Alabama state intelligencer., 1831-03-02
SELECTED FOR THE INTELLIGENCER From the American Quarterly Review.

SELECTED FOR THE INTELLIGENCER From the American Quarterly Review
 MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES AT PARIS.
 The result of the French expedition to Egypt has been embodied in splendid national work, in which are to be found the most correct copies ofthe larger and less moyeable monuments of that country While the researches of Salt and Drovett have ac- cumulated numerous remains of every possible de- scription, with which the Museums of Europe are in manner loaded. Four magnificent collections al- ready exist namely, at Turin, in the Vatican in the Louvre, and in the British Museum The French collection has been recently opened under the super intendence of Chanpollion, the younger in splendid apartments, fitted up for the express purpose and the present king of France seeks to immoralize his name by connecting it with the foundation of this Museum. We shall translate the account of this magnificent collection from a contemporary journal
 |" The rich collection of Egyptian antiquities pur- chased at the expense of the king from Messrs Dro vett Salt, and Durand, and placed in the magnif- cent halls of the Museum of Charles 10th IS onened to the view ofthe public.
 The first sensation we experience upon the view of these ancient remains, is the astonishment that they have been able to exist through long series of centuries, almost entre and that we are thus en- abled to judge of the arts at so remote a perod- They attest that the people, whose legacy they are had attained, even long before the time which we style the heroic age of Greece, (he age o the Trojan tcar,) an advanced state of civilization and we are compelled to confess that the only merit we can at the present day boast, Is that of having filled up by our industry, what Egytian abour had first skeched out, and of having added few inventions to all those which we derive at second hand from that country
 With how high an idea of the Egyptians do these remains inspire us, which, after having resisted for forty centuries the ravages of time and the barba- ran still attests that all that is necessary for lle nay all that can render it agreeable, already invent ed and employed by them; that they knew how to appropriate to their wants all the productions ofther soil, and conne their desires to them, without seek ing to extend them beyond the limits of their own territory.
 To collect and interrogate the annals of this primi tive people, in order to obtain facts fitted to illustrate the history of those obscure eras that to bound upon the very origin of the world, is task worthy ofthe speculations of phiosophy and the research es of the learned. In the state to which the study of Egyptian antiquity has been advanced by private means, it became the duty of government, the en- courager of the arts to unite, and expose to the in- spection of an enlightened public, meritorious se- ries of inscribed monuments, and to conlde them to the care of,the scholar who had decyphered them.
 Nine great halls, embeished with vast pannels of marble, and decorated with paintings, communicate by means of large arched openings, resting Ionic plasers, that permit the vlsiter 10 seize at single glance, the whole extent of the Museum of Charles 10th. The four first halls contain the antiquities of Egypt; the others, rich collection of Greek vases of ancient statues in bronze, paintings in enamel of the 18th century, and other articles precious from their material their workmanship or their rarity Allegorcal paintings of the most brilliant effect, em- bellished all the ceilings; the r0uSsOirS, whose CO., tours well chosen are covered with emblems and subjects connected with those ofhe ceilings; paint ed imitat ns of bas-reliefs adorn the pannels The collection of Egyptian antiquities united in these four halls, consists of objects of small size alone with the exception of the mummes and their cases but it is rich from their number and the variety of the articles It contains. The civil and religious history of Egypt must draw from it invaluable illustrations.
 The collection has been divided into three de- partments. In the first hall (caled that ofthe Gods) are to be seen the images of the Egyptian deities their emblems, the sacred animals and the scaraba that represent the divinities or their symbols The second hall (caed Civil contains articles belonging to the civil class and to the several castes of Egypt among these are small statues and figures of kings of priests, and of private individuals instruments of worship, jewels. domestic utensils and the products of the arts and manufactures In the two remaining halls (called FunereaD are placed, human num- mics and their collins, funereal images cofiers and small statues in wood, funereal manuscripts" Sc.
 The present ig most suspicious period for form ing such collections. Egypt is accessible to civilized nations without the slightest danger and the agents ofdierent Europeanp have had free permission not only to search for smaller and more portable antiquities, but have even been allowed to cut off and remove essential parts of different build ings We regret much that the United States has taken no pains to secure portion of the rich and interesting spoil. It would be impossible at the pre- sent day. to obtain any very valuable relics of Greek or Roman art. The government of Italy know too well the value of fstaues and other articles which a though becoming and more rare are still occa- sionally found, to permit their being removed from the country. Greece has been again and again ran sacked by Romans Turks, Venetians and modern travellers, but Egypt is yet almost virgin soil for the cultivation of the antiquarian. A part of its re- maining riches might be secured at small expense, were the government to appoint commercial agent in Egypt, and allow him a moderate annual sum to prosecute the search for antiquities. That person possessing public character and supported by the influence of the government, could do much, we do not doubt having before several precious articles the first of private and unaided curiosity.
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