Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-10-23
From the London Literary Gazette.
FINS. ARTS -POMPEII.

Disturbed at Pompeii by the late lnvlgoralea
spiri, Of investigation among the RUNS OF 'hat
remarkable place, we trust that whoie VIC" %
The most recent discoveries VIII be accePtaoie
10 the generality of readers, and, to bring the
matter fully and fairly under notice, have trans
lated the following statement OF occurrences
within the last year.
The love of the ancients for theatrical repre-
sensations, has caused the most ornamented
house of Pompeii to be called that OF tragic
Doet. We say the most ornamented, Tor the
much larger house of Sallust cannot be COM
pared with it for elegant decoration and beauty
Of the pictures. That OF Pansa. perhaps, CO.
pies nearest to it in tasteful ornament, as well
as in size and arrangement.
The house of the poet, or, as il would be more
properly called from its most beautiful orna-
menr, the house of Iphigenia, has two courts, on
the sides of which are rooms In good preserva.
ton: a spacious entrance leads into the first,
and broad passage into the second. In the
entrance is the mosaic OF house-dog, with the
inscription Gaze caaum: this mosaic is compo
sed of black and white stones; the chain is
grey and the collar red. The first court is an
impluvium Of the usual kind; the second enclo-
SEES broad, low, and square hollow; at the fur
Their corner Of which, TO the left, stands little
chapel with niche and pediment, probably
laraium The passage from the first to the Sec
ond court is adorned with beautiful mosaic
in the middle of The floor, representing, in
composition in colours and Astounding In hg-
ures, comic actors a,tirine themselves All the
rooms are ornamented with paintings; most OF
them with numerous figures, but the finest are
the large pictures on the walls OF the courts.
They are as follows:
Oathe transverse ,va 10 the RICH. OF the entrance,
is the picture of neurological marriage. A
bearded man, sitting, with sceptre, takes hold,
with his right hand Of the right arm OF hall
yeilea woman, with richly embroidered dress,
diadem, and bracelets; both OF them have on
the fourth finger of the left hand the bridal
RUG. The motion Of the woman is as timid,
as the expression of her wonderfully fine head
is ardent and spirited, this and the winged fe-
male who appears behind her as guide, and
who might be supposed to be Victoria, IN allu-
sion to the re-marrlage after the Trojan war,
perhaps occasioned the first denomination of
this picture "Menelaus and Helen," which is
al least more happy than the recent one Pc
leus and Thetis The back ground, pillar
erected between trees, adorned at the top with
(appawntly) three lious, about which are flutes,
cymbals, and tympanum, might indicate
the scene to be in Asia, but this interpreted
ton for Menelaus is rather constrained, and
the costume OF the man, the back OF whose
head is covered with red cloak, is extraor-
binary for Greek. We should not be dis
inclined TO think it the marriage OF Saturn and
Rhea, were there not under the seat, three
youths sitting couversing together and listen
ing, who have not been explained in any OF the
attempts hitherto made 10 interpret the mean
ing Of this representation. This painting has
already suffered much, though only iecentiy dis
covered, bu, the lnstre Of its original beauty
cannot be so soon effaced.
A handsome figure on the transverse tcaH TO
the left Of the entrance, is likewise much faded
and mutiated. Ii is a;sitting Venus, in singu-
lar attitude: her right hand rests upon her head;
her left, holding what is perhaps ,prig OF
myrtle, crosses the breast; near her is dove.
On the side tcaH 10 the right, is the picture Of
Briseis, Incompatible in composition and exc
cuton, but unhappilv, already much injured
from want Of all protection against the air and
weather Among the numerous figures, A
chilles, sitting in the middle, is distinguished.
He is grit with a sword belt and holds spear
in his left hand With strong expression, in
his countenauce, he is looking forward and his
outstretched hand shows how deeply he feels
the injustice done him, which is indicated part
" by The herald at his left hand, youth with
Mercury's hat, without brim and probably
without wings, holding caduceus in his right
hand, partly by the group of the departing
Briseis, on the right hand Of the picture
Patroclus who is looking towards Achilles,
once more shows his Briseis, whom he holds
by his right hand, she stands, at moderate
distance, opposite to Achilles in long robe,
holding withherright hand the veil falling from
her head, which is bowed down, ti.nid and
bashful, but turned to the hero from whom she
is TO separate, reluctant to depart. The fourth
finger on her left hand, and thai Of Achilles,
bear each signet ring. Whosoever should
conjecture from this lha, they were portraits,
has never looked al these heads, which are cer5
tainly not 10 be found in ordinary life lhey
are bridal rings, or perhaps only ornaments,
like that of beautiful Minerva among the oroh-
zes In the Museum. In the back ground are
1our warriors, with spears and large round
. shlelds, which cover the greater part OF The n
: figures A bearded man, in chlena, in the
left corner, near the herald Talthybius, may be