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OF DOMES.

firmed the truth of the record of the inspirations ofJustinian. 10

We are accustomed to repeat with Sir WilliamTemple, that Trajan’s Bridge served for the flight ofancient architecture; or, with others, that architec-ture declined after the time of Constantine, andrevived in the time of Giulo II. The grandeurand sublimity of the vaulted space of the two navespassing through the “ aerial dome ” of Saint Sophia,115 feet wide throughout, greatly terminated by thesemi-hemispheres, leave the subject of the dedicationto eternal wisdom properly pre-eminent over those tothe blessed Virgin, and all the Holy Martyrs, SaintPeter and Saint Paul; and Justinian again, even inthe nineteenth century, might with a prior right cryout, “ O Solomon, I have vanquished thee.” Theexpression, “ severely great,” may be applied properlyto Saint Sophia. Vaults of this character have beenobjected to, because their pendentives by terminatingin points have not visible means of support; withsome the dome of Saint Peter’s has obtained praise,inasmuch as it is not open to this remark. Procopius said of the cupola of Saint Sophia, that it appearedto be suspended by a chain which came from heaven.The cupola of Saint Peter’s manifestly rests uponthe earth.

The principal domes which have been erected fromthe time of Constantine to the time of Bruneleschi,are those of Saint Sophia k ; of the Mosques ofSoliman p II., and the Sultan Achmet q , in likemanner, supported by four pillars, and four semi-hemispheres ; and of the holy Apostles, at Constan-tinople ; of Saint John, at Ephesus ; of Saint r Vital,and Saint Maria *, at Ravenna, said to be cut out of