59-1 ^'ONDERS OF ART. 
entire, and very little affected, either by the ravages 
or the havoc of war. Cardinal Alberoni declared this e ^ jj 
structure to be a jewel which deserved a cover of 
preserve it from external injuries. An Italian P'^ jfiV 
perceiving a small part of the roof lepaircd by ni 
French masonry, tore his hair, and exclaimed in j* 
“ Zounds ! what do I see ? Harlequin’s hat on the 1'^'' 
Augustus !” . ^]1 ii^. 
In its general architectural effect, as well as *n • (j 
details of sculpture and ornament, the Maison 1’?' 
Nismes is ravishingly beautiful, and cannot be 
any structure of ancient or modern times. 1'*’'’^ .(^r. 
most excites the astonishment of the admiring spco 
to see it standing entire, like the effect of enchantiue*’ 
such a succession of ages, subjected, as several ot a i'" 
to the ravages of the barbarians who overrun the t” 
teresting parts of Europe ! 
-HE PONT D0 GARD. 
I th'^ 
This celebrated Roman monument is distant 
leagues from the city of Nismes. Instead of 
ruinous condition, as he might reasonably have e.xpe'^ ^ 
traveller, on approaching it, is agreeably disappoint^'- 
he perceives that it looks as fresh as a modern b*’ _ 
few years standing. The climate is either so pure a d''' 
or the free-stone with which it is built so hard, . 
very angles of the stones remain as acute as if they *' p^,t ^ 
recently cut. A few of them have, indeed, dropp^^^ , 
tlie arches j but tlie whole is admirably preserved, * 
sents the eye with a piece of architecture, so 
elegant, so simple, and, at the same time, so maj 
It dfcfiei the most phlegmatic spectator to vievv ‘ t^ 
adra ration. It was raised, in the Augustan ag®’^ 
Rom; n Cdony of Nismes, to convey a stream 
between two mountains, for the use of that city- 
over the river Garden, a beautiful pastoral stream, 
among rocks which form a number of pretty naWi*'* ‘ 
and overshadowed on each side by trees and sbru 
add greatly to the rural beauties of the scene. ti®'1 
This elegant structure consists of three bridges, 
arches, one above another; the first of six, •^®. ^ 
eleven, and the third of thirty-six arches ’ 
