The Sun.
London, England, 1815-04-12 00:00:00

SCULPTURE.

During the last week Models by several Artists
for the-Monument of General Ross, voted by Par-
liament, have been exhibited in the British Gal-
lery. We are not aware of the reason, but we
axat sure of the fact, that England does not sustain
her reputation for eminence in the arts by her
Monumental Records. The subjects are glorious :
imagination has little to do, and even common
genius might gather renown from any congenial
Memorial of the Heroes, in remembrance of
whose deeds and deaths these trophies are raised
by a lamenting anti grateful .country. Yet they
generally fall very far short of excellence : there is
an eternal sameness of trite allegory in thern,-4,
allegnry which is utterly inconsistent with true
feeling, and is a mockery of the sentiment in
which these melancholy designs, are supposed to
originate. One customary course is invariably
pursued, and taste has not yet exploOed blubber-
in., cherubs, or equally absurd heathen divinities,
and' non-descript personifications, mingled with
very instructive Christian parables, and accurate
repreSentations of modern circumstances. These
things are of the very essence of the anti-soblime;
yet the. persons who have afforded such numerous
specimens of their abilities in this species of com-
position, are again and again selected to repeat
their abortions of beauty, till their hands are so
full of business, that the memory of a great Man
may perish before they 'have time to erect his
toinh-stone.

The models just exhibited, with very. few ex-
ceptions, would justify censures fh.r more severe
than any contained in these general remarks. Se-
veral of them are indeed odd .clmbinations of
vulgarity, and the greater number, meagre and
unimpressive. Having, ou s cursory exumina-

tion, ascertained these -unsatisfactory truths, we
shall only notice foitr of the subjects, which have
left a trace upon our re-collection. Mr. ILWEsT-
mAcoTT has two Heralds introdUcing Ross to
Glory, who stands to receive him at the porch of
her Temple. There.is something of antique chi-
v;-ilry in this design,:which is not displeasing, and
a work of the kind might have a novel effect
among our National Monuments. Mr. Ty RNE-
RELIA has a well-gronped and spirited Model of
General Ross dying in the supporting Arms of
three-Soldiers :—the cast is filled up with a broken
cannon. This work certainly afforded us
derable pleasure. It seemed not only a piece of
which the conception was masterly, but of a cha-:
racier which would at the same time have trans-
mitted to posterity the memory of the Conqueror
of Washington, and also, which we think very
desirable, the costume and form -of the age in
which he flourished. Mr. KENDRICK, who, we
believe, is the successful Candidate, is altogether
allegorical :---Valour lays an American Flag on
the Tomb of the departed Warrior, on which Bri-
tannia is recumbent in tears, while Fame is de-
scending with the laurel to crown his bust. The
figure of • Valour is very bold and well executed,
and there is also some sweetness, in Britannia,
though neither-of the female figures are so happy
as the other. The last which we shall specify is •
by Mr. CIIAUNTREY, and we are sorry to observe
that it is not so good as might have been expect--
ed from hint. It is a common-place representa-
tion of the whole story of the lamented event
which rendered this Monument necessary, and the
Antetican Riflemen,, stuck up in trees, like Jacks
o' the Green, really give a ludicrous turn to the
most melancholy and afflicting catastrophe.