light to the antiquities of that nation, which are now quite funk out of fight in those remoter ages of the world. Among the triumphal arches, that of Conftantine is not only the nobleft of any in Rome, but in the world. I fearched narrowly into it, efpecially among those additions of sculpture made in the Emperor's own age, to fee if I could find any mark of the apparition, that is faid to have preceded the very victory which gave occafion to the trumphal arch. But there are not the least traces of it to be met with, which is not very strange, if we confider that the greatest part of the ornaments were taken from Trajan's arch, and fet up to the new conqueror, in no small hafte, by the fenate and people of Rome, who were then most of them heathens. There is however fomething in the infcription, which is as old as the arch itself, which feems to hint at the Emperor's vision. Imp. Caf Fl. Conftantino maximo P. F. Augufto S. P. Q. R quod inftin&u Divinitatis mentis magnitudine cum exercitu fuo tam de Tyranno quam de omni ejus Factione uno tempore juftis Rempublicam ultus eft armis arcum triumpbis infignem dicavit. To the Emperor Conftantine,&c.the fenate and people of Rome have dedicated this triumphal arch, because, through a Divine Impulfe, with a greatnefs of mind, and by force of arms he delivered the commonwealth at once from the tyrant and all his faction. There is no ftatue of this Emperor at Rome with a cross to it, though the ecclefiaftical hiftorians fay there were many fuch erected to him. I have feen his medals that were stamped with it, and a very remarkable one of his fon Conftantius, where he is crowned by a victory on the reverse, with this infcription, In boc Signo Victor K 3 Vidor eris. This triumphal arch, and fome other buildings of the fame age, show us that architecture held up its head after all the other arts of defigning were in a very weak and languifhing condition, as it was probably the first among them that revived. If I was furprised not to find the crofs in Conftantine's arch, I was as much difappointed not to fee the figure of the temple of Jerufalem on that of Titus, where are reprefented the golden candlestick, the table of thew-bread, and the river Jordan. Some are of opinion, that the compofite pillars of this arch were made in imitation of the pillars of Solomon's temple, and obferve that these are the most antient of any that are found of that order. It is almoft impoffible for a man to form, in his imagination, fuch beautiful and glorious fcenes as are to be met with in feveral of the Roman churches and chapels; for having fuch a prodigious ftock of ancient marble within the very city, and at the fame time so many different quarries in the bowels of their country, moft of their chapels are laid over with fuch a rich variety of incrustations, as cannot poffibly be found in any other part of the world. And notwithftanding the incredible fums of money, which have been already laid cut this way, there is ftill the fame work going forward in other parts of Rome, the last ftill endeavouring to outshine those that went before them. Painting, fculpture and architecture, are at prefent far from being in a flourishing condition; but it is thought they may all all recover themfelves under the prefent pontificate, if the wars and confufions of Italy will give them leave. For as the pope is himself a mafter of polite learning, and a great encourager of arts, fo at Rome any of these arts immediately thrives under the encouragement of the Prince, and may be fetched up to its perfection in ten or a dozen years, which is the work of an age or two in other countries, where they have not fuch excellent models to form themselves upon. I fhall conclude my obfervations on Rome with a letter of King Henry the eighth to Anne of Bullein, tranfcribed out of the famous manufcript in the Vatican, which the Bishop of Salisbury affures us is written with the King's own hand. The caufe of my writing at this time is to hear of your health and profperity, of which I would be as glad as in a manner of my own, • praying God that it be his pleasure to fend us fhortly together, for, I promife, I long for it; how beit I truft it fhall not be long too, and feeing my darling is abfent, I can no lefs do than fend her fome flesh, prognofticating that hereafter thou must have fome of mine, which if he please, I would have now. As touching your fifter's mother, I have configned Walter Welsh to write to my Lord Manwring my mind therein; whereby I truft he shall not have power ⚫ to diffeid her; for furely, whatever is faid, it cannot fo ftand with his honour, but that he muft needs take his natural daughter in her 'extreme neceffity. No more to you at this ⚫ time K 4 time, my own darling, but that with a whistle I wish we were together one evening; by the hand of yours, HENRY. Thefe letters are always fhown to an Englishman that vifits the Vatican library. TOWNS TOWNS Within the Neighbourhood of RO M E. I Spent three or four days on Tivoli, Frefcati, Paliftrina and Albano. In our way to Tivoli I faw the rivulet of Salforata, formerly called Albula, and smelt the stench that arifes from its waters fome time before I faw them. Martial mentions this offenfive fmell in an epigram of the fourth book, as he does the rivulet itself in the first. Quod ficca redolet locus lacunæ, Crudarum nebula quod Albularum. Lib. vi. Epigr. 4. The dying marshes fuch a stench convey, Itur ad Hercule gelidas qua Tiburis arces, Lib. i. Epigr. 5. As from high Rome to Tivoli you go The |