The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1809-04-12
IaTTER THIRD.
Romc, FEB. |, 1905.

Ronc, Feb. |, 1905.
DEAR SIR,
THE day Before left Naples the keeper of the
Museum at Torci arrived, and gave me cnportu
nifty Of seeing that very interesting and valuable col
lection of antiquities Here to be seen The Objects
of curiosity, discovered in Ncrculancum and in Pom
peia The inspection OF these articles gives more
real light, respecting the state both of the fine and
useful in Italy the time vt the Christian rra
than can be acquired by the most digent study Of
al the ancient books, which have escaped the rava-
gts of time and ignorance. Ii would nc an endless
tas! to describe all even the greater part OF these
Interesting objects shall therefore make few re-
marks upon such things only, rs particularly drew my
attention
Under die corridor of the Museum are two fine
equestrian statues, executed in marble They arc
said TO represent the two Balbuses, the father and
son. and are inicriour to statues OF the same ma
ture, except The celebrated one OF Marcus Aurelus.
They are the valuable, as no other equestrian
statues in marble have ever been discovered. They
were found near two pedcstals in front of the thea
ire of Herculane,.n, and no doubt served orna-
ment to that magnificent edificc. One circumstance
is truly astonishing they were dug out of solid
mass Of lava, much harder than marble, and yet they
escaped uninjured great variety of other statues
and busts both in marble and bronze, were also found
in this city; but there are none, which particularly
deserve attention or at least none, which arc supc-
rour TO The statues found in other parts OF Italy
One Of the mos; interesting classes ofobiects which
the discovery of this city has afforded and of which
we could have formed no Opinion without this 'ortu-
nate discovery, are the paintings upon the walls OF
their houses, and which, with infinite labour and eX
pcnsc have been cut out and transported TO Portci,
where they are secured under glass cases. They
would undoubtedly have appeared 10 more atlyan-
tagc if they could have been suffered to remain in
the places in which they found. and where two
Thousand years Of uninterrupted quiet seemed TO give
them at least prescriptivc and possessory title.
But it feared, and perhaps with propriey, that
although they had been perfectly preserved 50 long
IS the external air wholly excluded, yet that they
would fade and perish, when exposed to its
effects.
The nferences drawn from them by conno.sscurs
aud antquaries, with regard to the degree of pcrec-
ton. winch the ancients had attained in the art OF
painting, have you know been very various. Some
Lave conended, that they prove the ancicns 10 have
been almost wholly ignorant OF perspective, and
trcmely nferiour 10 the moderns in their knowledge
and use of colours. Others, among whom YOU will
find DR.. Moore, allese, that such intererces
trcmcly unfair IS much 50, as il would be To take
the specimen of house and sign painting among Us,
as fair eyklaplcs of our progress in the art. They
further, that wc ought rather to conclude that IL
RE infslour painters, who were employed ouly in
painting ia tcsco fer the ornament of their houses
had made such high attanmcnts, .ppclcs and Zeuxs
mrst have exceeded any Of our artists and they have
added, that, rs Init the superiority Of TIC an.
ccnts in statuary and architecture, it Is absurd 10
uurpcsc that they had made little progress in tllor
s:sscr art. Permit nc 20 add TO these ar,,umen's.
ihat both lleronlaneum and rompeia were very ns..-
t.oir si.:cs, n rru, l&h crwca,ti and population,