, marked 3, is covered with the figures of Egyptian +divinities and inscriptions to the deceased; that of the latter, in +arragonite, is in the form of a mummy, like those first examined by +the visitor. This coffin has five distinct lines of hieroglyphics +engraved down the front, expressing a chapter of the funeral ritual: +and the face bears evidence of having been gilt. + +Having sufficiently examined these massive coffins, upon which the +proudest undertaker of modern times must look humbly, and deplore the +decline of his business as an art, the visitor should at once turn to +other specimens of the sepulchral art of the ancient Egyptians. Of +these, the most interesting are the sepulchral tablets, which are +literally + +ANCIENT EGYPTIAN TOMBSTONES. + +Our modern tombstones record only the virtues of the dead. If future +generations have to rely upon the revelations of our churchyards for +facts connected with the people of modern times, they will write that +we were all of us faultless as fathers, irreproachable as husbands, +and devoted and self-sacrificial as children. Every tombstone is +engraved with a catalogue of human virtues; and idlers wandering round +about our country churches, find themselves surrounded by the ashes of +fond husbands, innocent angels, and adored wives. These prattlings of +sorrow have their happy significance, since they show the universal +forgiveness that follows even the worst and basest of mankind to the +grave. But viewed as historical records, tombstones are sadly erring +guides. They tell histories of men, written by their mistresses or +their children. The sculpture which adorns the graves of modern races +in this country, generally represents urns, or weeping cherubims, +broken flowers, or fractured columns, or grieving angels. These +symbols of death and grief contrast often oddly with the hopeful +scriptural sentences which they surmount. In some instances the +occupation or calling of the deceased is typified on his tomb--the +unstrung lyre telling the whereabouts of a dead musician; and a +palette indicating the resting-place of a defunct painter. Little that +is great in sculpture has of late marked burial-places. + +The Egyptians, on the contrary, employed their choicest workmen to +decorate their tombs. The visitor may, gathering together the +scattered fragments from this saloon, picture to himself one of the +massive solemn vaults of the old Egyptians--the walls decorated with +sepulchral tablets, and beneath each tablet a massive sarcophagus, +containing the mummy of the deceased whose actions the tablet records. +Not altogether unlike the vaults of the present day, save that +perishable materials suffice for modern notions; whereas the Egyptian +provided comforts for the long, long rest, that, according to his +creed, would elapse, before the mummy would shake off its bandages, +and walk forth bodily once more. The Egyptian tablets, of which there +are a great number scattered about the saloon, are, as the visitor +will perceive, of small dimensions, but crowded with mystic +hieroglyphics, and ornamental groups of the funereal deities and other +subjects. The writing records the actions and the name of the +deceased, together with various religious sentiments; and is +therefore, in form and spirit, not unlike the modern epitaph. This +resemblance is not so wonderful as it at first appears, seeing that +the same circumstances acted upon the dictator of the old Egyptian +epitaph, as those which make the modern widow eloquent. The most +modern of the tablets in the present collection are those executed +while Egypt was a Roman state, many are of the time of the Ptolemies, +and one is believed to be of a date before the time of Abraham. This +tablet is to the memory of a state officer: it is marked 212. The +examination of the sarcophagi, will have led the visitor to the +southern end of the saloon; and from this point he should once more +turn to the north, and examine the sepulchral tablets on the eastern +and western walls. He will notice that numbers of them exactly +resemble one another in certain forms; that certain sepulchral scenes +are frequently repeated, and that therefore the tablets cannot be said +in many cases with certainty, to represent either passages in the life +of the deceased, or symbolic images of his career. + +First let the visitor remark, numbered 90, a basalt slab, presented to +the museum by the Lords of the Admiralty. It is supposed to have been +originally the cover of a stone coffin, in the time of the Ptolemies. +It is remarkable for a Graeco-Egyptian recumbent figure, executed in +bas-relief. The sepulchral tablets marked 128-9-31-32, are in +calcareous stone. The first is that of a scribe, who is receiving a +funeral offering from his son; the second is that of Akar-se, who is +receiving the offerings of his bereaved family; the third, from +Abydos, has similar representations of family offerings, and the +fourth is that of the chief keeper of the cattle of Rameses II., named +Hara, who prays to Horus, Isis, Nephthys, and Osiris. The first three +tablets are dedicated to Isis. The visitor may also remark in this +neighbourhood a fragment in bas-relief from the tomb near Gizeh, of +Afa. Afa was a palace officer, who is supposed to have flourished +about the period of the fourth dynasty. He is here represented, in +company with various members of his family. + +The next tablet to which the visitor should direct his attention is +from Thebes, and is marked 139. It is that of a priest named Rames, +who flourished during the reign of King Menephtah. Here the priest is +represented in the act of adoring various deities, and accepting +funeral honours from his family. The tablet marked 142 is of the time +of the nineteenth dynasty. It bears an inscription referring to a +governor of the Ramesseium, named Amen-mes. The next tablet that +deserves particular remark is one in calcareous stone, from Abydos. It +is in honour of a military chief of the twelfth dynasty, named Nechta. +The pictorial embellishments represent the chief before a table of +offerings, with his wife, mother, and nurse, seated before him. On the +next tablet (144) a judge named Kaha, is adoring funeral deities, and +receiving the usual honours from his family. Passing the tablet of the +commander of the troops of the palace of Sethos I. (146) the visitor +should pause before the interesting tablet marked 147. This tablet +records the date of the birth and marriage of a female named +Tai-em-hept, of the advent of her son Tmouth, and of her death which +took place in the tenth year of the reign of Cleopatra. As the visitor +progresses with his inspection of these tablets, he will be more and +more struck with the minute revelations they afford of the subdivision +of labour among the ancient Egyptians. For instance, one tablet (148) +is that of a superintendent of the builders of the palaces of Thothmes +IV. in Abydos; another (149) is that of a scribe of the royal +quarries; a third (150) is that of a Theban judge, on the lower part +of which are representations in yellow, in the style of the nineteenth +dynasty, of the transport of the corpse, and other funeral ceremonies; +a fourth (154) is that of a royal usher; a fifth is that of Pai, a +queen's officer, among the illustrations of which a tame cynocephalus +may be noticed. The tablet marked 159 is a very ancient specimen. It +is that of Rutkar a priest, who is represented, in company with his +wife, surveying the domestic occupations of his dependents. The tablet +from Thebes, of Baknaa, a master of the horse in the reign of +Sesostris is marked 164. Here the deceased is represented adoring a +group of deities. The other tablets in this vicinity are chiefly of +the time of Rameses II. or III, and are in honour of scribes and other +functionaries immediately connected with the court. Two sepulchral +tablets from Sakkara are interesting. That marked 184 is in honour of +a priestess of Phtha named Tanefer-ho. The pictorial embellishments +represent the priestess about to be introduced to Osiris and other +deities by Anubis and other presiding spirits of the tomb. This +specimen bears the date of the nineteenth year of the reign of Ptolemy +Auletes. The second tablet from Sakkara (188) is that of an ancient +pluralist named I-em-hept, who is represented introduced to Osiris and +other deities by Anubis and his brother spirits or genii. The +inscription below, in the vulgar character of the ancient Egyptians, +is supposed to begin with the sixth year of Cleopatra. Near these +tablets is one in dark granite, of a date before the twelfth dynasty +(187) in honour of Mentu-hept, a superintendent of granaries and +wardrobes. The next tablet to which the visitor's attention should be +directed, is one crowded with symbolic animals and deities (191). It +is that of a functionary named Kaha, who is adoring Chiun, standing on +a lion, and grasping snakes, with Horus and other deities. Asi, a +military chief and priest of a very remote period, is represented on +the next tablet (192), with food before him, and the next (193) is +that found before the great sphinx at Gizeh. On it the sun is +represented, and a Greek inscription tells that it was erected in the +time of Nero, by the inhabitants of Busiris to the Roman governor of +Egypt, Tiberius Claudius Balbillus. The next tablet (194) is that +discovered by Belzoni, near the temple of Karnak, on which a line of +adoring deities are represented. The tablets marked 548, 9, 51 have no +particular points of interest; the visitor may therefore at once pass +to the group, most of which are coloured yellow, and are elaborately +embellished, marked from 555 to 598. The first of these worth especial +notice is that (555) of a Theban judge of the eighteenth dynasty. It +is coloured yellow and the deceased is represented with the boat and +the sun's disc above, and in company with his sister adoring the cow +of Athor; the second (566) is in the form of a doorway, is of the +nineteenth dynasty, is coloured, and is in honour of a conductor of +the festival of Amen-ra; the third and fourth (557-8) are of earlier +date, or the twelfth dynasty, and represent the deceased before tables +of viands; the fifth tablet (560) is in honour of Her-chen, who is +represented with his relations, and Phtah-kan, a scribe, also +represented and similarly attended, all well finished and coloured; +the three following tablets represent the deceased before tables of +viands, coloured; the next (564) is that of the keeper of the +treasury, or "silver abode," in the twelfth dynasty--he too is before +a table of food in company with his relations; the next remarkable +specimen is that marked 569, which is in honour of Athor-si, a +functionary supposed to have been the superintendent of mines in the +twelfth dynasty, who is here represented in one part before a table +loaded with food, and in another part seated, with his hands humbly +crossed upon his breast; the next tablets presenting particular points +for remark are those of Eun-necht, (575) a superintendent of corn and +clothing, of the twelfth dynasty. Senatef, chief of the palace to +Amen-emha II., who is represented receiving a goose, a haunch, and +other food from his relations. Eunentef, a chief and his son standing +face to face, bearing wands and sceptres--a sculptor named User-ur, +who is represented with his wives and parents, and upon which the +square red lines used by the precise Egyptian artists are still +visible on the unfinished parts. After several other tablets of the +twelfth dynasty, is placed (584) a small square one of an earlier date +in honour of Chen-bak, an architect, who is seated with his wife, +receiving the duty of his children. Near this is a good specimen of +old Egyptian bas-relief on calcareous stone, in honour of a palace +officer named Amen-ha (586); and next to it (587) is a tablet in +honour of a superintendent of all the gods, named Seraunut. Hereabouts +also is the tablet from Thebes in honour of Hera, a royal scribe +(588). On this tablet the deceased is represented bearing an +appropriate feather sceptre before Nameses the ninth of the twentieth +dynasty, who is seated on his throne, under the particular +guardianship of the God of truth. + +The tablet from Thebes marked 593 is that of a judge and his wife, and +is dedicated to Osiris and Anup. Hereon, the lotus flower is +represented, with corn and bread. The next tablet (594) is one in the +shape of an altar of libations, and is dedicated to Amenophis I. and +the queen Aahmes-Nefer-Ari. It is ornamented with representations of +various foods, including vases of figs. In this neighbourhood are a +few more tablets, including one on which are jars, water-fowl, and +bread cakes, (596) and a fragment upon which the head of a king is +traceable, marked 595. The visitor should also notice now the two +early Saracenic tombstones presented by Dr. Bowring. Having examined +these, the more remarkable of the sepulchral tablets, or tombstones of +the ancient Egyptians, the visitor, still lingering amid the funereal +relics of long ages ago, should turn to the + +EGYPTIAN SEPULCHRAL VASES. + +As we explained when the visitor was in the Egyptian room, better +known as the Mummy room, up stairs, in the course of his second visit, +the ancient Egyptians, when they embalmed their dead, extracted the +viscera, and deposited them, apart from the body, in four vases, over +which the genii of the dead severally presided. Thus every mummy had, +properly, four sepulchral vases; and the collection arranged in the +saloon amply illustrates the varieties of ornament expended upon them. +As the visitor has probably forgotten the particular parts assigned +separately to the genii, it may be well to repeat here that Amset (who +is human-headed,) had the stomach and large intestines under his +especial protection Tuautmutf with his jackal-head presided over the +heart and lungs; Kebhsnuf, with the fierce head of the widely +worshipped hawk, took the gall, bladder, and liver, in charge; while +the baboon-headed Hapi reserved to himself the care of the small +intestines. There does not appear to have been any supernatural +protector of the brains, which, as we have noticed, were drawn through +the nose by the embalmer. These vases are of the most ancient times, +chiefly before the advent of Alexander, after which event the people +began to enclose the entrails of their dead in wax cloths, and +fastening to the various parts the appropriate genius, to have been +content to deposit them in the same case with the body. The vases +which the visitor is about to examine are carved in different +materials, the more costly and highly finished being of arragonite, +and the less important, in wood, stone, or clay. They are all +ornamented with appropriate inscriptions, consisting of exhortations +of the deities to the dead, or comforting syllables from the genii of +the intestines to the departed. The visitor will not care to examine +all these vases in detail, nor would any purpose be served were the +unscientific spectator to hover in this corner for a whole day; it is +sufficient for him to understand the passage these vases occupy in the +ancient history of Egypt, and to notice cursorily the degree of +excellence displayed in the manufacture of them. He will find the +hawk-head of Kebhsnuf in one direction, and the baboon-head of Hapi in +another, and from these pictorial revelations he will know what part +of a deceased Egyptian was deposited in each vase. + +With these preliminary words we may leave him to examine the +collection, reserving to ourselves the task of pointing his attention +to one or two of the more remarkable specimens. First let the visitor +notice the complete set of four, in arragonite, marked 614-17. These +were for the internal parts of prince Amen-em-api, the eldest son of +Rameses II., and as the visitor will notice, have severally their +presiding genius, with sacred inscriptions. Another remarkable vase is +that in arragonite marked 609, with its cover fashioned in the form of +a human head, and the remains of an inscription which had been laid on +with a thick kind of colour. That marked 629 with the jackal-head of +Tuantmutf, bears an inscription in which the standard-bearer of Plato +named Hara, part of whose body was inclosed, is reminded that the +genius attends him. One (635) of arragonite has a green waxy paint, +and belonged to a royal bow-bearer of the nineteenth dynasty, named +Renfu. There is another complete set, which do not appear to have been +opened, marked 636-39. The arragonite vases are the most expensive, +and, as we have remarked the most highly finished; but the visitor may +notice also those in coarser material. + +Having sufficiently examined these vases, the visitor may take a +general glance at the contents of the saloon, and prepare to examine +the Sphinxes, and colossal figures that are crowded into it. In these +he will recognise only colossal copies of many of the little figures +he saw in the Mummy room up stairs. He will see huge granite +representations of the strange gods and goddesses to which the +ancients devoutly knelt; and in many of these forms he will trace a +placid beauty that reveals often the soul of the sculptor fettered by +the strange formulas of his religion. The visitor having examined the +high reliefs on the tablets and sepulchral monuments of the ancient +Egyptians, has now to examine the specimens that remain of their +statuary. But first of + +EGYPTIAN HUMAN STATUES. + +In viewing cursorily the statuary of the ancient Egyptians, the +investigator is first struck with the colossal proportions adopted by +their sculptors. In those days, when iron was unknown, and when bronze +was the manufactured metal, men contrived without the use of +gunpowder, to remove vast masses of granite from their quarries, and +to shape these masses into the form they chose. Had they a hero to +whom they would pay honour? Forthwith his figure was immortalised in +colossal granite. How these vast masses, when separated from the rock, +and chiselled into statues, were removed to their destination in the +court, or at the entrance of a temple, is a point not satisfactorily +determined. That thousands of lives were spent, year after year, in +the production of the vast monuments which now lie scattered in +confusion about the valley of the Nile is certain; and some men +contemplate this large expenditure of human muscle upon these rude +masses, with a gentle melancholy that is not altogether called for. +There was a spirit in the work that made it noble. And here it is well +that the visitor shall see the opinion of a man whose conclusions were +based upon profound erudition in his art, on the subject of ancient +Egyptian art, artistically viewed. In his lectures on sculpture, +Flaxman says, "Their (the Egyptian) statues are divided into seven +heads and a half, the whole weight of the figure is divided into two +equal parts at the _ospubis_, the rest of the proportions are natural +and not disagreeable. The principal forms of the body and limbs, as +the breasts, belly, shoulders, biceps of the arm, knees, shin-bones, +and feet, are expressed with a fleshy roundness, although without +anatomical knowledge of detail; and in the female figures these parts +often possess considerable elegance and beauty. The forms of the +female face have much the same outline and progression towards beauty +in the features as we see in some of the early Greek statues, and, +like them, without variety of character; for little difference can be +traced in the faces of Isis, in her representations of Diana, Venus, +or Terra, or indeed in Osiris, although sometimes understood to be +Jupiter himself, excepting that in some instances he has a very small +beard, in form resembling a peg. The hands and feet, like the rest of +the figure, have general forms only, without particular detail; the +fingers and toes are flat, of equal thickness, little separated, and +without distinction of the knuckles; yet, altogether, their simplicity +of idea, breadths of parts, and occasional beauty of form, strike the +skilful beholder, and have been highly praised by the best judges, +ancient and modern. In their basso-relievos and paintings, which +require variety of action and situation, are demonstrated their want +of anatomical, mechanical, and geometrical science, relating to the +arts of painting and sculpture. The king, or hero, is three times +larger than the other figures; whatever is the action, whether a +siege, a battle, or taking a town by storm, there is not the smallest +idea of perspective in the place, or magnitude of figures or +buildings. Figures intended to be in violent action are equally +destitute of joints, and other anatomical form, as they are of the +balance and spring of motion, the force of a blow, or the just variety +of line in the turning figure. In a word, their historical art was +informing the beholder in the best manner they could, according to the +rude characters they were able to make. From such a description it is +easy to understand how much their attempts at historical +representation were inferior to their single statues. What has been +hitherto said of Egyptian sculpture, describes the ancient native +sculpture of that people. After the Ptolemies, successors of Alexander +the Great, were kings of Egypt, their sculpture was enlivened by +Grecian animation, and refined by the standard of Grecian beauty in +proportions, attitude, character, and dress. Osiris, Isis, and Orus, +their three great divinities, put on the Macedonian costume; and new +divinities appeared amongst them in Grecian forms, whose +characteristics were compounded from materials of Egyptian, Eastern, +and Grecian theology and philosophy." + +First, to give the visitor an idea of the magnitude of the colossi of +the ancient Egyptians, let him notice from the southern extremity of +the saloon the gigantic cast of the face of Sesostris, placed against +the southern wall of the central saloon. This face is a cast from a +colossal statue of that great king of the Egyptians, which was one of +four discovered by the energetic Belzoni, in front of the great temple +of Ibsamboul in Nubia. It is a sitting figure, fifty feet high. These +colossal figures of the great Egyptian monarch were plentiful +throughout Egypt. As the visitor stands before this fragment of a +stupendous piece of sculpture, he may recall to mind the points in the +career of Giovanni Battista Belzoni. First, the boy helping his father +to shave the beards of the Paduans; then the young adventurer flushed +with hope, jogging on his way to Rome; then the grave young man, with +his vast physical development shrouded in the monkish habit; then, in +1800, when Napoleon was busy in Italy, the monkish garments thrown +aside, he wanders about the continent, stared at everywhere for his +size and strength of limb; then as lecturer on hydraulic machinery, +and exhibitor of feats of strength at Astley's