head covered with a helmet; here were also a magnificent candelubra of bronze four feet and a half high, of which the upper part terminates in a vase, formed like that generally styled the Vase de Medicis. Some vessels for culinary purposes were, likewise, found here,-many being of bronze and well-shaped; several with handles elegantly fluted and ending in heads of animals executed with much taste. One, in particular, the head of a dog, is very remarkable.-Among the most curious of those vessels we may undoubtedly reckon that which was dug up on the 18th of March, 1813. It is a large bronze dish with a double bottom; the object of which must have been to keep hot whatever meat was placed in it, by means of warm water. Many glass vessels were found.-It is probable that the inhabitants of Pompeii when flying from the destructive eruption, endeavoured to carry with them only such articles as they deemed most precious, and left their glass vessels, and similar things, as of little value. There are numerous drinking glasses of extraordinary forms; and one glass vase, six inches high, aud shaped like a chalice. Bottles, phials, and small vessels, abound here, all made of glass, not very white. Some, indeed, are of a clouded blue or greenish colour, but none of this ancient glass can bear a comparison with that which we are now capable of making. Various cups of red earth have been found among the furniture of those houses; some are finely executed and enriched with foliage and figures in relief. I shall now, says M. de Clarac, (p. 13.) conduct my readers to the ancient tombs, indicating those which have been recently discovered: the others will be sufficiently known from the work on which Mons. Mazois is now employed: he will describe the porticoes, bordering the street of tombs; and a fine insulated monument constructed in the form of a niche. From the situation of this monument, and the stone seat that extends all around it on the inside, we may suppose that it served as a resting-place, or a spot where the idle inhabitants of Pompeii were wont to meet.-The first tomb on the left is of little interest, and those opposite have been much injured; but the tombs nearest to the first mentioned are highly curious, and may be regarded as among the most important discoveries made in this wonderful scene of antiquities. Those four tombs stand, each, within walls, between which and the monuments, an interval of three feet is left. These walls are, in general, ornamented at the angles with little allegorical figures of Stucco, in bas-relief. Many of these devices are damaged, but we can still distinguish that subject which has engaged the attention of so many artists: Edipus solving the enigma of the Sphinx. Other bas-reliefs represent Fortune on a globe-genii-a woman consecrating a wreath or fillet at an altar-another woman decorating a skeleton with fillets or wreaths. The door by which we enter the outer inclosure of this tomb is very low, and obliges us to stoop. The first tomb has been much injured in the upper part by the roots of trees which have insinuated themselves. Many of the stucco reliefs that ornamented the walls have fallen off and mouldered into dust; but fortunately M. Morelli, draughtsman of the Royal Academy, and M. Mazois, have made beautiful and accurate drawings of their subjects. Here was found a large inscribed tablet of marble, which though mutilated at one corner, gives us reason to hope that an equestrian statue may yet be discovered in the forum; at least if that statuė which the Decuriones of Pompeii decreed to -ricius Scaurus, was ever executed or erected. The inscription is as follows: .... - •RICIO AF. MEN TI. VIR I D ·ECVRION ES LOCVM. MONVM •CXƆCXƆ IN FVNERE ET STATVAM · EQVESTR. The first word of this inscription our author once supposed belonging to Fabricius, but for causes explained in a note, (p. 18.) he rather believes the name to have been Castricius. The exterior wall, facing the street, exhibits bas-reliefs in stucco, representing the combats of two young Bestiarii (gladiators who fought with beasts) one overthrowing and killing a bear; the other having wounded a bull with his dart, appears frightened, and begins to run off. Here we also behold hunters with dogs, attacking an enormous wild-boar. It is evident that some of these reliefs had been repaired before the destruction of the city; and where the stucco has fallen off, one can perceive that the original or more ancient work was much superior to the later. Those reliefs were fastened to the walls by means of nails, not all of brass, which is to be regretted, as those of iron have by their rust considerably injured the stucco. The combats of gladiators, in which the people of Campania much delighted, are represented in a bas-relief comprising seventeen figures; many names, painted in black, near the figures, are now obliterated. Another tomb constructed of brick, in the form of a round tower about fifteen feet high, and coated with white stucco, is in good preservation. The ascent is by a small staircase; within are some ciner, ary urns of coarse clay, still containing ashes and bones not quite consumed by fire. Two other tombs, chiefly of white marble, are enriched with ornaments executed in a good style. To the first tomb no entrance could be discovered: and it was supposed that the door had been filled up and covered with plaster. An attempt was therefore made to penetrate from above, but it proved to be a solid structure, and merely an honorary monument. The ornaments of this building serve to explain some inscriptions which have hitherto perplexed the antiquaries: for they had not well determined what was signified by the "honor of the Bisellium," accorded to various personages. But these tombs attest that it was decreed to C. Calventius Quietus, and to C. Munatius Faustus; while the sculptures exhibit the form of the Bisellium; and we find that the honor granted was the privilege of occupying alone, a seat capable of holding two persons, at public assemblies. The Bisellium appears to have been a seat sufficiently long for two, and without back or arms; the feet richly ornamented, and it is furnished with a fringed cushion.