protected the Jesuits who cairn firan Fiance, sent a magnificent embassy to Louis XIV. During sonic years Lt.n njoyed great prosperity, and always promoted a eon 10,:t 6011 with Europeans; but endeavouring to persie.de the Ling of Siam, who was childless, to adopt the of a nobleman edneated in the Chi istian religion, and hieing suspect( d of caudeaiouring to bring the whole kingdom et entuallt under 1 rench domination, a co:, spiracy 101 Hied agn.inst Lim. lie was seized by a powerful minister of state, and put to death with ing torments hi Cephalonia has likewise more rec•ntly produced able generals and mechanics. Of the latter, Count Carburi nrty be named, who accom plished the transportation of the rock to Petersburgh, which has received the statue of the emperor Peter, and by whom a detail of the whole procedure has he i published.
While this island was under the power of the Vein tian republic, it was governed by a nobleman sent from Venice, who, along with two counsellors, resided at Ar gostoli. The governor of the fortress of A xo was also a nobleman of the same city, but dependent on the former. The military commander was stationed at Lixuri, and the whole troops on the island did not exceed 30o men. The higher ranks of the inhabitants held a kind of se nate, in which the nobles of Corfu were entitled to tote, as a reciprocal privilege was enjoyed by the Cepualo Mans at Corfu.
Cephalonia has now declined from that importance which many concurring circumstances prove it held in antiquity. Its cities, temples, fleets, and the enterprizes of its inhabitants, were all celebrated of old ; and the con tests for dominion over it, shew its consequence to neighbouring kingdoms. The ruins still existing on the surface. and the remains occasionally dug from the earth, testify that it was once more splendid and popu lous, and also that considerable progress had been at tained in the arts. Four principal cities are mentioned by the ancients, all of which have long gone to decay, and the site of some can scarcely be recognised. though still known by analogous appellations. These wet e, Palls, Samos, Croni, and Troilus. The. first steed about
a mile from the port of Argostoli, in the most fertile part of the island, which is still called Palichi, and ap pears from the ruins to have been of considerable extent. Notwithstanding the ravages of time, thi. fragments oc casionally discovered bear evidence of having been em ployed in elegant. structures; thus corroborating the tes timony of the ancient authors by whom they arc describ ed. About 30 years ago was found a tablet of Parian marble, bearing the following inscription in Greek : By a decree, the senate and people of Palls hay,: erected a statue in honour of the high priestess Flaviana Euti ches, the daughter of Pitiodorus Glaucus. and spouse of lion Aristomantides. It was merited by her chaste and exemplary life." The theatre at Elis. for the celebration of the Olympic games, Was erected by the inhabit..;.ts of Palk.
Samos was in ruins in the time of Strabo. nearly 2Or10 years ago. Perhaps it was inure extensive thaa the other towns. as the island. :seem ding to a passage in Eneld. was called by that name. Gold and silver sculptured fragments. and vases of lin nze and marble, are yet recovered from among the ruins, is hich the site of the city as having been on the cf a hill. It has been affirmed, that an odour still sensibly is- sued from the latter when first opened. resembling the perfumes which were used by the ancients in their fune real rites.
The position of the other two towns can scarcely be recognised ; but from the ruins dispersed through the island, it is not improbable that there were several be sides. The uncle of Mark Antony, according to Stra bo, being exiled here after his consulate with Cicero, founded a city, called Petulia, the progress of which was interrupted by his recal to Rome. Near Lixuri, a marble urn with a pedestal was lately found in a pit, which, from an inscription, seemed to contain the ashes of one of his friends who had perished by a vio lent death. Coins, portions of bronze tablets, and mar ble statues, were at the same time discovered. A tem ple on Mount Enos, consecrated to Jupiter, is mention ed in history as one of the most celebrated throughout Greece. (c)