Theatre; then, under +the patronage of the Pasha, constructing a machine to water some +gardens on the banks of the Nile; then engaged by the English Consul +in Egypt, Mr. Salt, to prosecute some of the investigations into the +monuments of antiquity, upon which that gentleman was expending much +time and money; and here he is for the first time recognised in his +true position. Of his labours as explorer of the tombs and temples of +ancient Egypt few people are ignorant. How, dressed as a Turk, he +transported the colossal granite bust of Memnon to Alexandria, and saw +it safely on its way to England; how he penetrated into the Temple of +Ibsamboul; how he patiently explored the rocks of the valley of +Beban-el-Malouk, beyond Thebes to discover the entrances to tombs, and +took exact copies of the thousands of figures he discovered upon +sepulchral walls; how he penetrated into the bowels of the pyramid of +Cephrenes, and found in the inmost chamber only the bones of a sacred +bull; how he was honoured on his return to his native city; and how a +desolate grave on an African shore was the end of his chapter--are +matters of exciting adventure that are read by thousands of young +people in the present day. + +The visitor will see a strong family likeness in the colossal heads +that are in the saloon. Proceeding northward from the southern end of +the saloon, the visitor may rapidly notice the colossal fragments of +the statues of kings and high officers, which are all distinctly +marked. First, let the visitor examine two colossal heads (4-6), +wearing the kingly head-covering, and said to resemble the features of +Amenophis III., which were excavated under the superintendence of Mr. +Salt, at Gournah; and then the visitor may turn to a fragment marked +9, which is a colossal fist, found among the ruins of Memphis by the +French, and which fell, together with other valuable relics, into the +possession of the English on the capitulation of Alexandria in 1801. +This fist may well excite the admiration and respect of the most +determined pugilist of the present day. Hereabouts also are a +remarkable monument (12) found in the ruins of Karnak under the +superintendence of Mr. Salt, placed upon a white stone pedestal in an +angle of the wall of the great temple, and showing on each of its +sides representations of Thothmes III. of the 18th dynasty, holding +the hands of deities, said by some to be the moat curious specimen of +Egyptian bas-relief in the Museum; a fractured colossus (14) in black +granite, from Thebes, supposed to be part of a statue of Amenophis +III.; the colossal head (15) discovered at Karnak by Belzoni in 1818, +supposed to represent the features of Thothmes III.; the head and +upper part of a statue of Sesostris, known as the Young Memnon. Before +this, the most celebrated of the Egyptian specimens in the saloon, the +visitor should pause to learn something of it, and notice its +peculiarities for himself. Its name, 'Memnon,' is that given by the +Greeks to many of the colossi which they saw scattered about the +country when they made their way into Egypt. Memnon was the name given +by the ancient Greek writers to an Egyptian hero who had a great +reputation for his conquests, and was said to have done his share of +work in the famous Trojan war. This name having been given +indiscriminately to various statues, conveys no proof of their +identity, since it represents only a mythical hero, whose fame reached +Greece many centuries before our hero. Generally, this young Memnon is +held to be a portrait of the great Sesostris, who was either the first +or second Rameses; but some authorities declare that the weight of +evidence goes in favour of Amenophis III., who was a pharaoh, or +monarch, flourishing more than fourteen centuries before Christ. It is +certain, however, that we have here a carefully-elaborated portrait of +an Egyptian hero who flourished many centuries before our era. The +features have all the prominent parts noticed by writers on Egyptian +sculpture as characteristic of the Egyptian style. Here are the +wonderfully high and prominent ears (which must have been invaluable +peculiarities to Egyptian wits), the thick Ethiopian lips, the coarse +nose, and the full eyes, all carefully and skilfully chiselled. +Certainly, when we recall the time, realise fully the antiquity and +the social state in which this great work was performed, we may see +the sculptor's dawning soul in the majestic repose of this head. The +lines are hard and stiff--have not the flow of the Parthenon +decorations; but here is nothing mean or poor,--all large, solid, and +carved with the force of a giant. The picturesque accounts of its +transmission from the Memnonium at Thebes to Alexandria are familiar +to the majority of readers, with the great Belzoni, with his +marvellous strength and energy, urging on the workmen. "I cannot help +observing," he tells us, "that it was no easy undertaking to put a +piece of granite of such bulk and weight on board a boat that, if it +received the weight on one side, would immediately upset; and, what is +more, this was to be done without the smallest help of any mechanical +contrivance, even a single tackle, and only with four poles and ropes, +as the water was about eighteen feet below the bank where the head was +to descend. The causeway I had made gradually sloped to the edge of +the water, close to the boat, and with the four poles I formed a +bridge from the bank into the centre of the boat, so that when the +weight bore on the bridge it pressed only on the centre of the boat. +The bridge rested partly on the causeway, partly on the side of the +boat, and partly on the centre of it. On the opposite side of the boat +I put some mats well filled with straw. I necessarily stationed a few +Arabs in the boat, and some at each side, with a lever of palm-wood, +as I had nothing else. At the middle of the bridge I put a sack filled +with sand, that, if the Colossus should run too fast into the boat, it +might be stopped. In the ground behind the Colossus I had a piece of a +palm-tree planted, round which a rope was twisted, and then fastened +to its ear, to let it descend gradually. I set a lever at work on each +side; at the same time that the men in the boat were pulling, others +were slackening the ropes, and others shifting the rollers as the +Colossus advanced. + +"Thus it descended gradually from the mainland to the causeway, when +it sunk a good deal, as the causeway was made of fresh earth. This, +however, I did not regret, as it was better that it should be so, than +that it should run too fast towards the water; for I had to consider +that if this piece of antiquity should fall into the Nile, my return +to Europe would not be very welcome, particularly to the antiquaries; +though I have reason to believe that some among the great body of its +scientific men would rather have seen it sunk in the Nile than where +it is now deposited. However, it went smoothly on board. The Arabs, +who were unanimously of opinion that it would go to the bottom of the +river, or crush the boat, were all attention, as if anxious to know +the result, as well as to know how the operation was to be performed: +and when the owner of the boat, who considered it as consigned to +perdition, witnessed my success, and saw the huge piece of stone, as +he called it, safely on board, he came and squeezed me heartily by the +hand." + +On the back of the statue are hieroglyphics describing the titles of +Rameses. Marked 21, is a colossal black granite statue of the third +Amenophis, also called Memnon, found also at Thebes in the year 1818. +The next remarkable object to which the visitor's attention may be +drawn is the sandstone statue of a monarch of the 19th dynasty, known +as Leti Menephta II. (26), found at Karnak by Mrs. Belzoni. Here the +characteristics of ancient Egyptian sculpture are strictly preserved, +the figure having the arms close to the body, the hands resting upon +the knees, and in the hands an altar, upon which is a ram's head. +Hereabouts, also, is the lower part of a kneeling statue of Sesostris, +supporting an altar, with the scarabaeus, or sacred beetle. Of the age +of the 18th dynasty (of which Amenophis III. was the most notable +monarch) is the restored group marked 29, which represents a guardian +of the temple of Amenra and his wife, seated upon a throne ornamented +with dedications to various deities. Having glanced at the limestone +bust (30), from Gournah, of a statue to a king, the visitor may turn +to a group (31) which represents an ecclesiastic, with his sister (who +is a priestess), and his little son, a priest to Amenophis II.--the +sister holding a bunch of lotus flowers. This group was found in a +tomb near Thebes. A headless statue, marked 35, with red colouring +matter upon it, extracted from a sepulchre in the neighbourhood of the +pyramids of Gizeh, is the next remarkable object deserving the general +visitor's notice; and hereabouts, also, is another group, in the old +Egyptian style (36), of an officer seated beside a female relation. +Passing some remarkable objects which remain for notice under a +separate head, and the lower part of a statue of Sesostris from Abydos +(42), the visitor should next pause before a figure marked 43. This +black granite statue is that of a queen of the 18th dynasty, and +mother of the great Amenophis III. She is represented, as the visitor +will perceive, seated upon a throne. A vulture, in an Athor-headed +boat, hovers over her; and upon the boat the learned may read her name +and dignities. Passing the upper part of a grey granite statue, +representing a king, probably of the 12th dynasty (44), which was +found in the neighbourhood of Gizeh, the visitor should halt before +the statue of an Egyptian scribe, marked 46. This sitting figure is +loaded with symbols. The pectoral plate suspended from his neck +describes the dignities of the great Sesostris; in his right hand is a +symbol of life, and in his left he holds a blade of corn. Near the +scribe the visitor will notice a heavily-draped figure of black +basalt, with the arms solemnly crossed, which was excavated from +behind the Memnon at Thebes. This statue represents a military chief +of the early part of the 18th dynasty, named Banofre. The figure +numbered 51 is that of a prince named Anebta, who lived in the 18th +dynasty: it is of calcareous stone, and was found at Thebes. The two +next statues are those of a royal scribe of the 19th dynasty, and an +officer connected with the libations to the god Amen-ra, both from +Thebes. Two fragments, marked respectively 54 and 55, are the feet of +a statue, and a colossal arm in red granite belonging to the colossal +head, conjectured to be that of Thothmes III., found in the sand in +the Karnak part of Thebes. Having examined these ponderous fragments, +the visitor should next notice the colossal red granite statue of +Sesostris found at Karnak (61), the kingly rank of the monarch being +marked by the hat and the royal apron; and the upper part of a statue +of the same monarch wearing the Pschent or crown of the Pharaohs, and +holding a crook and whip. The small statue of Bet-mes, a state officer +of the sixth dynasty, found in a tomb at Gizeh, is remarkable for its +extraordinary antiquity; and in this neighbourhood, also, is a statue +of an Ethiopian prince of the time of the great Rameses, named Pah-ur, +which was found by Belzoni in Nubia. The figure is kneeling, and +holding an altar. Passing the fragment, in grey granite, of a monarch +of the 18th dynasty (75), the visitor may pause before another object +taken from the French (81). It is the statue, from Karnak, of a high +priest of Amen-ra, seated, holding an ear of corn, and, like his +companions in stone, resting his arms upon his knees. Another +fragment, of green basalt, may be passed (83), which is from a +comparatively modern statue--that of a chamberlain in the reign of +Apries, of the 26th dynasty; and then the visitor should pause before +a white stone statue of the Ptolemaic period (92), which represents a +priest of the god Chons, or Hercules, holding an altar upon which is a +figure of the god; and hereabouts, also, he may remark another +specimen of white stone sculpture, being the colossal bust of a queen +of the 18th or 19th dynasty (93). Passing another fragment of a statue +of the great Rameses, the visitor should next direct his attention to +a dark granite statue, mutilated, of a high military officer, supposed +to have flourished about the 12th dynasty. Among other fragments +hereabouts, the visitor should not fail to examine the fragment (104) +found in Alexandria, at the base of Pompey's Pillar, upon which are +clearly traceable the figure of the great Rameses, being crowned by +divinities, and a list of his dignities; the red granite colossal fist +(106), presented to the Museum by Earl Spencer; and a curious +fragment, which represents parts of a royal scribe, with his writing +slab attached to his leg (103). Passing the curious double statue +(110), of a State officer of the time of the eleventh Rameses, the +visitor should once more halt before a basalt statue of a functionary +(111), of the 26th dynasty, found in 1785, in the Natron Lakes, near +Rosetta, and a granite group (113), representing, side by side, a +chief, and a royal nurse, with the chief's daughter. Amid another +group of fragments, the visitor should remark particularly an +arragonite torso (121); the upper part of an officer, holding a +standard (122); and a red granite bust of a monarch wearing the neumis +(125). A small black basalt statue, of the period of the 26th dynasty +(134) should be noticed. The figure, that of a palace officer, is +kneeling, and has dedications to the deities. Further on is a statue +of the third Thothmes, of the 18th dynasty (168), the head of which +has been restored. Here the visitor should remark the nine bows which +symbolise the enemies of the Egyptians. Having thus far noticed the +collection of statuary which represent human beings, the visitor will +gladly turn to those strange revelations of the ancient Egyptian mind +developed in the + +EGYPTIAN SPHINXES. + +In these strange conglomerations of various races of animals--the +lions with human heads and hawks' heads--there is generally preserved +that majestic repose, and that mighty force of execution, which rescue +the most incomprehensible of the ancient Egyptian monuments from +contempt. Not at all farcical or barbarous could the effect have been, +when the Egyptian approached his place of worship through an avenue +formed by rows of these colossal sphinxes--all grandly fashioned and +full of majesty. Mr. Long says: "Most speculations on the origin of +the compound figure, called a sphinx, appear unsatisfactory; nor, +indeed, is it an easy matter for the modern inhabitants of Western +Europe to conceive what is meant by the symbolical forms which enter +so largely into the ancient religious systems of the Eastern world. It +seems to us altogether an assumption without proof, that either the +andro-sphinx, or the sphinx with the female head, ought to be +considered as the original type of this compound figure. The sphinx +differs from other compound figures, which occur very often in the +Egyptian pictorial representations, in always having the body of a +lion, or, it may be, a panther, or some such animal as might be +considered a symbol of strength and courage. The whole history of our +species bears testimony to that tendency of the human mind, when not +restrained and guided by better knowledge, to pourtray in some visible +form its conceptions of Deity. However far many superior minds of the +heathen world might advance, in deducing from the contemplation of all +around them more correct views of the goodness and wisdom of an +all-ruling power, these were ideas far too refined for the mass, who +felt the want of something more apparent to the senses--something on +which the mind could repose from vain imaginings and real fears. Hence +the Deity was invested with various forms of familiar objects, under +which he was venerated as a protector and friend, or feared as an +avenging and angry power. Under the form of a ram, and the name of +Ammon, we find a deity worshipped along the banks of the Nile, from +the temple of the ancient Meroe to the sand-girt oasis of Siwah. The +mild and benignant expression of the sacred ram would indicate the +diffusion of tranquillity and peace, nor would the essential value of +the symbol be changed by finding the head of the ram placed on human +shoulders, or attached to the body of a lion. In the first case it +would, in accordance with the Egyptian tradition of gods having +assumed the forms of animals, commemorate, as in the Hindoo mythology, +an incarnation of the superior power; and in the second, the union of +strength and courage with mildness and the arts of peace. The +crio-sphinx, then, belongs to the Ammonian mythology, and is a +distinct symbol from the andro-sphinx and female sphinx, which, +probably, are connected with the worship of Osiris and Isis." +Something of the effect may be comprehended from the two large red +granite lions which mark the southern boundary of the saloon (1-34.) +They are of the time of the third Amenophis, and were discovered at +Mount Barkal by Lord Prudhoe, in 1829. As specimens of the mechanical +skill of ancient Egyptian sculptors, they are worth particular remark. +Here there is little of that angular stiffness characteristic of the +statues the visitor has already examined. And now, making one more +progress through the saloon, the visitor may rapidly notice the +varieties of strange animal forms--all of which, in ancient Egypt, had +their religious meaning. They were, at all events, symbols of divine +instincts, and for this reason a deep interest rises in the modern +mind in the contemplation of their proportions and expression. The +figure numbered 7 is a colossal head of a ram, emblematic of Amen-ra; +that numbered 8, is Hapi, the god of the Nile of the period of the +22nd dynasty, with allegorical waterfowl and plants hanging from the +altar he is holding; two strange figures of gryphons, or hawk-headed +sphinxes, found by Belzoni in the great temple of Ibsamboul (11-13), +and emblematic or Munt-ra, will next engage the visitor's attention; +and from these specimens the visitor should turn to a black granite +fragment of the Egyptian Diana--Pasht, of the time of Amenophis; but +as he will have an opportunity of observing more finished +representations of this popular divinity, he may at once pause before +a second statue of this goddess, also of the time of the third +Amenophis (37), where Pasht is represented in black granite, upon a +throne, with the head of a lion, and in her hand the emblem of life. +Hereabouts, also, are two specimens of the strange cynocephalus, or +dog-headed baboon (38-40), sacred to the Hercules and Mercury of the +Egyptian Pantheon. The figures marked 41-45 are two more specimens of +Pasht, who appears to have been the most popular subject for the +Egyptian sculptor's chisel; these are erect figures, holding lotus +sceptres, and are both from Karnak. The figures marked 49, 50, 52, 53, +57, are all representations of the popular Pasht; in 52 she wears the +disk of the sun. And now the visitor may well pause before a fragment +marked 58. This is a piece of the beard of the Great Sphinx. Peeping +above the sands which surround the famous pyramids of Gizeh, is the +upper part of a man-headed sphinx. This sphinx is said to measure no +less than 62 feet in height, and 143 feet in length; this Colossus has +been plucked by the beard, and the result lies before the visitor. +Hereabouts, in passing, the visitor may glance at another object +wrested from the hands of the French (59). It is a fragment of a +column in porphyry, supporting a colossal areonite hawk, sacred to the +sun. More statues of Pasht! (60, 62, 63, of the 22nd dynasty; 65, 68, +69). A column found in a house at Cairo, the capital of which is +formed in the shape of a lotus flower (64), deserves notice; also +(70), the basalt statue of a god, conjectured to be Amen-ra, holding a +small figure of a monarch of the 28th dynasty. More statues of Pasht +(71, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9; 80, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9); and then the visitor may pause +before the colossal scarabaeus, emblematic of the world and creation +(74); and a broken sphinx, of Roman work (82). Not far off are +deposited the legs of Truth (91), the goddess Ma of the Egyptians; +some altars from Aboukir and Sais, that marked 135, from the Temple of +Berenice, having steps leading to it; entrances to tombs (157), +ornamented with figures; and more statues of Pasht, amongst them a +colossal bust from a statue (521). + +Having noticed these specimens, the visitor should pass into the lobby +at the northern end of the saloon, to notice the two small obelisks +placed here, brought from Cairo; they stood before a temple to Thoth. +The hieroglyphics upon them are carefully executed, but these +specimens give the spectator no idea of the colossal obelisks of +ancient Egypt, of which that of Alexandria, 63 feet high, is a fair +specimen. These obelisks were generally in pairs, and were placed on +each side of the great entrance to Egyptian temples. Having returned +to the saloon, the visitor should, before finally passing from it, +notice the famous tablet of Abydos (117), found by Mr. Banks, in 1818, +in the Temple of Abydos. It is the work of the great Sesostris, and +the inscription on it is a record of his predecessors in the kingly +office: hence it has been long an attractive object to chronologists. +Also, before glancing at the few paintings, and closing the +examination of this interesting saloon, the visitor should inspect the +Rosetta stone (24), inscribed in three characters (of which one is +Greek), by order of the high priests, recording the services of the +fifth Ptolemy. And now, with a glance at the + +EGYPTIAN FRESCOES, + +the visitor should rapidly close his survey of this chamber. These are +rude performances enough, and, as the visitor will see, bear a close +resemblance to those we introduced to him in the Egyptian rooms up +stairs. Mr. Long, while on the subject of Egyptian art, thus mentions +their paintings:--"Sculpture and painting were closely allied, both +among the Egyptians and in the old schools of Greece; and both arts +were intimately associated with architecture. Sculptured and coloured +figures formed in ancient Egyptian edifices the decoration and the +finish of the larger masses of the architecture which served as a +framework within which they were placed. The edifices, from their +massy forms and the magnitude of their component parts, were well +calculated to produce a general impression of grandeur; and this was +not destroyed by the smaller decorated parts, which were always +strictly subordinate to the general design, and