DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1041#0194
History of the Society of Dilettanti 173
to his credit that during his tenure of office he
took a considerable part in compelling Louis XVIII
to return to Italy the treasures of art of which
that country had been despoiled by Napoleon.
His combination of antiquarian with diplomatic ex-
perience enabled him to be of good service to the
Dilettanti in the period of upwards of a quarter of
a century during which he had the chief management
of their affairs, although the period was, it must be
admitted, not a very eventful one in their annals.
In the year following Hamilton's election (18 31), Reparation
we find the Dilettanti, no doubt under his influence, t° Lord
offering to Lord Elgin a tardy reparation for their &*'
past misjudgement by conferring on him the unsought
honour of election to their body. In the following
letter dated from Leamington, July 25-, 1831, Elgin
declined the compliment in words which, strictly
polite as they are, can hardly have failed to recall
to the Society bitter remembrances of the error into
which they had been led by Payne Knight, and for
which they now sought to make amends:—
1 On coming here on the score of health, I have been obliged to
abstain from any business which I could possibly defer • and among
the rest, 1 am sorry to have to acknowledge, is my answer to the
communication you made me, of the Dilettanti Society having
been pleased, in the most agreeable manner, to propose that
I should be admitted as one of their members. I have been
a good deal embarrassed by this communication j I have a peculiar
interest in the pursuits of the Society, and feel much gratified by
this act of kindness from many to whom I look with friendship and
respect. But my case is this : no one knows more intimately than
you do, that the impulses which led me to the exertions I made in
Greece were wholly for the purpose of securing to Great Britain,
and through it to Europe in general, the most effectual possible
knowledge, and means of improving, by the excellence of Grecian
art in sculpture and architecture. My success, to the vast extent
it was effected, will never cease to be a matter of the utmost
gratification to me. If, when it was made known to the public,
to his credit that during his tenure of office he
took a considerable part in compelling Louis XVIII
to return to Italy the treasures of art of which
that country had been despoiled by Napoleon.
His combination of antiquarian with diplomatic ex-
perience enabled him to be of good service to the
Dilettanti in the period of upwards of a quarter of
a century during which he had the chief management
of their affairs, although the period was, it must be
admitted, not a very eventful one in their annals.
In the year following Hamilton's election (18 31), Reparation
we find the Dilettanti, no doubt under his influence, t° Lord
offering to Lord Elgin a tardy reparation for their &*'
past misjudgement by conferring on him the unsought
honour of election to their body. In the following
letter dated from Leamington, July 25-, 1831, Elgin
declined the compliment in words which, strictly
polite as they are, can hardly have failed to recall
to the Society bitter remembrances of the error into
which they had been led by Payne Knight, and for
which they now sought to make amends:—
1 On coming here on the score of health, I have been obliged to
abstain from any business which I could possibly defer • and among
the rest, 1 am sorry to have to acknowledge, is my answer to the
communication you made me, of the Dilettanti Society having
been pleased, in the most agreeable manner, to propose that
I should be admitted as one of their members. I have been
a good deal embarrassed by this communication j I have a peculiar
interest in the pursuits of the Society, and feel much gratified by
this act of kindness from many to whom I look with friendship and
respect. But my case is this : no one knows more intimately than
you do, that the impulses which led me to the exertions I made in
Greece were wholly for the purpose of securing to Great Britain,
and through it to Europe in general, the most effectual possible
knowledge, and means of improving, by the excellence of Grecian
art in sculpture and architecture. My success, to the vast extent
it was effected, will never cease to be a matter of the utmost
gratification to me. If, when it was made known to the public,