119 
precede it, consists of medals struck in our own roomxi. 
country, and of those which have heen struck antiquities. 
abroad. These are arranged in the same manner 
as the modern coins. 
ANTE-ROOM. 
No. 1. In the centre of the Ante-room, at the ante-room. 
head of the stairs, is placed the celebrated Barberini antiquities. 
vase, which was for more than two centuries the 
principal ornament of the Barberini Palace. This 
vase was purchased of Sir William Hamilton nearly 
thirty years ago, by the Duchess of Portland, since 
which period it has been more generally known by 
the name of the Portland Vase. It was found 
about the middle of the sixteenth century, two 
miles and a half from Rome, in the road leading to 
Frascati. At the time of its discovery, the vase 
was inclosed in a marble sarcophagus, within a 
sepulchral chamber, under the Mount called Monte 
del Grano. The material of which the vase is 
formed is glass: the figures, vrhicn are executed in 
relief, are of a beautiful opaque white; and the 
ground, which is in perfect harmony with the 
figures, is of a dark transparent blue. The subject 
of these figures is extremely obscure, and has not 
hitherto received a satisfactory elucidation; but the 
design and the sculpture are both truly admirable. 
k 2 This 
