THE STATUE OF CAPTAIN COOK.

West Coast Times, Issue 2743, 16 January 1878, Page 4

THE STATUE OF CAPTAIN COOK.

(PALL MALL GAZETTE, OCT. 23.) The statue of Cnptain Cook, which Mr Woolner ba^ so long been engaged upon for the Government of New South Wales, will be sent to the founder* in a few days, and we hear that it is not to be shown to the public in th's country. The size of this statue is remarkable ; it measures 13ft 6in from the feet to the crown of the head, and uearly 2ft more to the end of tlie unlifred «rm. Thus, when placed on the pedestal lready provided for its reception in lljde Park, Sydney, the total height above the ground will not be less than 37i't. Ihe situation in Sydney is mont happily chosen, and is 80 elevated that vesseN wbm my have entered the lkatid oi Port Jackson, will be able to t-ee the s atue in tin distauce as they worlt tli tr way up to S)dney. In dealing with a figu'e of such enormous proport ; o:m a y.n.at difficulty nnuht appear t-. be ilitr n.uuial impression that the man thus rupi^o tid wus hims^ It an imvuelih £ ant. . . ugi ne-f< dooa not necessarily involve ungmnlincHS or clum siness ; but with a slatuo consider;! bly more than ttficc the bizi- of life the lino which divide-> gitinrieur from luaviness is a very narrow one, sind the t-iigi'test original error, being multipli< d .-e> e< al tnnt-H would mar what would otherwise be a noble conception. This difficulty Mr Woolner h s very successful^ overcome. '1 hough the lines are necessarily wry strongly marked, there is no exagge atiou in them, in looking at the statue thr impression of extraordinary *ize quickly fades, and the whole figure is thoroughly grusped at once The attitude is easy, yet imposing. The great nayigator haß come on deck bare headed, and has jint made out the new continent, showing dimly in the early morning sun. He is» thus represented in the moment of a discovery which entitles Cook to rank immediately below Columbus in the list of discoverers. As he is here represented, there is nothing theatrical or strained in the expression of his j"y what is revealed is rather a thoughtful foreseeing happiness, softening th.- severity of features which Mr Wo>lner has perhaps made rather too severe. Th>- drapery is most carefully worked, and the old-fashioned garb, with its laced coat, large-pockettd waistcoat, tight knee-breeches, and largibuckled shoes, seems to have lost its grotesqueness in the way it is here managed, and to be better suited than any other to the occasion, though the inevitable queue scarcely suits one's idea of a becoming finish to the neck.