[ 495 ] 
barbarous Style, ufed before the Introduction of the 
Greek , for the Capital : This is certainly more 
antient than the Time of the Goths in Italy. It was 
the only one of the kind we faw there. 
VI. Extratf of a Letter from Mr. Crsfpe to 
Mr. George Knapton, upon the fame Sub- 
jett as the T wo preceding i Papers . 
Rome , April 24. 1740. 
A T Rortici I faw fome antique Paintings, which 
have lately been taken out of the Ruins of 
Herculaneum : Two of them, about 12 Feet Square, 
with their painted Frames or Borders round them, 
are as frefh and perfect as if done Yefterday ; much 
more fo, I afiure you, than fome of Raphael's in 
the Vatican ; and for Excellence, and fineTafle, they 
are, I think, beyond any thing I have fecn. One of 
thefe is called the Romona , becaufe, among other 
Figures, there is a Woman fitting crowned with Fruits 
and Bloffoms. The other is The feus , having juft 
killed the Minotaur , who lies dead at his Feet 5 a 
Figure of a Youth is killing his Right Hand ; Ariadne 
and another Figure ftand at his Left. The Figures 
in both thefe are as big as Life. There is a Third, 
fomewhat iefs, of Chiron teaching Achilles on the 
Harp, if poflible, ftill beyond the Two former. 
There are above 50 other Pieces, fome whole Figures, 
fome Heads, fome Mafcheras, fome Landskips, fome 
Architecture. 
I was to viftt the Ruins under-ground, where I 
faw feveral Pieces that were taking down 5 parti- 
cularly 
