The Flora Farnese is badly placed, in a space too confined for its size, and too near the eye; so that the exquisite harmony and delicacy of the figure are partly lost in its colossal proportions:  it should be placed at the end of a long gallery or vista.

There is here a statue of Nero when he was ten years old; from which it would seem that he was not by nature the monster he afterwards became.  The features are beautiful; and the expression all candour and sweetness.

One statue struck me exceedingly—­not by the choice of the subject, nor the beauty of the workmanship, but from its wonderful force of expression.  It is a dying gladiator; but very different from the gladiator of the Capitol.  The latter declines gradually, and sickens into death; but memory and feeling are not yet extinct:  and what thoughts may pass through that brain while life is thus languishing away! what emotions may yet dwell upon the last beatings of that heart! it is the sentiment which gives such profound pathos to that matchless statue:  but the gladiator of the Studii has only physical expression:  it is sudden death in all its horrors:  the figure is still erect, though the mortal blow has been given; the sword has dropt from the powerless hand; the limbs are stiffening in death; the eyes are glazed; the features fixed in an expression of mortal agony; and in another moment you expect the figure to fall at your feet.

The Venus, the Hercules, the Atlas, the Antinous (not equal to that in the Capitol,) the Ganymede, the Apollo, the equestrian statues of the two Balbi, etc. are all familiar to my imagination, from the numerous copies and models I have seen:  but the most interesting department of the Museum is the collection of antiques from Herculaneum and Pompeii, which have lately been removed hither from Portici.  One room contains specimens of cooking utensils, portable kitchens, tripods, instruments of sacrifice, small bronze Lares, and Penates, urns, lamps, and candelabras of the most elegant forms, and the most exquisite workmanship.  Another room contains specimens of ancient armour, children’s toys, etc.  I remarked here a helmet which I imagine formed part of a trophy; or at least was intended for ornament rather than use.  It is exceedingly heavy; and on it is represented in the most exquisite relievo the War of Troy.  Benvenuto Cellini himself never produced any thing equal to the chased work on this helmet.

In a third room is the paraphernalia of a lady’s toilette:  mirrors of different sizes, fragments of combs, a small crystal box of rouge, etc.  Then follow flutes and pipes, all carved out of bone, surgical instruments, moulds for pastry, sculptors’ tools, locks and keys, bells, etc.

The room containing the antique glass, astonished me more than any thing else.  I knew that glass was an ancient invention:  but I thought that its application to domestic purposes was of modern date.  Here I found window panes, taken from the Villa of Diomed at Pompeii; bottles of every size and form, white and coloured; pitchers and vases; necklaces; imitations of gems, etc.