an Entablature of the richest sculpture, from which spring stuccoed Arches, the unity of whose majestic masses is no where disturbed by gilding.

In the four Angles of this charming Dome Domenichino has painted the Cardinal Virtues, with characteristic accompaniments. The Figures of Justice and Charity are peculiarly beautiful, and the colours of these exquisite performances seem endowed with indelible vividity: for they are as fresh as if laid on but yesterday, though they have not been painted less than two hundred years.

LETTER XV.

Palaces and Museums.

'HE scite of the ancient Capitol is

THE

now occupied by the modern TownHouse; but you still approach it by the long ascent that has been so often trod by the Senate and People of Rome, in the days of the Consuls and the Cæsars.

It had been inclosed with Porticoes by the Conscript Fathers, whose Generals conquered the World; and Nero, who never fought with any thing but Beasts, had vainly erected in its centre a triumphal Arch.

The venerable Area was surrounded with Temples of which the most ancient was that of Jupiter Feretrius, built by Romulus, in the infancy of the city; the most magnificent, that of Jupiter Capitolinus, erected by Tarquin the Superb.

In the latter were deposited the Spoils of conquered Nations, as offerings to the imaginary Deity, whose Statue was of solid gold.—

But Jupiter Capitolinus has long since given way to Maria d'Ara Cœli, though the Columns of the Temple still support the Nave of the Church.

Nothing else remains, of ancient dignity, upon this imperial eminence, the

Temples

Temples of other Jupiters-of various Fortunes-of Egyptian gods, adopted by their superstitious Conquerors, having totally disappeared, with the immobile Saxum of the Capitol.

Thanks, however, to the Genius of Destruction, the Sculptures of Antiquity have been preserved, under protecting Ruins, daily to reward the industrious Antiquary with the discovery of precious Objects, among the accumulated rubbish of two thousand years, which covers the ancient surface, to the depth of fifteen or twenty feet.

A Statue of Tiberius was lately found at Piperno-another of Minerva has just been discovered at Veletri-and one of Antinous at Palestrina.

Two

Two Lionesses of Egyptian basaltes guard the ascent to the Capitol, and the headless Trunk of a Statue of porphyry, exquisitely draped, indicates alike the evanescency of Empire, and the perpetuity of Rome.

Two colossal Statues of Grecian sculpture-Castor and Pollux leading their Horses, ornament the top of the steps; and on a line with these, to the right and left, are Trophies taken from the Arch of Trajan; and ancient Mile-Stones, one of which was that which marked the first stage from the Forum Romanum toward the distant Provinces of Spain-of Britain-or of Egypt.

An equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, in bronze, once gilt, now occu