Sanct. c. 25. In this sermon,
the emperor, or the bishop who composed it for him, affects to relate
the miserable end of all the persecutors of the church.]

[Footnote 119: Constantin. Porphyr. de Statu Imper. p. 86.]

Had this magnificent edifice remained in a solitary country, it would
have been exposed to the ravages of time; but it might, perhaps, have
escaped the rapacious industry of man. The village of Aspalathus, [120]
and, long afterwards, the provincial town of Spalatro, have grown out of
its ruins. The Golden Gate now opens into the market-place. St. John the
Baptist has usurped the honors of Aesculapius; and the temple of
Jupiter, under the protection of the Virgin, is converted into the
cathedral church.

For this account of Diocletian's palace we are principally indebted to
an ingenious artist of our own time and country, whom a very liberal
curiosity carried into the heart of Dalmatia. [121] But there is room
to suspect that the elegance of his designs and engraving has somewhat
flattered the objects which it was their purpose to represent. We are
informed by a more recent and very judicious traveller, that the awful
ruins of Spalatro are not less expressive of the decline of the art than
of the greatness of the Roman empire in the time of Diocletian. [122]
If such was indeed the state of architecture, we must naturally believe
that painting and sculpture had experienced a still more sensible decay.
The practice of architecture is directed by a few general and even
mechanical rules. But sculpture, and above all, painting, propose to
themselves the imitation not only of the forms of nature, but of the
characters and passions of the human soul. In those sublime arts, the
dexterity of the hand is of little avail, unless it is animated by
fancy, and guided by the most correct taste and observation.

[Footnote 120: D'Anville, Geographie Ancienne, tom. i. p. 162.]

[Footnote 121: Messieurs Adam and Clerisseau, attended by two
draughtsmen visited Spalatro in the month of July, 1757. The magnificent
work which their journey produced was published in London seven years
afterwards.]

[Footnote 122: I shall quote the words of the Abate Fortis.
"E'bastevolmente agli amatori dell' Architettura, e dell' Antichita,
l'opera del Signor Adams, che a donato molto a que' superbi vestigi
coll'abituale eleganza del suo toccalapis e del bulino. In generale la
rozzezza del scalpello, e'l cattivo gusto del secolo vi gareggi