The subjects of both these pictures are in the Lusiad so that here we have the ideas of the best Portuguese poet represented by the pencil of a Portuguese painter. anot

One of the pictures is remarkable for its expression, and the beautiful way in which is represented the story of the unfortunate Inez de Castro, surrounded by her lovely babes, throwing herself at the feet of her inexorable murderer.

Dragg'd from her bower by murd'rous ruffian hands,
Before the frowning king fair Inez stands;

Her tears of artless innocence, her air

So mild, so lovely, and her face so fair,

Mov'd the stern monarch; when with cager zeal
Her fierce destroyers urg'd the public weal ;
Dread rage again the tyrant's soul possest,
And his dark brow his cruel thoughts confest :
O'er her pale face a sudden paleness spread,
Her throbbing heart with generous anguish bled;
Anguish to view her lover's hopeless woes,
And all the mother in her bosom rose.
Her beauteous eyes in trembling tear-drops drown'd
To Heaven she lifted, but her hands were bound;
Then on her infants turn'd the piteous glance,
The look of bleeding woe; the babes advance
Smiling in innocence of infant age

Unawed, unconscious of their grandsire's rage.

MICKLE'S LUSIAD, Book iii..

I hope you will pardon my inserting the passage at length, its beauty and pathos must form my apology.

Mickle has been very successful here" The look of bleeding woe" is an exquisite expression-Is it not?

You cannot conceive how much I was gratified in finding that these two fine pictures were thus preserved to their native country. Sir Charles Cotton and MajorGeneral Spencer, who were present, seemed to experience the same sensations. On leaving the gallery, I inquired for the two beautiful antique statues, which are mentioned with so much admiration by several travellers. These too had been packed up by the ladrones, but returned to their proper owner. One is a young Apollo, the other a piping faun. Both are exquisite, but the faun is, in my opinion, the better statue. It is almost equal to the Antinöus in juvenile grace. Adieu.

LETTER XVI.

ROYAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY AT AJUDA.-MASS OF NATIVE COPPER.-ELASTIC SAND-STONE.-CALCAREOUS DEPOSITIONS IN THE AQUEDUCT OF ALCANTARA.—ŘEMARKABLE DUNGEON AT BELEM.STATE OF THE PRISONS IN PORTUGAL.

Lisbon, 14th October, 1808.

HAVING heard much of the royal cabinet of natural history at Ajuda, near Belem, I yesterday took an opportunity of gratifying my curiosity.

It is contained in a handsome detached building behind the royal palace. There are two apartments, one comprising specimens of the mineral, the other of the animal kingdom. Adjoining is a small botanic garden. The specimens deposited in the Museum are not numerous; but several are very curious, one indeed altogether unique. It is a mass of native copper, brought from Brazil.

According to an inscription, which has been very injudi

ciously made upon one of its sides, polished for the purpose, it was found in a valley two leagues from Cachocira, and fourteen from Bahia. Its weight is two thousand six hundred and sixteen pounds, its extreme length three feet two inches, its breadth two feet and half an inch, and its greatest thickness two feet four inches.. Its upper surface is unequal, and in part covered with iron ore and malachite.

Besides this, there is also a considerable piece of elastic sand-stone, the surface of which is covered with calcareous crystals.

I was much struck by a large tube of calcareous earth, taken from one of the pipes of the aqueduct of Alcantara, It is a convincing proof of the very great quantity of carbonate of lime held in solution by the water which is drank here. Indeed the person who shews the Museum told us, that it was necessary to clean out the pipes at stated intervals, every five years I think he said, to prevent their calibre from being entirely choaked up.

This

It is probably owing rather to the effects of this water on the constitution, than to the salubrity of its atmosphere, that Lisbon has obtained so great a reputation in consumptive cases. The water of the Clifton spring likewise contains a considerable proportion of lime; and its beneficial effects depend, as many physicians believe, upon the strength of this impregna

stalactite. or petrefaction had been formed within five years, and being at least six inches in thickness all round, a very small cavity had been left in the centre for the water to pass through.

Among the specimens from the animal kingdom, I remarked a fine hippopotamus, a rhinoceros, and some other rare quadrupeds, well preserved. Most of the articles are placed in mahogany glazed cases, and are all arranged according to the Linnæn system.*

In returning from the Museum, I was asked by a friend to survey an extraordinary dungeon behind the palace. We descended about thirty feet, and entered a small vaulted chamber, which was paved with marble flags, in the floor of which we observed six or seven circular pits, barely large enough to contain a human body in a sitting posture. To each pit was accurately fitted a ponderous marble co

tion. If so, the spring of Montelavar ought to be much more efficient than that of Clifton, since it contains a much greater proportion of the carbonate of lime; and it would therefore be better if all invalids who repair to Lisbon were to reside at the village of Montelavar, and drink the water at its source, before it has deposited a great proportion of the lime in its passage through the aqueduct to Lisbon. For an analysis of this water, see Vol. I. of the Memoirs of the Academy of Sciences of Lisbon.

* The French had attempted to steal several chests of Natural History from this Museum, but were prevented from effecting it, owing to the firm interference of General Beresford and Lord Proby.