A TRAVELLER AT BEP.LXN - . 1 47 



@f the canvas at each end. This was immediately put 

 in practice ; by which two of the figures were loft to 

 the piece : but they performed the amputation with fo 

 much care, that the figures are at leaf! preferred, 

 though in another place. The anecdote, befide its par- 

 ticular relation to the painting, fhews in general how 

 little the French are accuftomed to pay any attention 

 to whatever is $ot in ufe among them ; having no idea 

 that their modes may not be the only rules of practice 

 in other places. — In feveral other of the apartments too 

 we meet with excellent paintings ; among which I no- 

 ticed the following, with diliinguimed pleafure : Alex- 

 ander in the tent of Syligambis, a beautiful morfel by 

 Battoni ; two excellent copies of the famous night- 

 piece and the Magdalene by Correggio, from the Dref- 

 den gallery, by Dietrich ; a fuperb painting by Ger- 

 hard Laineffe ; one no lefs fuperb, by Celefti, of ful- 

 tan Bajazet in the iron cage, before Tamerlane. Seldom* 

 fhail one fee in fo large a piece fo beautiful an arrange* 

 ment, with fo much ftrength of expreflion in each par- 

 ticular. Bajazet raifes himfelf a little, thrufts his arm\ 

 through the grating of his cage, and threatens Tamer- 

 lane with his clenched fift; his air and countenance 

 fpeak rage and vengeance. Fie is placed in the middle 

 of the picture, and forms the principal figure ; Tamer- 

 lane, feated on a gorgeous throne, takes up one fide ; he 

 is receiving the felicitations of his courtiers, and fhews all 

 the perfect unconcemednefs and compofure a man may 

 liave at the menaces of an emperor in a cage. The Flagar 

 is perhaps the greater! work the palace has to boaft of. 

 "It is by Rembrandt, who feems, in this piece, to have 

 ilmoft excelled himfelf, and would have rendered him- 



% 2 felf 



