For the Children

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16714, 21 April 1922, Page 2

For the Children

THE EDGIN' MARBLES. This history of the sculptures of the Parthenon, familiarly known as the Elgin Marbles, is one of romantic: interest, even if we go no further back than the beginning of last century. At the time when the French Revolution was devastating France, the sculptures were lying about on the- Acropolis, neglected. The Acropolis was then in Turkish hands, and Lord Elgin had just been appointed Ambassador to the Porte. He proposed, shortly after seeing the sculptures, to Mr Pitt, who was then Prime Miister, that the Brit ish nation should buy these sculptures from Turkey But England was in too much of a turmoil for Mr Pitt to bo able to think of such things as archaeology, and the matter dropped. But when Egypt was given back by the British to Turkey, the Turks became so 'friendly that Lord Elgin got permission to draw, model, remove, or excavate ” anything he wanted on, the Acropolis. Ho set a staff of artists to work at once, and their drawings ai*o preserved in the Britsh Museum. At first he had no notion of taking anything away, but when he saw the constant injuries to which the marbles were exposed and realised how soon all traces of them would disappear, be decided to take all he could away to England. All the travellers who got so far as Athens on the grand tour *’ it was then the fashion to make, tried to secure a head or leg or arm of these beautiful sculptures to take homo with them. And even now many fragments from the Parthenon are to be. found in private possession all over Europe. A friend of my own found a beautiful head of a knight from the Parthenon frieze on a rockery in Kent, and it is now in the British Museum in its place. The particular slab to which it belonged wns already in the British Museum, so that the head was fitted into its piace without difficulty. The French Ambassador, the Duo do Choiseul-Stainville, had already taken sonic of the sculptures away to Paris, so that if Lord Elgin had not taken what he did. it is certain that the Due would have done so. Hie sculptures which Iho Due did take were on a ship which was captured by Lord Nelson, but it was allowed to proceed on its way. That which carried Lord Elgin's first consignment to England was wrecked oft C'erigo. and the sculptures fell to the bottom of the sea. Cape Malea, wo may remember, is the spot which, once the Greek mariner passes, he forgets his home altogether. Perhaps the sculptures did not wish to leave home. It took three years’ work and a largo sum of money to get them up again, and at last in 1803 they reached London. However, they did not meet with immediate appreciation. The leading critic of the day stated boldly that they were Roman, of the time Hadrian. But the artists thought differentlv. West, Fuseli and Havdoa were enthusiastic about them. Keats wrote his famous sonnet to them, hut the government took the side of the. critics and refused to buy the sculptures. Lord Elgin, however, continued to have them sent to him and kept them in his house in Park Lane. But. by this time Bavaria bad begun to acquire Greek sculpture, and when the Crown Prince came to England and praised the Elgin collection and dently had some notion of buying it. the British Government suddenly awoke to their importance and bought them not. it is true, paying half what Lord

Elgin had spent in bringing them from Greece. Goethe also appreciated them . these works in which alone gospel and law are united ” he called them. That Lord Elgin himself hardly realised their merits as works of art may be inferred from the fact, that he invited the sculptor C’anova to restore them But Canova. said thev had never been retouched and it would be sacrilege for him or any man to touch them vrith a chisel. The place of the sculptures on tho Parthenon was at each gable and round tbo top of the corridor which ran round the building. Groups also ran round the top of the columns outside.- All the figures were in honour of the goddess Athena. The group on the east gable was, as wo know, from Pausania>. j about Athena, and the graceful seated j figures were very possibly the three i Fates, though this is disputed Tim ' west gable concerned itsslf with th* I struggle between Athena and Poseidon This again we have on the authoritv of Pa usamas, but the remains are 'i» such a fragmentary condition, that u-i should not have been able to simtiis* the subject. We have, however, sonic drawings made in 1674 by Jacqrma Carrey, who made the sketches now kept in Paris. Of the other sculptures, those arranged round the outside.of the building were placed in groups so as t.Q fit into the spaces, not over the columns. ■ but over the open part between the ! columns, two group* in each. Til© subjects of these are the various combats between Lapitiuae And. Centaurs, combats which to the Greek- were symbolic of the struggle between Hellenic civilisation and barbarism. The great frieze which ran round the corridor had for it* subject the annual procession in honour of Athena, in -which the city as a whple took part each citizen having his or her proper function. The whole effect _of th-> sculptures must hare been one of extraordinary beauty and splendour, such as we have at present no conception of. For at no time has sculpture risen to such heights, or made so wide an appeal. as during the period in which the Parthenon, sculptures were made. WHITE WINGS. • Wait, what will we call her?”, asked Jack as they reached the shore. “White Wings/’ snapped Dick.” “ Suits me ” —“ and me ” —“ and ;ne ” echoed the rest, j “Up with the sail.” he cried, and j up it went, without a hitch. ‘ All aboard, those who are taking the trip ! around the world in »even days.” j Then every one burst out roaring ; with laughter, for there was no wind, : not a spoonful, and the sail hung an limply as a dish-cloth. ‘ I guess we will have to whistle for j wind, boys.” grunted Dick “ and in the meantime we had better push her j back to the shore.” MAB'S GARDEN Flowers that coyly grow between 1 'Piny lawns of glinting green. * Dew that gleams as ne’er before. ; Butterflies that softly scar Round lofty arches, rose entwined, i And fragrant scents—all bring to mind Memories of Mab’s garden! fled carnations, pink or write. Sweet peas trailing left, and right, Dahlias large and violets small. Freezias short and lilies tall. Demure, sweet seemed mignonette. J Vnd many, many others yetFlowers ir Mab’s garden !