were not, like it, +comprehended at a glance, but required to be studied in detail. + +"Painting, in the proper sense of the term, that of the +representations of objects by colours on the flat surface, appears to +be an art of less antiquity than that of sculpture. The Egyptians +probably first coloured their reliefs and statues before they +attempted to represent objects with colours on a flat ground. But, +however this may be, paint was most extensively used by them, not only +in making pictures, properly so called, but in painting the surfaces +of tablets and temples, as well as colossal statues and sculptured +figures of all kinds and sizes. Indeed, an Egyptian temple, in its +complete state, bedizened with so many bright unmixed colours, must +have been rather a curious object, and would hardly, perhaps, have +pleased the taste of modern times; though, it must be admitted, that +the effect of these colours under a brilliant sun would be very +different from their appearance in such a climate as this. The +pureness, permanence, and brilliancy of Egyptian colouring are the +only qualities that we can admire; for they never, apparently, +compounded colours so as to produce a greater variety from the simple +colours. It has also been frequently remarked that they did not soften +them off so as to form various degrees of intensity, or to make any +attempt at contrasts of light and shade. This is probably true as to +the representation of human figures, which are coloured pretty much in +the same style that a child paints uncoloured engravings, making one +part all red, another all blue, and so on, without any softening of +the colours at their common boundary. But in the representation of +animals, as we shall afterwards observe, more care was taken in +softening and blenching the colours, so as to produce a better +representation of nature. + +"The colours used in the painted relief, and on the stuccoes are +black, blue, red, green, and yellow; these are always kept distinct +and never blended. Of blue, they used both a darker and a lighter +shade. Red was used to represent the human flesh, apparently from its +being nearer the natural tint than any other simple colour; but many +of their colours were evidently applied with a conventional meaning, +for the representation of different races. The conquered people +represented in the great temple of Abonsambel, or Ipsambul, have +yellow bodies and black beards. In the grottoes of El Cab, the men are +red, and the women yellow. Black men also sometimes appear in the +paintings. The five colours above enumerated seldom occur all in one +piece or picture; but in this matter there is perhaps no general rule. +The Nubian temples have often a very rich colouring, as in the case of +one at Kalapsche, where yellow, green, red, and blue, have all been +used in painting the reliefs in one of the inner chambers; and in some +single figures in this temple we may observe all these four colours. + +"The materials of which the colours were made would no doubt change +with the improvements in the arts; and after the Macedonian occupation +of the country, new colours, both vegetable and mineral, may have been +introduced. But the tombs of the kings at Thebes may undoubtedly be +considered as containing specimens of ancient Egyptian colouring, as +well as the painted reliefs in the oldest temples, and the colourings +about the ancient mummies. By a careful examination of these +specimens, we may attain a very adequate knowledge of the materials +used, and of the mode of applying them." The first of these frescoes +(169-170-1) are from the walls of a tomb of the western Hills of +Thebes. The tomb is that of a scribe of the royal granaries and +wardrobe, and the pictures represent the inspection of oxen by +scribes, a scribe standing in a boat, the registration of the +delivering of ducks and geese and their eggs. The fragment marked 175 +represents an entertainment, with female instrumental performers; here +(176) an old man is leaning upon a staff near a cornfield; there (177) +is the square fish-pond woefully deficient in prospective; there is a +second entertainment (179), where the wine is freely circulating; +dancing is going on to music--the picture of a social evening enjoyed +thousands of years ago; and here, at a third entertainment (181), +servants are bringing in wine and necklaces--a kind of hospitality to +which, as regards the latter object, modern ladies would in no way +object. The ancient Egyptian ladies had their bouquets, their +ornaments, and their couches, and exacted a plainness of costume from +their servants, as in the present time. On passing south from the +Egyptian Saloon, between the two great lions, the visitor at once +gains the central saloon, but without pausing here, or turning to the +right into the tempting Phigalian and Elgin Saloons, he should proceed +rapidly on his way to the south-western extremity of the building, at +which point he will find himself at the entrance to the + +LYCIAN ROOM. + +In a few preliminary words we may indicate the points of Lycian +history. Situated in Asia Minor, Lycia is said to have taken its name +from the Athenian prince Lycus, who conquered it, and laid it open to +his countrymen. This Greek period of its history was interrupted by +Cyrus, who added it to the Persian empire about five centuries and a +half before our era; it was only regained about two centuries after by +Alexander the Great. It subsequently became a Roman province, then +yielded to the Byzantine empire, and now owns the rule of the Turk. +This eventful history gives an interest to the country that has +excited the curiosity of the learned for ages. The period of its +greatest prosperity ensued upon its being reconquered by Alexander, +when it included no less than seventy cities, of which Xanthus was the +capital. Of all these cities, only scattered ruins under Turkish +villages now remain. Of Lycian remains it may be said nothing was +known before Sir Charles Fellows started on his exploring expedition +in 1838. One or two travellers had made some scattered observations +with regard to the sites of ancient Lycian towns before that time, and +their hints first drew the attention of the learned in this direction; +but, we repeat, it cannot be said that anything was known of Lycian +remains before Sir Charles pressed the soil of Asia Minor, and looked +about for the sites of some of the seventy towns mentioned in ancient +history. He succeeding in fixing the sites of many of the cities, +including Xanthus, and on his return to England prevailed upon the +government to send out vessels to bring home the remains he saw +scattered about the rocky site of the ancient Lycian metropolis. +Messrs. Spratt and Forbes subsequently added eighteen sites of towns +to the list made by Sir Charles. The collection of sculpture now +popularly known as the Xanthian marbles, are a few ruins gleaned from +the rocky eminence which is the site of ancient Xanthus. These +fragmentary remains of an ancient people consist chiefly of sculptures +from their temples and their tombs; upon which, like the Egyptians, +they appear to have expended a vast amount of labour, and to have +employed their greatest artists. The Greek mind is clearly traceable +in these Xanthian marbles,--the Greek imbued with local traditions and +feelings. The first object that will attract the visitor's attention +on entering the room, is the most remarkable of + + +LYCIAN TOMBS, + +called the Harpy Tomb. This tomb, which occupied the highest point of +the hill on which Xanthus stood, is described by Sir Charles Fellows +in his account of the Xanthian marbles, published in 1843. The tomb +was a square shaft, in one solid block, weighing no less than eighty +tons. "Its height," says Sir Charles, "was seventeen feet, placed upon +a base, rising on one side six feet from the ground, on the other but +little above the present level of the earth. Around the sides of the +top of the shaft were ranged bas-reliefs in white marble, about three +feet three inches high; upon these rested a capstone, apparently a +series of stones, one projecting over the other; but these are cut in +one block, probably fifteen or twenty tons in weight. Within the top +of the shaft was hollowed out a chamber, which, with the bas-relief +sides, was seven feet six inches high, and seven feet square. This +singular chamber had probably been, in the early ages of Christianity, +the cell of an anchorite, perhaps a disciple of Simeon Stylites, whose +name was derived from his habitation, which, I believe, we have +generally translated as meaning a column, but which was more probably +a _stele_ like this. The traces of the religious paintings and +monograms of this holy man still remain upon the backs of the marble +of the bas-reliefs." By reference to the model of the tomb, of which +the bas-reliefs are in the room (1), the visitor may verify the +remarks of Sir Charles, who goes on to say that the monument was never +finished, having been only half polished, and that it bears the traces +of a shake from an earthquake. The general conjecture is that the tomb +is the labour of a Lycian Greek sculptor. The subjects of the +bas-reliefs have been variously interpreted: they decorated, as the +visitor will perceive by reference to the model, the four sides of a +square shaft. First, let the visitor turn to the western face, marked +(B). Here the scene represented is supposed to be Juno holding a cup +before the sacred cow Io, and Epaphus, Aphrodite, and the three +Charites, which have been interpreted also as the three Seasons, and +the Erinnyes or Furies. The eastern side marked (A), is supposed to +represent Tantalus, bringing the golden dog stolen from Crete to +Pandarus in Lycia: Neptune seated, with a man leaning on a crutch, and +a boy offering a bird before him, and Amymone and Amphitrite behind +him; and AEsculapius seated with Telesphorus in front, and two of the +Graces behind him. The northern side (C), shows at the corners, two +Harpies making off with two of the daughters of Pandarus, while their +sister Aedon, on her knees, is deploring their abduction. Here, too, +is a god seated, conjectured to be Pluto, holding a helmet with the +help of another figure, and having a wild animal under his chair. The +south side (D), discloses two Harpies bearing off the daughters of +Pandarus; and in the centre is a god, to whom a female figure is +offering a dove. By the side of these bas-reliefs, the visitor cannot +fail to remark the tomb of a Satrap of Lycia from Xanthus. From the +fact of horses being clearly traceable among the figures sculptured +upon this interesting relic, Sir Charles Fellows christened it the +Horse Tomb, and by this appellation it is popularly known. Its strange +shape, with its highly decorated roof and plain base, makes it an +object of curiosity to most visitors. It appears to be of the time of +the Persian dominion in Lycia, and was, as two inscriptions record, +erected by the satrap Paiafa. Upon the roof are groups of fighting +warriors, and at each side are figures in chariots and four. Sphinxes +occur in the lower sculptures, and on the north side below, is a mixed +combat of foot and horse soldiers; and the Satrap Paiafa himself, +attended by four figures, is here represented. The roof is drained by +water-spouts in the shape of lion's heads. The visitor, having now +examined the two most remarkable remains of Lycian tombs in the room, +should rapidly notice the fragments of sepulchres placed here and +there, but legibly numbered. First, let him remark (17-21), a frieze +conjectured to be from a tomb found inserted in the wall of the +Acropolis of Xanthus. Here he will find in bas-relief a procession +consisting of a horse and horseman, priest and priestesses with wands, +an armed female figure, and two chariots, with youthful charioteers +and old men. A triangular fragment of a tomb will next occupy his +attention (23); this has distinct vestiges of colour, and represents a +male and female figure separated by an Ionic column, surmounted by an +harpy, and other fragments in the immediate neighbourhood; (24-27) +have representations of the Sphinx, with a woman's head, wings, and +the body of a lion, as the daughter of the Chimaera, from the Xanthian +Acropolis. A curious relic is the _Soros_, discovered placed on the +top of one of the Xanthian pillar tombs. Here, amongst the +bas-reliefs, the visitor will notice a man stabbing an erect lion; a +lion playing with its young; and a figure on horseback followed by a +pedestrian; and on the next fragment (32), a lioness is again +represented fondling her progeny. The roof of a tomb (143), closely +resembling that which covers the Horse Tomb, is worth observing. It is +part of the tomb of an individual named Merewe, from Xanthus, and the +scenes represented include that of an entertainment, divinities, and +sphinxes, warlike encounters, and on the sides Bellerophon attacking +the Chimaera. Those casts marked (145-149), may next engage the +visitor's attention. They were taken from a tomb carved in solid rock +at Pinara, and include the frieze, upon which warriors are carved +leading captives, the walls representing a walled city, and the +Gorgons' heads which decorated the extremities of the dentals. The +three next casts that demand particular remark (150-152), were taken +from the decorations of a rock tomb at Cadyanda. To the learned these +groups are particularly interesting, because the figures are +accompanied with inscriptions in the Greek, as well as the pure Lycian +language. The first cast is that from the panel of the tomb door, upon +which Talas is represented standing: the second represents a group of +females; and the third an ancient entertainment with figures reclining +on couches with children; a figure playing the double flute, and to +the right a nude figure called Hecatomnas. Six casts from tombs +hereabouts (153-6), exhibit inscriptions, two of which are in two +languages--the Lycian and the Greek, declaring that the owners have +built the tombs for themselves and their relations; the second marked +156, in the Lycian language, expresses a threat that a fine will be +imposed on any person who may violate the tomb. Bellerophon, riding on +Pegasus, may be remarked launching his dart at the Chimaera, upon the +cast (158); nymphs are dancing upon the gable end marked (160); and +upon that marked (161), which is a cast from the gable end of a tomb +discovered at Xanthus, near the Chimaera tomb, two lions are +represented devouring a bull. The casts of the sculptures which +decorate an ancient rock tomb at Myra, are interesting. Here a young +man, attended by a boy, is offering a flower to a veiled woman, +attended by two women; in another part a boy attends with wine upon a +figure, conjectured to be that of Pluto, and a veiled female form, +supposed to be either Proserpine or Venus, is draped by an attendant, +in the vicinity of a nude youth. The remains of sarcophagi are marked +(168-171). The first of these are the relics of a Roman sarcophagus, +discovered in a mausoleum, containing three other sarcophagi, at +Xanthus. On the top have been reclining figures of a male and female, +and at the sides combats of warriors. The next relic is a fragment of +a sarcophagus, amongst the ornaments of which boys are shown at play; +and the third fragment discovers the lower part of the representation +of a hunt. An exceedingly explicit inscription is that marked (176,) +and found at Uslann, near the mouth of the Xanthus, which informs +modern generations that some two thousand years ago, Aurelius Jason, +son of Alaimis, and Chrysion, daughter of Eleutherus, purchased a tomb +for themselves, in the thirteenth month Artemisios, during the +priesthood of Callistratus, and dwelling upon this piece of +information, which is striking as a voice from the tomb of unknown +people speaking to us of the present century, not from any remarkable +deed achieved by Aurelius Jason, but simply because his name occurs +upon his tomb, plainly written in his own language. A strange +immortality! Having examined these relics of the ancient tombs of +Lycia, the visitor should take a general glance at + +LYCIAN SCULPTURE. + +The time during which the Lycians may be said to have enjoyed their +highest civilisation dates from about five centuries before our era, +up to the period of the Byzantine empire. During this long interval, +most of the monuments of which this room contains some remarkable +specimens were conceived and executed. Of the sculpture, not +immediately illustrative of tombs, in the Lycian room, the most +interesting, undoubtedly, is that gleaned from the site of an ancient +building on the Acropolis of ancient Xanthus, by Sir Charles Fellows. +Passing a few fragments, including that marked (33), from Xanthus, +which represents the foreparts of two lions issuing from a square +block, the visitor should pass at once to the model of a Xanthian +Ionic peristyle building, surrounded by fourteen columns and +ornamented with statues, made under the direction of Sir Charles +Fellows, from the remains found on the site of the original building, +which lie about the room, and which the visitor is about to examine. +The original building was thirty-five feet in height, measuring from +the pediment to the base. Its object has been variously stated, but +cannot be said to be clearly and satisfactorily known. Of the +conjectures which have obtained certain credit, we may mention that +which described it as a trophy raised, in 476 B.C., to celebrate the +subjugation of Lycia by the Persians; and that which describes the +subject of the decorative sculptures as that of the suppression of the +revolt of the Cilicians by the Persian Satrap of Lycia. The remains of +this mysterious building are ranged in groups about the room; and the +visitor will observe indications of the flow of the lines, and the +artistic grace, which subsequently marked Grecian sculpture from every +other on the face of the earth. Here it is not impossible to recognise +the Greek mind: far below that of the decoration of the Parthenon, it +is true; but yet elegant and thoughtful. The groups of sculpture +marked (34-49) are the sculptures of the broader frieze which, it is +conjectured, surrounded the base of the building. Here are represented +a series of warlike encounters in which the Greek arms are +prominent--their helmets, crests, and Argolic bucklers; while other +soldiers are represented nearly nude, and in some instances wearing +the Asiatic pointed cap. This frieze undoubtedly represents the Greeks +at war with Asiatic tribes. The fragments of the narrow frieze which +bordered the upper part of the frieze are marked from 50 to 68. The +first four fragments represent the attack of a town, supposed to be +the Lycian town Xanthus. Here the besiegers may be observed scaling +the wall, and the officers cheering on the men. The five following +fragments represent various scenes of warfare between Greeks and +Asiatics. Then a walled city is represented, with the heads of a +besieged party looking over the ramparts; then a figure of a Satrap +occurs (62), supposed to be that of the Persian conqueror of Lycia, +Harpagus, who is screened with an umbrella held by a slave, which is +the emblem of his sovereignty, and is in the act of receiving a +deputation from the besieged city. The next two fragments represent a +sally from the besieged town; and upon the 67th fragment is some +carving supposed to illustrate the retreat of the besieged to their +city. The groups marked (69,70,74) are fragments of the capping-stones +of the east front of the base, and columns and fragments of columns +from the peristyle. Those groups, however, marked (75-84), which +consist of the statues originally placed in the intercolumniations of +the building, are figures of divinities, with various symbols at their +feet, as the dolphin, the halcyon, &c., and are meant to represent, by +the flow of the drapery, that they are flying through the air. They +have been variously interpreted, but never satisfactorily; some +authorities asserting that they were meant to celebrate the arrival of +Latona at Xanthus, and others that they symbolise the great naval +victory over Evagoras. Passing over one or two unimportant groups of +fragments, the visitor should next examine the remains of the narrow +frieze (95-109), upon which an entertainment is represented--the +guests, perfectly used to luxuries, reclining upon couches, and taking +wine to the strains of female musicians; also, a sacrifice of various +animals. Passing the coffers of the ceiling (106-109), the visitor +should next examine the remains of another narrow frieze, where a +Satrap is represented receiving presents; and bear and boar hunting +scenes occur. The fragment marked (125) is the eastern pediment, +sculptured in relief with various figures; and that marked (126) is +half of the western pediment sculptured with figures of six +foot-soldiers. The groups numbered (132-135) are fine specimens of +Lycian sculpture: on the first a draped female figure is shown in +rapid flight; and on the second, youths are shown bearing off women. +The group marked (138) is one of the samples of the roof-tiles with +which the building was covered in. Two crouching lions (139, 140), +supposed to have occupied intercolumnar space in the building, are the +last of the fragments. These fragments, however, together with Sir +Charles's interesting model, and the landscape (also in the room), +realise more vividly to the mind of the general spectator the ancient +Xanthus, than all the other detached and solitary fragments. Near the +two lions just mentioned are the paws of another lion, and a fragment, +found near the Harpy Tomb, of a crouching warrior and bull. Having +noticed these, the visitor may occupy himself for a few minutes with +the fragments of Byzantine architecture (177-183). These remains were +discovered amidst the ruins of a Christian village; and, it is +conjectured, were buried by an earthquake. These objects being +discussed, the visitor should repair to the glass case at the end of +the room, and examine some small curiosities from the Xanthian +Acropolis, which are placed therein. These consist chiefly of a +Parian-marble torso of a Venus; the left elbow of a female, and the +left side of a female head, in Parian marble, found built into the +walls of the Acropolis; leaden and iron cramps found in the oldest +sculptures of the Acropolis; four small lamps; vases; a cup; fragments +of glass vessels; fragment of a vase of the Byzantine period, stamped +with a cross; bronze vessels; lead grating for a drain pipe; a +fragment of a terra cotta amphora, inscribed, in the Doric dialect, +with the name of Hippocrates; fragments of painted cement from early +Christian buildings--all found in the excavations made for the ruins +of the building of which the model and fragments have lately been +noticed. Some sickles, a leaden weight, fragments of glass