Year: 1872

COLLECTION
clan Antiquities-A Rich Archaeological
Prize for the New York Museum
British Antiquarians Chagrined.


LONDON Nov. 20, 1872.


In few days the collection OF antiquities
brought by General Cesnola from Cyprus will he
sent forward to New York. having, 1t Is understood,
been purchased for the Metropolitan Museum.
Arch9o0gists and students of the history OF art
look on the departure OF this rare collection
from London with undisguised chagrin, and
the management OF the British Museum
Is assailed with unmeasurei recrimina-
tion for having bargained and chartered
and promised to call again and exhibited alto
gether pitifu spirit OF small commerce in the
premises and thus permitted London to lose the
treasures. 1t is scarcely too much to say that no
single collection OF the


RELICS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD


ever excited equal interest or promised in its
thorough study such valuable contributions to the
knowledge OF period in the worlds history with
which our acquaintance is especially small, and
which is important; and it is this interest ana
this peculiar wealth OF results which the
study OF the collection promises that moves
such lively regret at its departure for the other
side OF the Atlantic. In several museums OF Europe
there are collections fully illustrating Egyptian
art, others illustrating Assyrian art and Persian
art while the art OF Greece Is almost tediously
familiar to the catalogues; but here are
10000 pieces minutey illustrating the art, the life.
the religion the heroism and the daily thought OF
period and people more interesting than any,
because by their peculiar relations to each


THEY SHED LIGHT ON ALL.


that can only be described in the phrase
comparative history-just as q newly unburied
language may cast additional light on the
history OF several tongues that before were
thought to be thoroughly known by the
exhibition Of intermediate forms that indicate the
direction and stages OF growth; this collection,
that is neither Egyptian nor Assyrian nor Persian
nor Grecian, but is related to the art OF all those
countries, is capaoe OF casting volumes of light on
unimagned secrets in the history OF every one.
Beyond this it is also OF especial interest in re-
gard to


PHoNrCIAN HISTORY AND THOUGHT,
and to the relations Of the PhGnician peoples to
that misty time known in Greek history as the
heroic age. In the light Ii may cast on the INSULT
haps, be found its geatest value. There
every STYLE. cut from light, porous stone,
found in the island for there is scarcely piece OF
very rude in character and appear to have stood
in temples, side by side with others, showing some
advance IN art; the ruder ones, perhaps, retaining
their places because revered through the associa-
tions of some sacred legends Of the fanes they
adorned. There is, for instance,


COLOSSAL HERCULES


OF the most primitive sculpture, which doubtless
stood in temple OF the.god, and on either side of
1t are statues OF priests in the temple OF Venus,
and though these latter exhibited no higher
imagination than the colossal ngure,
and are, perhaps, portraits OF famous
and revered prelates OF those ages Their wonder
full realism and the accuracy OF their detail In
figure aud feature Is such as to startle the OBJ
server almost with the veritable presence OF
one OF those old peders OF superstition. Ordinary
visitors will be amazed to note the pronounced
Jewish type Of some OF these faces.


Many of the heads have the Golf that Is familiar
In Egyptian figures; some have Greek helmets,
others headdress distinctly PhGnican, and some
have the GrecoR0man hllet. colossal head
found in the Temple OF Venus, and, doubtless part
OF the great idol OF the temple, has
wonderfully ascvlOus physiogn0my, and l am told
by General C0snOa, is q literal type OF the faces
actually found among the people Of Cyprus, so
that 1t would seem


THE FAME OF THE CYPRIANs


was not an idle tale OF antiquity. Let not
OF beauty in this coming gallery OF strangely
discovered antique statuary. Whoever expects to
realize nearer home the splend0rs ofthe Unizi or
the Belvedere palace will be disposed to regard
these figures as the rubbish of an old stone yard.
This treasure Is not for his appetite. Besides
the statues there Is infinite variety
OF domestic utensils in terra Gotta, amphor9
drinking cups, lamps and votive offerings innu-
merable. There are also some wonderfully fine
pieces Of glass, with the Incompatible evidence OF
decay given by its ages OF burial in the earth. Al
together the metropolis OF the Western world is to
be congratulated upon the treasure IL is to possess
and upon its spirit in making this bold commence
ment In collecting monuments Of human history.