Page:The Mysterious Warning - Parsons (1796, volume 3).djvu/169

 the day, Ferdinand applied himself closely to his studies.

The following day, Heli waited not to be asked, but voluntarily offered to accompany Ferdinand in a walk to the amphitheatre.—The other gladly accepted the civility, and they directed their steps to this noble building. Great part of the circular wall remained entire. Many superb pillars supported different parts of the structure. Nearly one half of the inside was in ruins; but in some places there were regular seats rising over one another to an immense height.

The whole exhibited a sullen state of grandeur sinking to decay. Half broken pillars of marble, of granite, lay scattered in large fragments on a kind of Mosaic pavement. Several fine pieces of sculpture, maimed statues, and decayed paintings, that at the touch crumbled into dust, lay in heaps at different parts of the building. In fine, all was great, admirable, and gratifying;—but at the same time mortifying, depressive,