windows, +and terra cotta fragments, also included in the glass-case, were +discovered among the ruins of the houses, buried by the fall of the +great building. And in this case, also, are some curiosities from +Pinara, including fragments of human bones, tiles, and cement, all +amalgamated by a deposit of lime filtering through the rock of a tomb; +cement used to line a water cistern, and to block up the door of a +rock-tomb. With an examination of these relics, the visitor will close +his inspection of the Lycian remains, and proceed at once to the + +ASSYRIAN REMAINS. + +Having examined the monumental remains of the Egyptians and the +ancient inhabitants of Persia, the visitor, in order to complete a +general impression of the sculptures of remote antiquity, should now +direct his attention to the remains recently discovered on the site of +ancient Nineveh and Nimroud. Most readers have read something of the +history of Assyria, of the effeminate Sardanapalus, of Semiramis, and +of the more fabulous Ninus. These three names are the three landmarks +of Assyrian history; and the long lapses of time which separate them +are shrouded in mystery, and up to late years have been filled up only +by fanciful histories but slenderly based on fact. Men have written +confidently on the fall of the Assyrian empire, and of its invasion by +the Medes; but the discrepancies of rival authorities, who differ as +much as ten centuries in their dates according to Mr. Layard, show how +insufficient were the materials upon which they pretended to found +histories. Where was the site of Babylon? where that of the renowned +Nineveh? These questions were often mooted by antiquaries. Mounds of +earth were long observed by travellers in Assyria and Babylonia; and +one of these, which was formed by a mass of ruined brickwork, was +heralded to the world as the remains of the tower of Babel! But the +ruins of the great Assyrian capital were for a long time unobserved. +For many years had travellers to modern Mosul looked with wondering +eyes at gigantic mounds of earth that lay opposite the city. The first +traveller who did more than take a cursory view of these mysterious +hillocks was Mr. Rich, who, on his way from Kurdistan to Baghdad in +1820, crossed the river, and arrived at the mounds; visited what the +inhabitants asserted to be Jonah's tomb on the summit of one of them; +saw inscribed relics in the houses of the adjacent village. Among the +fragments on the largest mound he picked up some bricks with +cuneiform[8] characters upon them, and fragments of pottery; and on a +subsequent occasion he found a small stone chair. He left these mounds +without suspecting that he had been treading above the palaces of the +ancient Assyrian monarchs--that he had been over ancient Nineveh. But +the ground was too fruitful in remote traditions to remain altogether +unexplored in this century. The lands watered by the Tigris and the +Euphrates, where the early Asiatic colonies of Scripture were founded, +and where Nimrod, the grandson of Ham, flourished and founded Babel, +and whence, according to Scripture, Asshur went forth to build +Nineveh, are interesting ground. Of these great Assyrian towns it was +natural to seek some ruins. Of all these cities, however, founded so +far back before authentic history begins, only Nineveh, which +flourished many centuries later, and of which we have always had more +authentic histories than those of any other Assyrian city, attained to +a comparatively modern prosperity and renown. The records of this +magnificent city, from which historians have derived their +information, describe its walls as reaching no less than two hundred +feet in height, and broad enough to be a chariot-way. These walls were +sixty miles in circumference, and guarded by fifteen hundred towers; +and in the eighth century before the Christian era the city is +estimated to have included a population of more than half a million +souls. But many centuries before this, Nineveh was a wonderful city, +of which the great monarch Ninus was king, and of which his celebrated +wife, Semiramis, was afterwards queen. Ninus is the reputed founder of +the Assyrian empire, and to him the magnificence of the capital is +chiefly attributed. He is the Sesostris of Assyrian history, and is +supposed to have flourished about twelve centuries before our era. The +names of many Assyrian monarchs occur in the Sacred Writings: +Sennacherib, who, seven centuries before our era, besieged Jerusalem +and invaded Judea; and Shalmanasaar, who carried away the ten tribes +of Israel. Later, the sovereignty of the Assyrian nation was +transferred to Babylon by Nebuchadonosor; and afterwards the Medes and +Babylonians laid the magnificent Nineveh in ruins, over which, many +centuries afterwards, Herodotus wandered wonderingly, and endeavoured +to glean from the pitiful wreck an idea of the bygone glory. The +centre of the ancient Assyrian empire was the present Turkish province +of Mosul; and hereabouts the researches of travellers have therefore +been concentrated. Opposite Mosul, the capital of the province, are +the two mounds which Mr. Rich hastily explored in 1820. These mounds +have long formed the subject of animated controversies; but it was not +before the year 1842 that any serious attempt was made to penetrate +beneath the grass that covered them. In this year M. Botta, the French +consul at Mosul, made some insignificant opening, but without +discovering any remarkable remains; and rumours having reached him +from Khorsabad, a few miles off, of some remains there, he caused some +vigorous excavations to be made there, and, aided by his government, +contrived to lodge an excellent collection of Assyrian sculptures in +the Louvre. About this time Mr. Layard was travelling through the +Turkish Asiatic provinces; and in the course of his wanderings paid +considerable attention to the mounds situated at Nimroud and near +Mosul. Convinced that under these hillocks lay precious relics of +antiquity, he procured an official letter to the Pasha of Mosul, and +in 1845 repaired to Nimroud, and hired Arabs to make excavations in +the mounds there. Even the first day's search disclosed valuable slabs +ornamented with bas-reliefs and inscriptions in the cuneiform +character, of the remotest antiquity, dating so far back as nineteen +centuries before our era, and conjectured to be part of the ruins of +the chief palace of Nimroud, destroyed about twelve centuries before +our era. If so, this point was the original centre of the great city +of Nineveh--that part said to have been built by Asshur; while the +surrounding mounds of Mosul, Khorsabad, and Kouyunjik, cover ruins of +a later date. Of Mr. Layard's discoveries in Assyria, that room, which +the visitor should now enter (called the NIMROUD ROOM), is full. The +room, as the visitor will at once perceive, is divided into eleven +compartments--the first being that to the left on entering. Here he +will begin his inspection of + +ANCIENT ASSYRIAN SCULPTURE. + +The first slabs to which the visitor will direct his attention in the +compartment (1), are from the north-west edifice, excavated from the +Nimroud Mound, which Mr. Layard conjectures to be the most ancient of +all the Assyrian ruins, dating, as we have stated, so far back as +nineteen centuries before our era. On one slab the visitor will notice +two standing draped figures, divided by the sacred tree, or tree of +life, generally worshipped in the East, and adhered to in the +religious systems of the Persians, here more like trellice-work than a +tree, holding chaplets in their hands; on two other slabs figures with +the sacred tree; and on a fourth we recognise the symbol of royalty +among the ancient nations of Asia Minor, the umbrella borne by an +eunuch over a monarch, who is represented returning from the chase, to +the airs played by two musicians. Five figures are respectfully +meeting him, and a dead animal lies at his feet. These specimens of +the state of art in Asia, twenty-seven centuries ago, may well excite +the curiosity of all classes of spectators. Proceeding to the second +compartment, the visitor will find eight more slabs, the first of +which from the north-west edifice, represents a battle-piece. Here +warriors are discharging their arrows, the king with the winged symbol +of divinity in a circle above him is proceeding at full gallop, and a +dead figure lies near him pierced with arrows. This scene is continued +on the second slab, where there are two chariots, each containing two +figures, and one decorated with the ferouher, or divine symbol. A +siege is represented upon the third slab. Here the besiegers are +applying the battering ram; figures are falling from the walls, while +from the three tiers of battlements the besieged are vigorously +discharging arrows. The visitor will notice the figures of two bow-men +on the fourth slab, before a lake, with part of a tower in the +distance, and the next three slabs have representations of the fall of +the city, picturesquely indicated. The deserted battering rams stand +near the walls; female prisoners are leaving the town, drawn by three +oxen; eunuchs are driving away the cattle of the vanquished, and +conducting prisoners with their hands bound. + +The third compartment is occupied with slabs, the sculptured subjects +of which closely resemble those just described, except that marked 7, +where the king, in his chariot, is hunting the lion. He has had some +success, as one royal beast lies dead under his horse's feet, and +another is pierced by four arrows. + +The fourth compartment contains some interesting slabs. The first two +represent one continuous subject. First, the visitor will notice the +figure of an Assyrian monarch, with his chariots and attendants behind +him, holding up arrows in token of peace to an advancing group, the +first figure of which is addressing the king, while on one side a +eunuch is introducing four captives. The two following slabs present +illustrations of the crossing of a river. A boat, in which the royal +chariot containing the king is deposited, is being dragged by two men +ahead, while others are rowing, and behind follow horses and smaller +boats. In their delineations of battles, the Assyrians were sagacious, +since they vividly pourtrayed the horrors of war, by carving dead +figures in the back ground, with birds preying upon them, even before +the fray is over. Of this kind of vivid representation the visitor has +a specimen on the next slab; where, while warriors are discharging +their arrows, a dead soldier is being devoured by a bird in the +back-ground, while another, as a pleasant suggestion of the impending +fate of the survivors, hovers above their heads. The passage of troops +over mountainous country, or through jungle, is the subject +illustrated in the two following slabs (6,7); these are from +Khorsabad, and include an inscription with the name of the monarch of +that locality. Two slingers appear on the eighth slab, with archers +attacking. On the next slab (9) enemies are represented in full +flight, with a chariot containing two figures in hot pursuit: and on +the last slab in this compartment, a city, with four battlemented +towers is represented, with women standing between the towers, and +chariots outside the walls. + +Some curious fragments of large figures are included in the fifth +compartment. First, there is a bearded head covered with a horned cap; +also, the bust of a figure with the conical cap of the Assyrians: then +the head of a figure, with traces of paint yet upon it, crowned with a +tiara of rosettes. Here also is a fragment representing a king +attended by a strange symbolical winged figure holding the popular +fir-cone in his right hand, and in his left a basket, of which the +visitor will remark a perfect specimen presently. The examination of +these fragments will conduct the visitor to the end of the room, and +before turning to examine the contents of the opposite compartments, +he should pause to notice an obelisk placed hereabouts, which was dug +from the centre of the great mound at Nimroud. It is seven feet in +height, and is inscribed elaborately in the cuneiform character. On +its surface are also engraved representations of various animals +bearing presents. + +The visitor will now turn and proceed back towards the door, +examining, by the way, the compartments on his left hand. + +The first of these, or the sixth compartment, contains, in addition to +the fragments of figures including the head and shoulders of a king, +and the upper part of an eunuch, two slabs (1,2) upon which is +represented that fruitful subject of the Assyrian sculptor's chisel, +the siege of a castle. The castle, which is represented in the middle +of the battle-piece, and at the water's edge, is attacked by soldiers +on all sides. The vigour of the assailants is well described. On the +left the king directs the attack, with weeping women behind him; the +walls are being scaled by ladders; the besieged are hurling stones +from the ramparts, and casting fire upon a tower and ram, while the +assailants are quenching the flames with water, and two figures are +quietly picking holes in the walls in another direction. Hereabouts +the visitor should notice, placed against the window, a pastoral +subject--a man driving cattle. Upon the next slab, a war chariot in +full speed, passing over a dead lion, is represented; and on the sixth +and last slab of the compartment is another battlepiece. Here the +besieged castle is surrounded by water; one of the besieged is holding +arrows aloft in token of peace, while figures, on inflated skins, swim +towards the walls, and soldiers from the banks are aiming arrows at +them. + +The fragments in the seventh compartment may be easily understood from +the descriptions of previous slabs. + +The eighth compartment contains some remains which demand particular +notice. The first slab introduces us to a knowledge of the interiors +of Assyrian dwellings. Here the interior of a building is represented +divided into four distinct compartments, and exhibiting various people +at their several household duties. We have even a glimpse at an +Assyrian groom, who, in an adjoining building, is cleaning a horse. +Prisoners are introduced even here, in this domestic scene, conducted +by a warrior to an eunuch; and in the distance are soldiers, with +lions' skins, dancing to the vibrations of a guitar. The second slab +is a continuation of the first. Here men are mounted in war chariots, +while others holding the heads of their enemies in their hands are on +foot: and a bird, grasping in its claws a human head, soars above. +That slab marked 3, and placed against the window hereabouts, was +extracted from the centre of the great mound of Nimroud. Here camels, +preceded by a woman, are pourtrayed. The slab marked 5 bears the +representation of an Assyrian divinity, with four wings, the head +surmounted by the conical cap with two horns, and the left hand +holding a circlet of beads. A winged figure occurs also on the sixth +slab of this compartment, holding a bearded ear of corn in one hand, +and a goat in the other. The slabs of the ninth compartment have also +representations of winged figures. The fourth, with the eagle head, +and holding a fir-cone and a basket. This figure is thus described by +Mr. Layard: "A human body, clothed in robes similar to those of the +winged men already described, was surmounted by the head of an eagle +or of a vulture. The curved beak, of considerable length, was half +open, and displayed a narrow-pointed tongue, on which were still the +remains of red paint. On the shoulders fell the usual curled and bushy +hair of the Assyrian images, and a comb of feathers rose on the top of +the head. Two wings sprang from the back, and in either hand was the +square vessel and fir-cone. In a kind of girdle were three daggers, +the handle of one being in the form of the head of a bull. They may +have been of precious metal, but more probably of copper, inlaid with +ivory or enamel, as a few days before a copper dagger-handle, +precisely similar in form to one of those carried by this figure, +hollowed to receive an ornament of some such material, had been +discovered in the S.W. ruins, and is now preserved in the British +Museum. This effigy, which probably typified by its mythic form the +union of certain divine attributes, may perhaps be identified with the +god Nisroch, in whose temple Sennacherib was slain by his sons after +his return from his unsuccessful expedition against Jerusalem; the +word Nisr signifying, in all Semitic languages, 'an eagle.'" + +The slabs arranged in the tenth compartment are interesting. On the +first, two horsemen, whose peaked helmets suggest that they are +Assyrians, are charging another horseman with their spears. Behind is +a bird carrying off the entrails of the killed. The second slab, +covered with an inscription, formed part of the northwest palace. +Winged figures are traceable on other slabs in this compartment; and +in the centre the visitor should remark the only Assyrian statue yet +discovered. It is a seated figure, headless. Between the tenth and +eleventh compartments are placed some painted bricks, used in adorning +the interior of Assyrian edifices. The eleventh and last compartment +contains two slabs, on the first of which is a monarch holding two +arrows in token of peace. Having fully examined these objects, the +visitor has done with the Nimroud room. Of the romantic stories +connected with the researches for the invaluable fragments it +contains, we should be glad to give the reader a faint sketch. How Mr. +Layard struggled against all kinds of difficulties; slept in hovels +not sheltered from the rain; used his table as his roof by night; rode +backwards and forwards from Nimroud to Mosul to expostulate with the +vexatious interferences of a tyrannical old pasha; cheered the labours +of his superstitious workmen; celebrated the discovery of certain +remains with substantial feastings and music: made peace with a +wandering Arab who threatened to rob him: these, and a thousand other +adventures, recorded in his narrative of his discoveries, give an +additional zest to the curiosity with which visitors enter this +Nimroud room. + +And now the visitor may make his way back to the great entrance-hall +of the Museum, where his third visit should close. In the hall are +deposited four colossal specimens of sculpture from Nimroud. The first +of these, to which the visitor should direct his attention, is a +colossal figure of a winged human-headed bull, found by Mr. Layard at +the portal of a door at Nimroud. Of the discovery of this marvellous +specimen of ancient Assyrian art, Mr. Layard gives a graphic +account:--"I was returning to the mound, when I saw two Arabs urging +their mares to the top of their speed. On approaching me, they +stopped. 'Hasten, O Bey!' exclaimed one of them, 'hasten to the +diggers; for they have found Nimrod himself. Wallah! it is wonderful, +but it is true! we have seen him with our eyes. There is no god but +God!' and both joining in this pious exclamation, they galloped off, +without further words, in the direction of their tents. On reaching +the ruins I descended into the new trench, and found the workmen, who +had already seen me as I approached, standing near a heap of baskets +and cloaks. Whilst Awad advanced and asked for a present to celebrate +the occasion, the Arabs withdrew the screen they had hastily +constructed, and disclosed an enormous human head, sculptured in full +out of the alabaster of the country. They had uncovered the upper part +of a figure, the remainder of which was still buried in the earth. I +saw at once that the head must belong to a winged lion or bull, +similar to those of Khorsabad and Persepolis. It was in admirable +preservation. The expression was calm, yet majestic; and the outline +of the features showed a freedom and knowledge of art scarcely to be +looked for in works of so remote a period. I was not surprised that +the Arabs had been amazed and terrified at this apparition. It +required no stretch of imagination to conjure up the most strange +fancies. This gigantic head, blanched with age, thus rising from the +bowels of the earth, might well have belonged to one of those fearful +beings which are pictured in the traditions of the country as +appearing to mortals, slowly ascending from the regions below. One of +the workmen, on catching the first glimpse of the monster, had thrown +down his basket, and had run off towards Mosul as fast as his legs +could carry him." The marvellous fidelity and power with which this, +and the colossal human-headed bull are executed, must astonish the +most uninstructed observer. For an account of the marvellous labour at +the cost of which these colossal Assyrian works were conveyed from +Asia Minor to the British Museum, we must refer the reader to Mr. +Layard's excellent condensed account of his researches, published by +Mr. Murray. And with the contemplation of these mysterious monuments +of the past, the visitor should close his third visit to the national +Museum. + +He may usefully recapitulate the points of his present visit. He has +been travelling for hours amongst the wrecks of the remote past. Over +vast tracts of land, where now the Turk lazily dreams away the hours, +or moves only to destroy the remains of the ancient civilisation of +his Asiatic provinces. Throughout this, his third visit, the visitor +has been exploring the revelations of the past, written upon the face +of Turkish provinces. The bigotry with which the explorers of Thebes, +Nimroud, and Xanthus had to contend, is written in their histories of +their labours. How when the human-headed bull was disclosed by the +pick-axes of the Chaldaeans, the Arabs scampered off, and how all the +natives thought that Nimroud himself--the mighty hunter--was rising +grimly from the earth, are points in the discovery of this treasure +which all should read. The vigour with which English and French +explorers have possessed themselves of the treasures of ancient Egypt, +the master-pieces from the Parthenon, the strange stone revelations of +Lycia, and the majestic colossi of ancient Assyria, contrasts forcibly +with the indolence of the Turk, who sat at hand to wonder at the +enthusiasm of his Christian visitors. No more pitiful exhibition of a +national character could be furnished by any passage in the history of +the world than that which describes the ignorant and superstitious +Turk grinding the sculpture of the Parthenon into mortar for his +dwelling house. Truly, in all respects, is this a matter to be +pondered by the general visitor, as he retreats from the national +Museum for the third time. He has not passed an idle day here, +wandering amid sphinxes, and tombs, and temples, and ancient gods. +From the confusion he may gather something that shall not be +altogether a useless subject for reflection as he wanders homewards. +He may link