DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.73713#0048
44
THE WORKS OF
Please your Excellency.
I
I
HI
HAVING received the dissertation of your
Excellency upon the collection of the sta-
tues of the family of Niobe, together with the
prints, and with one of your polite letters, I had
the greatest curiosity to read this dissertation, in
which I could not but admire the delicacy os
your sentiments, and your penetration into the
secrets of the art; so that I thought to have re-
plied to it quickly without extending mysels
by any very great reflections; but having then
considered that you required me to examine the
whole with the greatest care, and to expose with
the greatest candour whatever presented itsels
to my mind, I resolved to obey you.
I will first tell you, that your works appear
to me so perfect that I find no exception in
them, because you have entered into the fable
with such vivacity, that you have given it an
air of truth.
I suppose your Excellency has had examined
by connoisseurs if the marble of which the afore-
said statues were carved be of Grece, or Italy;
because if it be of the latt, the question in the
treatise is answered; namely if they be the works
of Scopa or of Praxiteles. I confess betides to
your excelleney that these two artists appear
to me so respe&ible, so great, and so excellent,
that I know not how to bring mysels to believe
that we have any work of theirs among those
which have remained os the Grecians. It ap-
THE WORKS OF
Please your Excellency.
I
I
HI
HAVING received the dissertation of your
Excellency upon the collection of the sta-
tues of the family of Niobe, together with the
prints, and with one of your polite letters, I had
the greatest curiosity to read this dissertation, in
which I could not but admire the delicacy os
your sentiments, and your penetration into the
secrets of the art; so that I thought to have re-
plied to it quickly without extending mysels
by any very great reflections; but having then
considered that you required me to examine the
whole with the greatest care, and to expose with
the greatest candour whatever presented itsels
to my mind, I resolved to obey you.
I will first tell you, that your works appear
to me so perfect that I find no exception in
them, because you have entered into the fable
with such vivacity, that you have given it an
air of truth.
I suppose your Excellency has had examined
by connoisseurs if the marble of which the afore-
said statues were carved be of Grece, or Italy;
because if it be of the latt, the question in the
treatise is answered; namely if they be the works
of Scopa or of Praxiteles. I confess betides to
your excelleney that these two artists appear
to me so respe&ible, so great, and so excellent,
that I know not how to bring mysels to believe
that we have any work of theirs among those
which have remained os the Grecians. It ap-