-The inscription informs us that the honor of sitting on it was conferred by the Decurions with consent of the people. We shall here copy two of the inscriptious. The first tomb exhibits these words; C CALVENTIO · QVIETO •, HVIC OB MVNIFICENT DECVRIONVM The second tomb bears the following inscription: NAEVOLEIA Ī· LIB· TYCHE · SIBI · ET C MVNATIO· FAVSTO· AVG ET PAGANO · HOC MONIMENTVM · NAEVOLEIA · TYCHE LIBERTIS SVIS LIBERTABVSQVE ET C MVNATI FAVSTI VIVA FECIT· The name of another female who bore the name of Tyche, appears on a sepulchral stone near the tomb of Scaurus, before mentioned. The inscription is as follows: "Sacred to Juno, the protectress of Julia Tyche; and to Venus Augusta,”—for this title is given to the goddess of beauty in several inscriptions. This grave-stone, like many others at Pompeii, is upright. Several of them are surmounted with a globe or kind of ball, cut through the middle, but much resembling the Turkish tombstones, which terminate in the form of a turban, or some similar head-dress. On the face of an altar we discern the sculptured figure of a ship, with a square-sail such as the painter has assigned to the vessel in a picture once belonging to the Temple of Isis, but now preserved at Portici. The ship appears decked, and the details of its parts are so curious that Mons. de Clarac has enriched this work with an engraved representation, which proves that it differs much from the ships seen on medals or in ancient pictures: it does not seem to have been designed for the purposes of war. Other reliefs found here exhibit funeral ceremonies, and the consecration or sacrifice of a bird on an altar, by a child. Inside one of the tombs, two rows of small niches appear destined to receive the urns; four of these urns are covered with lids of coarse clay. Three larger urns were enclosed in cases of lead, one resembling an egg in form. Many of the urns are fifteen inches high, and ten broad, having very narrow necks, to which are fitted covers or stoppers of glass, stuck on with plaster or stucco. pot. Some of this composition also was found in a small But one of the most extraordinary discoveries made at Pompeii, is the water or liquor which entirely covered up to the very opening of two glass vases, the ashes that they contained; while those remains of human bodies found in earthen or marble urns, are invariably dry and little more than dust. Our ingenious author considers it probable that as the glass is exceedingly thin, water was poured on the hot ashes or bones, as taken from the funeral pile, to prevent the cracking or breaking of the vases from heat. And it is well known that the ancients often made libations of wine on the remains of their deceased friends. In one glass urn the water is perfectly tasteless, and so clear that the bones and ashes are seen through it: the liquid contained in the other urn is of a dark brownish color, resembling coffee well strained; both are without any scent, and the brownish liquid has a faint taste not unlike that of lye-water, (eau de lessive). May we attribute its dark color to the decomposition of animal substance?-the salts contained in the bones and ashes? However this may be, both the liquids should have corresponded: but perhaps some coins or other pieces of metal have tinged the one. It is not ascertained by any chymical analysis, whether the liquid is water, wine, or some perfume poured on the ashes: but of one circumstance we are assured, its antiquity. During such a lapse of ages, all evaporation had been prevented by the close covering of the vases, the leaden cases, and the great mass of earth that concealed the tomb. And these, at the same time, would not admit even the smallest drop of water that might have penetrated through the external coat of earth, or through the building. Near each of those urns were found lamps made of red clay, and a considerable number appeared in a corner of the tomb, as if reserved for occasional use. Some pieces of brass money were also found near the remains of each person here deposited. A few statues of mean execution, and several inscriptions were discovered near some tombs which are in a state of decay, the roots of trees having forced themselves through the coat of earth above those monuments. 3 On the first of May, 1813, other tombs and a fine vase of oriental alabaster were found, besides a gold ring in which is set an agate, exhibiting the figure of a deer. Inside the tomb is a low seat of stone-mason work; and standing against the wall are seen many long and pointed Amphora, such as were generally used for holding wine, but sometimes as cinerary vases, being filled with the ashes of children. The door of this tomb is very remarkable; it consists of one solid piece of marble three feet and a half high, two feet, nine inches wide, and above four inches thick it turned on pivots of the same stone. Near the city walls, three houses are now explored: they had been inhabited, probably, by persons of the lower classes. The rooms were without pictures on the walls, or other ornaments except some rude Mosaic pavements. They contained several kitchen utensils of bronze one vessel seemed adapted for cooling water, and resembled those now used in the kingdom of Naples for that purpose. In different places were found a small perfume-box, several bronze lamps, ivory counters each marked with a V and some other letter ; perhaps serving as tickets of admission to the theatre; a fine cup of clay, highly varnished, and of a most singular form; innumerable objects, not of much importance, are daily found: to describe which would afford but little pleasure to the reader, although they gratify in a high degree those who actually bring them first into light from the obscurity of so many ages. The latter part of Mons. de Clarac's work is devoted to an explanation of the engravings, which are placed together at the end. They exhibit many curious articles, and the descriptions are extremely interesting, but without plates to which a reference might be made, any extracts of those descriptions would not be very satisfactory. We shall, therefore, here conclude our notice of this entertaining volume. A CRITICAL Examination of certain modern opinions respecting the TROAD, and the descriptions of HOMER; and an inquiry into the authorities on which they have been founded. BY CHARLES H. PARRY, M. D., F. R. S., &c. IF the successive writings of Wood, Chevalier, Dalzel, Heyne, Bry, ant, Morritt, Whitaker, Franklin, Vincent, Gell, Clarke, Hobhouse, and various other authors, have tended neither to weaken our classical faith, nor to confirm our earlier judgments with respect to certain Homeric descriptions, we may sometimes discover the causes of our security or indecision, in the negligence or inconsistency of these commentators. While the critical acumen of Bryant obliged us to hesitate for a moment, upon points which before we had never considered doubtful, the discovery of his too palpable subserviency to a favorite hypothesis restored us at once to all our former pleasing associations. The natural line of separation which we were disposed to admit between simple intelligible history, and the wild superstitions of an ignorant heathen people, between the plain record of possible events, and the rich imagination of the most inventive of Poets, could |