And Tympanum; Then There
Is Such An Assemblage Of Useless Festoons, Pillars, Pilasters,
With Their Architraves, Entablatures, And I Know
Not what, that
nothing great or uniform remains to fill the view; and we in vain
look for that simplicity
Of grandeur, those large masses of light
and shadow, and the inexpressible EUSUINOPTON, which characterise
the edifices of the antients. A great edifice, to have its full
effect, ought to be isole, or detached from all others, with a
large space around it: but the palaces of Rome, and indeed of all
the other cities of Italy, which I have seen, are so engaged
among other mean houses, that their beauty and magnificence are
in a great measure concealed. Even those which face open streets
and piazzas are only clear in front. The other apartments are
darkened by the vicinity of ordinary houses; and their views are
confined by dirty and disagreeable objects. Within the court
there is generally a noble colonnade all round, and an open
corridore above, but the stairs are usually narrow, steep, and
high, the want of sash-windows, the dullness of their small glass
lozenges, the dusty brick floors, and the crimson hangings laced
with gold, contribute to give a gloomy air to their apartments; I
might add to these causes, a number of Pictures executed on
melancholy subjects, antique mutilated statues, busts, basso
relieves, urns, and sepulchral stones, with which their rooms are
adorned. It must be owned, however, there are some exceptions to
this general rule.
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