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Manes were an order of Gods supposed to take cognisance of such injuries。＇ I shall implore the assistance of the Pontifex maximus； and the Flaminisdiales in the Capitol； to avenge the Impiety of my children； and the priests of Sylvanus shall engage to bring my remains to Rome and see them decently deposited in my own Sepulchre。 It is also my will that all my domestic slaves shall be declared free by the city Praetor； and dismissed with their mothers； after having received each； a suit of cloaths； and a pound weight of pure silver from my heirs and Executors。At my farm in Lusitania； July 25。 During the Viriatin war。
My paper scarce affords room to assure you that I am ever；Dear Sir； Your faithful； etc。
LETTER XXXIII
NICE； March 30； 1765。
DEAR SIR；YOU must not imagine I saw one half of the valuable pictures and statues of Rome； there is such a vast number of both in this capital； that I might have spent a whole year in taking even a transient view of them； and； after all； some of them would have been overlooked。 The most celebrated pieces； however； I have seen； and therefore my curiosity is satisfied。 Perhaps； if I had the nice discernment and delicate sensibility of a true connoisseur； this superficial glimpse would have served only to whet my appetite； and to detain me the whole winter at Rome。 In my progress through the Vatican； I was much pleased with the School of Athens； by Raphael； a piece which hath suffered from the dampness of the air。 The four boys attending to the demonstration of the mathematician are admirably varied in the expression。 Mr。 Webb's criticism on this artist is certainly just。 He was perhaps the best ethic painter that ever the world produced。 No man ever expressed the sentiments so happily； in visage； attitude； and gesture： but he seems to have had too much phlegm to strike off the grand passions； or reach the sublime parts of painting。 He has the serenity of Virgil； but wants the fire of Homer。 There is nothing in his Parnassus which struck me； but the ludicrous impropriety of Apollo's playing upon a fiddle； for the entertainment of the nine muses。 ＇Upon better information I must retract this censure； in as much； as I find there was really a Musical Instrument among the antients of this Figure； as appears by a small statue in Bronze； to be still seen in the Florentine Collection。＇
The Last Judgment； by Buonaroti； in the chapel of Sixtus IV。 produced to my eye the same sort of confusion； that perplexes my ear at a grand concert； consisting of a great variety of instruments： or rather； when a number of people are talking all at once。 I was pleased with the strength of expression； exhibited in single figures； and separate groupes： but； the whole together is a mere mob； without subordination； keeping； or repose。 A painter ought to avoid all subjects that require a multiplicity of groupes and figures； because it is not in the power of that art to unite a great number in one point of view； so as to maintain that dependence which they ought to have upon one another。 Michael Angelo； with all his skill in anatomy； his correctness of design； his grand composition； his fire； and force of expression； seems to have had very little idea of grace。 One would imagine he had chosen his kings； heroes； cardinals； and prelates； from among the facchini of Rome： that he really drew his Jesus on the Cross； from the agonies of some vulgar assassin expiring on the wheel； and that the originals of his Bambini； with their mothers； were literally found in a stable。 In the Sala Regia； from whence the Sistian chapel is detached； we see； among other exploits of catholic heroes； a representation of the massacre of the protestants in Paris； Tholouse； and other parts of France； on the eve of St。 Bartholomew； thus described in the Descrizione di Roma； 〃Nella prima pittura； esprime Georgio Vasari l'istoria del Coligni； grand' amiraglio； di Francia； che come capo de ribelli； e degl'ugonotti； fu ucciso； e nell'altra vicina； la strage fatta in Parigi； e nel regno； de rebelli； e degl'Ugonotti。〃 〃In the first picture； George Vasari represents the history of Coligni； high admiral of France； who was slain as head of the rebels and huegonots； and in another near it； the slaughter that was made of the rebels and huegonots in Paris and other parts of the kingdom。〃 Thus the court of Rome hath employed their artists to celebrate and perpetuate； as a meritorious action； the most perfidious； cruel； and infamous massacre； that ever disgraced the annals of any nation。
I need not mention the two equestrian statues of Constantine the Great； and Charlemagne； which stand at opposite ends of the great portico of St。 Peter's church； because there is nothing in them which particularly engaged my attention。 The sleeping Cleopatra； as you enter the court of the Belvedere； in the Vatican； is much admired； but I was better pleased with the Apollo； which I take to be the most beautiful statue that ever was formed。 The Nile； which lies in the open court； surmounted with the little children； has infinite merit； but is much damaged； and altogether neglected。 Whether it is the same described in Pliny； as having been placed by Vespasian in the Temple of Peace； I do not know。 The sixteen children playing about it； denoted the swelling of the Nile； which never rose above sixteen cubits。 As for the famous groupe of Laocoon； it surpassed my expectation。 It was not without reason that Buonaroti called it a portentous work； and Pliny has done it no more than justice in saying it is the most excellent piece that ever was cut in marble； and yet the famous Fulvius Ursini is of opinion that this is not the same statue which Pliny described。 His reasons； mentioned by Montfaucon； are these。 The statues described by Pliny were of one stone； but these are not。 Antonioli； the antiquary； has in his Possession； pieces of Laocoon's snakes； which were found in the ground； where the baths of Titus actually stood； agreeable to Pliny； who says these statues were placed in the buildings of Titus。 Be that as it may； the work which we now see does honour to antiquity。 As you have seen innumerable copies and casts of it； in marble； plaister； copper； lead； drawings； and prints； and read the description of it in Keysler； and twenty other books of travels； I shall say nothing more on the subject； but that neither they nor I； nor any other person； could say too much in its praise。 It is not of one piece indeed。 In that particular Pliny himself might be mistaken。 〃Opus omnibus et picturae； et statuariae artis praeponendum。 Ex uno lapide eum et Liberos draconumque mirabiles nexus de consilii sententia fecere succubi artifices。〃 〃A work preferable to all the other Efforts of Painting and Statuary。 The most excellent artists joined their Talents in making the Father and his Sons； together with the admirable Twinings of the Serpents； of one Block。〃 Buonaroti discovered the joinings； though they were so artfully concealed as to be before invisible。 This amazing groupe is the work of three Rhodian sculptors； called Agesander； Polydore； and Athenodorus； and was found in the thermae