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Paper on Sepulchral Monuments contributed by Lord Lansdowne to the "Gentleman's Magazine" 1791.
In complimenting or commemorating any great character, expence is a secondary consideration. All works of art please or displease in proportion as taste and judgement prevail over it. In architecture, the greatness of the mass sometimes imposes, even where the structure is barbarous; but, in sculpture, the mass becomes an intolerable enormity, where it is not highly executed and imagined; which, in a groupe of figures, implies the arts to have attained the utmost decree of perfection. In the case of monuments this is the more true, as a mere massy monument, composed of common-place allegory, may be raised to any body, whose will or whose posterity may direct the payment for it, without creating any interest, and often without being at all understood. Besides, the publick is in general grown cold to allegory, even in painting, where, nevertheless it is much more supportable than in statuary. The great object, where a character admits of it, should be to produce those sensations which resemblance of exalted characters never fail to do, even in persons most experienced in the human character; and at the same time create an association of ideas, which may tell themselves in honour of the persons intended to be remembered.
The proposal for erecting a monument to the late Mr. Howard suggests these reflections. If they have any foundation, it will be difficult to find an occasion so proper, and so free from objection, to enforce and carry them into effect; as, besides continuing his likeness to posterity by a single statue, three public points may be obtained; which, combined all together, must reflect the highest honour on his memory; namely,
1st, To reserve St. Paul's, the second building in Europe, and the first in Great Britain, from being disfigured or misapplied in the manner of Westminster Abbey.
2dly, To assist the arts most essentially, by advancing statuary, which may be considered as the first, because it is the most durable, amongst them.
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