The Column of Trajan is near the fountain Trevi, and it stands in an inclosure, the pavement of which is seven feet lower than the piazza on which it stands.  The inclosure is walled round.  Had not this excavation been made, one third of the column (lower part) would not be seen.  The Piazza, on which this column stands is called Il foro Trajano.  The column represents Trajan’s triumphs over the Daci, Quadi and Marcomanni, and is the model from whence Napoleon’s column of the Grand Army in the Place Vendome at Paris is taken.  A statue of St Peter stands on this column.

The Column of Antoninus stands on the Piazza Colonna; on it are sculptured the victories gained by that Emperor.  Round this column it has not been necessary to make excavations.  On this column stands the statue of St Paul.

Amongst the immense variety of edifices and ruins of edifices which most interest the antiquarian are the Thermes of Diocletian.  Here are four different semi-circular halls, two of which were destined for philosophers, one for poets and one for orators; baths; a building for tennis or rackets; three open courts, one for the exercise of the discus, one for athletes and one for hurling the javelin.  Of this vast building part is now a manufactory, and the hall of the wrestlers is a Carthusian church.

I have now, I believe, visited most, if not all that is to be seen in Rome.  I have visited the Pyramid of Cestius, the tomb of Metella, I have consulted, the nymph Egeria, smelled at the Cloaca Maxima; in fine, I have given in to all the singeries of pedantry and virtu with as much ardour as Martinus Scriblerus himself would have done.  But it yet remains for me to speak of the most interesting exhibition that modern Rome can boast, and of the most interesting person in it and in all Italy, and that is the atelier of Canova and Canova himself, the greatest sculptor, perhaps, either of ancient or modern times, except the mighty unknown who conceived and executed the Apollo of the Vatican.

In the atelier of Canova the most remarkable statues I observed are:  a group of Hector and Ajax of colossal size, not quite finished; a Centaur, also colossal; a Hebe; two Ballerine or dancing girls, one of which rivetted my attention most particularly.  She is reclining against a tree with her cheek appuyed on one hand; one of her feet is uplifted and laid along the other leg as if she were reposing from a dance.  The extreme beauty of the leg and foot, the pulpiness of the arms, the expressive sweetness of the face, and the resemblance of the marble to wax in point of mellowness, gives to this beautiful statue the appearance of a living female brunette.  It was a long time before I could withdraw my eyes from that lovely statue.

The next object that engaged my attention was a group representing a Nymph reclining on a couch semi-supine, and a Cupid at her feet.  The luxurious contour of the form of this Nymph is beyond expression and reminded me of the description of Olympia: