of scenes, and they are considered extremely
valuable on account of the light they throw on the manners and customs,
and the modes of life, which prevailed in those ancient days. Some of
these vases are of very great value. They are very large, and to enable
the visitor to see them on all sides, without danger of breaking them, a
great many of them are mounted in the museum on stands fitted with a
revolving top, so that they can be turned round, and made to present all
the sides successively to the spectator. In addition to this, some of
the finest specimens are protected by a large glass bell placed over
them.

Mrs. Gray and the children found Mr. George and the two students in this
room, when they first came into it. Mr. George said that they were going
to stay there nearly all that day. They wished to examine the drawings
on the vases in detail. Rollo looked at a few of them, but he could not
understand them very well.

"You will understand them better," said Mr. George, "when you have
learned more about the ancient mythology."

"But then I shall not be here to see them," rejoined Rollo.

"True," replied Mr. George, "but they have all been copied and engraved,
and you will find them exactly reproduced in books in all the great
libraries of the world. All that you can do now is to take a general
view of them, and of the room containing them, and to examine one or two
in detail, and then, by and by, when you wish to study them more
particularly, you must do it from the drawings. You will find that the
interest that you will take in the drawings will be greatly increased by
your having had this opportunity to see the originals."

Mr. George conducted Mrs. Gray and Rosie to one of the vases which stood
near a window, on one of the revolving stands; and while an attendant
turned it slowly round, so as to exhibit the successive sides to view,
he explained to them the meaning of the figures, and showed them what
the different people were doing.

After remaining a short time in this department, Rollo and his party
went on, leaving Mr. George and the two students still there.

But the room which interested Mrs. Gray and Rosie most, was what is
called the _Gem Room_. It contains all the gems and jewelry, and other
personal ornaments, that were found at Herculaneum and Pompeii, as well
as a great many other very curious things. There were rings, bracelets,
and necklaces, made of gold, and adorned with precious stones; an