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modern structure is 54 palms or 38 feet 3 inches high. See Plate I. fig. 6, and Plate II. fig. 11.

This and the last were found together, in preparing the foundation of the Convent of the Minerva, and from this circumstance, and from the fact, that the Regionaries name a temple of Isis and Serapis as existing in this locality, it is concluded that they formed part of its ornaments: here, too, was found the Isiac Altar now in the Capitol.

XII. Obelisco Mattei, now in the gardens of the Villa Mattei, belonging to the Prince of Peace. It was erected there by the well-known Godoy in 1817, after having long stood in the Piazetta del Campidoglio. It was given by the Roman Senate in 1582, to the Duke Mattei, a great collector of antiquities. Nothing is known of its early history.

It is very small, being only 12 palms or 8 feet high, and nearly 2 feet on the side, but it is raised on a block of red granite, cut to suit its size, and with pedestal and ornaments, is in all about 39 feet in height. See Plate I. No. 12, and Plate II. No. 12.

Like the two last, the hieroglyphics are beautifully cut.
Such are the twelve obelisks now standing erect in Rome.

We heartily sympathize with the ancients in their admiration of obelisks; no form is more pleasing, none more graceful, none more durable. It is one which the eye never wearies in contemplating, and the outline of which is perfect, in whatever direction it may be seen. Though it appears slight, it is secure and stable.

Much however of its effect depends on its situation. If placed in a confined space, surrounded by buildings, its beauty is lost. It is seen to best advantage when it has no back ground but the sky.

The Romans have shown great want of taste in their treatment of them; in order to increase their height, they have mounted some of them on pedestals of the most uncongenial forms, and they have hidden the sharp pointed summits of every one of them under hideous masses of brass and bronze, representing insignia of popes, or other subjects equally unsuitable, and the disfigurement is completed by two or four great rods to support the mass of metal.

The injury thus done can hardly be overstated, nor can any reason be imagined for it.

An obelisk ought to spring at once from the earth, or if circumstances require a base, it ought to be of the simplest form, and that this was the Egyptian taste is proved by many sculptured and pictured monuments still remaining.

What can be more absurd than to balance the Minervan Obelisk on the back of an elephant ?-fortunately it is one of the smallest; what more out of place, than that in the Piazza Navona, rising up out of a great group of marble foliage, and figures of tritons and nymphs, from among which issue forth the ample streams of a copious fountain, a scene at variance with every idea of Egypt and its arid plains, where gushing fountains are unknown.

The Vatican Obelisk has a base of not very objectionable outline, probably that which was originally prepared for it in Rome.

It is of considerable height, about 21 feet; on the top of this are placed four lions, one at each corner, and the obelisk rests on their backs, each supporting a weight of above 80 tons! the position of the unfortunate animals is ludicrously painful.

This, however, is not a mere modern barbarism: it was introduced in ancient Rome; for when Cladius erected the

great obelisk in the Circus Maximus, he placed a brazen globe, covered with plates of gold upon the apex. This was soon after destroyed by lightning, and its place supplied by the figure of a large torch in gilt brass.*

On the summit of that which stood in the Circus of Romolus was placed a globe or ball, whence rose an arrow point indicating a ray of the sun.†

No doubt the lofty bases and the tall top ornaments increase the absolute height of the erection, but they as certainly injure the true effect of the Obelisk.

The Obelisk has never been employed in this country on a scale of sufficient magnitude to test its suitableness in our cloudy sky and moist atmosphere. Occasionally a small obelisk is found as a monument in a churchyard, and it is always in itself a pleasing object, although it may not harmonize with those around.

Probably the expense may long prevent any one attempting to cut and set up one of 80 or 100 feet in length. Should there be a desire to try the experiment, there are one or two lying half cut in the quarries of Egypt. We fear that neither Cornwall nor Aberdeenshire can furnish masses of sufficient dimensions.

One caution we must give: an imitation obelisk, built of blocks of stone, however well dressed, is a miserable affair; an obelisk must be a monolith, and the only appropriate material is red granite.

Two engravings by Cipriani, 1823, are copied in illustration of this paper.

Plate I. represents the twelve Obelisks in the order of the date of their modern erection, and shows the various

* Am. Marcellinus, xvii. 4.

† Burgess on the Circus on the Appian Way, p. 79.

bases on which they stand, as well as the top ornaments which encumber them,

Plate II. shows the relative sizes of the ancient shafts.

Plate III. represents the two ovals on the Pamphilian Obelisk, which contain the name and titles of Domitian, giving the hieroglyphic characters with their phonetic translation.

PLATE II.

SHAFTS OF OBELISCS IN ROME IN ORDER OF THEIR LENGTH.

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Nos 1 3 4 9. 10. 11. 12. are genuine Pharaonic Monuments.
Nos 2 5. 6. 7. 8. are Roman work

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