posterior pediment exhibited the dispute between Neptune and Minerva, to determine which of them should give a name to Attica; but before I could distinctly examine the blaze and glory of art which they displayed, I heard footsteps approaching; and, retiring to the extremity of the group, I seated myself in speechless admiration, behind the recumbent statue of Theseus.

Phidias, the superintendant of the works under Pericles, and author of the wonders with which I was surrounded, slowly advanced to the front of the principal group, and kneeling down with an expression of deep reverence, I heard him return thanks to the gods that life and health had been granted him for the completion of his work; while he implored their forgiveness, if the imperfect conception of his mind, or inadequate execution of his hand, had disabled him from doing full justice to the divine originals.Ah! said I to myself, here is the true secret of the inimitable sublimity of the Greek sculptors! That holy enthusiasm---that utter concentration of all the faculties necessary for the production of such masterpieces, can only be elicited by combining the stimulants of both worlds; by believing that heaven as well as earth are waiting to shower down rewards upon the successful artist ;--that the gods, as well as men, are to sit in judgment upon every effort of his chisel. Religious feelings only can create such prodigies of art, and religion only, by dedicating them to the sacred edifices and public buildings, can adequately reward their creators. Hence the eminence

of painting in Catholic countries, where every church is a perpetual stimulus, combining in the mind of the artist the excitement of devotion with the certainty of worldly remuneration; a conjunction of motives to which England must have recourse, if she ever hopes, in this respect, to equal her Continental rivals.

From these reflections I was aroused by the opening of a door, and the entrance of a mixed party, ushered in by Alcamenes and Coletes, pupils of Phidias; among whom I distinguished a short thickset man, remarkable for his slovenly dress, bald head, high forehead, and turned-up nose. That is Socrates, said I, in a whisper;-I know him by his ugliness. What sort of mental hallucination possessed me I know not, but certainly I expressed neither surprise nor alarm at the miracle, when the statue of Theseus, in another whisper, thus replied to my observation:-" That which indicates intellect, is always admired among the Greeks. It is a maxim with them, that the lower the eyes are placed, the more does the human recede from the animal character:-those of Socrates (a solitary instance) occupy nearly the middle of his head: to this they attribute his superior wisdom; and by the wisdom of his head they measure their admiration of its form." The statue was silent, and I felt somewhat surprised at the minute and technical manner in which Socrates proceeded to criticise and examine the sculptures, until I recollected that he himself had been educated as a statuary, and attained such proficiency that the

Three Graces, executed by his chisel, were long preserved in the citadel.

But I was soon to contemplate the most perfect union of intellectual and personal beauty, that the world perhaps ever produced; for a female stood before me, whose dignified yet bewitching demeanour entirely rivetted my attention. Though no longer in the first bloom of youth, and with a complexion enriched by the fervour of an Ionian sun, her. countenance, when its features were not called into action, exhibited the majesty, beauty, and intelligence of the virgin Minerva; but no sooner did she smile, or even speak, than her dark hazel eyes shot forth a thousand fascinations; a voluptuous air diffused itself around her; and more Cupids seemed to lurk in her numerous dimples, than were ever summoned to the aid of Aphrodite, when she put forth all her allurements to win the prize from the Trojan shepherd. Her face, deportment, and figure seemed compounded of the Muses, the Graces, and the Loves; while her dress, splendid, yet exquisitely tasteful-provocative, yet perfectly decorous,―assimilated most happily with the characteristics of the wearer. Who is that lovely creature? I exclaimed.--" Aspasia," replied the statue.

Aspasia !-what a world of recollections does the name involve ! Aspasia, the riddle and paradox of antiquity;-the courtesan and the female philosopher; the keeper of a brothel, and the most accomplished politician in Athens ;-the mistress of Lysicles, the

grazier, and the instructor of Socrates;-the cause of the Samian war, and the writer of the celebrated Funeral Oration pronounced by Pericles in honour of its victims, of which the eloquence was so touching, that the very mothers who had been rendered childless followed him home with blessings, and showered garlands upon his head. Such was the celebrity of Aspasia, that Cyrus, the rival of Artaxerxes, bestowed her name upon his favourite mistress:-such was the ridicule and disrespect with which she was treated at Athens, that in the comedies she was publicly denominated "the new Omphale," "Dejanira," and "Juno;" nay, "the Prostitute!" Such was the infatuation of Pericles for this woman, that he was never known to depart upon business, or return, without saluting her, until at last he married her;- but above all, notwithstanding the infamy of her vocation, such was the decorum of her public conduct, and the overpowering splendour of her various talents, that the matrons of Athens did not hesitate to take their daughters to her house, that they might hear her discourse, and profit by her instructions.

And who is that grave personage, said I, upon whose arm she is leaning; whose dress, without any appearance of undue attention, is yet arranged with such scrupulous propriety, and whose head appears as much too long as that of Socrates is too round? "That is Pericles, whose head, on account of its disproportionate length, is generally represented covered with a helmet, and who, for the same reason, has received from the comic poets the name of the onion

headed. The youth beside him is his eldest son Xanthippus; Paralus, the second of his sons, is led behind him, by Euryptolemus, his nephew; and yonder grey-headed old man is his tutor, Anaxagoras, the Clazomenian, from his superior wisdom surnamed "Nous," or the intelligence. In the multiplicity of his public duties, Pericles forgot to make the necessary provision for his tutor's support; the philosopher had covered up his head, and was going to starve himself, when his pupil, hearing of his situation, ran instantly to his relief, expostulated, entreated forgiveness for his neglect, and implored him not to deprive his administration of so valuable a counsellor. Uncovering his face, Anaxagoras exclaimed, "Ah, Pericles! those that have need of a lamp take care to supply it with oil."

At this moment Aspasia approaching the spot where I sat, disengaged her arm from that of Pericles : "Go," said she playfully, "and examine those glorious works: why do you bestow all your attentions upon me, and none upon those goddesses ?"— "Because," replied Pericles, "you are my only goddess."—"Which of them ?" resumed Aspasia, with an arch look.—"Take care, take care," said Socrates smiling; "every one of those deities has been enamoured of more than one mortal, and if Pericles talks of exclusive devotion, even to a daughter of earth, he may have cause to rue their jealousy." An obsequious smile and ready laugh followed each of these observations from a listener behind, who instantly turned round to two companions, prepared with tablets to note down what he communicated in a whisper.