according to the poet*. Thus were the Hieronica preferved in the temple of Olympian Jove, and the Roman confuls in the capitol; and as by thofe innumerable infcriptions of irrefragable and undeniable antiquity does appear.

2

We have already computed how probable it is, that SCULPTURE was in ufe in Ægypt fomewhat before, or at least as foon as the patriarch ABRAHAM fet his foot there: but the lefs difcerning Greeks, who received it from the Ægyptians, could tell us of no writings of theirs extant before HOMER, if we will give ear to JOSEPHUS, before that of TATIAN (a learned Affyrian, and contemporary with JUSTIN MARTYR) where he affirms, [ὐχ Ὁμήρε μόνον πρεσβύτερος ἔτιν ὁ Μωυσῆς, ἔτι ἢ τῶν πρὸ αυτό συγγραφέων, Λίνα, Φιλάμμωνος, Θαμύριδος, Αμφίωνας, Μεσαία, Ορφέως, Δημοδόκες, Φημί, Σιβύλλης, Επιμρίδε το κρητὸς ὅσις εις των Σπάρ των ἀφίκετο, Αρισέα το Προικοννησίς τε τα Αρι μάστια συγγράψαντος, Ασβόλε τε το Κενταύρα, κ Ισάτιδος, δρυμώνος τε καὶ Ευμήλε το Κυπρία, Ὥρα το Σαμίς, καὶ Προσμανίδε το Αslar», &c.] "MOSES is prior not only to HOMER, but to "those writers who lived before HOMER, LINUS, "PHILAMMON, THAMYRIS, AMPHION, MUSAE66 US, ORPHEUS, DEMODOCUS, PHEMIUS, the "SIBYL, EPIMENIDES the Cretan who came to Sparta, ARISTE AS the Proeconnesian who wrote "the Arimafpia, ASBOLUS the Centaur, ISATIS, “ DRYMON, EUMELUS the Cyprian, HoRvs the "Samian, and PROSMANTIDES the Athenian:" where we have no lefs than feventeen Grecians * Ovipit Μetam. 1.

66

named

named elder than HOMER. There are also enumerated the names of twenty Argive kings from INACHUS TO AGAMEMNON, which strongly infers the means of recording by SCULPTURE and WRITING to have been very ancient. For fo we read that the poems of HESIOD were engraven in lead; ARISTOTLE mentions Daphne a certain devotress of Apollo; SABINUS and DIODORUS many others. But when, or whoever it were, thence (as we faid) it travelled into Greece, that theatre of the arts, where it foon arrived to the fupremeft height of perfection; when being applied to the forming of figures, it was celebrated by all the witty men of thofe and the fucceeding ages. HOMER tells us of the engraving in the fhield of Achilles *; HESIOD that of Hercules; not to mention the sculptures upon the chariot of the fun, described by the poet, because it is altogether fictitious, though extremely ingenious, and whence haply they might have their vehicula calata mentioned by Q. CURTIUST. But whether now thefe ancient and famous peices were hollow, like those of our burin, or the work of our chiffel and repaired emboffments, might seem a difficulty to refolve from the frequent interpretations we attributed to the verb in the former chapter; if what we have here attefted concerning the antiquity of letters, and confequently of flat incifions, pronounce not for its pre-eminence, however this may appear to the more judicious. Add to it, that both plaftica (whatever others may fancy, unless we will afcend to the divine figuration of the firft breathing statue that was ever formed, and with PLINY de+ Metam. 1. 3. + L. 3. c. 3.

* Iliad 3.

rive

rive it to be before and the mother of SCULPTURE) and the anaglyptic art, (not produced in the world till about the time of BELUS, and the beginning of Gentilifm) were not till long after the ufe of letters, if ENOCH's prophecy were not preferved by unwritten tradition, and the former apocryphal monuments have other foundation than the wit of the Rabbins, which we can by no means affent to in the general. Befides, if we apply it to intaglias in ftone, feals, and the like; for having been almost coevous with rings (what was elfe the fignet which JUDAH left with his daughter TAMAR?*) it queftionless derives its original before any history, at prefent extant in the world, divine or human, was committed to writing; of which he who has a thirst to fatisfy his curiofity farther, may confult GORLEUS, or FORTUN. LICETUS de annulis antiquorum where alfo concerning their SCULPTURE, first in iron, then in gold, other metals, and stones; and of which very much might be added, both touching their dignity, fignification, and how they came at length to be worn fo univerfally. Something we might here likewise infert of their conftellated figures, or talifmans, long fince engraven upon certain inftants and periods of the fun's ingrefs into fuch and fuch particular figns of the Zodiac, treated of by FRANCIS RUEUS the phyfician, TRALIANUS, and [inftar omnium] especially" by the learned GAFFAREL at large: but we haften to that which follows.

xxxviii Gen. 18.

66

CHAP.

CHA P. III.

Of the reputation and progress of SCULPTURE amongst the Greeks and Romans, down to the middle ages; with fome pretenfions to the invention of copper cuts, and their impreffions.

WE E have now done with the original; and will

next endeavour to investigate what progress it has made amongst thofe glorious and univerfal monarchs, when SCULPTURE and all other noble arts were in their afcendent and highest reputation, I mean the Greeks and the Romans: for to the first does HERODOTUS appropriate the perfection of this art, not admitting it to have arrived at the latter till about the time of SPURIUS CASSIUS, when BAPTISTA ALBERTI afcribes it to his countrymen the Tufcans.

Those who have well furveyed the natural hiftory of PLINY, will eafily commute for the omiffion, if, out of pure indulgence to their eyes only, we forbear the tranfcribing of at least three or four entire chapters, induftriously baulking those ample and luxurious fields of ftatues, as under the fufile and plastic head*; because it fuits not with our prefent defign and inftitution: for to pass over the figures in metal, those of gypfum and other materials, the [fculptores marmoris] "ftatuaries in marble" were fo many, and the Greeks fo extravagantly *L. 33, 34, 35. c. 8, 12, 6.

fond of their works, that at Rhodes alone, that finall island, were no less than seventy-three thoufand [Signa]“ statues ;" nor were there fewer at Athens, Olympia, Delphi, and feveral other cities, whereof whole armies were transferred to Rome, after Achaia had been conquered by L. MUMMIUS, at which period the Greek arts began to rife, and be in fuch reputation among them; and this to fo high an excefs, as PLINY records of his age, that there were almoft as many ftatues as men, by a kind of noble contention, fays Sir H. WOTTON*, in point of fertility betwixt art and nature; and which he and my lord BACON improve to a politic, as well as altogether an expenceful magnificency. It fhall then fuffice that we be fparing in thefe instances, and keep ourselves to those works and intaglias only, which do nearest approach our defign; of which fort may be efteemed those ἀπισφραγίσματα “ feals” mentioned by PLINY, in which art that famous PYRGOTELES did fo excel, as made ALEXANDER the great ordain, that none should presume to carve his effigies fave him only, to paint or caft him befides APELLES and LYSIPPUS: Edicto vetuit, ne quis fe, præter Apellem, Pingeret; aut alius Lyfippo duceret æra, Fortis Alexandri vultum fimulantia.† Had Queen ELIZABETH been thus circumfpect, there had not been fo many vile copies multiplied from an ill painting; as being called in, and brought to Effex-houfet, did for feveral years furnish the paftry-men with peels for the use of their ovens.

*Element. Architect. Inftaurat. Scient Where my lord LEICESTER then lived.

+ HOR Epift. 2:

We