420 MR ANDREW COVENTRY’S NOTICE OF 
founded on Antony and Cleopatra (Shakspeare’s “ Antony and Cleopatra,” Dry- 
den’s ‘“ All for Love,” and “ The False One” of Beaumont and Fletcher), we find 
Octavia brought little upon the stage, as if so much worth and beauty must have 
robbed Cleopatra of dramatic interest. 
But to proceed. The /irst thing that struck me in reference to the bust was 
the very great resemblance, as I have said, which it has to the young Augustus. 
It is really most remarkable. The same gentle rise of the nose,—the same 
breadth of forehead, in contrast with a tapering chin—the same small mouth,— 
and the same low setting of the ears,—these are points of which any one may 
satisfy himself by inspecting the antique casts in the adjoining room. Sue- 
tonius,* to whom we owe the full description of Augustus’s appearance, spe- 
cially dwells upon the delicacy of his features and the singularly tranquil and 
serene look he always had; and Mr Merivale (2. 465) following him, speaks of 
* the graceful beauty of his mouth, and chin of almost feminine delicacy.” Now, 
curiously enough, these are the most obvious peculiarities of this bust. The pre- 
cise features of Octavia herself are nowhere given that I can find; and I have 
searched Dion Cassius, Seneca, Aurelius Victor, and Plutarch, besides Sue- 
tonius, being curious to trace to some authentic source, if it were possible, the 
round face and the low brow which Shakspeare has given to his Octavia. 
2d, Of Octavia there was, some years ago, a bust at Rome in the Capitol, as I 
am informed. Two friends cf mine who had often seen it and admired it, upon 
visiting the bust in my possession, immediately recognised the resemblance be- 
tween the two. What has become of it I cannot say; but it would appear that 
it must have changed either its local habitation or its name, there being no bust 
of Octavia there now. So I have been given to understand by a young friend at 
present in Italy (Mr James Swinton) ; but, of course, it is a matter to be further 
inquired into. 
3d, In the “Signorum Veterum Icones” of Gerard Reynst, p. 26, there is 
an engraving which professes to be of Octavia; and it certainly is not of Oc- 
tavia Augusta, the unfortunate wife of Nero, of whom a portrait follows at 
page 36. Now, it has the hair parted in the middle, as in the bust in my posses- 
sion,—the same short upper lip,—the same dimpled chin,—and, I should say, the 
same low brow. The engraving, indeed, gives the idea of a fuller and rather a 
coarser face, perhaps the fault of the draftsman, but the general likeness is con- 
siderable. 
4th, In the Dactyliotheca (I., 67), there is a portrait which possesses a peculiar 
kind of interest, not that it represents Octavia, but Antonia Augusta, her second 
daughter by Mare Antony ; and in it I think one may see a great resemblance to 
the bust. This was her favourite daughter, the one that inherited her virtues and 
* SueTontus, voce “ Octavius ; and Arnoty’s Roman Commonwealth, II., 406. 

