appearance a body was found in the Potomac, which was thought from certain resemblances, to be his, (though this was never satisfactorily ascertained,) and hence it has been conjectured that in a fit of melancholy, he threw himself into the river, and thus put an end to his unhappy life.-Such has often been the melancholy fate of genius.

In front of the chair, and immediately over the entrance, stands a beautiful statue in marble representing History, recording the events of the nation. She is placed on a winged car, which is in the act of rolling over the globe, on which is figured, in basso relievo, the signs of the Zodiac, and the wheel of the car is the face of the clock of the Hall, finely designed and beautifully executed. The whole was done by Segnior Franzoni, another meritorious Italian artist, who also died in this city. Between the columns is suspended fringed drapery of crimsoned marines, festooned near the gallery, to limit the sound and hearing. A magnificent portrait of Lafayette, at full length, painted by a French artist, and a most admirable likeness of that patriot, decorates a panel on one side the loggia, and indicates to the legislative body to whom it has been presented, that the corresponding panel on the opposite side could not be more appropriately filled than by the portrait of him who achieved the liberties and secured the independence of his country. Between the columns, at their base, are placed sofas for the accommodation of those who are privilege to enter the Hall, and within the bar, in a semicircle fronting the Speaker's chair, are seated the members of the House, and each of whom

is furnished with a mahogany desk, armed chair and writing materials.

The Senate Chamber in the north wing is of the same semicircular form-seventy-five feet in its greatest length and forty-five high-a screen of Ionic columns, with capitals, after those of the temple of Minerva Polias, support a gallery to the east, and form a loggia below-and a new gallery of iron pillars and railings of a light and elegant structure, projects from the circular walls-the dome ceiling is enriched with square caissons of

stucco.

The walls are covered with straw coloured drapery, between small pilasters of marble in the wall, Columns of breccia or Potomac marble, support the eastern gallery.

The upper gallery on the east side was removed in 1828, and a light, airy, and beautiful one as mentioned above, erected along the simicircle fronting the President's chair, supported on small iron columns, handsomely bronzed, with a railing in front, of the same material and colour. The removal of the dark and heavy mass of stone which formed the upper gallery has thrown into the chamber a proper degree of light, which it wanted before; and the new and tasteful gallery renders it more convinient to the members, by accommodating those who would otherwise be on the floor.-The access to it, however, is somewhat objectionable, as are most of the stair-cases in the building. They are rather confined and dark, for so spacious and magnificent an edifice as the Capitol. A stair-case is susceptible of gaeat architectural beauty; and the construc

tion of such a building the opportunity to display that beauty should not have been neglected.

The Rotundo occupies the centre, and is ninetysix feet in diameter, and ninety-six high. This is the principal entrance from the east portico and west stair, and leads to the legislative halls and library. This room is divided in its circuit into panels, by lofty Grecian pilasters or antæ, which support a bold entablature, ornamented with wreaths of olive -a hemispherical dome arises above, filled with large plain caissons, like those of the Pantheon at Rome. The panels of the circular wall are appropriated to paintings and bas relieves of historical subjects. We shall begin with the sculpture:

1.-Preservation of Capt. Smith by Pocahontas.

The group, in the panel over the western entrance of the rotundo, was executed by Mr. Capellano, who, like Mr. Causici, was a pupil of the celebrated Canova. This panel contains a group of five figures, representing the moment when Captain Smith was in the act of being despatched by the order of Powhatan, but was saved by the generous interposition of Pocahontas, the daughter of the chief. Capt. Smith, in his narrative, furnishes the following sketch of this incident-which took place in "1606:"

"Having feasted him (Capt. Smith) after their best barbarous manner they could, a long consultation was held, but the conclusion was, two great stones were brought before Powhatan: then as many as could lay hands on him dragged him to them, and