Burrow, Edward John: The Elgin Marbles: With an abridged historical and topographical account of Athens (London, 1837)

XIV

a fine engraving less, as an engraving, be-
cause it did not possess the harmonious tints of
the original picture; neither, by the same rule,
is it just to think lightly of an outline draw-
ing, because it is not shaded. The most im-
portant quality of a statue is the form, as it
is impressed on the retina of the eye; of a
picture, the composition, as it embraces the
chief exertion of the mental faculty;—both
these can be expressed perfectly by outline.

Having thus expressed his conviction of the
sufficiency of the style of engraving au trait,
such as it is found in the hands of the French
artists, especially of M. Normand, it is high
time for the designer of the following plates to
acknowledge, that the soundness of the prin-
ciple must not be judged by the specimens
which he is able to exhibit. Some little excuse
may, perhaps, be pleaded for ajirst attempt,
made with the motive of inducing more able
hands to try the same experiment, and to give
to the world, as might easily be done in this