himself with the remote past, recognise the elements of +modern society in these stone revelations of the remote history of the +world, feel the vibration of the great human heart coming to him even +from the bowels of Egypt's pyramids. There he has their family +histories written on their tombstones by weeping relatives; their +religion, with all its debasing idolatry, strong in death, exhibiting +pleasantly the firmness of their faith; splendid sarcophagi tardily +wrought from massive rock, yet perseveringly accomplished in the +strong conviction that the dead would shake off the mummy bandages, +discharge the natron from their pores, reclaim their scattered +intestines, pass the brain back through the nose into the skull, and +once more feel quickening blood in the veins. Proudly men of the +passing century look back upon all this worship of animals, upon the +Egyptian Anubis, and the intestine genii with their animal heads; but +even here, in this field of speculation, where the historian's hand +wanders unsteadily about his page, and all wears a mythical air, +pulses of human emotion are felt that assure us of the remote past. +Strange that the chief chapters of ancient Egypt's history should have +been written for moderns by her undertakers! + +END OF THIRD VISIT. + + + + +VISIT THE FOURTH. + + + +The visitor will now enter the museum to complete his inspection of +its contents. His way lies once more to the west on entering the great +hall, into the first Sculpture Gallery, or that which he will +recognise as leading into the great central saloon. Here, as he pauses +on the threshold of a noble room filled with splendid specimens of +Greek art, he may recur to the historical points which these works +illustrate. Throughout this, his last visit, he will be occupied with +the examination of the works of the ancient Greeks. These works, as he +will notice, are of various degrees of excellence. Already has he +examined the rude labours of the Greek sculptors of Xanthus; and +to-day his journey will be amid those more modern and perfect labours, +performed when the talent of the Greeks was chiefly concentrated upon +European ground. Although these glories of remote antiquity are here +mostly in an admirable state of preservation, historians are generally +lost in contradictions when they attempt to point to any particular +piece of statuary as the labour of any known sculptor. The sculptor of +the Venus de Medici is not known; and the Apollo Belvedere is a +masterpiece, the author of which lies shrouded in the depths of the +past. Rude and harsh were the early performances of the Greeks. We +have histories of Greek sculptors who flourished many hundred years +before our era; and of these the mythical Daedalus is the oldest and +most renowned. This sculptor is reported to have flourished fourteen +centuries before the Christian era. He is said to have fashioned +colossal wooden statues; and Pausanias mentions his statue of Hercules +in the possession of the Thebans, and his wooden Venus in the +possession of the Delians. His Hercules, however, appears to have been +considered his masterpiece; and Flaxman, commenting upon the antiquity +of the figures of Hercules found on some coins, seems to think that we +may not unreasonably conjecture that these are copies from the +masterpiece of Daedalus. Other sculptors of the same name, appear to +have flourished in the Achaic period of Grecian history. Indeed it is +shrewdly conjectured that Daedalus derived his name from wooden +statues called Daedala; and that amongst the ancient Greeks, Daedalus +meant nothing more than one skilled in making Daedala. The earliest +sculptures of the Greeks were fashioned of materials easily worked, as +plaster, clay, and wood. Later they worked ivory, and began to +understand the value of metals in statuary; and about five centuries +before the Christian era, marble was used by sculptors for detached +figures. In the infancy of Greek art, when sculptors were gradually +acquiring the skill to fashion their creations out of the most durable +material, many combinations of wood, stone, and metal were used, which +would sadly shock the modern sculptor's eye;--wooden figures burnished +with gold, and with painted vermilion faces, were fashioned in the age +of Phidias; and it is believed by some, that this immortal sculptor +helped to produce a statue of Jupiter, the face of which was of ivory +and gold, and the body of gypsum and clay. Phidias may be fairly +acknowledged as the first great Greek sculptor, of whose career and +whose works we have indisputable accounts. He founded, and represents +all the excellencies of the highest school of Greek art. The sculptors +who came after him, as Lysippus the favourite of the great Alexander, +paid greater regard to graces of detail and to finish; but of those +sublime effects, those forms of gods in human shape which really +impress the modern spectator with their almost superhuman beauty, +Phidias was the creator. The sculptures known to the public as the +Townley collection, are sculptures generally of a more modern date +than those in the Elgin and Phigaleian Saloons. The collection has +undoubtedly many specimens of the rudest eras of Greek art: but its +most striking groups, to the general visitor, will be undoubtedly +those finished statues and compositions which represent the ages when +Greece was a great European power, and that subsequent period when the +Greek sculptors plied their chisels under the patronage of Roman +conquerors. In this room the visitor will once more remark, how large +a proportion of these priceless relics have been gleaned from ancient +sepulchres. Even as he enters the room, he may perceive on the right, +the front of a tomb from Athens, carved in high relief; and on the +left, the front of another tomb, also sculptured, from Delos. + +The room is divided into compartments which the visitor should examine +in their regular order of rotation. He will begin therefore, of course +with the + +FIRST DIVISION. + +Before the first pilaster let the visitor notice at once a small +seated statue of Cybele or Fortune, from Athens, presented to the +nation by J.S. Gaskoin, Esq. Other remarkable objects to be examined +before the visitor fixes his attention upon the contents of the case +deposited here, are a bust of Demosthenes; a sepulchral altar or +cippus, ornamented with sphinxes, etc.; and a sepulchral stele, +inscribed with the name of the son of Artemidorus, who is reclining +upon a couch, and crowning himself. Over the case are deposited the +end of a sarcophagus ornamented with a Bacchus reclining on a satyr; a +bust of Julius Caesar; a sepulchral cippus; and a Greek stele. On the +case are a head found near Rome, probably of Mercury: and the bust of +a Muse crowned with a laurel wreath. + +Having examined these objects, the visitor should occupy himself with +the contents of the case. Here are some beautiful specimens of Greek +art--some mere fragments, others in a wonderful state of preservation. +Here are one of those funeral masks anciently used to cover the face +of a corpse; the votive mask of a bearded satyr; a votive patera with +bas-reliefs representing Silenus and a satyr, another with the head of +a bearded Bacchus, and a panther; various heads of Hercules; a Venus +attended by two Cupids; a bust of Vitellius; a head of Vulcan; a bust +of Caracalla; a head of Juno; a head of the daughter of Titus, Julia; +a mutilated figure, about the neck of which a scarabaeus is suspended; +the torso of a satyr; a variety of fragments, here an arm holding a +butterfly--there two lions' paws--there a gladiator's foot--there the +fragment of a serpent. Having noticed these scraps of ancient art, the +visitor may direct his attention to the lower shelf, where he will +observe some beautiful busts. These include one supposed to be of +Sappho; a Minerva with a Corinthian helmet found at Rome; Bacchus; +Apollo; a Parian marble bust of Diana from Rome; a queenly Juno +wearing the splendone; terminal busts, joined back to back, of +Hercules and Omphale. The upper shelf now remains for inspection. Here +are three sepulchral tablets, and the fronts of two sarcophagi. The +tablet from Crete, within a wreath, contains an inscription +descriptive of honour conferred by the inhabitants of Crete upon an +individual named Alexander, the gift to him being a golden crown. +Having noticed the gay Cupids enacting Bacchanalians upon the first +front of a sarcophagus, the visitor should pass on at once to the + +SECOND DIVISION. + +Here, in front of the pilaster, the visitor should remark a curious +square altar, with Silvanus, to whom the altar is dedicated by the +farm servant of Caius Coelius Heliodorus, Callistus; and a trophy +discovered on the plains of Marathon. + +Grouped in this division, are some fine works. First let the visitor +remark two white marble Victories discovered in the ruins of the villa +of Antoninus Pius, at Monte Cagnuolo. The first Victory is kneeling +upon a bull which she is about to sacrifice; and the second also is +kneeling upon, and about to stab, a bull. Then a fine bust of a +laughing satyr will arrest the attention of the visitor; then a +colossal foot in a sandal, under the front of a sarcophagus; then the +votive torso, supposed to be that of an Athelete; then a red marble +swan found in a vineyard near the Villa Pinciana; then a terminal +statue of a satyr; then a bust of Diogenes; then a bust, conjectured +to be part of the figure of a dying Amazon; then a bust of Atys. +Turning to the upper shelf of this division, the visitor should notice +the front and ends of a sarcophagus deposited there. Upon these +Bacchus and Ariadne are represented in a chariot, heralded by +Bacchanals, and drawn by Centaurs; and in other parts Pan is being +castigated by a satyr, and carried off by two Cupids aided by a satyr. +Turning to the lower shelf the visitor should examine several antique +busts. First there is a bust, conjectured to be that of Achilles; then +there is an old Hercules; then a Bacchante; then a bust of Aratus; a +female head; and a tragic mask from the lid of a sarcophagus. With the +examination of this shelf the visitor closes his inspection of the +second division, and should at once advance into the + +THIRD DIVISION. + +First, let the visitor notice, placed in front of the third pilaster, +a celebrated copy of the statue of Praxiteles, of Cupid bending his +bow. This celebrated copy is four feet, three and a half inches, in +height. It arrived in this country originally as a present to Edmund +Burke, from Rome, by Barry, the painter. Numerous copies of this Cupid +exist, and the one before the visitor is not the best. + +In this compartment or division, the visitor should also remark +several sepulchral urns with figures in relief. Amid other sepulchral +monuments are, an altar inscribed by Annia Augustalis, to the manes of +M. Clodius, his brother Felix, and to Tyrannus; and a bas-relief +discovered near the mausoleum of Augustus, representing a Muse +standing before a dramatic poet. Hereabouts also the visitor should +notice an altar, ornamented with bas-reliefs, dedicated by Aurelius +Timotheus to Diana; a small figure of Neptune from Athens; a veiled +Ceres bearing a torch, from Athens; a draped Muse in terra cotta +holding a lyre; and a cippus, with a representation of Silenus riding +a panther. On turning to the lower shelf, the visitor will at once be +struck with the sarcophagi. Here are three Etruscan sarcophagi, two of +alabaster, and one in peperino. On all three are recumbent female +figures, and in front of the first the hunt of the Calydonian boar; of +the second, Scylla; and of the third, a bas-relief representing +Achilles dragging Penthesilea from her chariot. On this shelf also +are, a bas-relief showing Luna encompassed by the signs of the Zodiac, +and a sun-dial supported by the claws and heads of lions. Turning now +to the upper shelf, the visitor should examine the bas-reliefs +deposited thereon. Upon the first, the visitor will notice a funeral +car, shaped like a temple drawn by four horses, with Jupiter and the +Dioscuri on the sides of the car; upon the second, the bas-relief +represents Ulysses and Diomedes detecting Achilles disguised as a +female among the daughters of Lycomedes; and the subject of the third +relief is a marriage in the presence of Juno Pronuba, showing the +bridegroom taking the bride's hand, and holding the marriage contract. +Having glanced at these objects, the visitor's way lies forward to the + +FOURTH DIVISION. + +Here, in front of the pilaster, the visitor must at once examine the +torso of a statue, supposed to be of Mercury; and a curious Greek +circular altar, ornamented with the heads and fillets of bulls and +stags, and inscribed with the names of Agathemeris and her son +Sosicles of Tlos. Having examined these two prominently placed +objects, the visitor should proceed at once to the general contents of +the division. He will be probably attracted first to two terminal +statues; or statues, of which the lower parts are not developed. They +occur frequently among the remains of Greek sculpture. These terminal +statues were held in great veneration; and they were found placed at +the corners of streets, at the doors of private dwellings, and before +temples. The custom of representing Mercury with a head upon a plain +column, appears to have been the origin of a fashion which the Greeks +subsequently extended to their representations of other deities. The +terminal figure in this division, with the winged cap, illustrates the +generality of these Hermae; it was found near Frascati, in the year +1770. The next remarkable object that will probably attract the +visitor's attention is the figure, found at Rome, of an Egyptian +tumbler, going through his performances on the back of a tame +crocodile, a barbarous species of entertainment undoubtedly, but not +more repulsive than that of the French aeroenaut of last year, floating +over Paris on the back of an ostrich. Hereabouts are placed also a +small statue of the three-fold Hecate, a Diana found in the +Giustiniani Palace at Rome; a bust of Jupiter, conjectured to be a +copy from the work of the celebrated sculptor Polycletus, and a +sphinx. Here, too, are some interesting bas-reliefs. Upon one a +Bacchante (supposed to be a copy from Scopas), is represented with a +knife in her hand, and holding part of a kid; upon another (part of a +sarcophagus), Priam is represented praying to Achilles to give up +Hector's body; upon a third (a cippus) birds are drinking; and upon a +fourth (a fountain) are Pans and satyrs. Before turning to the lower +shelf, the visitor should also notice in this neighbourhood a +beautiful group of two dogs, found on the Monte Cagnuolo; a votive +foot, with a coiling serpent, and one or two sepulcral urns with +inscriptions. Upon the lower shelf are deposited an interesting series +of busts, including one of the Emperor Septimius Severus, found on the +Palatine Hill; one of Hadrian, found at Tivoli, on the site of +Hadrian's Villa; one from Athens, of the Emperor Nero; and one of +Caracalla, found in the Nunnery Gardens at the Quatro Fontane, on the +Esquiline Hill. Upon the upper shelf are two busts in relief, and the +front of a sarcophagus, with elaborate representations of the Muses. +Here is Terpsichore with the lyre of dancing, Thalia with the mask of +comedy. And now the way lies once more forward, into the + +FIFTH DIVISION. + +Before the fifth pilaster is a notable piece of sculpture found in the +villa of Antoninus Pius--an erect figure of the youthful Bacchus +clothed in the skin of a panther; and here also is a square altar +ornamented with sphinxes in bas-relief, Apollo, Diana, and various +religious symbols. A colossal toe attracts considerable attention in +this division. It may have been an ornament in the rooms of an +Eisenberg of the ancients, but more probably has been lost by a god. +Let the visitor pause here before the terminal bust of Aeschines the +orator, who impeached Demosthenes out of jealousy for his popularity +with the people of Athens, and sullenly retired, after losing his +cause and being mulcted of a thousand drachmas as the accuser, to +Rhodes, where he occupied himself in teaching rhetoric. Other terminal +statues occur in this division. Among these, in a glass, are small +terminal busts, joined back to back, of Bacchus and Libera; three +yellow and red marble heads of Libera; a yellow marble bearded +Bacchus; and the bust of a Greek poet discovered at Bitolia. +Hereabouts also are, a female head, the eyes of which have traces of +inlaying; a bas-relief of Antinous; a curious female head, with the +hair of a distinct block of marble, fitted upon it; the head of a +child from Rome; the head of Jupiter from the corner of a sarcophagus; +busts of Hercules and Serapis; a remarkable altar in the Egyptian +style, curiously carved with the bull Apis, and Harpocrates drawn in a +car by a hippopotamus. Turning to the upper shelf, the visitor will +notice a satyr playing on a flute; six Amazons carved upon the +fragment of a sarcophagus; and a sarcophagus found at Tusculum, with +representations of Cupids bearing away the arms of Mars. A series of +busts are deposited upon the lower shelf. These include busts of the +wife of the Emperor Domitian; bust of Olympia; bust of the wife of +Hadrian, Julia Sabina; bust of Tiberius; and a bust of Augustus. +Before leaving this room the visitor should not fail to notice a few +antiquities which should particularly interest him. These form a group +of relics found in this country. They illustrate the doings of the +Romans in this country. + +ANTIQUITIES OF BRITAIN. + +The first of these objects which the visitor will remark, is a curious +cylindrical sarcophagus, discovered in the neighbourhood of St. +Alban's, so lately as the year 1831. It contained some Roman vases. +Another sarcophagus found at Southfleet, in Kent, is also included in +the collection. In this sarcophagus several interesting relics were +discovered, including a vessel containing burnt bones; and purple +leather shoes embroidered with gold, and in the same neighbourhood +other relics, including an earthern vessel, also containing bones, +were found. The next object to which the visitor should direct his +attention is the old cistern of a blacksmith, which had been found at +Chesterford, in Essex, which turned out to be an ancient relic +sculptured in high relief with figures of Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, and +Venus. Three or four Roman altars found in various parts of the +country, one to AEsculapius; a bas-relief of a Roman standard of the +second legion; and pigs of lead inscribed with the names of Roman +emperors. Having examined these objects, the visitor should pass at +once westward into the + +PHIGALEIAN SALOON. + +He may here take a seat for a few moments and read the points of +history which belong to this saloon, before he commences his +examination of it. One year, while the present century was young, +fifteen gentlemen encamped round about the ruins of a temple, known to +the neighbouring inhabitants as the "columns." These columns were +those believed to be the ruins of a temple of Apollo Epicurius, built +by the citizens of ancient Phigaleia, in Arcadia. These "columns" were +situated upon a shelf of land, high up the side of Mount Cotilium, and +surrounded by a rich and various landscape. Lying scattered about were +the shattered fragments of the sculptured frieze of the temple; and, +with infinite labour the camp of explorers succeeded in gathering +together and arranging the slabs which are now deposited in this, the +Phigaleian saloon. To the sound of Arcadian music, workmen excavated +in the neighbourhood of these ruins; and in 1814 the Prince Regent +obtained a grant of 15,000L. to purchase them for the British Museum. + +The subjects represented by these sculptures are, the battle of the +Centaurs and the Lapithae, and the war between the Amazons and +Athenians--mythical struggles upon which Greek sculptors were fond of +exercising their imagination. THE BATTLE OF THE CENTAURS is the first +to which the visitor should direct his attention. The origin of this +myth is thus described by Sir Henry Ellis: "The story of the Centaurs, +it is remarked, is of Thessalian origin. The people of Thessaly were +remarkably expert in horsemanship, and were supposed to be the first +in Greece who practised the art of riding on horseback. Pelion, and +other mountains in this part of Greece, abounding in wild bulls, these +ferocious animals were frequently hunted by the people of the country +on horseback, and when overtaken were seized by their pursuers, who +caught hold of them by the horns, in a manner not less dexterous than +daring. Hence, these hunters acquired the name of Centauri and +Hippocentauri. The novel sight of a man seated on a horse, and +galloping over the plains with more than human velocity, might easily +suggest to the minds of an ignorant peasantry, the idea of an animal +composed partly of a man and partly of a horse; and it was from this +simple origin, according to some explanations, that the fable of the +Centaurs sprung. We must remark, that we place no confidence in the +proposed etymology of the word Centauros, and almost as little in the +explanation of the story. The centaur Chiron in Homer was a model of +justice, and the poet appears to have had no idea of the monstrous +combination of two animals. Pindar, in his second Pythian Ode, first +makes us acquainted with the Hippocentaur, or half horse and half man. +Though it cannot be imagined that the Greeks ever regarded this +tradition otherwise than as a fable, so far as the double nature of +the animal was concerned, yet it is curious, to observe, with what +care and devotion they recorded the particulars of this fiction in +their poems, sculpture, paintings, and other monuments of art. The +Centaurs were invited to the nuptials of Pirithous, king of the +Lapithae. During the marriage feast, one of the Centaurs, named +Eurytion, or Eurytus, with the characteristic brutality of his nature, +and elated by the effects of wine, offered violence to the person of +Hippodamia, the bride. This outrageous act was immediately resented by +Theseus, the friend of Pirhitous, who hurled a large vessel of wine at +the head of the offender, which brought him lifeless to the ground. A +general engagement then ensued between the two parties; and the +Centaurs not only sought to revenge the death of their companion, +Eurytus, but likewise attempted to carry off the females who were +guests at the nuptials. In this conflict, sustained on both sides with +great fury, the Centaurs were finally vanquished, and driven out of +Thessaly; after which they took up their abode in Arcadia, where they +provoked the anger of Hercules, who completely destroyed the whole of +their race. Such is the general outline of the mythic history of the +Centaurs." + +Bearing this outline