jects; among which the "Museo del Re," or "the King's Mufæum," was pointed out to us as an object of importance to travellers. This Mufæum forms indeed a very extensive and valuable collection of antiques in every kind, ftatues, bufts, and ancient fragments. Among a great variety of elegant works in bronze, were a delicious little figure of Venus in the whimsical attitude of cutting her toe-nails: this is executed with the most perfect accuracy and beauty. The famous Tripod, which contracts or increases its dimenfions at pleasure. A foot of a horse of the natural fize, of the most exquifite execution: this, together with the leg of a man, fuppofed to be its rider, were purchased by accident of a founder who had employed the other parts to make bells, and was about to convert these precious relics to the fame ufe. There are alfo fome thunders of Jupiter, which yet retain strong veftiges of the brilliant gold with which they once glittered: to these must be added, vafes

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vafes of filver, and fepulchral lamps, in all the forms which ingenuity could fupply.

The collection of Egyptian antiquities is alfo extremely curious and valuable: numerous penates, talismans, &c. are here depofited. The objects which were held up as of the greatest eftimation, were, a head of "Ifis, and the Ifiac table." The first is of bronze admirably executed, and covered with hieroglyphics. The fecond, or Ifiac table, is confidered as one of the most precious monuments of ancient times, which Italy preferves. It is of red copper, nearly four feet long, and fomething more than two in width. Ifis, who is reprefented fitting, forms the principal figure in this table, which thence derives its name.

She is fup

plied with two bulls horns as fymbols of fecundity. It appears to have been, in its original ftate, adorned with filver plates, as fome of these ornaments ftill remain; and it is like the head of Ifis before named, and, indeed, any relic of Egyptian origin, co

vered with hieroglyphics. This mysterious table has furnished a wide field of difcuffion and enquiry for the learned, to whom hieroglyphics yet continue an inexplicable language. The moft rational opinion yet offered, respecting the design of this table, is, that the Egyptians, who came to fettle in Italy, formed it, in order that the epocha of their worship, their ceremonies, habits of their priests, &c. might not pafs into oblivion. This folves, however, no part of those myfterious fymbols which croud the table; for, after all the efforts of antiquarian research, or happy conjecture, the Egyptian continues, in respect to his hieroglyphics, yet mafter of the field.

The collection of medals appeared to be numerous and well arranged; the greater part of these, and of the valuable antiques in general, with which this mufæum abounds, were taken from the ruins of “Industria,” a well-known colony of the Romans, whofe fcite and veftiges were not difco

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discovered till the year 1745. The attendant at this mufæum was an Abbé, intelligent and polite, who declined any gratuity offered, as contrary to ufage. The ftranger is, however, permitted to indulge his liberality to the fervants at the door, the objects of whofe bows and forward civilities cannot easily be mistaken.

I thought to have drawn the curtain upon Turin in this letter, but the mufæum has carried me beyond the bounds I had prefcribed, and I have too much respect for the Italian opera to mention it in a postscript.

THE

LETTER LXV.

HE Italian opera is the touchftone of fashion; and no man, who has any regard for his reputation, would venture to diflike what good breeding obliges him to approve. The serious Italian opera is, in

the

the judgment of profeffional men, better presented on the English than upon the Italian ftage. This arifes from the liberal encouragement given to all the fingers of reputation, and from the very expensive decorations which these exhibitions receive in a country whofe refources and prodigality feem to keep equal pace with each other.

The Buffo, or Comic Opera, is that which a stranger will visit to most advantage in Italy, this being the fpecies of compofition in which modern fingularities are held up to ridicule; while the ferious opera reforts to fome tale of ancient history, choofing, for the most part, that into which the greatest number of fplendid characters can enter. I went, the evening after my arrival at Turin, to the Theatre di Carignano, and was agreeably entertained with a comic reprefentation of La Serva Inamorata. My knowledge of Italian is as yet but very flender; nevertheless, without understanding any considerable portion of the dialogue, I found

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