being of superior and four of
inferior size. The smaller halls (Nos. I., III., IV., and VI., on the
plan) were about thirty feet long by twenty wide, and had a height of
thirty feet; the larger ones measured ninety feet in length, and were
from thirty-five to forty feet broad, with a height of sixty feet.
All were upon the same plan. They had semicircular vaulted roofs, no
windows, and received their light from the archway at the east end,
which was either left entirely open, or perhaps closed with curtains.

Externally, the eastern facade of the building, which was evidently its
main front, had for ornament, besides the row of seven arches, a series
of pillars, or rather pilasters, from which the arches sprang, some
sculptures on the stones composing the arches, and one or two emblematic
figures in the spaces left between the pilasters. The sculptures on
the stones of the arches consisted either of human heads, or of
representations of a female form, apparently floating in air. [PLATE
IV. Fig. 3.] An emblematic sculpture between the fourth and fifth arch
represented a griffin with twisted tail, raised about 5 feet above the
ground. The entire length of the facade was about 300 feet.

The interior of the smaller halls had no ornament; but the larger ones
were decorated somewhat elaborately. Here the side walls were broken by
three squared pilasters, rising to the commencement of the vaulting, and
terminated by a quasi-capital of ornamental work, consisting of a series
of ovals, each oval containing in its centre a round ball of dark stone.

Underneath these quasi-capitals, at the distance of from two to three
feet, ran a cornice, which crossed the pilasters, and extended the whole
length of the apartment, consisting of flowers and half-ovals, each oval
containing a half-ball of the same dark stone as the capitals. [PLATE
IV. Fig. 4.] Finally, on the pilasters, immediately below the cornice,
were sculptured commonly either two or three human heads, the length of
each head being about two feet, and the faces representing diverse types
of humanity, some old and some young, some male and some female, some
apparently realistic, some idealized and more or less grotesque in their
accompaniments. The drawing of the heads is said to have been full of
spirit, and their general effect is pronounced life-like and striking.

The seven halls, which have been described, were divided into two
groups, of three and four respectively, b