DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.801#0012
8
and the parts of the modern fortification,
and the miserable houses where this mortar
was so applied, were discovered. Besides,
it is well known that the Turks will fre-
quently climb up the ruined walls, and
amuse themselves in defacing any sculp-
ture they can reach; or in breaking co-
lumns, statues, or other remains of anti-
quity, in the fond expectation of finding
within them some hidden treasures.
Under these circumstances, Lord Elgin
felt himself impelled, by a stronger motive,
than personal gratification, to endeavour
to preserve any specimens of sculpture,
he could, without injury, rescue from such
impending ruin. He had, besides, an-
other inducement, and an example before
him, in the conduct of the last French
embassy sent to Turkey before the Revo-
lution. French artists did then remove
several of the sculptured ornaments from
several edifices in the Acropolis, and par-
ticularly from the Parthenon. In lower-:
and the parts of the modern fortification,
and the miserable houses where this mortar
was so applied, were discovered. Besides,
it is well known that the Turks will fre-
quently climb up the ruined walls, and
amuse themselves in defacing any sculp-
ture they can reach; or in breaking co-
lumns, statues, or other remains of anti-
quity, in the fond expectation of finding
within them some hidden treasures.
Under these circumstances, Lord Elgin
felt himself impelled, by a stronger motive,
than personal gratification, to endeavour
to preserve any specimens of sculpture,
he could, without injury, rescue from such
impending ruin. He had, besides, an-
other inducement, and an example before
him, in the conduct of the last French
embassy sent to Turkey before the Revo-
lution. French artists did then remove
several of the sculptured ornaments from
several edifices in the Acropolis, and par-
ticularly from the Parthenon. In lower-: