VOL. XIX.3 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 37 



workmanship not inferior to any thing before described. This entrance leads to 

 a noble piazza of more than half a mile in length, and 40 feet in breadth, en- 

 closed with two rows of stately marble pillars, 26 feet high, and 8 or 9 in com- 

 pass. Of these 129 remain standing and entire ; but originally there could not 

 have been less than 50o. On almost all the pillars are found inscriptions, both 

 in Greek and the unknown language, of which we had time to take but few, 

 and those not very instructive. 



And what we may collect from both, and several others of a like import, is, 

 that as the state, the senate, and people, sometimes honoured those that had 

 been in public trust with inscriptions on these })illars, so when this was not 

 done by them, private persons had the liberty to do the same for their friends- 



The upper end of this spacious piazza was shut in by a row of pillars, stand- 

 ing somewhat closer than those on each side ; and perhaps there might have 

 been a kind of banqueting house above, but now no certain footsteps remain ; 

 but a little farther to the left hand are the ruins of a very stately building, which 

 I am apt to believe might have been for such a use ; it is built of better marble, 

 and has an air of delicacy and exquisiteness in the work beyond what is dis- 

 cernible in the piazza. The pillars which supported it are of one entire stone ; 

 and one of them that is fallen down, but so firm and strong that it has received 

 no injury thereby, measured 22 feet in length, and in compass 8 feet and 9 

 inches. In the west side of the great piazza are several openings for gates, 

 leading into the court of the palace : two of which when they were in their 

 perfection were perhaps the most magnificent in the world, both for the ele- 

 gance of the work in general, and particularly for those stately porphyry pillars 

 with which they were adorned. Each gate had four, not standing in a line with 

 the others of the wall, but placed by couples in the front of the gate, facing the 

 palace, two on one hand and two on the other. Of these only two remain en- 

 tire, and but one standing in its place. They are about 30 feet in length, and 

 Q in circumference, of a substance so hard, that it was with great difficulty we 

 broke off a few shivers ; the art of making which I think is quite lost. The 

 palace itself is so entirely ruined, that no judgment can be made what it was in 

 its ancient splendour, either for its figure or workmanship. 



Hot sulphureous .baths are frequent in this country, and hence it obtained the 

 name of Syria Salutifera. The scent of the waters here is much like those of 

 Bath in England, but not so strong, neither is the taste so offensive. On the 

 contrary, when they have run so far from the fountain, as to become cold, they 

 are potable, and are the only waters the inhabitants use. But we, during our 

 stay there, sent to a fountain of very excellent water, about an hour's journey 

 from the city. 



