The Venus of Melos.

Mr. Edward Robinson gave the second of the series of lectures on the Fine Arts, in the Fogg Art Museum last evening, before a large audience. The subject of the lecture was "The Venus of Melos."

The statue of Venus of Melos, said Mr. Robinson, has been a subject of dissentions and discussion since its discovery. First of all the name has been finally settled upon as Melos by all archiologists. Then, too, it has been contended that the statue is not of Venus, but of a nymph, or a muse.

The statue was discovered in a sort of grotto in the island of Melos in April, 1820. A French officer happened to be present at its discovery by a peasant gathering stones, and he at once took steps to secure it for his government. After a long delay it was shipped to France where it has had many adventures, especially during the Commune, and now stands in the Louvre.

The lecturer then took up the question of the restoration of the statue. As it came from Melos it was in several separate parts; the upper and lower halves, the knot of hair, part of the fore-arm, and a hand with an apple. The restoration has been attempted in several ways. Some have thought the Venus to be one of a group of figures, others have restored her "juggling with the apple," still others have placed a column for her arm to rest upon. The figure probably stood close up against something, her left arm resting upon some support, her right arm bent across the body, and her left foot resting upon some object.