of the
temple of the Capitoline Jupiter, to which the conquerors
ascended, are in the garden under his windows. He thinks the
population of ancient Rome may be taken at two millions at its
most flourishing period. It is curious that there are hardly any
houses on the hills on which ancient Rome was built, and that
there were none formerly where modern Rome stands--no private
houses, only public buildings and temples.

To the Mamertine Prisons, probably not a stone of which has been
changed from the time that Jugurtha was starved in them. The
tradition about St. Peter and the well of course is not to be
believed; but it is very odd there should be a well there when
there are so few in Rome. To the Sistine Chapel with M. de la
Ferronays, and very much disappointed with the music, which was
not so good as on Sunday; nor was the ceremony accompanying the
Miserere at all imposing. Yesterday morning to the Sistine again;
prodigious crowd, music moderate. As soon as it was over we set
off to see the benediction; and, after fighting, jostling, and
squeezing through an enormous crowd, we reached the _loggia_ over
one side of the colonnade. The Piazza of St. Peter's is so
magnificent that the sight was of necessity fine, but not near so
much so as I had fancied. The people below were not numerous or
full of reverence. Till the Pope appears the bands play and the
bells ring, when suddenly there is a profound silence; the
feathers are seen waving in the balcony, and he is borne in on
his throne; he rises, stretches out his hands, blesses the
people--URBI ET ORBI--and is borne out again. A couple of
indulgences were tossed out, for which there is a scramble, and
so it ends. Off we scampered, and, by dint of tremendous
exertions, reached the hall in which the feet of the pilgrims are
washed. The Pope could not attend, so the Cardinal Deacon
officiated. No ceremony can be less imposing, but none more
clean. Thirteen men are ranged on a bench--the thirteenth
represents the angel who once joined the party--dressed in new
white caps, gowns, and shoes; each holds out his foot in
succession; an attendant pours a few drops of water on it from a
golden jug which another receives in a golden basin; the cardinal
wipes it with a towel, kisses the foot, and then gives the towel,
a nosegay, and a piece of money to the pilgrim--the whole thing
takes up about five minutes--certain prayers are said, and it is
over. Then off we scampered again th