its
extraordinary return; but happily for him, death spared him this earthly
suffering for which the joy of the restoration would hardly have made
sufficient amends.

GOOD FORTUNE

But he also encountered many a good fortune upon life's journey. Not
only did the excavations of antiquities proceed energetically and
fortunately at Rome, but the discoveries at Herculaneum and Pompeii were
at that time partly new, or had remained partly unknown through envy,
secrecy and delay. He thus reaped a harvest which furnished work enough
for his mind and his activities.

It is a sad thing when one is compelled to consider the existing as
accomplished and completed. Armories, galleries and museums to which
nothing is added have something funereal and ghostly about them; the
mind is restricted in such a limited field of art. One becomes
accustomed to regard such collections as completed, instead of being
reminded of the necessity of constant acquisition and of the fact that,
in art as in life, nothing is completed but is constantly changing.

Winckelmann found himself in a fortunate position. The earth gave up her
treasures, and through a constant, active commerce in art many ancient
possessions came to light, passed before his eyes, aroused his
enthusiasm, challenged his judgment, and increased his knowledge.

No small advantage accrued to him through his relations with the heir
of the large Stosch collection. Not until after the death of the
collector did he become acquainted with this little world of art, over
which he presided in accordance with his best judgment and convictions.
It is true that all parts of this exceedingly valuable collection were
not treated with equal care; the whole of it deserved a catalogue for
the delectation and the use of later amateurs and collectors. Much was
squandered; but in order to make the excellent gems which it contained
better known and more marketable, Winckelmann undertook in conjunction
with the heir of Stosch to write a catalogue, concerning which
undertaking, its hasty but always able treatment, the surviving
correspondence furnishes remarkable testimony.

Our friend was thus intently occupied with the Stosch possessions before
their dispersal and with the ever increasing Albani collection; and
everything which passed through his hands, either for collection or
dispersal, increased the treasure with which he was storing his mind.

Even when Winckelmann first approached the study