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PAINTINGS IN FARNESE PALACE.

senger of the gods. A beautiful sarcophagus, on which are sculptured many beautiful Bacchanalian figures, is perhaps the best piece of antiquity in the collection.

This palace, however, will always be interesting to the man of taste, from the admirable fresco paintings by Annibal Caracci and Domenichino. They are all in fine condition, and seem as if they had been but lately painted. The picture representing GALATEA AMIDST SPORTING TRITONS, NYMPHS, AND CUPIDS, is an admirable work in every respect, except that the colouring is perhaps a little too red; Caracci, with the view of obtaining breadth, has introduced very little variety. Flesh is the only prevailing colour. The BACCHUS AND ARIADNE is a noble picture. They are in their cars, drawn by goats and tigers, admirably painted; Silenus appears on the shoulders of a set of joyous Bacchanals; the whole is sustained with great spirit and character.

In another apartment, we see PAN OFFERING WOOL TO DIANA; and in another, DIANA CARESSING ENDYMION, a clever picture; two little Cupids above are beautifully drawn, especially a little arch creature with his finger at his mouth. In the fresco of HERCULES AND OMPHALE, Omphale is in possession of the club of Hercules, while he has her timbrel in his hand. This change of attributes may be all very well, but the

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lady, I should think, would have done more execution with her eyes, than she is likely to do with the club; as for Hercules, he certainly looks abundantly silly with the musical instrument.

Another fresco represents ANCHISES DRAWING THE BUSKIN FROM THE FOOT OF VENUS. Anchises is by no means a fine figure, at least not such as one would imagine likely to allure the goddess from the skies: he looks so cold too, that we were quite provoked with him. An urchin of a Cupid, however, who appears at the foot of Anchises, plainly tells, from the expression of his countenance, how highly privileged the mortal is, who is permitted to touch the foot of the Goddess of Beauty. The picture of PERSEUS AND ANDROMEDA cannot be pronounced pleasing. Perseus, an indifferent figure, appears very unfit for his undertaking, and the attitude of Andromeda reminds me of the arms on the Isle of Man halfpenny. The picture, notwithstanding, has some good points, the principal of which is colouring. There is another picture of Perseus, representing him petrifying Phineus and his companions, by the Medusa's head. The figure of Perseus is clumsy, and from his wild look, he seems to be as much afraid of the head, as if it were to petrify himself. Besides these, there are several others of various sizes, and all of considerable merit.

LETTER XLI.

ROME.

Amusements of the Carnival.-Rules to be observed by the People.-Religious Ceremonies in the Holy Week.-Illumination of the Dome of St Peter's.—Music called the Miserere.-Beautiful Effect in St Peter's.— Silence and Temperature, &c.

THE CARNIVAL.

PREVIOUS to the commencement of the Carnival the cavalry parade the Corso, the street where it is held. For a time the masks are thinly scattered; but the plot soon thickens, and various characters make their appearance, such as the Doctor of Bologna, Harlequin, &c. Both sides of the street are fitted up with benches, scaffolds, and chairs for the spectators; and the windows, filled with people of every rank, are ornamented with crimson velvet and gold. Innumerable open carriages, with all the fashion of Rome, crowd the streets, and move slowly forward. These, as well as the pedestrian masks, are provided with baskets full of balls of Pozzolana sand, about the size of comfits, covered with marble dust, and these

they fling as their fancy directs, whitening and almost blinding each other. In a short time, the confusion becomes complete, and such a scene of merriment and absurdity is rarely to be witnessed. Showers of pozzolana fly from the lower windows, and are returned from the carriages, which, on the other hand, are assailed from the street. The unfortunate person who may think himself safe, is sure to be completely whitened, and laughed at by the multitude. Squeaking voices from the masks annoy the ear in every direction, and if a person stops to speak, he may be led into a snare, and overwhelmed with pozzolana. In a short time the monotony of the scene becomes extremely tiresome. The characters are rarely well sustained, and the strangest figures, without meaning, are constantly in motion. At a certain period a gun is fired, when all the carriages must move off as quickly as possible, and for a time, the Corso is left entirely to the pedestrians, who continue to pelt each other,* and act their various characters, till a third gun announces that the horse race is about to begin. All the people then hurry to the benches and scaffolds, and fix their eyes towards the bottom of the street, from whence (in the

* I observed, that the strangers were more enthusiastic in the various amusements than the natives, and that, under the mask, they laid aside their gravity, and were more agreeable,

Piazza del Popolo) the horses, six in number, start without riders. Before they are let loose, they are goaded, pricked, and tortured in various ways; even fire is fixed upon their backs to urge them forwards. Of course, they ran with furious speed, being almost frantic with pain. As soon as they arrive at the head of the Corso, they are caught in nets, and the race is over for the day. The prize does not generally exceed 30 or 40 dollars, and a piece of silk given by the Jews. An English horse, belonging to the Duke of Bracciano, gained all the prizes at this Carnival.

Were such extraordinary exhibitions to take place in London, there can hardly be a doubt but they would be attended with serious consequences. In Rome, however, every thing went on without the slightest insult, or any accident whatever. The meanest beggar wears a mask; and a mixture of regret, even while we are enjoying the singularity of the scene, crosses our mind, when we reflect that such idleness should continue for several days.

In the regulations which are pasted up in the conspicuous places, we observed that no person is allowed to assume the dress of a priest or a magistrate; that no carriages are permitted to stop to take up any person in the Corso; that the balls of pozzolana must not be above a certain size; that every one must govern his temper, and wear no offensive weapon of any kind; and that all respect