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which is canopied by ancient evergreens; and beneath their dark shade the proud dome of St Peter's at its base-the windings of the Tiber-Romewith the distant mountains that bound the Campagna, and the soft purple light the skies of Italy shed over the scene, form a most striking and beautiful picture.

On the other side of the hill, about half way up, stands the Villa Madama, which, like every possession of the royal house of Farnese, is in a state of decay, that presents a dreary contrast to the grandeur of the scale on which it is constructed. The frescos, designed by Raphael and executed by Giulio Romano, are mouldering on the mildewed walls of its porticos and saloons; but these designs are still most beautiful, though their colouring is faded, and their spirit gone.

They consist of a series of beautiful little pictures, representing the Sports of Satyrs and Loves; Juno, attended by her peacocks, Jupiter and Ganymede, and various subjects of mythology and fable. The paintings in the portico have been of first-rate excellence; and I cannot but regret, that designs so beautiful, should not be engraved before their last traces disappear for ever. A deep frieze on one of the deserted chambers, representing angels, flowers, Caryatides, &c. by Giulio Romano; and also a fine fresco on a ceiling, by Giovanni da Udine, of Phoebus driving his Heavenly Steeds, are in somewhat better preservation.

It was in the groves that surrounded the Villa Madama, that the Pastor Fido of Guarini was re

presented for the first time, before a brilliant circle of princes and nobles, such as these scenes will see no more, and Italy itself could not now produce. Even to the lofty height of Monte Mario, and to the villas, which crown the ancient hills of Rome, most part of which are contained within the walls, the gradually increasing scourge of the Malaria has now spread its baleful influence, and broods over their summer beauty, like a lurking Demon of Destruction.

LETTER LXX.

VILLA ALBANI.

THE magnificent galleries and porticos of the Villa Albani, are filled with the most precious collection of ancient sculpture, that any private cabinet ever contained; and even those great public museums, which have been accumulated by the labour of nations and of ages, can scarcely boast any more rare and valuable than this still is; though it has been robbed of many of its choicest treasures.

Its beauty and rarity so strongly excited the cupidity of the French, that, although private property, they had carried off upwards of two hundred pieces of sculpture, and had packed up many more ready for embarkation, when the unexpected reverses of their Emperor drove the plunderers beyond the Alps.

The diminished fortune of their present proprietor, the Prince Albani, rendered him unable to incur the heavy expence of their re-transportation; and the inimitable relievo of Antinous is the only one that has been brought back.

Impoverished as this museum is, so inexhaustible are its treasures, that I have spent whole mornings in its beautiful cabinets, and reluctantly left them only with the last light of day, without feeling that I have yet sufficiently seen it. Many collections, indeed, are more numerous; but none are so choice. In general, with much that is beautiful, there is more that is bad; even the magnificent halls of the Vatican contain a good deal of very mediocre sculpture; so also does the Capitol,-the Gallery of Florence,-and that still finer collection -the Studii of Naples. But here there is scarcely a single piece that is not remarkable either for its rarity or beauty, and their intrinsic value is only exceeded by the taste and elegance with which they are arranged. Volumes might, and have been written upon this museum. It was the school of the celebrated Winkelman, and he has left so complete and critical an account of its sculptures,* that it would be the height of presumption in me to particularize them; indeed, I almost feel afraid to speak of them at all, lest I should be led to dwell too long upon what is so interesting in inspection, and so dull in description.

The villa, or casino, in which they are placed, by far the most beautiful building of the kind I have seen at Rome, possesses a light polished ele

*

Chiefly in his Monumenti Inediti, and also in the Storia dell' Arte. The reader will find a more than complete catalogue of them in the Indicazione Antiquaria, which contains those taken away.

gance, and a decorated beauty, which is truly Italian, and accords with the scene, the climate, and the statuary.

In the principal portico, which is sustained by forty-four magnificent columns of various marbles, stands a line of emperors; rare bassi rilievi are encased in the walls; Egyptian Sphinxes rest on the marble pavement, and at the far extremity appears Juno Lucina, descending from Olympus to Erebus, bearing her torch; her drapery blown back by the wind-her feet in air-(the whole figure being advanced in front of the lofty pedestal,) and her easy rapid gliding motion through mid air, are represented with so much art, that the statue actually seems to move. It seems indeed to realize the description of the ancient poets, who compare the progress of Juno to that velocity with which Thought can traverse distant regions.

The unique Statue of Domitian, the only one which has escaped destruction, was found broken, and buried under ground, the limbs, head, and body sundered, and hacked all over with the furious blows of axes, (the marks of which are still visible,) proofs of the violence that had been used to destroy every image of the monster whose crimes had disgraced humanity.

Attached to the lower part of the building, are two galleries, chiefly filled with Termini, or Hermes,* of Grecian philosophers or poets; many of

* It can scarcely be necessary to observe, that all the figures of this description, bore originally the head of Mercury,