Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 6.djvu/602

 4£2 NOTICES OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS. purity of the source ; and, as we remarked before, we only feel the more sensibly the merits of the author and translator, in having so agreeably and judiciously accomplished the task of bending a learned and crabbed archaeological study, so as to bring back to us such a variety of lost and faithful pictures of ancient life. The Preface to the ti'anslation explains so well the object of the work, that we make no apology to our readers for introducing the following extract : — " The publication which has been chosen for translation is rather popular than learned ; distinguished not so much for novelty of research, as for the manner in which the materials collected by the cumulative industry of former scholars have been brought together from remote sources, and so combined with the evidence of works of art, as to present them in a new and unexpected point of view. Such a mode of treatment is eminently graphic. Many facts and details which fail to strike the mind as they occur to us in a disconnected form, and at intervals in a course of reading, become interesting when disengaged from the mass of erudition in which they have been involved, and brought in juxta-position with pictorial repre- sentation ; the appeal to the eye enlivens and confirms the mental perception ; and even those who want time or opportunity to become acquainted with the Greeks through the medium of their literature, and who have few sym- pathies with classical thought and feeling, can still study the image of society preserved to us in Greek art, and can thus become cognisant of that marvellous grace and beauty which pervaded ancient Greek life, and was associated with its humblest and most familiar incidents." " It is the object, therefore, of the present publication to give a specimen of the method and results of Continental Archaeology, which will not, it is hoped, be thought a needless contribution to our national literature, if it in any. degree contribute to extend the range of English scholarship." In many points of view, the present may be regarded as a new work. Many very judicious changes have been made in the order of the materials. The plates are on a much laryer scale than those in the German edition, and, with a few exceptions, have been re-copied from the original sources. Several new illustrations have been added, and the whole have been so carefully selected as to be adapted to the perusal of the softer sex, as well as to the use of the antiquary and the scholar ; a recommendation which can apply but very rarely to archaeological works on ancient vases. We cannot allude to the elegant plates of this work, without distinctly- offering our tribute of well-merited praise to Mr. George Scharf, the talented artist who has so correctly executed them. We are of opinion that the power of copying faithfully from the antique, ought to be the chief aim of every young artist, who wishes to distinguish himself in his profession. We have selected for repetition here, a specimen plate from each part of the work. M. Panofka will better explain, through the translation, than we can, the very beautiful design of Phajdra, which presents itself to our readers on the opposite page. " The scene delineated is attractive and full of meaning. A female figure is seated in a swing, which Love impels forward, while Venus stands on the other side, looking at herself in a mirror; the little dog,