of the classical story in his mind, the visitor +may at once proceed to examine the first eleven slabs upon which the +incidents in the story of the Centaurs and the Lapithae are +elaborated. The visitor will, of course, begin with tablet No. 1, and +proceed to the others in the regular order in which they are marked. + +On approaching the first slab (1) the visitor will perceive a Centaur +overcome by two Lapithae, and about to be dispatched. Another Centaur +from behind, however, arrests the uplifted arm of one Lapitha. The +battle proceeds fiercely on the second slab (2). A Centaur is tearing +the shoulder of a Lapitha with his teeth, while the Lapitha drives a +stout sword direct into his assailant's body. A dead Centaur lies in +the foreground, and the heels of the stabbed Centaur strike against +the shield of a second Lapitha. The origin of the battle begins to +appear on the third slab (3), where a woman is represented with a +child in her arms resisting the violence of a Centaur, while another +Centaur at the further end of the slab is getting the better of a +kneeling Lapitha. The fourth tablet would be probably unintelligible +to the general visitor without special explanation. Here the Centaurs +are endeavouring to crush an enemy with huge blocks of stone. This +particular enemy is the Caeneus of Greek fable, whom Neptune had +rendered invulnerable to the effect of swords and clubs, and whom +Centaurs are endeavouring to overcome by crushing his body with masses +of rock. The fifth slab (5) presents a more cheerful view of the +battle for the Lapithae; here two Centaurs are being overcome by two +of their enemies in revenge for their brutal conduct at the bridal +banquet. The sixth tablet (6) again illustrates the hazards of war. +Here a female is between two of the brutal Centaurs, one of whom has +felled a Lapitha to the ground; but the left hand part of the slab is +so mutilated that the merits of the sculpture are here hardly +appreciable. The seventh (7) slab also represents the Lapithae losing +ground. Here, it has been shrewdly conjectured the chief personages of +the battle are represented. The female in the arms of the Centaur is +supposed to be Hippodamia; and the figure struggling from the grasp of +another Centaur, that of King Pirithous fighting for his outraged +bride. The next tablet (8) is in a very dilapidated condition. The +central figure is that of a muscular Centaur, with his mantle flowing +from his neck, in the act of hurling something at a Lapitha who stands +stoutly on the defensive, while in the further corner a female with +her child is flying from pursuers. The ninth tablet (9) discovers two +vanquished Centaurs, and Lapithae in the act of dispatching their +mongrel enemies. The battle is represented at its climax on the next +slab (10). Here, as the wicked Centaur, Eurytion, is disrobing the +King's bride, and her bridesmaid is indulging in exaggerated attitudes +of despair, a figure supposed to be that of the renowned founder of +Athens, Theseus, springs upon the Centaur's shoulders, and drags back +his head, that the brute may not gaze upon the charms he would +pollute. The figure behind the bride is supposed to represent Diana, +the goddess of Chastity. It is a pity that the leg and arm of the +Theseus, and one arm of the bridesmaid are fractured. The last slab of +those sculptured with the battle of the Centaurs, represents Apollo +and Diana in a car--Apollo the deliverer; Diana the guardian of female +chastity. Having fully examined these beautiful specimens of Greek art +of the time of Pericles, the visitor should turn at once to the +remaining slabs, which are devoted to the illustration of + +A BATTLE WITH THE AMAZONS. + +Plutarch gives a graphic account of those dissensions between Theseus +and the Amazons, which terminated in the famous war here celebrated. +"Philochorus," he says, "and some others relate, that he (Theseus) +sailed in company with Hercules into the Euxine Sea, to wage war with +the Amazons, and that he received Antiope as the reward of his valour, +but the greater number, (among whom are Pherecydes, Hellanicus, and +Herodotus,) tell us, that Theseus made the voyage with his own fleet +alone, some time after Hercules, and took that Amazon captive, which +is indeed the more probable account; for we do not read that any other +of his fellow-warriors made any Amazon prisoner. But Bion says, he +took and carried her off by a stratagem. The Amazons (he informs us) +being naturally lovers of men, were so far from avoiding Theseus when +he touched upon their coasts, that they sent him presents. Theseus +invited Antiope, who brought them, into his ship, and, as soon as she +was aboard, set sail. But the account of one Menecrates, who published +a history of Nice in Bithynia, is that Theseus, having Antiope aboard +his vessel, remained in those parts some time; and that he was +attended in this expedition by three young men of Athens, who were +brothers, Enneos, Thoas, and Solon. The last of these, unknown to the +rest, fell in love with Antiope, and communicated his passion to one +of his companions, who applied to Antiope about the affair. She firmly +rejected his pretensions, but treated him with civility, and prudently +concealed the matter from Theseus. But Solon, in despair, having +leaped into a river and drowned himself, Theseus, then sensible of the +cause, and the young man's passion, lamented his fate, and in his +sorrow recollected an order of the priestess, which he had formerly +received at Delphi; that when, in some foreign country, he should +labour under the greatest affliction, he should build a city there, +and leave some of his followers to govern it. Hence, he called the +city which he built Pythopolis, after the Pythian god, and the +neighbouring river, in honour of the young man, Solon. He left the two +surviving brothers to govern it, and give it laws; and along with them +Hermus, who was of one of the best families in Athens. From him the +inhabitants of Pythopolis call a certain place in their city Hermus's +House, and, by exchanging an accent, transfer the honour from the hero +to the god (Mercury). Hence the war with the Amazons took its rise: +and it appears to have been no slight or womanish enterprise, for they +could not have encamped in the town, or joined battle on the ground +about the Pnyx and the Museum, or fallen in so intrepid a manner upon +the city of Athens, unless they had first reduced the country about +it. It is difficult, indeed, to believe (though the story is told by +Hellanicus) that they crossed the Cimmerian Bosphorus upon the ice, +but that they encamped almost in the heart of the city, is confirmed +by the names of places, and by the tombs of those that perished +there." The Amazons, according to fabulous history, were a warlike +race of women, who reared only their female children, and lived as a +nation apart from the male sex. They are said to have founded many +cities in Asia Minor, to have been expert horsewomen, and to have +amputated their left breast the more easily to use their bows. Greek +sculptors delighted to avail themselves of this mythic war between men +and women, in which the heroes do not appear to have used their +weapons lightly, in consideration of the sex of their opponents. The +splendid group by Kiss, casts of which are now in many English homes, +shows that the capacity to deal with the classic subject has not +altogether faded from the world. The Amazons themselves bid fair to +accomplish a resurrection across the Atlantic. Rumours reach us here +in England of female societies associated to make war upon the tyranny +of the opposite sex, and to adopt certain eccentricities of costume. +It is not improbable that these agitators will soon constitute +themselves into a distinct nation, and defy the valour of the +masculine Yankee. + +The visitor, on turning, thus far informed, to the slabs upon which +the war with the Amazons is represented, will notice that these mythic +females present no appearance of the rumoured amputation. The weapons +that should be in the hands of most of the figures are lost, but it is +believed that they were of bronze, and the holes by which they were +fastened to the hands of the figures may yet be traced. On presenting +himself before the first slab (12), the visitor will see the figure of +an Athenian dragging an Amazon to the ground by her hair, while +another Amazon is protecting a fallen sister in the corner. This scene +will shock the gallantry of the unprepared visitor, who should, +nevertheless, compose himself to explain to his partner the kind of +women with whom the Athenians had to deal. The second slab (13), +represents a wounded Amazon sinking to the earth, and an Athenian and +an Amazon in full combat, but upon the third (14), the visitor will +remark the havoc which the Amazons could make. Here, on the right, an +Athenian protecting himself from attack with his shield, is leading a +wounded man from the field, and to the right a male figure is bearing +off a body, from which a central Amazon is snatching a shield. On the +next slab (15), two Amazons are engaged with two Athenians. To the +left, where the head of the vanquished Amazon remains, the slab is +much injured; but to the right the Athenian felled by the Amazon is +clearly distinguishable. A wounded Athenian lies in the left corner of +the next slab (16), supported by a companion; while another Athenian +is endeavouring to beat off a lusty Amazon, who appears determined to +fight for every inch of the ground. For the first time an Amazon +occurs on horseback on the next slab (17). Here a sturdy Athenian is +dragging her from her seat, while another Amazon is warding off a +blow, and preparing to strike one at the same time, in the right +corner. The central figure of the next slab (18), (the longest in the +collection,) is the hero Theseus, recognisable by the lion's skin +about him, the huge paw of which lies against his left leg. Theseus, +who is about to deal a deadly blow at a mounted Amazon (whose body is +effaced), is prevented by an interposing Amazon, while an Athenian, +who is trampled upon by the horse, is preparing to do severe work with +his sword. To the right, an Athenian is unceremoniously removing a +wounded Amazon from her fallen horse. The next group (19) represents +two couples fighting: an Athenian, protected by a helmet and cuirass, +has thrown an Amazon, and on the right of the slab an Amazon has +thrown an Athenian. The next slab (20) is severely mutilated; but an +Amazon attending to a wounded companion, and others fighting in the +left corner are distinguishable. The next tablet represents two +Athenians and two Amazons; the central figure (an Athenian) has his +foot upon the knee of a fallen Amazon, who appears to be asking mercy. +The last slab but one (22) represents an Athenian dragging an Amazon +from an altar, while to the right an Amazon is vigorously assailing +another Athenian. Upon the last slab (23) are four Amazons and one +wounded Athenian, who is endeavouring to ward off an impending blow +from the central figure. Having noticed these slabs, the wondrous +workmanship of which must surprise the most indifferent and +ill-informed observer, the visitor should at once turn to the other +fragments arranged and numbered in the saloon. The fragments marked +successively from 24 to 40, are parts of the temple to Apollo, from +which the Phigaleian slabs were taken. Having cursorily examined +these, the visitor should at once turn to the fragment of a +bas-relief, marked 41, which properly belongs to the Elgin collection. +Here Hercules is represented holding Diomed, King of Thrace, by the +head, and is about to strike him. Further on are some interesting +relics, collected by Colonel Leake. First, there is a headless female +statue, draped, from Sparta (43); then the torso of a naked Apollo +from the Peloponnese; then a small, shattered Hercules, without head, +arms, or feet, found on the coast of Laconia. Proceeding with his +examination of the miscellaneous objects in the saloon, he may notice +successively, the head of Jupiter, from Phrygia (47); a curious +sepulchral inscription from Halicarnassus (48), forbidding any one, +except relations, from occupying the tomb to which it belonged; a +bas-relief from Thessaly (51) representing a dedication of hair to +Poseidon: an alto-relievo torso of Triton (56); and the pedestal of +the statue of Jupiter Urius (55), which stood in the temple of that +god, at the mouth of the Euxine. + +Directing his attention to the fragments which occupy the wall space +below the Phigaleian frieze, he will find eleven fine bas-reliefs from +the celebrated tomb erected at Halicarnassus, in the year 353 B.C., in +honour of Mausolus, King of Caria, by Artemisia, his wife. Here the +power of the later Greek sculptors is employed upon the battles of the +Athenians with the Amazons. Above the Phigaleian frieze, against the +walls are placed two pediments, copied from those which ornamented the +western and eastern ends of the temple of Jupiter Panhellenius, in +AEgina. + +Among the miscellaneous fragments in the saloon, the visitor has yet +to notice a fine torso of a nude Venus; a statue of Discobolus, who is +throwing a quoit, found in Hadrian's Villa Tiburtina; part of a statue +of Hymen; and at the ends of the saloon the visitor should notice some +specimens from the old temple of Selinus, which are valued as probably +representing some of the earliest extant specimens of Greek art. Among +the subjects represented are Perseus killing the Gorgon Medusa, and +Hercules and the Cecrops. Having examined these objects, the visitor +has brought his examination of the Phigaleian Saloon to a close, and +he should forthwith enter upon the great labour of his fourth visit, +by proceeding to the west into the noble room devoted to the + +ELGIN MARBLES. + +These marbles have become celebrated throughout the civilised world, +and the name of Elgin is inseparably connected henceforth with the +finest extant specimens of the power of Phidias. The artistic +excellencies of these relics of a remote civilisation have been so +frequently explained to the public, and their beauties are so +generally felt, that it suffices to introduce the general visitor to +the room, and to guide him about it, without bidding him halt to learn +the estimation set upon these works by great art authorities. After he +has received the natural impression which these works cannot fail to +produce on his mind, he may wish to know something of the times and +men which these represent; he may be glad to learn so much as is known +of Phidias. No man even with the poorest sense of the beautiful can, +we apprehend, wander about this saloon without being touched. +Therefore we proceed at once to guide the visitor on his journey. But +it is necessary that he should know something of the building, of +which these fragments formed parts:--"The Parthenon," says Colonel +Leake, "was constructed entirely of white marble, from Mount +Pentelicus. It consisted of a cell, surrounded with a peristyle, which +had eight Doric columns in the fronts, and seventeen in the sides. +These forty-six columns were six feet two inches in diameter at the +base, and thirty-four feet in height, standing upon a pavement, to +which there was an ascent of three steps. The total height of the +temple above its platform was about sixty-five feet. Within the +peristyle at either end, there was an interior range of six columns, +of five feet and a half in diameter, standing before the end of the +cell, and forming a vestibule to its door. There was an ascent of two +steps into these vestibules from the peristyle. The cell, which was +sixty-two feet and a half broad within, was divided into two unequal +chambers, of which the western was forty-three feet ten inches long, +and the eastern ninety-eight feet seven inches. The ceiling of the +former was supported by four columns, of about four feet in diameter, +and that of the latter by sixteen columns of about three feet. It is +not known of what order were the interior columns of either chamber. +Those of the western having been thirty-six feet in height, their +proportion must have been nearly the same as that of the Ionic columns +of the vestibule of the Propylaea, whence it seems highly probable +that the same order was used in the interior of both those +contemporary buildings. In the eastern chamber of the Parthenon, the +smallness of the diameter of the columns leaves little doubt that +there was an upper range, as in the temples of Paestum and AEgina. It +is to be lamented that no remains of any of them have been found, as +they might have presented some new proofs of the taste and invention +of the architects of the time of Pericles. + +"Such was the simple construction of this magnificent building, which, +by the united excellencies of materials, design, and decorations, was +the most perfect ever executed. Its dimensions of two hundred and +twenty-eight feet by a hundred and two, with a height of sixty-six +feet to the top of the pediment, were sufficiently great to give an +impression of grandeur and sublimity, which was not disturbed by any +obtrusive subdivision of parts, such as is found to diminish the +effects of some larger modern buildings, where the same singleness of +design is not observed. In the Parthenon, whether viewed at a small or +at a great distance, there was nothing to divert the spectator's +contemplation from the simplicity and majesty of mass and outline, +which forms the first and most remarkable object of admiration in a +Greek temple; and it was not until the eye was satiated with the +contemplation of the entire edifice, that the spectator was tempted to +examine the decorations with which this building was so profusely +adorned; for the statues of the pediments, the only decoration which +was very conspicuous by its magnitude and position, being enclosed +within frames, which formed an essential part of the design of either +front, had no more obtrusive effect than an ornamented capital to a +single column." + +Bearing this outline of the building in mind, the visitor may at once +proceed to examine the ruins of this fine monument of ancient genius, +which are deposited in the Elgin Saloon of our National Museum. First, +he may notice those alto-relievos, known as the + +METOPES[9] OF THE PARTHENON. + +The subject of these sculptures has been familiarised to the visitor +in the Phigaleian marbles. Here, again, is the war of the Athenians, +on behalf of the Lapithae, with the Centaurs, the sculptor's subject. +On entering the room, the visitor will notice various numbers on each +marble: THE RED NUMBERS are those to which we refer throughout. + +The first metope to which the visitor will, in natural order, direct +his attention, is that marked 1. Here an Athenian has his knee upon +the back of a Centaur and one arm round his neck, while the other +(which is broken off) was evidently represented raised to strike a +fatal blow into the Centaur's body. The second metope (2) also +represents an Athenian subduing a Centaur. This group is much injured, +the head of the Athenian and that of the Centaur being missing; but +the Athenian has his knee firmly planted upon his brutal enemy's hind +quarters, and his arm (strongly developed) was evidently firmly +clutching the Centaur's hair. The third metope (3) shows an Athenian +under very disadvantageous circumstances. Here a Centaur is about to +deal a tremendous blow with a wine vessel at the head of his crouching +enemy, who is endeavouring to ward off its effects with his ample +shield. The heads of these figures are casts from the originals, which +are in the Royal Museum at Copenhagen. The fourth metope (4) has been +so mutilated that the figure of the Athenian, which was once upon it, +is wholly effaced, and the Centaur has the head, part of two legs, and +both arms, wanting. Originally the Centaur was holding an Athenian by +his hair. The fifth metope (5) is also much mutilated; but here both +figures were evidently represented mutually confident of victory. A +vigorous action is represented upon the sixth metope (6), where an +Athenian is seizing a Centaur by the throat, while, with the right +hand, he is prepared to deal a fatal stroke. The seventh metope (7) is +much mutilated; but the figure of an Athenian thrown, and a Centaur +trampling upon him, are clearly discernible. There is fine action in +the eighth metope (8), where the Centaur has seized his adversary by +the foot, and is hurling him backwards to the earth. Under the +Athenian the visitor will notice a circular drinking vessel, +indicative of the revel at which the cause of quarrel originated. The +next metope (9) (or rather a cast from the metope in the Louvre at +Paris) represents a Centaur in the act of seizing a female, who is +resisting him: both heads are wanted. The drapery about the female is +beautifully executed. Matters have arrived at a desperate pitch with +the combatants represented on the tenth metope (10), where the +Centaur, with starting eyes and uplifted arms, is about to strike a +determined Athenian, who has planted his foot against the Centaur's +breast, and is determined to do his work. The next metope (11) is a +fine specimen of sculpture. Here an Athenian has seized a Centaur by +the jaw, from behind. The drapery that falls from the fine form of the +Greek is exquisitely folded, and the figure itself is finished with +masterly skill. A victorious Centaur holding forth a mantle of lion's +skin, is the central figure of the next metope (12). Below lies the +dead body of an Athenian: all the muscles marked and rigid. It is +supposed that the following metope (13) represents the Centaur +Eurytion carrying off Hippodamia. The drapery of the female figure is +exquisite. The fourteenth metope (14) represents an Athenian thrown by +a Centaur. The Athenian, however, is not idle, having buried a weapon +in the left side of his adversary, and attempting to seize a stone +with his left hand. The fifteenth metope (15) represents a Centaur +holding an Athenian; while the Athenian has revenged himself by +planting that decisive kind of blow known in pugilistic circles as "a +bruiser" upon the Centaur's cheek. This metope is more angular in +execution than the other metopes; and was probably executed, under the +guidance of Phidias, by one of the old school of Greek sculptors. The +last, or sixteenth metope (16), is supposed to have been executed by +the same inferior hand as that employed upon the fifteenth. Here the +contest between the Centaur and the Athenian is undecided. Metope 16c +has been recently discovered at Athens. + +Having fully examined these fine specimens of Greek sculpture, the +visitor may at once turn to other parts of the great temple, examining +now and then, to guide his impressions, the restored model which +stands near the south-east corner of the room. His business is now +with the frieze that ran round the building behind the columns, and +upon which a series of bas-reliefs were sculptured; of which Sir Henry +Ellis gives the following clear outline:-- + +THE FRIEZE OF THE PARTHENON. + +"One of the richest objects with which Phidias embellished the outside +of the temple of the Parthenon, was, without doubt, that uninterrupted +series of bas-reliefs which occupied the upper part of the walls +within the colonnade, at the height of the frieze of the Pronaos, and +which was continued entirely round the building. The situation +afforded to the work only a secondary light, and, so far, prescribed +to Phidias the manner in which he was to direct the execution of the +figures. + +"From the position intended for it, it was evident that the direct +rays of the sun could never reach the Panathenaic frieze. Being placed +immediately below the soffit, it received all its light from between +the columns, and by reflection from the pavement below. The flatness +of the sculpture is thus sufficiently accounted for; had the relief +been prominent, the upper parts could not have been seen; the shade +projected by the sculpture would have rendered it dark, and the parts +would have been reduced by their shadows. The frieze could only be +seen in an angle of forty-two degrees and a half. + +"The subject represented the sacred procession which was celebrated +every fifth year in honour of Minerva, the guardian goddess of the +city, and embraced in its composition all the external observances of +the highest festival of the Athenians. + +"The blocks of marble of which the frieze was composed were three feet +four inches high; they were placed about nine feet within the external +row of columns; and occupied, slab after slab, a space of five hundred +and twenty-four feet in length. As a connected subject, this was the +most extensive piece of sculpture ever made in Greece. The images of +the gods, deified heroes, basket bearers, bearers of libatory vessels, +trains of females, persons of every age and sex, men on horseback, +victims, charioteers--in short, the whole people were represented in +it conveying, in solemn pomp, to this very temple of the Parthenon, +the sacred veil which was to be suspended before the statue of the +goddess within. + +"Meursius, in his Panathenaea and Reliquiae Atticae, has collected +from ancient authors many particulars concerning this Peplus. It was +the work of young virgins selected from the best families in Athens, +over whom two of the principal, called Arrephorae, were +superintendents. On it was embroidered the battle of the gods and +giants; amongst the gods was Jupiter hurling his thunderbolts against +the rebellious crew, and Minerva, seated in her chariot, appeared as +the vanquisher of Typhon or Enceladus. In the Hecuba of Euripides, the +chorus of captive Trojan females are lamenting, in anticipation, the +evils which they will suffer in the land of the Greeks. 