large size, to be seen in collections of gems, are the works of artists of the times since the Revival: they are much more numerous than the true antique heads of the emperors and their connexions, whence they ought always to be examined with suspicion, above all whenever the stones themselves exceed the usual dimensions of a signet. The heads of Domitia, Julia Titi, M. Aurelius, and L. Verus, have been those most frequently copied by modern artists.

In the list of my own collection, it appears that more than half of the entire number are Sards of various shades, and after them in number come the Onyx and the Jasper. Plasmas would have been almost as numerous as Sards, had not the choice of the gems been guided by the good work of the intagli, and not by the wish to obtain a great variety of subjects. The proportionate numbers of the gems will be found nearly the same in all collections, where the acquisition of fine work alone is the end proposed by the amateur to himself in his purchases. In the Herz Collection, where the sole object was to accumulate a variety of subjects, quite irrespective of their authenticity, execution, or material, in an unreasoning emulation of the famous cabinet of Stosch (the cause that more than half of its contents were modern imitations or worthless pastes), the varieties of stones were much more numerous; as the latest works of the Decline supply vast numbers of Plasmas, and various shades of the Jasper, as well as Garnets, to the collector. But such an assemblage of works of all degrees of merit is only fit for a national museum, not for a private cabinet, where the aim of the possessor should be to keep as few pieces as possible, and those only that are the best of their kind; so that each gem becomes, as it were, a collection in itself.

The preference shown by the ancient engravers for particular kinds of gems, is well illustrated by the annexed tabular

view of those composing the Mertens-Schaafhausen Cabinet, formed entirely of intagli, with few exceptions, antique, only 97 of the whole number being camei of various periods.

Besides these, there are a few in horn-stone, haematite, nephrite, loadstone, and Lydian stone or touchstone.

SR

Gorgon: Greco-Italian Cameo. Sard

UTILITY OF CASTS FROM ANTIQUE GEMS.

The chief of archæologists, Visconti, remarks in his 'Esp. di Gemme Antiche,' "How conducive the study and the accurate examination of ancient works in the precious stones, commonly termed Gems,' is to the understanding of antiquities, and to every species of valuable erudition, as well as to the intelligence of the arts of design, and to the training of the eyes in the distinguishing of true and simple beauty, is an argument already sufficiently dilated upon by others, and unnecessary to be further discussed in this place. I must, however, preface my description of this collection of casts (made for Prince A. Chigi), by the mention of certain considerations which have served me as rules in drawing it up, as well as in the choice and formation of the entire cabinet. Two advantages, over all other existing relics of antiquity, are possessed by engraved gems, and both are connected with the service to be derived from them: the first is, that they are able to furnish accurate instruction, not to those present alone, whilst those absent are either entirely deprived, or must derive it from drawings merely, as the sole resource; drawings too, often incorrect, scarcely ever perfectly accurate, and which can only transfuse into the plate what the eye of the draughtsman (often an unskilled one) has been able to comprehend in the original of his design. Antique intagli, on the contrary, by means of the impressions from them, in a certain manner may be said to multiply themselves, and

are represented in perhaps a better point of view than the originals; from which circumstance these impressions serve equally well with the monument itself to build our reflections and our decisions upon, except in those very rare and exceptional cases where some peculiarity of mechanical execution of the work is concerned. The second advantage, and that one of the highest importance, is, that their very hardness of material, and the nature of the work on them, especially as regards intagli, to such a degree secure the integrity of these antique productions of art, that the representations, together with all their symbols and accessories, have been preserved without the slightest damage to the present moment; not mutilated, as is too often the case with works of art in marble, or as with medals, made illegible by wear, or changed and corroded by their long entombment amidst the acids of the earth."

PLASTER CASTS.

The collector of antique gems ought to take every opportunity of carefully examining all cabinets of camei and intagli to which he can obtain access, especially in the numerous small collections brought to London for sale during the season. As these are usually of the most miscellaneous character, and composed of works of all ages, gathered together without discrimination, he will have an opportunity of comparing every style, and thus by degrees of gaining the almost intuitive perception of antiquity, only to be acquired by practice. He will soon learn how never to pass over an antique as a modern work; the converse faculty will, however, be more slowly imparted to his eye, for the most experienced may sometimes be taken in by the exact imitation of the antique in some gem the production of the skilful artists of the last century. Much too may be learnt from

the careful study of casts from gems of undoubted authenticity, as regards the style and design, and the execution or the mechanical part of the work of different epochs, all which may be acquired nearly as well from the constant and minute examination of the casts as by that of the gems themselves. After some practice the student will find himself enabled to distinguish the casts produced by the various sorts of gems, by observing how different is the work on the Sard from that on the Plasma, how that on the Nicolo again has its peculiar touches, while the flowing and shallow work peculiar to the Jacinth is to be recognised at the first glance. The style of engraving on the Garnet also, when by chance a good intaglio on this gem does occur, has a peculiarity of its own, somewhat approximating to that of the Jacinth.

These plaster-casts are easily taken, and only require a little care in the manipulation to produce extremely accurate impressions: the process is as follows. The face of the gem must first be slightly oiled, to prevent the plaster from sticking in the lines of the intaglio. A little plaster must next be mixed with water to the consistence of paste, and then laid upon the intaglio with a fine brush, as if giving it a coat of paint, by which we prevent bubbles from forming on the surface of the cast, which would completely spoil it. Next surround the gem with a margin of thick paper to keep the plaster in shape, and lay upon the first coat any quantity of plaster mixed to a strong consistence, to give the required thickness to the cast; let it dry for half an hour, when it will be easily separated from the stone, and a perfect impression will be produced. This is the regular and somewhat tedious process; but I have found the two first steps of oiling and coating the gem may be dispensed with, by breathing for a few moments upon the gem, so as to make it thoroughly hot and moist before laying on the plaster, which if carefully