r; and the popular prejudice being in favour of the latter,
the Communion of St. Jerome was torn down from its place, and flung
into a lumber garret. Some time afterwards, the superiors of the
convent wishing to substitute a new altar-piece, commissioned Nicolo
Poussin to execute it; and sent him Domenichino's rejected picture as
old canvas to paint upon. No sooner had the generous Poussin cast his
eyes on it, than he was struck, as well he might be, with astonishment
and admiration. He immediately carried it into the church, and there
lectured in public on its beauties, until he made the stupid monks
ashamed of their blind rejection of such a masterpiece, and boldly
gave it that character it has ever since retained, of being the second
best picture in the world.

* * * * *

11.--A party of four, including L** and myself, ascended the dome of
St. Peter's; and even mounted into the gilt ball. It was a most
fatiguing expedition, and one I have since repented. I gained,
however, a more perfect, and a more sublime idea of the architectural
wonders of St. Peter's, than I had before; and I was equally pleased
and surprised by the exquisite neatness and cleanliness of every part
of the building. We drove from St. Peter's to the church of St.
Onofrio, to visit the tomb of Tasso. A plain slab marks the spot,
which requires nothing but his name to distinguish it. "After life's
fitful fever he sleeps well." The poet Guidi lies in a little chapel
close by; and his effigy is so placed that the eyes appear fixed upon
the tomb of Tasso.

In the church of Santa Maria Trastevere (which is held in peculiar
reverence by the Tresteverini), there is nothing remarkable, except
that like many others in Rome, it is rich in the spoils of antique
splendour: afterwards to the palazzo Farneze and the Farnesina, to see
the frescos of Raffaelle, Giulio Romano, and the Caraccis, which have
long been rendered familiar to me in copies and engravings.

12.--I did penance at home for the fatigue of the day before, and
to-day (the 13th) I took a delightful drive of several hours attended
only by Saccia. Having examined at different times, and in detail,
most of the interesting objects within the compass of the ancient
city, I wished to generalize what I had seen, by a kind of _survey_ of
the whole. For this purpose, making the Capitol a central point, I
drove first slowly through the Forum, and made the circuit of the
P