'In the city +of Pallas, of Athena, on the beautiful seat in the woven peplus I +shall yoke colts to a chariot, painting them in various different +coloured threads, or else the races of the Titans, whom Zeus, the son +of Kronos, puts to sleep in fiery all-surrounding flame.' The names of +those Athenians who had been eminent for military virtue, were also +embroidered on it. This will explain the following allusion in the +Knights of Aristophanes, where the chorus says--'We wish to praise our +fathers, because they were an honour to this country and worthy of the +_peplus_: in battles by land and in the ship-girt armament conquering +on all occasions they exalted this city.' When the festival was +celebrated, this peplus was brought from the Acropolis, where it had +been worked, down into the city; it was then displayed and suspended +as a sail to the ship, which on that day, attended by a numerous and +splendid procession, was conducted through the Ceramicus and other +principal parts, till it had made the circuit of the Acropolis; it was +then carried up to the Parthenon, and there consecrated to Minerva." +This splendid series of sculptures forms the gem of the Elgin +collection. The museum possesses no less than two hundred feet of the +original frieze, in addition to upwards of seventy feet in casts. The +wonderful variety, the perfect drawing, the classic grace, and the +unity of conception displayed in this work, entitle it to rank as the +most precious relic of antiquity saved to moderns from the wrecks of +time. Starting from the left side of the entrance door to the south, +the visitor begins his inspections of + +THE EASTERN FRIEZE, + +or those portions which decorated the eastern end of the Parthenon. +These are marked from 17 to 24. The introductory slab (17) represents +a procession of Greek virgins, with their long flowing draperies +beautifully modelled, as the visitor will at once perceive. Some are +carrying vessels for the libations. The next slab (18) has some +interesting figures. The four standing figures, which are to the left +of the two, supposed to represent Castor and Pollux, are supposed to +represent Hierophants explaining away mysteries, while the others are +students of the doctrines taught at the festival. The next slab, which +is the longest in the collection (19), is said to have been originally +placed above the eastern gate of the temple. Here are females +delivering offerings in baskets to one who appears to preside. On the +left, a man of dignified bearing is receiving a large roll from a +youth, which Visconti supposed to be the embroidered veil. Here seated +on a throne is Jupiter, with the arms supported by two sphinxes. Here, +too, is a goddess removing her veil, supposed by some to be Juno, and +by others Mercury. At the end of the slab the visitor will remark old +AEsculapius, and the figure of his daughter with a serpent twined +about her left arm, as Hygieia, or Health. The marble let into the +wall below the frieze, and marked 20, is a perfect cast from a marble +partly in that marked 21 and partly in that marked 22. Slabs 23, 24 +have continuations of the procession, consisting of females draped, +bearing vessels and torches. These women were selected from the +noblest families of Athens. The fragment marked 25 closes those which +adorn the eastern front. It represents a mutilated figure of one of +the Metoeci, or strangers, bearing a tray filled originally with +provisions. From the eastern the visitor should proceed to the slabs +of the + +NORTHERN FRIEZE. + +These are marked from 26 to 46. On the first of this series a youth +was originally represented receiving a crown of honour in a chariot +race. Then follow successively five slabs, all bearing bas-reliefs of +chariots and charioteers. These slabs are greatly admired by artists, +and are said, at the present day, to be perhaps the finest specimens +of bas-relief extant. After the chariots with more notable people +forming the procession, the successive marbles marked 32 to 43 are +filled up with the groups of horsemen who followed the chariots. The +forms of the animals are beautifully grouped and executed; and may, +after the many centuries of time that have elapsed since they were +placed behind the Parthenon columns, be consulted by the modern artist +as the finest extant models upon which he can exercise his student's +hand. On the slabs 36, 7, how finely are the horses and riders +grouped, and how firmly and gracefully is the rude figure upon the +central horse of the second slab posed! Having sufficiently admired +these fine groups, the visitor should at once turn to the slab marked +46. Here, a young man standing near his horse is about to crown +himself; while a standing figure to the right appears to have +dismounted, and to be suffering some adjustment of dress by a servant +behind him. At the right end of this slab is a figure seen sideways, +and representing the first part of the decoration of the + +WESTERN FRIEZE. + +Only one of the fifteen slabs of the western frieze is the original +marble:--the rest are casts from the frieze still adorning the ruins +of the temple. The western frieze is included in the slabs marked from +47 to 61. The marble in the possession of the museum from the western +frieze is, however, one of great value. It represents two mounted +horsemen--the whole exquisitely carved. Passing forward from this, the +forty-eighth slab (48) represents a horse to which three men are +attending. Mounted horsemen also fill up the next two slabs (49, 50). +On the fifty-first a rider is represented habited in full armour, with +another rider, dismounted, who appears to be rubbing a hurt on his +left leg. The two following slabs (52,3) are horses and men;--on the +latter, a dismounted man in a flowing robe endeavouring to curb a +rearing steed. On the next slab (54) are two horsemen mounted, the one +to the right wearing a hat that has a modern appearance, and is +similar to those worn by dignitaries of the Greek church at the +present time. A fine horse and graceful horseman occur in the right +corner of the slab 55,--the action of the horse is finely sculptured. +The remaining sculptures of the western frieze represent figures of +mounted and dismounted horsemen, of which the visitor may notice the +graceful figures on slab 57 (where the horse is rubbing his leg), and +slab 60, where the figure to the right appears to be only preparing to +join the procession. Having examined these, the visitor should at once +proceed to examine the remarkable points of the + +SOUTHERN FRIEZE. + +These are numbered from 62 to 90, and reach back to the northern side +of the entrance to the saloon. The slabs marked from 62 to 77 consist +of horsemen, galloping, often two or three abreast: some with helmets +and armour, and others nude; and the slabs marked from 78 to 82 have +sculptures of chariots drawn by four horses (mostly) abreast. These, +however, present no new points to which it is necessary to draw the +visitor's particular attention. The business of the festival, &c., +begins to be apparent in the seven last slabs (84-90). Here the +victims appear. In the first (85) a bull appears to be giving no +little trouble to some attendants, and to be utterly regardless of the +solemnity of the occasion. A bull, full of action, is the principal +object on the next slab (86): and on the next (87), one appears calmly +walking to his doom. Upon the return of the slab (90) is a figure +finely executed, supposed to be that of a magistrate surveying the +progress of the procession. The sacrificial oxen are said to be +masterly representations of the finest specimens of these animals. + +Having examined these bas-reliefs, the visitor should at once turn to +the groups which occupied central space in the saloon, and which +originally adorned the eastern and western pediments of the Parthenon. + +SCULPTURES FROM THE EASTERN PEDIMENT. + +These occupy the central space towards the southern end of the saloon. +The group on the eastern pediment originally represented the birth of +Minerva. The visitor will probably be first attracted to the great +recumbent figure marked 93, generally believed to have represented +Theseus, the Athenian hero, whose biography opens the series of +Plutarch's Lives. The figure is now much mutilated; the nose has been +chipped, and the feet are wanting, but still the form reclining on a +rock is majestic. Mr. Westmacott, in a lecture, gave his reasons for +believing that this statue was meant for Cephalus, of whom Aurora was +enamoured, and not Theseus. "This work [the pediment] it must be +observed, related to the most remarkable event in Athenian mythology, +and was confined only to that event. All the gods of Olympus were +present at the birth of Minerva. Now Theseus was not only not in +existence, but was patronised and protected by Minerva; it would seem, +therefore, extraordinary that he should be admitted as a witness of +her birth. If it is really Theseus, he could only have been introduced +by Phidias in compliment to the Athenians; but whether this could on +so very sacred an occasion have been allowed, may very reasonably be +doubted. Hercules, even the older, or Idaean Hercules, was, upon the +same principle, equally inadmissible, the Athenians acknowledging or +worshipping no Hercules prior to the son of Alcmene, who was +contemporaneous with Theseus, and consequently posterior also to +Minerva. Now the mythology of Cephalus is not only in unison with +Pausanias, but the admission of that person would in no degree affect +the harmony of the Attic types, or principles of Athenian worship. +Cephalus was as celebrated for heroic virtues as for his beauty." + +The fragment numbered 91 is part of a figure of Hyperion rising out of +the sea. It marked that angle of the pediment to the left of the +spectator, and the arms are stretched forward urging his coursers. +Near him are, alas, only the heads of two of his horses (92). The next +group that presents itself for notice is that of two sitting figures +(94), the one to the left leaning on the right shoulder of the other. +This is a wreck of a group that represented Ceres and her daughter +Proserpine on the pediment. Next in succession is a figure full of +action (95): this is Iris, the messenger of the gods, but the +particular property of Juno, on her way to carry to remote parts the +interesting intelligence of the birth of Minerva. A torso of Victory +is placed next in order of succession (96). The figure is now +wingless, but holes can be seen which once attached them to the +statue. Three Fates, beautifully draped (97), and a head of one of the +horses (98) of the chariot of Night which occupied the angle of the +pediment on the spectator's right, complete the recovered fragments of +the eastern pediment. + +Hence the visitor should turn to the fragments from the + +WESTERN PEDIMENT. + +The subject illustrated on the western pediment was the contest +between Minerva and Neptune for the honour of giving a name to Athens. +The relics of these sculptures will now engage the visitor's +attention. Undoubtedly the first object that will attract his notice +will be that numbered 99. This recumbent figure has a noble presence +even now, headless and otherwise mutilated as it is. Canova stood +undecided between this figure and that of Theseus (or Cephalus, +according to Mr. Westmacott) as to which was pre-eminently beautiful. +The figure before which the visitor now stands is generally received +as the statue of Ilissus, who was the Athenian god of the river +Ilissus, which watered the southern side of the Athenian plain. Others +have declared it to be Theseus reposing after his herculean labours, +and contemplating the contest between the two deities. Having fully +examined this fine sculpture, the visitor should turn to the fragments +of the Minerva. A small fragment of the upper part of a face (101) is +all that remains of Minerva's head, the holes being still visible by +which the goddess's bronze helmet was fastened to the statue. +Hereabouts, also, is a fragment of the statue (102), and a coil of the +serpent that was about the figure (104). The torso marked 100, from +the western pediment, is conjectured to be part of a statue that +represented Cecrops, the founder of Athens, at the contest. The next +fragment is the torso of Neptune (103); and hereabouts is the cast of +the group supposed to have originally represented Hercules and Hebe. +The second object, marked 104, is the cast, presented by M. Charles +Lenormand, of a head in the Bibliotheque Nationale at Paris, supposed +to belong to one of the statues of the western pediment. A torso of a +wingless or Athenian Victory is the next object that demands notice +(105): the figure was represented without wings, in token of the +inseparability of the goddess from the Greek capital. Another object +is marked 105: this is the head of the Victory; or rather a cast from +the original head presented to the trustees by Count de Laborde. +Lastly, of the western pediment sculptures, the visitor will remark +the lap of a figure, with a portion of an infant remaining: this ruin +is all that is left of Latona and her two children, Diana and Apollo. +Having fully examined these ruins of the Parthenon, the visitor must +direct his immediate attention to the remains collected from the ruins +of the celebrated + +DOUBLE TEMPLE OF THE ERECTHEUM AND PANDROSUS. + +The temple of the Erectheum was situated at Athens, less than two +hundred feet distant from the Parthenon. It was the temple of Athene +Polias, or Minerva and Erectheus; and adjoining it was the chapel of +Pandrosus. Philocles of Acharnae was the architect of the building, +which Lord Aberdeen, reiterating the opinion of many great +authorities, in his "Inquiry into the Principles of Beauty in Grecian +Architecture," styles the most perfect known specimen of the Ionic +order of architecture. It was built on the spot where Neptune and +Minerva are supposed to have contested the honour of naming Athens. +When Lord Elgin visited Athens, the vestibule of the temple was a +Turkish powder magazine. + +Before examining the few relics from this fine building in the saloon, +the visitor should notice the second object, marked 106, which is the +cast of a head found during the progress of excavations at Athens, +between the ancient gate of the Peloponnesus and the temple of +Theseus. Having passed from this relic, the visitor will at once +examine the architectural relics of different parts of the Erectheum, +which are more interesting to the architectural student than to the +general visitor. The fragment 109 is the lower portion of a draped +female statue; the relic marked 110 is part of the shaft of an Ionic +column; the capital of a column, 125, is very beautiful: but the +object that will be most attractive to the general visitor is the +statue marked 128, known in architecture as a Caryatid, which was used +in the temple of Pandrosus instead of columns. Hereabouts also, amid +the miscellaneous fragments, the visitor should notice a colossal +headless and heavily-draped figure, marked 111. This is the wreck of +the great statue of Bacchus which surmounted a monument erected three +hundred and twenty years before the Christian era, by Thrasyllus of +Deceleia, to record the victory of a tribe at a great festival of +Bacchus. This statue has been variously christened. Some believe it to +be the fragment of a Niobe; others of a Diana. It is generally allowed +to be a noble sample of Greek sculpture. Hereabouts, also, is the +well-known imperfect statue of Icarus (113), brought in fragments from +the Acropolis. The urn marked 122 is a sepulchral vessel, with figures +in bas-relief; 123 is a sepulchral column, with an Athenian name upon +it; and then the visitor will pass rapidly the fragments of Doric and +Ionic columns from various Greek temples. With the casts beginning +from 136, the visitor will start with his examination of the fragments +from the + +TEMPLE OF THESEUS. + +When the ashes of Theseus, long after his death, were conveyed in +state to Athens, festivals were instituted in his honour; and a +magnificent temple was erected to his memory nearly five centuries +before our era. The sculptures of the temple represented the exploits +of Theseus, and of Hercules, with whom Theseus was always on terms of +great friendship, and to whom he gave the highest honours his country +could afford. The subject of the frieze (which the visitor will find +against the eastern wall of the saloon, numbered from 136 to 149), has +been variously explained, but is shrewdly conjectured to be the Battle +of the Giants, in which Hercules played a prominent part, and in which +the giants are said to have hurled rocks at their adversaries, like +pebbles. This battle was fought in the presence of divinities, who are +represented seated upon slabs (137-8-133-4.) This frieze was on the +most conspicuous part of the temple. The frieze that flanked the +building was sculptured with the exploits of Theseus; and here the +visitor will once more see the battle of the Centaurs and the Lapithae +illustrated (150-154). The Centaurs hurling huge stones, and wielding +the stems of trees; and the invulnerable Coeneus, half crushed by his +savage enemies, are again represented. The casts of three metopes +(155-157) are from the north side of the temple of Theseus. Upon the +first the hero is represented destroying the King of Thebes, Creon; +upon the second he is throwing Cercyon, King of Eleusis; and upon the +third he is overcoming the Crommyonian sow. "About this time," +Plutarch tells us, "Crommyon was infested with a wild sow named Phoeae, +a fierce and formidable creature. This savage he attacked and killed, +going out of his way to engage her, and thus displaying an act of +voluntary valour: for he believed it equally became a brave man to +stand upon his defence against abandoned ruffians, and to seek out and +begin the combat with strong and savage animals. But some say that +Phoeae was an abandoned female robber, who dwelt in Crommyon; that she +had the name of 'sow' from her life and manners, and was afterwards +slain by Theseus." + +A series of bas-reliefs from an Ionic temple, dedicated to the +Wingless Victory of Athens, are the next objects that command the +general visitor's attention. They are numbered from 158 to 161 +successively. Upon these are represented battles between the Greeks +and Persians; and maidens leading a sacrificial bull. The fragments +marked successively from 165 to 175 are remarkable for the Greek +inscriptions on them, which cannot interest the general visitor. Let +the visitor, therefore, next pause before the fragment of a frieze in +green stone, marked 177, which is from the tomb of Agamemnon at +Mycenae. The sculptured scroll-work is of very remote antiquity. The +next fragment is a bas-relief, on which a bearded man is represented, +pressing a child towards him, and directing its attention to a votive +foot which he holds in his hand. Passing from this, the visitor may +next direct his attention to the fragment of a colossal statue +numbered 178. It belongs to one of the pediments of the Parthenon. +Hereabouts are various sepulchral urns and columns of no particular +interest to the casual observer;--the circular altar from Delos, +ornamented in relief with sacrificial bulls and other subjects. 