$130

CHURCH OF ST. JOHN LATERAN.

third, with an upbraiding gesture, looks up to the transfiguration, endeavouring to draw every eye towards it, as if no minor object should for a moment distract the attention of those who had an opportunity of contemplating so glorious a sight. The next picture in point of excellence is by Domenichino, the Communion of St. Jerome. In the same room is a picture considered the master-piece of Guido, in his first style; that is to say, before he imitated the colouring of Michael Angelo Caravaggio. In this picture, the subject of which is Fortune flying over the globe, the colouring is very faint. Caravaggio's style is to me ordinary and unpleasing his subjects are so much so, that however fine the paintings may be, we turned away from them with disgust. Many of them are martyrdoms, most horribly and exactly represented. The dark shades of Guercino's pictures, distinguish his style of painting from all others. Benvenuto Garofolo excels in small figures.

We have been at the Church called St. John Lateran, in which is the beautiful Corsini Chapel; underneath is the burying-ground of the family, and a fine group of the deposition cut out of one solid piece of white marble. We next saw the Baptistery, which is a circular building, the walls in the inside are painted in fresco. It is said that Constantine was baptized here.

Monday. Certainly Rome still possesses an exhaustless store of amusement for all who take plea

VISIT TO THE CAPITOL.

131

sure in works of taste or refinement, but I fear that too much valuable time is lost in the pursuit. This day I visited the Capitol accompanied by some intelligent friends. The first room which we entered is covered with fine historical frescos, representing the battle of the Horatii and Curiatii on the left wall the sister of the former weeping by the side of her slain lover, is stabbed by her enraged brother. On the opposite wall Horatius Cocles is seen swimming across the Tiber, &c. The figures are all as large as life. Ancient statues and busts fill the other rooms. Among these is the much admired group of Romulus and Remus receiving nourishment from their uncouth nurse, the wolf; and the ducks of the Capitol, too good ducks to be mistaken for geese. Both these are of bronze; that of Romulus and Remus was struck by lightning on the night of Julius Cæsar's assassination. It was found in the temple of Romulus and Remus, now the Church of St. Theodore. Of many things which I see, I give you a very cursory account, because they have all been described by persons of so much greater ability. Tuesday. I have been visiting palaces and Churches accompanied by the friends who yesterday took me to the Capitol. We hope yet to have an opportunity of making you acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. B.: they are our own country people, and promise, should we all live to return, to visit us in Ireland.

132

TOMB OF AUGUSTUS.

Of all which I saw this day, I was most please d with the view of Rome and the surrounding campagna from the Janiculum Hill, on which stands the Church called San Pietro in Montorio, and a convent from whence issued a friar to be our guide to see the Church, &c. First he brought us into a beautiful little circular temple adjoining, surrounded by sixteen Doric pillars of the purest white marble, said to have been erected over the spot where St. Peter was crucified with his head downwards. They shew a hole where the cross is said to have been fixed, and on which a lamp is kept always burning. From hence we walked to the Fontana Paola, which, next to that of Trevi, is the most beautiful fountain in Rome. The water is conveyed to it by a magnificent aqueduct.

It would be tedious to describe to you the different palaces which I have seen; besides, you will find in other tours, already published, a more accurate account than any which I could give you.

Wednesday. We have visited the tomb of Augustus, now converted into a kind of theatre; where, every Sunday evening, during the summer months, all classes of persons assemble to be entertained with bull and buffalo fights, fireworks, &c. Ladies of the first distinction, in their finest dresses, are to be seen witnessing these sports.

I have just heard an anecdote, with which I shall conclude this letter, in the hope that it will amuse you as much as it did me. Some months ago, the

English and Roman antiquarians were ludicrously taken in by a Jew, who pretended that he had invented a machine, by means of which he could draw from the muddy bottom of the Tiber, treasures of antiquity which are supposed to have lain buried there for ages. To prove the truth of his assertion, he drew forth one or two statues, in the presence of some persons; but said he could not proceed in the work without a considerable sum of money, thirty thousand crowns at least; which was nearly raised by subscription, when the cheat was discovered by a gentleman, from whose villa these statues had been stolen, and who, happening to see them, recognised them as his property.

LETTER XVII.

Rome, December 24, 1819.

THE Pantheon is the finest and most perfect of the ancient heathen temples, perhaps, in the world. It was dedicated to the worship of all the gods and goddesses, as it now is to the Virgin, and all the saints. An image of the former is the principal object of adoration, on account of a miracle which they told us was wrought there. A woman in

134

THE PANTHEON-MIRACLE.

great apparent distress knelt before the statue of the Madonna, tears flowing from her eyes as she offered up her supplications. Two young Englishmen advanced towards her at the moment, and with all their characteristic liberality gave her some money, and hastened out of the church to avoid her exclamations of gratitude. She declared that her prayer was heard, and that in the hour of her calamity the Virgin had sent two angels from heaven to relieve her. The miracle resounded from mouth to mouth, and attracted round the image the adoring multitude, who decked it with splendid robes, and put a crown of gold on its head; and to pay farther homage, the Pope and Cardinals attended, going through the usual form of consecration. At present, it is hung round with the votive offerings of many who ascribe to the Madonna the miraculous cure of various maladies *.

Our dear Anny, talking over these things, opened her Bible at the 4th chapter of Deuteronomy, 15th verse, and said, "If these people were permitted to study the Scriptures, they would not bow down

*The magnificent busts of modern painters and artists which Canova had presented to this church as an appropriate situation for them, were considered a profanation of the sacred edifice, and with the exception of that of Raphael, all were removed by night to the Capitol, where they are seen to much greater advantage. The only reason for mentioning this circumstance, is to point out the character of the government which dared not make this judicious arrangement of their own property by daylight, for fear of offending the populace.