558 " Facsimiles of Ancient Inscriptions. [Sept. 



for ornament, as in the compartments of the ceiling. The ceiling — aye, every 

 thing but the floor and larger statues and small figures — every thing has been 

 painted. Tt is done while the plaister is wet — it is fresco painting. I have seen 

 the operation while going about in Rome. It has been dug off, scraped and 

 knocked off with iron instruments. See how the stone itself has been broken ! 

 Now, Ralph, look here : can you see this figure ? No. Bring the torch nearer. 

 Give me the torch. You can see it better now — hardly ! Let us light dry grass. 

 Bring grass now : place it here. Now watch while the light is strongest: you may 

 now see the whole figure. This is a prince or some chief. It is a portrait. 

 Observe how well fore-shortened that limb is — yes, I can see it now ; but throw 

 water on it — now the colours are more vivid. Here is a lovely face — a Madonna 

 face. What eyes ! She looks towards the man. Observe, these are all Hindu 

 faces — nothing foreign. All the sweet countenances are of one complexion. 

 R., now remark. Here are evidently three beauties in this apartment — one an 

 African, one copper-coloured, one of a European complexion. Yes ; and how 

 frequently we see these intermixed. See this, R. is a fair man — yes, I think he 

 is a eunuch. Another : — he has his hand round her waist, and she one hand on 

 his shoulder. Observe ; many love scenes, but little gross or grossly indecent : 

 no nudities — nothing like the shocking sculptures on the outside of the temples 

 in Telingana. This must be the inside of a mahal. Here is a woman on a chdrpde 

 or some stage with legs : See, they are bathing her : do you observe the ghara 

 of water in the woman's hand above ? How well executed that figure is ; the 

 fore- shortening of the arms ; the waist — are not her haunches too full ? No. Go 

 farther off, and you will see the figure in a better light : it is correct. This beauty 

 has delicate drapery — nearly falling to the kuee : it is transparent, like sky- 

 coloured gauze. Observe that Abyssinian black prince seated on a bed ;— 

 remark his ornaments. Now the woman seated on his left knee whom he 

 embraces is as fair as you or I. Did these fellows get Georgian slaves ? He has 

 two boys or pages to fan him. I wish I could make out this story — there certainly 

 is a story. Here is a fair man of full age, dressed in a robe and a cap like 

 some monk or abbot. Here is next to him a half naked brahman copper-coloured, 

 with shaven crown and the single lock on his head. Here is a man presenting him 

 with a scroll on which something is loritten. He is in a crowded court — he has 

 come to an audience. What can all this be ? This is a procession : — the ele- 

 phants are passing under the windows, and women are looking out. I think they 

 evidently express alarm. That one has her hand up, as making some exclamation. 

 How often we see people of three complexions in the same pannel ! Now this 

 is the most extraordinary thing we have found. Here are three placid portraits 

 — they are Chinese. Nothing can be plainer : — observe the style of the hair; — 

 the women have locks brought down in ringlets over the ears falling on to the 

 neck, like some of the Hampton Court beauties. Observe the Lead dresses : 

 there is something like a bandeau — yes, a muslin band, or the imitation of a 

 turban by English women. The cap worn by the chiefs or nobles or princes is 

 a tiara loaded with pearls mostly conical. Rouud the waist is a cloth, but it is 

 not so full as a dhoti. A sort of jhangia worn by the women, coming nearly 

 to the knees, and this drapery often transparent. Are these pa atings as well 

 done as Europeans could have executed ? In the expression of the countenances 

 certainly they are. The perspective is not good, and the pieces are crowded : — 

 yet here is a small building, the perspective of which is quite correct. 



