The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-09-07

The following extract from an unpnh
lislrd journal uf u Tour IN Greece, will,
W. are snre, be acceptable 10 very largo
portion OF our readers,
ION Wednesday, the I'd Of June. 1913,
our party, consisting of fOug set out from
the huuse OF the Archon I.ogoihetti, rich
Greek merchant nj Inbadea, whose kind
ness and hospitality To English travellers
is well known. Oar object was to explore
the ruins of thprona, in B1ota.-Numcr
ous pieces Of sculptnred ornaments col
leetcd together al Il fnuntain, the remains
of u theatre, Hc. We had passed the even
ing before, promising much subject for
study aud we encouraged hope that
the spade aud little exertion would re-
ward rs With some antique specimen OF
art. In two hours, we crossed til. hills,
par J., by an ancient paved road, and arri,-
ed at the edge Of plain, within u q,ialter
Of u mile Of CbSronea, aud Ia sight Of TIN,
fountain and theatre. Here We halted To
examine u piece Of white marble that lay
by the road side, portion on!y ~ which
VII. I" ne seen, the greater part being, 40
". Afterwards discovered, buried ouder
the earth, which rose like IA, tumulns,
or gave the idea ola plalinrm, or base Of y
temple. Whilst our frientd ----~-- refer
red to the extracts and notes provided 10
direct our pursuits, the eagsrness of--->-
had encouraged our atl.ndanis To remove
the soil, WHEN the object of our resedrah
was found To be u collossal lions head, Df
bold aud beautiful workmanship. From
the nose To Tho top of the head Il measure
I'D four feet six inches land from the (ore-
head, where broken of just above the
shoulders, five feet nine inches part
! 4 4 4.
distance, two feet three Inches IN diameter.
together with the other parts Of tho
statue. Arranging these masses, we deci-
DEED that this attitude had resembled the
on. placed on the summit of Northum
bertrand House. The earth removed con
tanned pieces of stone and cement that
had formed part Of the foundation or pc
d.slal on which il had been placed. n0l-
land, in this very accurate and interesting
tour, describes the plain Of { hgr0nea, and
alludes 10 The victory obtained there $50
years before Christ, by Philip, over the
combined armies of Athrnlans s. Thebaus,
by which he gained dominion over Greece.
And this author further observes, that
uothing is her. To be seen Of the Theban
Lion OF Ch@ronea but II POSSIBLY buri-
ed under ground, and may yet reward tho
search of somr future traveller
Satisfied that this was tho tomb OF the
sacred band of three hundred Thebans,
who ill then never had been conquered,
We began Ia consider the best means of
removing the lion Of our own museum,
where ii might serve to assist the studies
Of the sculptor, AS we'll IA afford much
pleasure 10 the scholar, II being evidently
the very statue described by Pausanias,
CHIP XII. of his 9th Book
Near this city Charonea is n com.
mon scpulclre of those Th.bans that fell
in the engagement against Philip. Thera
is no inscription on the tomb, but n lion
stands ou il, which he supposed to signify
| the great vehemepce OF these mrn IN
fight. But IL appears To me that there is
no inscription on tho sepulchre, because
The Damon did not permit the consequence
of their courage TO be such as might be CT.
prcted."
Calculating that the head of tl,,s statue
alone weighed upwards of three. tons, l. 10
ing several miles from the IN shore, wa
gave up MI idea of renov i.ng the whole !;
80 carefully buried tie masses, and left
them I'LL other meaHs than those we were
posscssed OF could be adopted; and in-
obliged ~ The iiop, >, that on our arrival ia
England, a s'lb ,crp,ion might BE- set ON
hot Tor 'hr lnrposc Of importing lllis vast
stature To oar shores, where IL would serve
to rcrnln'l US how the Greeks commema
rated their glorious achievements, and
possibly incline our COMMITTEES of taste ia
P|y the same or greater tribute ~ the
,nDemory Of those bands Of heroes who ia
like manner have fallen in defeoce of the
honor aud liberty OF this country"