's hand-book; but I only remember seeing one fountain,
passably handsome, there. My Lord Corke, who was at Parma in 1754,
says nothing of fountains, and Richard Lasells, Gent., who was there a
century earlier, merely speaks of the fountains in the Duke's
gardens, which, together with his Grace's "wild beasts" and "exquisite
coaches," and "admirable Theater to exhibit Operas in," "the Domo,
whose Cupola was painted by the rare hand of Corregio," and the church
of the Capuchins, where Alexander Farnese is buried, were "the Chief
thing to be seen in Parma" at that day.

The wild beasts have long ago run away with the exquisite coaches, but
the other wonders named by Master Lasells are still extant in Parma,
together with some things he does not name. Our minds, in going
thither, were mainly bent upon Correggio and his works, and while our
dinner was cooking at the admirable Albergo della Posta, we went
off to feast upon the perennial Hash of Frogs in the dome of the
Cathedral. This is one of the finest Gothic churches in Italy, and
vividly recalls Verona, while it has a quite unique and most beautiful
feature in the three light-columned galleries, that traverse the
facade one above another. Close at hand stands the ancient Baptistery,
hardly less peculiar and beautiful; but, after all, it is the work of
the great painter which gives the temple its chief right to wonder and
reverence. We found the fresco, of course, much wasted, and at first
glance, before the innumerable arms and legs had time to order and
attribute themselves to their respective bodies, we felt the
justice of the undying spite which called this divinest of frescos a
_guazzetto di rane_. But in another moment it appeared to us the most
sublime conception of the Assumption ever painted, and we did not find
Caracci's praise too warm where he says: "And I still remain stupefied
with the sight of so grand a work--every thing so well conceived--so
well seen from below--with so much severity, yet with so much judgment
and so much grace; with a coloring which is of very flesh." The height
of the fresco above the floor of the church is so vast that it
might well appear like a heavenly scene to the reeling sense of the
spectator. Brain, nerve, and muscle were strained to utter exhaustion
in a very few minutes, and we came away with our admiration only
half-satisfied, and resolved to ascend the cupola next day, and see
the fresco on something like equal terms. In on