It may be worthy of notice, in connec tion with the antiquities of Greece, that the ancient monuments of European Tur key now exceed in number and impor tance those of any other country. The remains of ancient Athens, in particular, formerly the chosen seat of the arts, have attracted the attention of many travellers, and have accordingly been frequently de scribed with accuracy and taste. The church dedicated to the Divine Wisdom, usually denominated in the page of histo ry Sancta Sophia, is a venerable monu ment ofantiquity, and has been preserved from the sixth century, when it was built by Justinian,' to the present period. The architecture is very inferior to that ofthe classical period, yet, by those who have witnessed it, we are told the effect is grand and impressive, and the cupola is admired as a bold and skilful effort of the art, while the seeming weight is di minished by the lightness of the materials, being bricks formed of a particular clay that will float in tdt e water. The interior is adorned with columns of various and very beautiful descriptions, viz. the Phry gian purple, the Spartan green, the red and white Canan, and many others. To this may be added, that the French have recently discovered the remains of an ancient sea-port belonging to Sparta, near a promontory which projects from the south of the Mores, and we are informed that the antiquities of that part, now styl ed Albania, still present an extensive field of research to the student in this depart ment of science.
" Nothing," says Dr. Adams, in thelpre face to his Roman Antiquities, " has more engaged the attentionofliterary men,th an to trace from ancient monuments the in stitutions and laws, the religion, the man ners and customs of the Romans, under the general name of Roman Antiquities. This branch of knowledge," continues he, " is not only curious in itself, but abso lutelynec essary for the understanding the classics, and for reading with advantage the history of that celebrated people. It is particularly necessary for such as prose cute the study of the civil law. Scarcely on any subject havemore books been writ ten, and many of them by persons of dis tinguished abilities." We may, as a guide to the student, enumerate the writersfrom whom Dr. Adams chiefly compiled his own work, as these will be the best au thorities for those persons who would en ter deeply into the study. To Manutius, Brissomus, and Middleton, he was indebt ed for his facts relating to the business of the senate : to Pignorius, on slaves : to Lidonius and Grucchius, Manutius, Huber, Gravina, Munrla, Heineecius, for what re lates to the assemblies of the people, the rights of citizens, the laws and judicial proceedings : with respect to the duties and privileges of magistrates, the art of war, the shows of the circus, and the feats of gladiators, he had recourse to Lipsiors: —to Sheffer he applied for information on naval affairs, and carriages : to Eer mannus, on funerals : to Arbuthnot, on coins : to Donatus, on the city : to Tur nebus, Salmasius, Grxvitts, Gronovius, Montfaucon, Gesner, and others, upon different subjects scattered through his work. To these may be added one of the.
oldest mithors on the subject, viz. Diony sins Ilalicarnassus, who traced the origin of the Romans, with great fidelity, back to the remotest ages. Ilis accounts are generally preferred to those of Livy, be cause they are more ample, and his facts are described with mom particulars; and on the ceremonies, worship, sacrifices, manners, customs, discipline, policy, courts, laws, $c.c. he is perhaps the most authentic writer.
These, and other authors that might be cited, have chiefly confined their account to Rome, properly so called; we might di gress, and notice the antiquities of those states, both in Europe and other parts of the globe, which were held under the do minion of the Roman power ; but this would lead us into a very wide field: we shall, however, in the connection, notice those belonging to Spain, which was 500 years under the Roman power.
Spain wa.s originally peopled by the Africans and German Gauls : it then be came the prey of the Carthagenians : to these succeeded the Romans. It was af terwards held successively in subjection by the Vandals, the Visigoths, and the Arabs or Moors.
Of the first of these epochs few remains exist, excepting some tumuli, and other rude monuments. Nor arc there any cer tain relics of the Carthagenians in Spain but coins, which have been found in con siderable numbers. The Roman antiqui ties are numerous, of which, however, we shall notice but few. The aqueduct at Se govia is a noble edifice, consisting of 159 arches, extending about 740 yards, and is rather more than 94 feet in height where it crosses the valley. 'Monied°, the an cient Saguntuin, and Tarragona, the an cient Tarraco, afford many curious re mains of antiquity. The theatre is capa ble of receiving 10,000 people, and is hewn out of a solid rock, the labour of which was less than might at first be ex pected, as the Spanish rocks are general ly calcareous, or of gypsum. The Visi goth kings have left few relics except their coins, which are struck in gold, a metal at that period unknown to the other European mints. Numerous and splendid are the monuments of the Moors in Spain. The mosque at Cordova is one of' the chief; this surprizes travellers with the multitude of its columns, which are said *o be 800: The Christian antiquities here, as in other places, are, churches, castles, and monasteries.