Page:Transactions of the Geological Society, 1st series, vol. 3.djvu/112

 in the lesser works, and is thus inapplicable to the details of small sculptures in relief. It is nevertheless susceptible of a good polish, a quality however, of little value in the eyes of the statuary, and one which in this variety only serves to render the defects of its texture more apparent. It is also said to have been deficient in size, since it was so intersected by fissures as to be incapable of yielding blocks of more than five feet in length. I may add that in the present state of the public habits with regard to white marbles, there is no demand for modern works executed in Parian marble. Its celebrity is consigned to the metaphors of poets.

It will afford satisfaction to those who are interested in the arts to point out such works in the British Museum as appear to have been executed in Parian marble, or in one of similar character.

A Cupid bending his bow. This specimen is rather of a finer grain than the generality. It may perhaps belong to that marble called by the Italian sculptors marmo statuario, but this question cannot be determined without a fresh fracture.

A bust of Minerva.

Aratus, a bust. This also is of a fine grain like the Cupid.

A Venus, of a similar grain, and agreeing with the character of the marmo statuario.

Zeno, a bust, of a very coarse grain.

A terminal head of Bacchus.

A terminal head of Mercury.

A jupiter Serapis.

Bacchus and Ampelus.

Marcus Aurelius, a bust.

There are others, but it is not requisite to enumerate them.

A marble of a much finer grain, and capable of a high polish, is described by the ancients, as found near the river Coralus in