Graham's Magazine, Vol. XLI, No. 1, July 1852Various
General
Graham's Magazine, Vol. XLI, No. 1, July 1852
Various
Literature -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals
see them yet again before I could fully satisfy myself whether this
inexpressible, proudly, joyous glance is one of wisdom or of stupidity!
I could almost fancy it might be the latter, when I contemplate the
expression of gentle majesty in the head of the Grecian Jupiter.
Nevertheless, whether it be wisdom or stupidity—these representations
of ancient Nineveh have a real grandeur and originality about them. Were
they then representatives of life there? Was life there thus proud and
joyous, thus unconscious of trouble, care, or death, thus valiant, and
without all arrogance? Had it such eyes? Ah! and yet it has lain buried
in the sand of the desert, lain forgotten there many thousand years. And
now, when they once more look up with those large, magnificent eyes,
they discover another world around them, another Nineveh which cannot
understand what they would say. Thus proudly might Nineveh have looked
when the prophet uttered above her his “wo!” Such a glance does not
accord with the life of earth.
In comparison with these latest discovered but most ancient works of
art, the Egyptian statues fall infinitely short, bearing evidence of a
degraded, sensual humanity, and the same as regarded art. But neither of
these, nor of the Elgin marbles, nor of many other treasures of art in
the British Museum, which testify at the same time to the greatness of
foregone ages, and to the power of the English world conquering
intelligence, shall I say any thing, because time failed me rightly to
observe them, and the Nineveh marbles almost bewitched me by their
contemplation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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