The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1825-12-29


vation of the dome, the square instead
circular form of the west front of the centr'
the height Of the colonadc, ranging with Ii
library, ssc.-yet, as whole. it is a beaut
tul specimen Of architecture, and will r,
celye, l doubt not, the appreciation of
who may see 1t. The eastern portico, whic
| is now nearly finished, adds much to tt
grandeur and magnihcence Of the buildin,
1t consists Of twenty -four solid columns
sandstone of the Corinthian order. sur
mounted by a fine triangular pediment, tn
(tYnpanum Of which is to be ornamente
with three colossal figures, renresentin.
AmERIcA sdrecting Hohe to JHssseeS-a sls
sign,T fear, somewhat too bold and common
place for so large an area. The models O
these figures are now nearly finished, and
from what have seen of them, they will,
when executed on stone. reflect great honor
on the. skill of the artist, Mr.. Persico.
These, and the ground staircase in front Of
the portico, are nearly all that are wanting
to complete this noble edifce, destined, /
trust, to be, for ages yet to come, the proud
seat of American Legislation.
| In the grand rotunda, in the centre, three
of the pannels over each of the principal
entrances,have been ornamented within the
last year. with groups of figures represent
ing some events connected with the early
settlement of our country. Two of these
have been executed by Mr.. Causici, with a
rapidity and talent that have excited the ad-
mpation of all who have seen them. The
one over the eastern entrance is intended to
commemorate the landing of the pilgrims on
Plymouth rock. 1t consists of four figures,
! in bold relief, and well executed, The
! pilgrim, dressed in the costume of his age,
stands at the prov of boat. just landing,
and receives with gratitude present Of
corn, which an Indian with placid counte-
nance and in knceling attitude is offering
TO him. The wife ofthe pilgrim stands near
the end of the boat, in an attitude of devo-
ton and Thanksgiving, While their little son,
actuated by the mingled emotions of fear
and wonder, holds his fathers arm, and
seems desilous to prevent his landing. The
whole group is distinguished by its simplicity,
and the composition discovers considerable
unity and beauty.
| The second production of the same artists
chisel, is the group over the southern en-
trance, which is intended to commemorate
the settlement..of the western portion Of our
country,-Danicl Boon, the pioneer, forms
prominent figure in this group; he is in
the act of stabbing terocious savage, whose
tom ahawk is ready to cleave his skull, and
who has seized the deadly rifle with which
Boon had just succeeded in dispatching
another Indian, who lies coiled up and life
less at his feet. ,.et. rt
The ferocity and vengeance of the Indian,
and the frmness and herosm Of Boon, are
strongly depicted in the countenance and at
titude of each. There is. however, too
great an appearance of confinement in this
pannel, and it wants greater breadth of
outline to give the group its full effect.
But this is not the fault of the artist, whose
work possesses great spirit, and is full of ac-
ton. t#Nsa
The third group, in the pannel over the
western entrance Of the Rotunda. was exc
cuted by Mr.. Capellano, who, like Mr.. Cau-
sici, was pupil of the celebrated Canoya.
This pannel contains group of five figures.
representing the moment when Capt. Smith
was in the act Of being despatched by order
of Powhattan, but was saved by the generous
ntcrpostion Of Pocahontas, the daughter of
the chief. et,ft
Ofthe fourth PANEL, over the moth en-
trance, nothing can be said at present, as the
design is nearly in its inciPient state of exc
cution. and will not be completed before next
sun mer. 1t is to be, however, understand,
a representation of the treaty between VIM.
Penn and the Indians, under the great Elm
tree, rendered so remarkable by that event,
and to be executed by French artist, whose
ndisposition unfortunately prevented him
from completing it this season. These, with
festoons of flowers in the other .pannels, con-
stitute the principal ornaments of sculpture
in the Rotunda. In the centre of these floral
wreaths, instead of the everlasting Eagle, it
is intended to place the heads of Columbus,
Raleigh, &c., to aid in preserving the mem
ory, as we'll as the features of those distin-
guished men, to whom the world owes SO
large a debt of gratitude.
Bishop Patrick cites Roman Catholic lit.