] {...one that involves characters across the board, such as Napoleon, Byron, Shelley, Keats, George Cruikshank, Lady Emma Hamilton, Grenville, Thomas Hardy, Nelson, William Pitt the Younger, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Talleyrand, Turner and Benjamin West...] Here's the connection which is necessarily long. I wonder if Jane Austen saw Elgin's collection. She must have heard about it, discussion was in all the newspapers. But I could not find any reference in her letters, at least through the index.

] Lord Elgin was also known as Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin & 11th of Kincadine. He was an ancester of Robert the Bruce, first king of Scotand (1306-1329). Lord Elgin's mother was governess at one time to the princess Charlotte, Prinny's daughter.

] Napoleon's Egyptian invasion prompted the Turks to declare war on France. Nelson' victory at the Battle of the Nile secured England as he most favored nation in the Ottoman Empire. It was George IV who requested Lord Elgin apply for the post of Ambsador to Turkey, his application was accepted. The appointment was particularly appealing because of Elgin's affection for the arts, especially sculpture. While Elgin was n Constantinople it would be simple to make visis to Athens, Greece being part of the Ottoman Empire. Plaste casts of actual objects could be made, as well as paintings and drawings. Elgin saw his chance to to restore the British arts and to improv British architecture, painting and sculpture. Such an undertaking would need money and painters, artists, architects and draftsmen. After presenting his ideas to William Pitt, Elgin was told that he would have to proceed at his own expense.

] Elgin interviews artists for his project... Painter Thomas Girtin turns him down after being disatisfied with half the salary of a English valet and balking at Elgin's insistence that he assist Lady Elgin in the decoration of firescrees , worktables, and other household duties! Richard and Robert Smirke turned Elgin down for similar reasons. Benjamin West suggested J.M.W. Turner but he too as not satisfied by the money nor the required drawing lessons for Lady Elgin. Elgin leaves for Constantinople. In route he stops in Palermo where he and his wife are guests of Sir William Hamilton (British Ambassador at Naples and respected archealogist and notabe collector of Greek vases, gems, coins and sculpture). Lord Nelson, who was also a guest, was planning to set sail for Minorca in a few days. (Lady Elgin was not appreciative of the Nelson/Emma Hamilton connection - she hated Emma - but Sir William Hamilton was quite agreeable to the relationship). Hamilton suggests Giovanni Battista Lusieri (first painter of Italy) for the job as overseer to his Athens project, the man agrees to Elgin's terms and embarks for Rome and Naples to procure more artists and necessary materials. He is accompanied by Elgin's secretary, William Richard Hamilton. While Elgin continues to Costantinople, arrangements are made with the Turks in Athens to give Elgin's men access to the Acropolis Hill for examination purposes. William Richard Hamilton goes on to Egypt as Elgin's repesentative with the Expeditionary Forces there and gains distinction for his daring acquisition of the Rosetta Stone. He rows out with a small escort to recover the stone from a fever-stricken French ship, where is was concealled for shipment to France & Napoleon's Louvre Museum.

] Rev. Hunt, Elgin's chaplain, manages to reinterpret the Turk's permission for Elgin to 'explore' the Parthenon. It was not intended as permission to remove the scupltures and friezes. Hunt argues with the viovode in Athens and insists that such permission was given and resorts to threats and bribes until permission is formally granted. Elgin extends his explorations and acquisitions to other ancient sites around Athens and further to Mycenae, Tripoli and the Aegian Islands. Elgin inlists the help of Lord Keith, the commander in chief of naval forces in the Mediterranean, and gets him to agree to allow a war ship to convoy the Comissary's ship from Constantinople and stop in Athens to pick up and carry sculptures to England. Elgin and his family head back for England. While in route from Lyons to Paris, they are apprehended by Napolean's soldier's and Elgin is held as hostage for the safe return of the French general Boyer. The Peace of Amiens had ended. After much negotiations, (Napoleon does agree to let Elgin go if the marbles are given to the Louvre :-b but Elgin speaks not) Elgin is released. Meanwhile there is a furor touched off in the English press concerning the presence of the Parthenon marbles at Park Lane. While Elgin was imprisoned Lord Byron visits Greece where he turns on Lucieri and denounces Elgin ad theatens to publicly shame Elgin if he doesn't cease despoiling the Parthenon. In London a famous prize fighter Gregson is induced to stand naked in Elgin's museuum and pose for 2 hours so that is anatomy might be compared with the statues. Three actual boxing matches take place inside the museum.

] Elgin returns to London a financially ruined man and implored Pariament to buy his collection of marbles for the British Museum. Parliament balks at the 74,000 pounds it took to find and bring them to London. The authenticity of the marbles ar then disputed by richard Payne Knight. Elgin brings in testimony to authenticity from the most eminent names in the British art world...Joseph Nollikens, John Flaxman, Sir Thomas Lawrence and Benjamin West. Constable mentions seeing these marbles in his letters but does not speak of any contraversy that I can remember. Byron returns to England and his Childe Harold's Pilgrimage is published. a large portion of the second canto is a bitter attack on Lord Elgin. Only once throughout the entire work does Byron attack an individual and that person is Elgin.

] The prince regent joins Byron's forces, as does Edward Daniel Clarke and prominent travelers to the Continent. The French Condemn Elgin. Byron again lashes out in his poem 'The Curse of Minerva'. Scot novelist John Galt tries to prevent one shipment from leaving Athens and writes a cruel satire "Athenial." (Byron actually borrowed a few ideas from this poem for his Minerva Curse).

] Elgin's supports, other than the ones already metioned, were Joseph Faringdon (landscape painter), J.M.W. Turner and Benjamin Robert Haydon. Parliament does buy the collection, prompting George Cruikshank to create one of his most famous cartoons, inspired by Lord Brougham's article in the Edinburgh review "If we cannot give them bread, we ought not to indulge ourselves in the purchase of stones!

] Haydon brings his young friend John Keats to the British Museum and Keats writes 2 sonnets for that ocassion. Elgin's marbles inspire him to create 2 masterpeices "Ode on a Grecian Urn" and "Hyperion." He visits the marbles again and again. Thomas Hardy visits the museum and envisions the marbles as prisoners sadly conversing on Christmas Day.

] Lady Elgin is divorced by her husband for adultery and her children taken away. But who can blame her? Elgin's nose was lost to some dreadful disease, a problem which Byron had nastily attributed to Syphlis, as did Napoleon. Did I forget to mention that? Imagine. Your marbles or your nose!