DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.847#0010
INTRODUCTION. D
arbaric power and greatness prior to the Romans,
and which had left of itself some few traditions in
Roman history, and some widely-scattered remains
in the fragments of a stupendous masonry. I
thought of it in the same category with the Equi,
the Volsci, and the Rutuli, and considered its fall
and extinction before the conquering arms of Rome
as a matter of course. It was during this blissful
state of ignorance, in the summer of 1837, that we
were honoured with a visit from the late most la-
mented Dr. Butler, Bishop of Lichfield; a man of
whom it is hard to say whether his learning,
benevolence, or cheerful resignation under suffer-
ing, most adorned his high and holy station. As
we were discoursing of the late marvellous disco-
coveries made by Rosellini in Egypt, he awoke
our curiosity by comparing it with Etruria, and
giving us an account of what he had lately seen at
Campanari's Exhibition of Etruscan tombs then
open in Pall Mall, which he advised us by all
means to visit on the very first opportunity. He
spoke of funeral feasts and games, which were
painted in the sepulchres — statues which were
carved upon the coffin-lids—crowns of gold that had
been buried with the dead, and vases, and ornaments,
of which he had been a purchaser to a very large
amount, particularly of a pair of ear-rings belonging
to a priestess, of large pendant carbuncles set in the
purest and most delicately wrought gold.
We did not then know that the bishop was him-
self proprietor of the finest private collection of
b 2
arbaric power and greatness prior to the Romans,
and which had left of itself some few traditions in
Roman history, and some widely-scattered remains
in the fragments of a stupendous masonry. I
thought of it in the same category with the Equi,
the Volsci, and the Rutuli, and considered its fall
and extinction before the conquering arms of Rome
as a matter of course. It was during this blissful
state of ignorance, in the summer of 1837, that we
were honoured with a visit from the late most la-
mented Dr. Butler, Bishop of Lichfield; a man of
whom it is hard to say whether his learning,
benevolence, or cheerful resignation under suffer-
ing, most adorned his high and holy station. As
we were discoursing of the late marvellous disco-
coveries made by Rosellini in Egypt, he awoke
our curiosity by comparing it with Etruria, and
giving us an account of what he had lately seen at
Campanari's Exhibition of Etruscan tombs then
open in Pall Mall, which he advised us by all
means to visit on the very first opportunity. He
spoke of funeral feasts and games, which were
painted in the sepulchres — statues which were
carved upon the coffin-lids—crowns of gold that had
been buried with the dead, and vases, and ornaments,
of which he had been a purchaser to a very large
amount, particularly of a pair of ear-rings belonging
to a priestess, of large pendant carbuncles set in the
purest and most delicately wrought gold.
We did not then know that the bishop was him-
self proprietor of the finest private collection of
b 2