‘The success of our enterprise,’ continues Mr. COCKERELL, ‘astonished every one, and in all circumstances connected with it good fortune attended us.’ One of these circumstances, however—that of the mixed nationality of the discoverers—put, it must be added, some difficulty in the way towards accomplishing an earnest wish, on the part of the English sharers in the adventure, that England should be made the final home of the Phigaleian sculptures. Two Germans, as we have seen, were active partners in the exploration. A third, Mr. GROPIUS, had likewise some interest in it. And there was also a more formidable sleeping partner in the rich digging. VELY Pasha had stipulated that he was to have one half of the marbles discovered, as the price of his licence to explore. But, very fortunately, one of the ordinary changes in Turkish policy at Constantinople removed VELY from his government, just at the critical moment; and so made him anxious to sell his share, and to facilitate the removal of the spoil. The new Pasha had heard of the discoveries, and was hastening to lay hands upon the whole. But he was too late. The marbles were removed to Zante. The German proprietors insisted on a public sale by auction. There was not time to bring the matter before Parliament. [Sidenote: THE TRANSFER OF THE MARBLES OF PHIGALEIA TO ZANTE;] But the Prince Regent took an active interest in it. With his sanction, and mainly by the exertions of Mr. W. R. HAMILTON (afterwards a zealous Trustee of the British Museum), some members of the Government authorised the despatch of Mr. Taylor COMBE to Zante. By him the marbles were purchased, at the price of sixty thousand dollars; but that sum was enhanced by an unfavourable exchange, so that the actual payment amounted to nineteen thousand pounds. [Sidenote: AND TO ENGLAND.] It was paid out of the Droits of the Admiralty,—a fund of questionable origin, and one which had been many times grossly abused, but which, on this occasion, subserved a great national advantage. The marbles thus obtained are confessedly inferior to those of the Parthenon; but they possess great beauty, as well as great archæological value. Both acquisitions, in their place, have contributed to increase historic knowledge, not less conspicuously than to develop artistic power, or to enlighten critical judgment, both in art and in literature. It would not be an easy task to estimate to what degree a mastery of the learning which is to be acquired only from the marbles of Attica and of Arcadia, and their like, has tended to make the study of Greek books a living and life-giving study.