179 +may, however, be noticed, together with the column marked 183, which +bears the name of Socrates, son of Socrates, a native of Ancyra, of +Galatia. The object marked 186 is a Greek sun-dial found at Athens, of +a time not long before the reign of the Emperor Severus. Passing other +altars and fragments of columns, the visitor should pause on his way, +to notice a bas-relief upon which Latona and Diana are sculptured, +forming part of a procession (190). The bas-relief numbered 193 is +from the theatre of Bacchus: it is a Bacchanalian group, in which +Bacchus is holding forth a vessel to be filled by an attending +Bacchante. The next object to be noticed is marked 194, and is a +fragment of a head of the goddess Pasht, surmounted with a crown of +serpents. A spirited scene occurs upon bas-relief 197, where a +charioteer, heralded by a flying Victory, is represented driving four +horses at full speed. A series of urns and votive altars are grouped +hereabouts, which the casual visitor may pass, pausing before the +small statue of Ganymede (207); a fragment of a boy supporting a bird +on his arm (221); a small figure of Telesphorus, headless, and draped; +more sepulchral urns and steles; capitals of Corinthian and Ionic +columns; various inscriptions, including a decree of a society of +musicians (235); an amphora (238); a female head; a large and small +head of a bearded Hercules (243-242); heads and fragments of heads; +the base of a statue supposed to have been that of the Minerva of the +western pediment of the Parthenon; urns and columns, and stales and +inscriptions; a bas-relief showing Health, the daughter of +AEsculapius, feeding a serpent; two more bas-reliefs; an inventory of +the articles of gold and silver belonging to the Parthenon (282); +steles, inscriptions, and columns; fragments of colossal statues, a +small statue (headless) of a Muse, 316; fragments of figures from the +metopes of the Parthenon; a sculptured oblong vessel, found near the +plain of Troy, for containing holy water (324); a mutilated colossal +head supposed to represent Nemesis, found in the temple of Nemesis, at +Rhamnus (325); a mutilated female statue found also at Rhamnus, in the +temple of Themis; fragments of colossal statues, steles, inscriptions, +and altars. And hereabouts the visitor should pause once more to +examine a consecutive series of sculptures. These are marked from 352 +to 360. They are casts from the monument of Lysicrates, erected to +celebrate a musical contest about three centuries and a half before +our era. This monument is commonly known as the + +LANTERN OF DEMOSTHENES. + +This name is derived from a story long current, that the monument was +built by Demosthenes as a place of retirement. It was in reality a +monument erected in honour of Lysicrates, and the musicians or actors +who carried off the palm in musical or dramatic entertainments. This +monument is interesting as being the oldest existing specimen of the +Corinthian order of architecture. The frieze, of which there are +specimens before the visitor, represents the story of the revenge +Bacchus indulged in towards some Tyrrhenian corsairs, who endeavoured +to convey him to Asia to sell him as a slave. It is related that +discovering their infamous project, he transformed the masts and oars +of the vessel into snakes. The frieze is divided into nine +compartments, and the central figure is Bacchus seated with his +panther before him, a vessel in his hand, and attendant fauns. The +fantastic punishment of the pirates is forcibly depicted. Here one +bound to a rock finds the cord changed into a powerful serpent; there +men leaping into the sea are already half changed to dolphins; and +others are receiving severe castigation. Having examined these curious +sculptures, the visitor may rapidly review the rest of the relics +which he will care to examine. Passing the inscriptions (all +interesting to the antiquarian), the votive altars, and other +fragments, he may halt here and there before various interesting +bas-reliefs. Among these are a bas-relief representing Vesta and +Minerva crowning a young man (375); a bas-relief of Jupiter and Juno; +a bas-relief representing a sacrifice before an altar (380); an +imperfect bas-relief representing three goddesses (383); a lion's head +from the roof of the Parthenon (393); a fragment from Mantell's +collection, of a female figure found on the plains of Marathon (397); +the upper part of a female figure, in bas-relief, from Athens (419); +two women and a child making offerings found in Laconia (430); another +bas-relief from Laconia (431); a curious subject in bas-relief from +Athens, representing the upper part of a youth holding something, +supposed to be a lantern, with a boy near him, and a cat on a column +(432); a cast from a tablet representing in bas-relief Pan seated on a +rock with a draped nymph, supposed to be Echo, before him (433); a +cast of the tablet of Euthydia, daughter of Diogenes, who is taking +leave of friends (435); and lastly, a bas-relief representing the +shape of a shield, on which the names of the _ephebi_ of Athens, under +Alcamenes, are inscribed. This is said to have belonged originally to +the Parthenon. And here the visitor will close his inspection of the +Elgin Saloon. That he will return to these fine relics of the old +Greeks, if he have the opportunity, is certain. He may come again and +again, and each time gain something in the contemplation of these +classical models; noble thoughts before the masterly figure of +Theseus, a keen sense of beauty near the beautiful forms of the +Parthenon frieze. Of all the glorious monuments of antiquity that have +reached us of the proud nineteenth century, none have so noble a +significance as the broken marbles collected in this room. The +contemplative man, seeing their perfect beauties, asks himself in +their presence many puzzling questions. But perhaps the first that +rises in the mind is wonder at the contrast between the development of +art and the poorness of science in this splendid antiquity. No steam +then to wield the hammer; only the most limited knowledge of the +earth: the west an indescribable region of harmony and glory; the +world a flat surface; fearful mariners hugging the shore close at +home, and trusting to the stars; and England a savage place where +wolves rent the air at night; and a heathen mythology the faith of the +most civilised people of the earth. Under these barbarous +circumstances, the poetry that dwells in the heart of all people who +cultivate some affinity to nature, fashioned the mould of a Phidias +for the people of Athens. A man with a stern soul, an eye large and +grand, a frame built to realise the soul's tasks--we see this Phidias +of the Greeks as he hovered about the foundations of the Parthenon, +when the name of Pericles was every Greek's watchword, four centuries +and a half before our Christian era. The man appears to have been of +colossal parts in every way. Versed in history, a poet given to study +fables (as all poets are), keen in sifting the subtleties of geometry, +a passionate reader of Homer; this was indeed the sculptor of the +gods! Of the high estimation in which the sculptures of the Parthenon +should be held, it is superfluous to say more than all writers on art +have agreed in saying. Here we have master-pieces, beyond which the +sculptors of the many ages that have passed away since Phidias +laboured at his Jupiter in the Olympian grove have never reached. High +praise this to say of a man who has been twenty-two centuries in his +grave, that he accomplished in the utmost perfection those ideals to +which his imitators have vainly aspired. It appears that Phidias had +his troubles, knew the force of a frown from men in power, and in +exile produced his master-piece. Whether he died in disgrace and by +foul means are points upon which the dust of ages has settled for +ever. We know thus much of him and no more. But the visitor who has +probably been more impressed with the contents of the Elgin Saloon +than with the massive coarseness of the Egyptian antiquities, will be +glad to hear a few general words--an authoritative summing up of the +matter from a pen more clearly authorised to touch the subject than +ours can be. A brief summary, a terse description, analytical and +picturesque, of a field of speculation or a region of wonder, +systematises the spectator's impression, and with the view of +fastening the proper contemplation of these master-pieces upon the +visitor's mind, we quote a few pointed sentences on the sculptures of +the Elgin Saloon, from the pen of Sir Henry Ellis. + +"These marbles, chiefly ornamental, belong to one edifice dedicated to +the guardian deity of the city, raised at the time of the greatest +political power of the state, when all the arts which contribute to +humanise life were developing their beneficial influence. Many of the +writers of Athens, whose works are the daily textbooks of our schools, +saw in their original perfection the mutilated marbles which we still +cherish and admire. The Elgin collection has presented us with the +external and material forms, in which the art of Phidias gave life and +reality to the beautiful mythi which veiled the origin of his native +city, and perpetuated in groups of matchless simplicity the ceremonies +of the great national festival. The lover of beauty and the friend of +Grecian learning will here find a living comment on what he reads; and +as in the best and severest models of antiquity we always discover +something new to admire, so here we find fresh beauties at every +visit, and learn how infinite in variety are simplicity and truth, and +how every deviation from these principles produces sameness and +satiety. It is but just that those who feel the value of this +collection should pay a tribute of thanks to the nobleman to whose +exertions the nation is indebted for it; and the more so as he was +made the object of vulgar abuse by many pretended admirers of ancient +learning. If Lord Elgin had not removed these marbles, there is no +doubt that many of them would long since have been totally destroyed; +and it was only after great hesitation, and a certain knowledge that +they were daily suffering more and more from brutal ignorance and +barbarism, that he could prevail on himself to employ the power he had +obtained to remove them to England. These marbles may be considered in +two ways; first, as mere specimens of sculpture; and secondly, as +forming part of the history of a people. As specimens of sculpture +they serve as excellent studies to young artists, whose taste is +formed and chastened by the simplicity and truth of the models +presented to them. The advantage of studying the ancients in this +department of art rests pretty nearly on the same grounds as those +which may be given for our study of their written models. Modern times +produce excellence in every department of human industry, and our +knowledge of nature, the result of continued accumulations, needs not +now the limited experience of former ages. The sciences founded on +demonstration, though they may trace their origin to the writings of +the Greeks, have advanced to a state in which nothing would be gained +by constantly recurring to the ancient condition of knowledge. But it +is not so with those arts which belong to the province of design; they +require a different discipline, and the faculties which they employ +may have received a more complete development two thousand years ago, +under favourable circumstances, than they have now. Their perfection +depends on circumstances over which we have little control: they +cannot, in our opinion, ever become essentially popular in any country +but one where the climate favours an out-of-door life, and where they +are intimately blended in the service of religion. If then a nation +has existed whose physical organisation, whose climate, and whose +religion all combined to develop the principles of beauty, and taught +man to choose from nature those forms and combinations which give the +highest and most lasting pleasure, we of the present day who do not +possess these advantages must follow those who were the first true +interpreters of nature. Their models possess the advantage of being +fixed; for without some standard universally admitted, we should run +into all the extravagances of conceit and affectation. + +"No work of the present time is ever universally admitted as an +indisputable standard. It is only when time has placed an interval +between the present and the past, wide enough to destroy all the +rivalries of competition; that great works receive the full +acknowledgments of their merits, and become standards to which we all +appeal. Thus in the art of writing our own language, we refer to the +best models of past instead of to the works of our own days; and our +youth at school are chiefly trained on the written models of Greece +and Home, instead of those of our own country. The advantage of this +consists in having before us examples which all appeal to, not because +we contend that they are in all respects the best, but because they +were the best of their day, and being written in a language no longer +subject to change, may be taken as an universal standard by which all +civilised nations may measure their thoughts and the mode of +expressing them. The frieze of the Parthenon and the dramas of +Sophocles, the forms of the marble and the conceptions of the great +poet, still speak to our imagination and our understanding: we +recognise, in both, the beauty of proportion, the simplicity and truth +of design; and we all assent to a standard which we feel to be in +harmony with nature, and to which all nations will yield a more ready +obedience than to any other that we can name. + +"Though the artist and the student may examine the sculptures of the +Parthenon with somewhat different views, their studies are more nearly +allied than is generally supposed. The artist who looks at them merely +as delineations of form, without reference to the ideas which gave +them their existence, loses half the pleasure and the profit; and the +student who merely names and catalogues them, without connecting them +with the written monuments of Grecian genius, that is with the +illustration of ancient texts, is also pursuing a barren study." + +And now the visitor's way lies through the sculpture galleries, back +to the grand entrance. He has accomplished the labour of examining all +that is exhibited to the public generally of the contents of the +national museum. He may wander into the eastern wing of the building +(if it be open to the general visitor), and through the northern, +where the vast library of printed books and manuscripts are deposited; +but these are only accessible to the public under special regulations. +This remark is applicable also to the print-room. + +The visitor, however, cannot leave the British Museum, having wandered +over it and examined its various curiosities, without getting +something from his journey. It is full of suggestive matter, which, +with a little direction, may be turned to useful account by large +classes of the people. It affords glimpses into the mysteries of the +Animal Kingdom, with all its varieties, its wonders, its traceable +progresses, its past and extinct forms, its promises of future +developments. Then the mineralogical galleries afford the general +visitor a peep at the formations of the earth; the various +developments of minerals; the natural state of ores and stones which +most men see only in their manufactured state. From the mineralogical +tables the visitor stepped aside to examine the wondrous revelations +of extinct animal life recovered from the bowels of the earth; he saw +the colossal megatherium, the towering mastodon, and the great Irish +elk. He understood something of the progress of animal life, from the +fishes and the saurians. Then he passed into the Egyptian room, and +found himself surrounded with the preserved bodies of the ancient +Egyptians; he examined their household gods; he pried into their +coffins; he saw their food; he was familiarised with their apparel. +Still proceeding onward, he came to the beautiful bronzes; and then he +saw the wonders that the ancient tombs of Etruria disgorged. He still +advanced in the galleries, till he came to a room that was a little +museum in itself--an exhibition of the curious industries of many +different countries. Here were Buddhist temples; Chinese chopsticks; +marvels from savage islands; a tortoise-shell bonnet; a Chinese +bell;--in short, a room packed from the ceiling to the floor with a +compact mass of curiosities. And then he left the upper floor of the +building, after having spent two days there, through two towering +cameleopards. He came a third time, and at once passing many things +that tempted him by the way, he passed on into the great and wonderful +Egyptian Saloon. Here he lingered for hours over ancient Egyptian +tombstones; before colossal sarcophagi; thinking of the tough work +Belzoni must have had of it with the young Memnon; endeavouring to +realise the approach to the ancient Egyptian temples through rows of +colossal and majestic sphinxes. Next he passed on to the ruins of +Nineveh, and its mystic mounds. Here he was with Layard for a time, +dreaming of the ancient Assyrians and their winged bulls. Hence he +passed into the Lycian room, and saw something of the strange remains +of the Xanthus of old; and then, probably, he went home to dream of +these great marvels of the times gone by. But he came again; and this +time hovered throughout the day amid the ruins of the arts of ancient +Greece. And now he has examined these; and he may leave the national +museum, assured that he has some useful knowledge of the curiosities +which scientific men have gathered from the remote parts of the world, +for the benefit of the learned resident in England. + +The tens of thousands who flock to the museum in holiday times prove +its attractions; and it is with the hope that these attractions may be +enhanced by the help of a methodical and homely guide, chattering to +the visitor various bits and scraps of pertinent information as he +passes from one object to another, that these four visits have been +presented to the public. They do not pretend to be scientific books, +but simply companions of the hour, that urge little points of +information while the mind is particularly impressible; and showing +the kind of interest that attaches to objects which, for the want of a +timely word, the visitor would have passed unnoticed. + +Many objects which are curiosities to the scientific man, but which +could not in any way interest the casual visitor, have been passed by +without hesitation. + +Our main object has been to give the visitor clear impressions of the +different departments or classes into which the national collection +naturally divides itself, by guiding his eye consecutively to those +objects which bear relation to each other. It was necessary, to make +ourselves attractive as guides, to eschew all learned and stiff +formalities; to class matters easily as we found them; and to sustain +the visitor's interest throughout his four journeys. The monotony of a +formal catalogue is repulsive to visitors chiefly bent upon enjoying a +few hours amusement; therefore we chose to direct the eye to objects, +and at once to interest the visitor in them, by shortly explaining +their points of interest. The success which this endeavour met +elsewhere has encouraged us to perform the present task; and we hope +shortly to be at the elbow of visitors to other interesting buildings +and exhibitions. + +The popularity of the British Museum may be shown by quoting the last +return of the number of visitors, &c., presented to the House of +Commons. This return proves that, while the public interest in the +collection is on the increase, that the guardians of the different +departments look out eagerly for new curiosities:--"The number of +readers--or rather of visits made by readers, in 1850, was +78,533:--or, an average of some 268 per diem:--the Reading Rooms +having been kept open 291 days. The number of books returned to the +shelves of the General Library from the Reading Rooms was 119,093; to +those of the Royal Library, 11,252; to those of the Grenville Library, +387: to the closets in which the books are kept from day to day for +the use of the readers, 110,950:--making a total of 241,682, or 830 +per diem. The number of volumes added to the Library amounts to 16,208 +(including music, maps, and newspapers); of which 837 were presented, +11,793 purchased, and 3575 received by copyright. The Keeper of the +MSS. has been busy cleaning, cataloguing, and stamping. Eleven of the +valuable Cottonian MSS. on vellum (including the Chronicle of Roger de +Wendover, supposed to have been utterly destroyed), and two Old Royal +as well as five Cottonian on paper, all injured in the fire of 1731, +have been carefully repaired, inlaid, and rebound. The purchases +include a Psalter of the tenth century, formerly belonging to the +monastery of Stavelot, in the diocese of Liege,--'a remarkably fine +Greek MS.' containing the works ascribed to Dionysius the +Areopagite,--and the Homilies of Gregory of Nazianzum, 'with scholia +written in the year 6480 (A.D. 972);'--together with nineteen +additional volumes of a series of transcripts from the Archives at the +Hague, of documents relating to English history, extending from 1588 +to 1614 and from 1689 to 1702.--In the 'Department of Natural +History,' we find that great progress has been made in the arrangement +of the contents of Room No. VI.,--its wall cases having been entirely +filled with the gigantic Osseous Remains of Edentata and Pachydermata, +and that the Central Room of the Northern Zoological Gallery has been +devoted to a collection of the Beasts, Birds, Fish, Reptiles, Shells, +Sea Eggs, Starfish, and Corals found in the British Islands. The +purchases include 'a silver decadrachm of Alexander the Great,' from +the collection of Colonel Rawlinson,--the first ever discovered,--'and +two very rare British _gold_ coins, having on them the name TIN.'" + +THE END. + + + + +NOTES + + +[1: Undoubtedly the finest coral is dredged from the Mediterranean; it +is an important article of commerce at Marseilles.] + +[2: "The shrikes, or butcher-birds (_laniadae_), are a numerous and +widely-diffused assemblage, living upon the smaller birds and insects; +the former of which the shrike sticks, when killed, upon thorns, as a +butcher hangs up meat in his stall; hence the name of the +genus."--_Vestiges of Creation_.] + +[3: Vestiges of Creation.] + +[4: These birds build in the crevices of precipitous rocks, and tho +female lines the nest with the down plucked from her breast. From +these nests natives rob the down and sell it.] + +[5: Vestiges of Creation.] + +[6: "Oxides are neutral compounds, containing oxygen in equivalent +proportions."--_Dr. Ure_.] + +[7: Sesquicarbonate of soda that is found in the west of the Delta. In +Mexico there are several natron lakes.] + +[8: The cuneiform character, which was used in every part of Asia +Minor, up to the time of Alexander the Great, consists of a series of +wedges or accents variously combined, as, [Cuneiform: *** **]]. + +[9: A Metope may be described as the intermediate space in a Doric +frieze, between two triglyphs, or separating grooves.] + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOW TO SEE THE BRITISH MUSEUM IN +FOUR VISITS*** + + +******* This file should be named 13755.txt or 13755.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/7/5/13755 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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