versations of our envoy, sir Horace Mann, whose

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we recognise them in this state; I therefore wish that it was the practice to place a drawer full of these medals in the pedestal of every bust, which would enable the curious to derive much pleasure from the comparison. To all this accessary merit, many of these busts add that which is derived from the great skill of the artist. Without reviewing the whole of them like Cochin, I will observe upon those which by some singularity have attracted me. Julius Cæsar. It is remarkable. All his features are contracted, and the air of the countenance bears the most striking character of old age and decay; and we can scarcely comprehend that it is the bust of a man who died in his fifty-sixth year. I have not discovered the baldness of his head, although his forehead appears a little bare of hair; neither have I observed the crown of laurel beneath which the hero concealed a defect at which he was weak enough to blush. It is true, that most of the heads of the men in this series are without ornament. 2. Cicero. A long neck, a thin face with many wrinkles, a complexion a little yellow (which proceeds from the colour of the marble) all announce the strength and the labour of the mind rather than that of the body. The sculptor has placed a pea upon the left cheek, which, as it is pleasingly done, is merely an agreeable mark that serves to point him out. But although the name was hereditary, the mark (cicer) was not. Agrippa. This is quite a contrast to Cicero, although possibly as fine in its way. It is of a grand and bold character. A face ample and square, with marked and prominent features; large eyes, but seated deeply in the head; hair which covers half the forehead-all inspire the idea of force and vigour, and present a whole which is rather terrible than agreeable. He is placed among the emperors whom he assisted to seat upon the throne of the world. 4. Sappho. Sculpture was too imperfect, in the sixth century before Christ, to allow us to regard the head of this celebrated woman as an original: I am still less inclined to believe it, because Sappho, who shone more in mind than person, certainly possessed not this fine oval visage, although a little rounded by the plumpness which the sculptor has here bestowed upon it. This piece possesses great beauty. 5. Caligula. This bust, which is

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most serious business was that of entertaining the

of a free and bold execution, acquires additional value by the perfect and exact resemblance which it bears to the medals of this tyrant. For a man who died in his thirtieth year, his features are extremely mature. 6. Nero. There is much expression here, but of a nature which is somewhat confused. Ought I to say it, and to say it here? Nero has never shocked me so much as Tiberius, Caligula, and Domitian. He had many vices, but he was not without virtues. I perceive in his history but few traits of studied wickedness. He was cruel, but it was rather from fear than inclination. 7. Seneca. A most esteemed production, and worthy to be so. His flesh-deserted skin appears merely to cover bones and muscles, which are rendered with extraordinary truth, while his veins are conduits which seem destitute of blood. The whole character of this bust announces an aged man, and possibly an aged man expiring. 8. Galba. A very fine bust. 9. Otho. This bust possesses no other merit than that of rarity. I am surprised at its preservation. A thousand accidents may bury and preserve a piece of money, but how has it happened that any one would run a risk to preserve the odious bust of this shadow of an emperor? 10. Vitellius. The head of this stupid beast and glutton is overloaded with flesh. It is also remarkable, that the statues of this emperor are not more uncommon. I suppose Vespasian despised him too much to destroy them. ii. Vespasian. If nature ought to be the model of sculptors, this head is of marvellous beauty. Nothing can be more natural than the contour, nothing more gracious than the air, at once animated, tranquil, and majestic. It is truly a human countenance; and, although rather ugly than handsome, it is good and interesting. I am persuaded that the resemblance was striking. 12. Berenice. The hair of this queen is curled very skilfully, yet disposed with a great appearance of negligence. If she was not more handsome than she is represented here, it is difficult to comprehend the passion of Titus. 13. Domitia. The manner in which her hair is collected on her forehead, in a number of little detached curls, gives them, according to Cochin, very much the appearance of a sponge. We paused at the termination of the Twelve Cæsars, a divi

English at his hospitable table.* After leaving Flo

* JOURNAL, Florence, Août 9me, 1764.]-Cocchi a dîné avec nous. Nous avons beaucoup causé, mais je ne lui

sion which originated with Suetonius, rather than with reason. The six Cæsars would have been more natural.

