[206] ["Mirandum in modum (canes venaticos diceres) ita odorabantur omnia et pervestigabant, ut, ubi quidque esset, aliqua ratione invenirent" (Cicero, _In Verrem_, Act. II. lib. iv. 13). Verres had two _finders_: Tlepolemus a worker in wax, and Hiero a painter. (See _Introduction to The Curse of Minerva: Poems_, 1898, i. 455.)] [207] [M. Fauvel was born in Burgundy, circ. 1754. In 1787 he was attached to the suite of the Count Choiseul-Gouffier, French Ambassador at Constantinople, and is said to have prepared designs and illustrations for his patron's _Voyage Pittoresque de la Grèce_, vol. i. 1787, vol. ii. 1809. He settled at Athens, and was made vice-consul by the French Government. In his old age, after more than forty years' service at Athens, he removed finally to Smyrna, where he was appointed consul-general.--_Biographic des Contemporains_ (Rabbe), 1834, art. "(N.) Fauvel."] [208] {169} In all Attica, if we except Athens itself and Marathon, there is no scene more interesting than Cape Colonna.[§1] To the antiquary and artist, sixteen columns are an inexhaustible source of observation and design; to the philosopher, the supposed scene of some of Plato's conversations will not be unwelcome; and the traveller will be struck with the beauty of the prospect over "Isles that crown the Ægean deep:" but, for an Englishman, Colonna has yet an additional interest, as the actual spot of Falconer's[§2] shipwreck. Pallas and Plato are forgotten in the recollection of Falconer and Campbell:-- "Here in the dead of night, by Lonna's steep,[§3] The seaman's cry was heard along the deep." This temple of Minerva may be seen at sea from a great distance. In two journeys which I made, and one voyage to Cape Colonna, the view from either side, by land, was less striking than the approach from the isles. In our second land excursion, we had a narrow escape from a party of Mainotes, concealed in the caverns beneath. We were told afterwards, by one of their prisoners, subsequently ransomed, that they were deterred from attacking us by the appearance of my two Albanians: conjecturing very sagaciously, but falsely, that we had a complete guard of these Arnaouts at hand, they remained stationary, and thus saved our party, which was too small to have opposed any effectual resistance. Colonna is no less a resort of painters than of pirates; there "The hireling artist plants his paltry desk, And makes degraded nature picturesque." See Hodgson's _Lady Jane Grey_, etc.[§4][1809, p. 214]. But there Nature, with the aid of Art, has done that for herself. I was fortunate enough to engage a very superior German artist; and hope to renew my acquaintance with this and many other Levantine scenes, by the arrival of his performances. [§1] [This must have taken place in 1811, after Hobhouse returned to England.--_Travels in Albania_, i. 373, note.]