CYCLOPEAN ARCHITECTURE.

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face resembling a cicer, which is like a large pea, and iscalled I believe in England, caravanser. The origin ofArpinum is far more ancient than that of Rome, or of AlbaLonga itself. Little is known of the ancient Etruscans , orAusonians, but from the absolute identity of the shapes,colours, emblems, and designs, of the vases called Etruscan ,which are found in every part of Tuscany, Rome , Naples,Sicily, and Greece , it is evident that the earliest inhabitantsof those regions were identical in origin, manners, and lan-guage. It is, however, supposed by antiquaries, that thecolonists from Greece or Sicily , who settled to the northof Rome, preceded those who spread over Magna Grecia and the kingdom of Naples. But I must say, that aglance at the map alone, prevents me from being reconciledto that hypothesis. Be this as it may, there are extensivetraces of a race or nation of far greater antiquity, thanthe known Greeks or Romans, having inhabited the centralportion of Italy ; and the works they have left behind them,indicate a high degree of civilization; singularly enough,however, they appear to have been unacquainted with theconstruction of the arch, which the most ancient Etruscan tombs consist of. This ancient nation has been called Cy-clopean, and that name is given to their architectural re-mains. The town of Arpinum contains about threethousand inhabitants. It is romantically situated on hillsand rocks, surrounded in part by the limpid and foamingriver Liri, a tributary to the Garigliano , verdant meadows,vineyards, corn-fields, in fine, a combination of every beautythat nature and industry can bestow.

The city is entirely surrounded by its ancient Cyclopeanwall, which is as perfect as on the day it was finished, ex-cept in a place or two, where it has been purposely demo-lished. I do not remember the number of gates; I think I