June 17.]-We have made our ninth visit to the gallery, and here follows the remainder of the busts which we have

reviewed. 14. Trajan. An easy and natural bust. I have discovered in the physiognomy a satirical smile, which much surprises me. The head is turned a great deal on one side; but I cannot recollect a single bust of which the head is placed in a regular attitude. The sculptors have properly thought that a slight deviation from the right line which is traced by nature gives more of grace and soul to their figures. 15. Hadrian. This bust is very fine. We here behold, agreeably to the testimony of historians, that this prince was the first who allowed his beard to grow. In the meantime he had it cut occasionally, and did not pique himself upon carrying that long, pendant, and wellnourished beard, which formed the great pride of the philosophers of this age. With respect to the hair, the first emperors wore it short, dressed with very little care, and falling upon the forehead. Upon the bust of Otho we perceive the hair dressed in great curls in front, a fashion of which that prince was the inventor. All this regards the emperors only. Seneca, who affected philosophy, has much hair and a beard. 16. Antinous. The bust of this minion of Hadrian is very fine. The countenance is elegantly formed, with a mixture of force and sweetness. The shoulders, the bosom, and the paps, are treated with peculiar softness. The finest embonpoint injures not, in this instance, the grace of the contour. This bust, which is larger than life, is altogether antique, a rare and almost unique circumstance. The whole, or most of them, have the head alone antique, of which some part has generally been restored, and the nose has almost always been broken. It is with Antinous that the eyes of the busts begin to exhibit eye-balls, although in this instance scarcely perceptible. It is impossible to conceive to what an extent the eye-ball

rence I compared the solitude of Pisa with the industry trouve pas le génie qu'on lui attribue, c'est peut-être parceque les nôtres ne sont pas analogues. J'entrevois de

gives life and expression to the whole, and animates every feature. It was right that this aid should be afforded to sculpture, when it touched upon the period of its decline. 17. Antoninus Pius. It abounds with truth of expression, especially the upper part of the face, the forehead, and the eyes. Antoninus adds to his beard a pair of small curled mustachios. 18. Marcus Aurelius. There are three of these; that which represents him young is the best. We may remark in all this family the same style of sculpture, that is to say, greater beauty of detail, with a less striking tout ensemble. 19. Annius Verus. It is a young child, and truly a chef d'œuvre. A small round face, sparkling with the graces of joy and innocence. We should never be weary of beholding it. 20. A bust much larger than life. This is a face, young, although fully formed, and very handsome; it lifts up its eyes towards heaven with the finest and strongest expression of grief and indignation. It is said to be Alexander about to expire. Could the assertion be adequately authenticated, we might flatter ourselves with possessing an unique production from the hand of Lysippus, the only sculptor whom Alexander allowed to carve him in marble. In this chef d'œuvre of nobleness, simplicity, and expression, there is nothing which contradicts the age of Alexander, or the opinion that it might be formed by Lysippus. 21. Pertinax. This appears to me fine. 22. Clodius Albinus. It is of alabaster; and the merit of good workmanship is combined with that of the greatest rarity. When we call to mind that this shadow of royalty was followed by the reign of twenty years of a cruel and implacable enemy, the cause of this scarcity is easily understood. 23. Septimus Severus. It is good, but I prefer the style to the execution of this bust. 24. Geta. The representation of this child is very pretty, but it appears more mature than Annius Verus. 25. Caracalla. Good, but in my eyes a little dry. It was now that the Roman sculpture declined, together with the architecture, to which it is probably more closely allied than with paint

of Lucea and Leghorn, and continued my journey

l'extravagance dans ses idées, de l'affectation dans ses manières. Il se plaint à tout moment de sa pauvreté. Il

ing. I believe that these last pieces are by artists who still existed of the golden age of the Antonines, and who formed no pupils for the iron one of the Severuses, under whom the government became truly military and despotic. The last busts in the series, are, 26. Gallienus, and 27. Eliogabalus. The whole of the busts in the galleries amount to ninety-two.

Florence, July 29.]-All the English dined with sir H. Mann. After dinner we went to gaze at a horse-race. The Great Devil bore away the prize. It is an old English horse, of the age of twenty-two or twenty-three years, to whom it is yet impossible to say solve senescentem equum. Its victories, which are almost as numerous as its contests, have induced a prince recently to offer a thousand sequins for him to his master (the chevalier Alessandri) who has refused them.

L.

31.]-Lord Palmerston and L. have dined with us. These two young men form a singular contrast. The one, staid, tranquil, and rather cold, possesses qualities of the heart and the mind which cause him to be esteemed everywhere; and it is obvious that he assiduously cultivates them. exhibits in all things an impetuosity beyond control: a portion of vanity, which induces him to seek, without obtaining, the applause of those whom his pride leads him to regard with contempt; a foolish ambition, which only serves to render him ridiculous, not being accompanied with the perseverance which can alone render it successful; an air of philosophy, with very little logic; and an affectation of knowledge, sustained by mere vague and superficial reading. Such is the extraordinary man who everywhere excites either hatred or pity. At the same time I find in him a fund of native genius, much beyond that of his rival. But, as regards him, it will be as difficult to retrench as in other instances to add. I perceive that he likes me much; by degrees, without knowing how, we have become extremely intimate. With him there is no medium between a declaration of war and the closest alliance.