New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-01-29
THE CASTELLANI COLLECTION.

OUR c1IlZenS, having ndu cFcIy laCii'J Iva
carefully studying the great Castelar, COllec-
ton of ancient art and majolica, at the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, for upward
of year, seem almost to have forgotten that
it does not belong to our accommodating treas
ures, and will soon be taken from us. In
fact, the original agreement between the
trustees Of the Museum and the owner stlpu-
lated that the collection should be sent to
England last Fall in case no provision could
be made for its purchase Since then, how
ever, Signor Castellani consented that 1t
might remain until the LIST of February (nexs
Friday, in order that further efforts might be
made to secure it for the Museum The time
has now come when we must say farewell to
so many precious and unique relics of the
Past, or, by last and vigorous and generous
effort, possess them.
1t seems hardly necessary to call The public
attention once more to the great value OF the
Collection. Nothing approaching 1T IN rare
and varied interest has ever been seen in this
country and it is not too much to say that
no Government museum in Europe contains
more complete illustrations of early Greek,
Etruscan and Roman gold-work, incised gems,
and general ornamental art Experts who
have recently examined the objects OF the
same character in the British Museum and
that of the Louvre, assert that the possession
of the Castellani Collection would place our
Metropolitan Museum fully upon a par with
the former in this department of archaeology.
Moreover, the priceless Cesnola Collection SO
ranges itself beyond this, in point of time,
that each supplements the other; and the two
..x,,tn o1nnnl nUIc
treasure without parallel in the world.
The trustees of the Museum, reluctantly
compelled to acknowledge their inability to
make the purchase telegraphed, last week, to-
Signor Castellani, in Rome, asking that COM
petent man be sent here to pack the collec-
ton and reship it to Europe. 1t would be, in
fact, too much to expect OF the owner that,
after having borne the expenses OF Transport
tation, and generously allowed his treasures
to remain SO long with us, exposed to various
risks, he should be willing to leave them
longer here. We must, therefore, ask, for the
last time can nothing be done, through that
large individual liberality to which New York
owes so much, to secure the collection In
any other country, the State might be relied
upon to aid an institution so important as the
Metropolitan Museum; here it would be
quite useless to solicit any such aid. We
must depend wholly upon that small class
of enlightened and generous public benefac-
tors, who have enriched our day and all flu
ture generations, by the acquisition of the
Abbott Egyptian Collection, the two Flemish
galleries of paintings. the treasures of Cyprus,
and many other objects of great artistic or
archaeological value.
When all that has been already secured
shall be properly arranged in the new Mu-
scum Building, the public will first adequately
appreciate what has been done. Over 40
boxes of the CesnOla Collection are still I'M
packed, for want of room. If the Castellani
Collection could be added, the total display
will astonish even scholars accustomed to the
old museums of Europe. Those who have con-
tributed so nObly heretofore may rest assured
that their names are held in grateful honor.
and will always be associated with their gifts.
We turn to them again, individually and
collectively, at the last moment, for one more
generous act. Is not Mr.. Vanderbilt, or Mr..
Marshall o. Roberts, or Mr.. Moses Taylor.
willing to link his single name with the
collection, in case there should prove to be
delay in combined action 2 Will not some one
bear the honor alone, rather than allow the
gift to be lost to NewYO rh