plainly traced, though the injuries on the hinder legs of the animal are not universally acknowledged as the scathings by the lightning that struck it when exposed on the lofty Capitol. From the circumstance of the founder of Rome having sucked his infant nourishment from the wolf, so sacred was that animal as to have received divine honours, according to Lactantius, who thus expresses himself: "Romuli nutrix Lupa, honoribus est affecta divinis."* Book I. Chap. 20. And we know that the Lupercalian Festivals were among the highest solemnities of Rome, and were instituted, according to Plutarch, in honour of the She Wolf; though that opinion has been controverted by Livy, and others, and an antiquity as remote as the days of Evander assigned for this. celebration. Regardless of these profound inquiries, I gaze on this sacred relic for its recollections, its historical associations, its undoubted age, and preservation to this hour through centuries of turbulence, and destruction. Among the reminiscences it called up were those expressive lines of Virgil at 630th verse of eighth Eneid, when Venus brings to her son the celestial arms forged by the God of Fire, and the delighted hero traces on the heaven-wrought shield the fate of future Rome. The She Wolf, the nurse of Romulus, has the tribute of divine honours. Fecerat et viridi fœtam Mavortis in antro The cave of Mars and the She Wolf was there, And tongue, trying them into shape to lick. In the Galleria de' Quadri there are, I think, but few pre-eminent paintings. Among those which struck me were Guercino's Persian Sybil, of which it is sufficient praise to say that it is second only to that matchless production of Dominichino, on the same subject, in the Borghese palace. Titian's Recumbent Venus, commonly called Vanity, from the large label upon the canvass, Omnia Vanitas. Rubens's Romulus and Remus suckled by the Wolf.-Flesh itself: with all the accompaniments in the most rich, and glowing, colours. The Defeat of Darius by Alexander, is one or the best of Pietro da Cortona :-admirable spirit, colour, and design; all the confusion, and horror, of war; yet the eye is attracted, and the judgment directed, to the principal characters, and incidents, which govern the battle. Two of the divine Guido.--A St. Sebastian finished in the most exquisite style, and an Anima This last is left un Beata soaring to Paradise. finished, yet the drawing, the arrangement, the heavenly expression, the celestial buoyancy, the lucid spirituality, all pronounce it by the hand of this incomparable master. Guercino's chef d'œuvre representing S. Petronilla rising from the sepulchre, and in the presence of the noble Roman Flaccus to whom she was betrothed in marriage; while in the upper part of the picture her spirit is soaring to Heaven. The last I name is Paul Veronese.-This artist has attained a celebrity which I deem fully adequate to his merits. Many of his compositions seem deficient in dignity; and of his skill in colouring, justly vaunted, I only observe that I cannot always admire his introduction of every hue of the rainbow. This Rape of Europa is one of his happy efforts. Light, playful, elegant, and appropriately allegorical. The nymph who is not over handsome, and is certainly very fat, is, probably, a portrait. It is curious to observe her dress; that of a modern fine lady; with necklace, bracelets, silks, and satin. In coming away I again stopped in the outer court to look at that ancient group in marble of a lion tearing a horse; restored by Michael Angelo; and at the antique basso-rilievo on the staircase representing Metius Curtius the Sabine on horse back but once more I again particularly admired those six beautiful bassi-rilievi allusive to the glories of Marcus Aurelius, with the apotheosis of his Empress; the lovely, yet abandoned, Faustina. Departure from Rome. $3 CHAPTER XXVI. DEPARTURE FROM ROME-ALBANO, AND HORATII AND CURIATII-ARICIA, AND SYLVA NEMORENSIS, WITH FABLE OF HIPPOLYTUS-LAVINIUM, AND SCENES OF THE ENEIDPRATI D'ANNIBALE-CORA-PONTINE MARSHES-CAMILLA -TERRACINA-CIRCE, AND PROMONTORY OF—BANDITTIDIGAIETA-CICERO-ULYSSES-CAPUA-MINTURNE, MOLA AND MARIUS-THE LIRIS AND VULTURNUS-FALERNUSNAPLES. NAPLES. I have yet much more to say of Rome, but, in order to diversify the scene, and the narrative, I determined to exchange the solemn inspirations of the "Eternal City" for the gaieties, and delights, of Naples; and accordingly set off at 10 o'clock last Thursday night. My friend, Mr. M. had preceded me about two or three days and went by the government courier, having an escort for protection. My agreement was for a carriage in company with two other carriages, and a guard or escort, for a similar reason of security, but, on taking my seat at night, after waiting a considerable time in the Piazza di Spagna, and after repeated inquiries as to the other carriages that were to accompany our party, our Vetturino only coolly told us that it was a Sbaglio, or mistake, and we were thus constrained to set off alone. However, we arrived safe at our destination, and I must add that in every other respect we were fairly treated; that we accomplished the journey |