d, in the belief that such would be the best way of
showing the gradations of wealth and comfort, the different styles of
dwelling adopted by different classes of citizens, in proportion to
their means. It would, however, be manifestly impossible so to
classify all the houses which contain something worthy of description,
and we shall, therefore, adopt a topographical arrangement as the
simplest one, commencing at the Gate of Herculaneum, and proceeding in
as regular order as circumstances will permit through the excavated
part of the town.

Most of the houses immediately about the gate appear to have been
small inns or eating-houses, probably used chiefly by country people,
who came into market, or by the lower order of travelers. Immediately
to the right of it, however, at the beginning of the street called
the Via Consularis, or Domitiana, there is a dwelling of a better
class, called the House of the Musician, from paintings of musical
instruments which ornamented the walls. Among these were the sistrum,
trumpet, double flute, and others. Upon the right side of the street,
however, the buildings soon improve, and in that quarter are situated
some of the most remarkable mansions, in respect of extent and
construction, which Pompeii affords. They stand in part upon the site
of the walls which have been demolished upon this, the side next the
port, for what purpose it is not very easy to say; not to make room
for the growth of the city, for these houses stand at the very limit
of the available ground, being partly built upon a steep rock. Hence,
besides the upper floors, which have perished, they consist each of
two or three stories, one below another, so that the apartments next
the street are always on the highest level. Those who are familiar
with the metropolis of Scotland will readily call to mind a similar
mode of construction very observable on the north side of the High
Street, where the ground-floor is sometimes situated about the middle
of the house.

One of the most remarkable of these houses contains three stories; the
first, level with the street, contains the public part of the house,
the vestibule, atrium, and tablinum, which opens upon a spacious
terrace. Beside these is the peristyle and other private apartments,
at the back of which the terrace of which we have just spoken offers
an agreeable walk for the whole breadth of the house, and forms the
roof of a spacious set of apartments at a lower level