We were admitted by a girl, and went first to the
casino, along an aisle of overshadowing trees, the branches of which met
above our heads. In the portico of the casino, which extends along its
whole front, there are many busts and statues, and, among them, one of
Julius Caesar, representing him at an earlier period of life than others
which I have seen. His aspect is not particularly impressive; there is a
lack of chin, though not so much as in the older statues and busts.
Within the edifice there is a large hall, not so brilliant, perhaps, with
frescos and gilding as those at the Villa Borghese, but lined with the
most beautiful variety of marbles. But, in fact, each new splendor of
this sort outshines the last, and unless we could pass from one to
another all in the same suite, we cannot remember them well enough to
compare the Borghese with the Albani, the effect being more on the fancy
than on the intellect. I do not recall any of the sculpture, except a
colossal bas-relief of Antinous, crowned with flowers, and holding
flowers in his hand, which was found in the ruins of Hadrian's Villa.
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