on the right hand fixed in the wall a tablet with a plan of ancient Rome carved on it.  In one of the halls above stairs the most remarkable statue is that of the dying gladiator (brought back from Paris); this is certainly a noble piece of sculpture; the bodily pain and mental anguish are singularly well expressed in the countenance; a superb bronze statue of Hercules; a Centaur in black marble; a Faun in rosso antico; a group of Cupid and Psyche; a Venus in Parian marble rather larger than the common size.  One of the halls in this museum contains the busts of all the philosophers; another those of all the Roman emperors; there is also a colossal statue of Pyrrhus; a superb Agrippina and the celebrated mosaic of the four pigeons.  In enumerating the above I have only to observe that they only constitute a thousandth part of what is to be seen here.  After passing three hours in this wing of the building, I went over across the courtyard to the other wing.  Under the portico of this wing the following are the most remarkable among the statues:  a Roman triumphans, two Phrygian kings in black marble.  In one of the rooms above stairs is a very remarkable piece of antiquity, viz., the bronze wolf giving suck to Romulus and Remus, which was found in the temple of Romulus and which was struck by lightning during the consulate of Julius:  the marks made by the lightning are quite distinct.  There is in this wing a small but excellent collection of paintings, and a great variety of statues, busts, sarcophagi, candelabra, and antiquities of all sorts.

The front part, or corps de logis of the Capitol is called Il Palazzo del Senato conservatore, and is the residence of the Senator Romano who is chosen by the Pope.  By the bye, I understand this dignity is generally given to a foreigner, the Pontiffs being, rather jealous of the Roman nobility.

This wing of the Capitol employed me two hours; but I must visit this Museum as well as that of the Vatican often again; for it would require months and years to examine them duly.

ROME, 18th Sept.

On this side of the river which is called Transtevere, I had an opportunity of observing the inhabitants, who are called Transteverini, the most of whom pretend to be the descendants of the ancient Romans, unmixed with any foreign blood.  They certainly have very much of that physiognomy that is attributed to the ancient Romans, for they are a tall, very robust race of men having something of a ferocious dignity in their countenance which, however, is full of expression, and the aquiline nose is a prominent feature among them.  They are exceedingly jealous of their women, whom they keep within doors as much as they can, and if a stranger on passing by their doors should chance to observe their wives or daughters who may be standing there and should stop to admire them (for many of them have an air of antique beauty and majesty of countenance which is remarkably striking), they will instantly order the females to retire, with an air of asperity.