( 11 ) 
of them pouring nectar, or some healing ointment, 
upon his head. On one side of Minerva is Vulcan; 
and close to him Cupid with an axe in his hand: 
on the other side is Mercury, seemingly starting 
to ahnounce the happy tidings on earth. "Hie 
other heathen divinities surround this groupe in 
admiration of the event: and in a lower compart¬ 
ment opposite the chimney, are the Vices expelled 
from heaven on the manifestation of Wisdom. 
In the six medallions near the corners of the 
room are figured sotne of the principal atchieve- 
ments of Minerva. In the first, over the door of 
the MS. Department, she is assisting Perseus in 
cutting off the head of Medusa: in the second, 
she, with some of the Muses, presides over har¬ 
mony : in No. 3, she kills a lion, (an emblem of 
her valour) : in No. 4, she assists Jupiter in 
fighting the Titans: in No. 5, she contends with 
Neptune about the namingof Athens : and in No. 
6, is figured the fable of Arachne metamorphosed 
by her into a spider. Between these medallions 
are groups of winged boys, emblematically al¬ 
luding in their several employments, to Arts, 
Sciences, Commerce, and War. 
The landscapes and architectural decorations 
are by the same J. Rousseau who painted in the 
staircase: and the garlands of flowers are by John 
Baptist Monoyer, the most eminent flower painter 
of his time, 
c 2 Over 
room vn, 
MSS, 
