2 
ROOM I. 
mere sight of the outside of books cannot con= 
vey either instruction or amusement^. 
The decorations of the great staircase have 
been lately restored. The paintings on the 
ceiling, representing Phaeton petitioning Apollo 
for leave to drive his chariot, are by Charles de 
la Fosse, v/ho, in his time, v/as deemed one of 
the best colourists of the French School j and 
of whom there are many valuable performances 
in France, among which are the paintings on 
the cupola of the dome of the Invalids, which 
are ranked among the admiranda of Paris. The 
landscapes and architectural decorations are by 
James Rousseau, whose particular skill in per» 
spective has at all times been held in high esti¬ 
mation. 
UPPER FLOOR. 
FIRST ROOM. 
This room, in its present state of arrange¬ 
ment, contains Miscellaneous Collections. 
In the table-cases in the middle of the room 
is deposited (as supplementary to the contents 
of Room IX.) a collection of fossil univalve 
shells, disposed according to Cuvier’s arrange¬ 
ment. The table-cases in the windows contain 
objects relative to technical mineralogy, or 
* An Alphabetical Catalogue of this Library was printed in the 
year 1787, in two volumes folio ; but as great accessions have been 
obtained since that time, a new Edition is now published, in seven 
volumes 8vo, 
mineral 
