DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.803#0011
6 THE BRITISH MUSEUM.
be doubted that he looked upon himself in this respect
as acting in a character entirely distinct from his
official situation. But whether the government from
whom he obtained permission did, or could, so con-
sider him, was a question which could be solved only
by conjecture and reasoning, in the absence and defi-
ciency of all positive testimony.
The committee further observed, that the only other
piece of sculpture which, according to evidence, had
been removed from its place on the Parthenon for the
purpose of export, was taken by M. Choiseul Gouffier,
when he was ambassador from Prance to the Porte;
but whether that nobleman did it by express permis-
sion, or in some less ostensible way, no means of
ascertaining were within the committee's reach.
It was undoubtedly at various times an object with
the French government to obtain possession of some
of these valuable remains; and it seemed probable,
according to the testimony of Lord Aberdeen and
others, that at no great distance of time they might
have been removed by that government from their
original site, if they had not been taken away and
secured for this country by Lord Elgin*.
Chandler says that Morosini, after the siege, was
ambitious to enrich Venice with the spoils of Athens;
and, by an attempt to take down the principal group
of the western pediment, hastened its ruin.
The charges attending the formation, removal, and
placing of Lord Elgin's collection in London, in-
cluding conveyance, salaries, board and accommoda-
tion to artists at Athens, and literally all their sup-
* See also the Memorandum of the Earl of Elgin's Pursuits
in Greece, 4to. 1810, p. 5. : Some of the persons employed iu
collecting for M. de Choiseul Gouffier's Museum were remaining
at Athens when Sir John Hobhousewas there in 1810, having, as
he expresses it, " the same views, which nothing but inability
prevented them from accomplishing." .Journey through Albania,
&c, p. 346, note.
be doubted that he looked upon himself in this respect
as acting in a character entirely distinct from his
official situation. But whether the government from
whom he obtained permission did, or could, so con-
sider him, was a question which could be solved only
by conjecture and reasoning, in the absence and defi-
ciency of all positive testimony.
The committee further observed, that the only other
piece of sculpture which, according to evidence, had
been removed from its place on the Parthenon for the
purpose of export, was taken by M. Choiseul Gouffier,
when he was ambassador from Prance to the Porte;
but whether that nobleman did it by express permis-
sion, or in some less ostensible way, no means of
ascertaining were within the committee's reach.
It was undoubtedly at various times an object with
the French government to obtain possession of some
of these valuable remains; and it seemed probable,
according to the testimony of Lord Aberdeen and
others, that at no great distance of time they might
have been removed by that government from their
original site, if they had not been taken away and
secured for this country by Lord Elgin*.
Chandler says that Morosini, after the siege, was
ambitious to enrich Venice with the spoils of Athens;
and, by an attempt to take down the principal group
of the western pediment, hastened its ruin.
The charges attending the formation, removal, and
placing of Lord Elgin's collection in London, in-
cluding conveyance, salaries, board and accommoda-
tion to artists at Athens, and literally all their sup-
* See also the Memorandum of the Earl of Elgin's Pursuits
in Greece, 4to. 1810, p. 5. : Some of the persons employed iu
collecting for M. de Choiseul Gouffier's Museum were remaining
at Athens when Sir John Hobhousewas there in 1810, having, as
he expresses it, " the same views, which nothing but inability
prevented them from accomplishing." .Journey through Albania,
&c, p. 346, note.