others; not particularly beautiful, nevertheless. I remember to have
seen (indeed, we ourselves possess them) a series of very spirited and
energetic engravings, old and coarse, of these frescos, the subject being
the Creation, and the early Scripture history; and I really think that
their translation of the pictures is better than the original. On
reference to Murray, I find that little more than the designs is
attributed to Raphael, the execution being by Giulio Romano and other
artists.

Escaping from these forlorn splendors, we went into the
sculpture-gallery, where I was able to enjoy, in some small degree, two
or three wonderful works of art; and had a perception that there were a
thousand other wonders around me. It is as if the statues kept, for the
most part, a veil about them, which they sometimes withdraw, and let
their beauty gleam upon my sight; only a glimpse, or two or three
glimpses, or a little space of calm enjoyment, and then I see nothing but
a discolored marble image again. The Minerva Medica revealed herself
to-day. I wonder whether other people are more fortunate than myself,
and can invariably find their way to the inner soul of a work of art. I
doubt it; they look at these things for just a minute, and pass on,
without any pang of remorse, such as I feel, for quitting them so soon
and so willingly. I am partly sensible that some unwritten rules of
taste are making their way into my mind; that all this Greek beauty has
done something towards refining me, though I am still, however, a very
sturdy Goth. . . . .


April 15th.--Yesterday I went with J----- to the Forum, and descended
into the excavations at the base of the Capitol, and on the site of the
Basilica of Julia. The essential elements of old Rome are there: