pedestals; and over the entablature is a handsome attic, pannelled for the inscription: all of which is more particularly shewn by the prints we have of it. This arch stands insularly, and was built in the third century of the Christian era, to the honour of the emperor whose name it bears, after his successful expedition against the Parthians and so durable is marble, &c. in a temperate climate, that it looks nearly as perfect as if it had been erected but a century ago. The beauty of its effect is much lessened by the increase of earth around it, which conceals the lower part nearly as high up as the springing of the two side-arches. On the top, over the centre arch, was formerly a triumphal car, in which were represented the statues of the emperor and his two sons. The vault of the arch is adorned with square pannels, and in them are large embossed flowers, of different patterns. The columns in both fronts are detached in a small degree; and behind them are pilasters, with a faint projection. The entablature breaks round the columns, thereby denoting they were introduced for the purpose of supporting statues of the vanquished, or other figures emblematical of victory, as well as for or

nament.

On the left of this arch appears a portico, consisting of ten columns of the Corinthian order, six in face, and two at each return-end; and it is supposed to have been a part of the temple of Antoninus and Faustina. Each of the columns is in one block of Cipolin marble. Their diameter is four feet six inches, and their height is reckoned

forty-four feet, including the base and the capital; but their bases and part of their shafts are buried in the ground. The cornice is without modilions and dentels, but two members in the bedmould and the corona are enriched. The frieze is adorned with griffons and candelabræ, but the architrave is left plain. This ancient portico now serves for an entrance to a modern church, which has been erected on the ruins of the old temple, and in the front of it is this inscription:

DIVO ANTONINO. ET

DIVAE FAVSTINAE-F. S. C.

A small distance to the right of this portico are the remains of the magnificent temple of Peace, made out of the materials of the golden house of Nero, which stood on the same ground, and of which Suetonius has given a detailed description, somewhat to the following purpose: Concerning the extent and furniture of the golden house, it may be necessary to state, by way of elucidation, that the porch was lofty enough to admit under it a colossal statue, 120 feet in height, and the palace extended, by three colonnades, a mile at least. In the centre was a pond, like a sea, surrounded with buildings that had the appearance of a city. Within the compass of this house were corn-fields, vineyards, pastures, and woods, with a variety of animals, both wild and tame. The interior was overlaid with gold, adorned with jewels and mo, ther-of-pearl. The rooms of entertainment were arched with vaults of ivory, and the ceilings were

so contrived as to scatter fragrant flowers among the guests. They were beside furnished with silver pipes, for conducting into different parts of the chambers sweet-smelling unctions and aromatic waters. The chief banquetting room was circular, and the inside finishing was a piece of ingenious mechanism, made to revolve day and night, in imitation of the heavenly bodies. The baths were supplied with salt water from the Mediterranean; and with warm water, conducted by rivulets, from the hot springs of Baiæ, in the kingdom of Naples. After this prodigality of expense, Nero used to boast he had at last a habitation fit for a man. With the materials of this palace it is believed the temple of Peace, the baths of Titus, and the amphitheatre of Vespasian, were afterwards partly constructed.

Returning to the temple of Peace, which was built by Vespasian, after his son Titus had conquered Jerusalem.---Nothing of it now remains, except three large arches, which look like the arches of an old bridge, supposing the ground to be the water, and the vaults of them are enriched with octagon pannels; at the same time they do not convey to the common observer any competent idea of that splendour which writers have informed us this palace originally displayed. History records, that it was not only the most superb, but the largest palace in the universe, after the golden house was destroyed; which is rather extraordinary, as the dimensions given of it, if they be correct---viz. 300 feet in length, and 200 feet in width---are nothing uncommon for the magnitude

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of a palace. The exterior is said to have been covered with large sheets of gilt bronze; I should imagine this must allude to some part of the roof or covering of the building. It became a depository for all the riches brought from Syria, as well as for the precious spoils taken out of the temple of Jerusalem and even the rich citizens put their treasures into it as a place of security, under the protection of the emperor and the senate. Beside which, it was adorned with the finest statues, pictures, bronzes, and other rich ornaments. But, to the affliction of the Roman people, it was destroyed, with all its contents, by a conflagration, and many families were thereby in an instant plunged from affluence into extreme poverty. Herodian, the historian, speaking of this misfortune, observes, they did not know to what cause to attribute this fatal accident, since there had been no lightning. He, however, mentions that a few slight shocks of an earthquake had been felt; and it is supposed there was emitted at the same time from the bowels of the earth a secret fire, which reduced this superb edifice to ashes. Such was the impetuosity of the flames, that the various metals of the building were melted, and by running in all directions in burning torrents nothing could be saved.

There seems to be something so very doubtful in this story, that it is more generally suspected to have been set on fire by the Jews, as a vindictive retribution for the losses they had sustained when the Romans pillaged their city and destroyed the holy temple of Jerusalem.

A column of marble, which formerly belonged to the temple of Peace, now stands before the church of St. Maria Maggiore. It is of the Corinthian order, fluted, and said to be forty-nine feet three inches in height, which serves to demonstrate the immense magnitude of the structure of which it was a part.

Departing from this temple eastward, to the place of the Coliseum, you pass through the arch of Titus, which is the most ancient at Rome. The bass-reliefs within the arch, immediately under the impost, are of the most exquisite workmanship. On one side, Titus is represented in a triumphal car, drawn by four horses, attended by the senate and the army. Behind the conqueror appears a figure of Victory, with a palm branch and a crown in her hands. Rome triumphant is allegorically shewn before, in the action of driving the car; and the horses are executed in a fine style. In the pannel on the other side of the arch is a representation of the spoils brought from the temple of Jerusalem by Titus, which were exhibited in his triumph; and the vault is handsomely pannelled. Nearly all the exterior decorations of this arch are demolished: they consisted formerly of two columns of the composite order, one on each side, with an entablature above, and over the arch itself was a pannel raised up for the inscription.

The arches of Vespasian and Constantine have three openings in each ;—a large one in the centre for carriages to pass through, and a smaller one on each side for persons on foot: but that of

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