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Doc. 206.] 109
SWEDENBORG’S TRAVELS IN 1738.
walls, and arrived at Verona which is a pretty large and
extensive town. I examined a few churches, and then visited
the large amphitheatre, which was built by Augustus, and,
with the exception of the two highest rows, is still entire. It
will hold from 50,000 to 60,000 people, has seventy entrances,
and seventy openings above, and a vault and vaulted rooms
for beasts and slaves. I computed the circumference of the
structure at 600 ells. Not far from this is another interesting
building, which is said to have been erected by Scipio Afri
canus, and repaired by one of his family ; it is now a dwelling
house. The rooms under the amphitheatre are occupied as
shops. Afterwards I visited the opera ; a new theatre has
been built with a hundred and forty boxes. In respect to
the shifting of scenes in the theatre, with their decorations,
which all represent beautiful palaces and other fine prospects,
also in respect to the singing and dancing, they surpass the
French opera to such a degree, that it seems to be mere
child’s play in comparison with them. From Verona I continued
my journey to Vicenza, where I visited several churches
which were celebrated for their paintings, statues in marble,
and their inlaid work, and likewise- especially the more recent
ones -for their architecture. The cathedral was magnificent;
thither the Tridentine Council had intended to remove, in case
the plague had continued. I saw a theatre (Teatro Olimpico)
which was built in the ancient style, with an amphitheatre
for the spectators, adorned with statues ; the front-elevation
consisted of columns and statues ; the interior represented a
palace, from which the actors descended by two ways, and
went through their performances. I then came to Padua, which
is a large but antiquated town, possessing a university, but no
palace of any consequence. The most interesting object was
the church of S. Giustina, the like of which I never saw
before. The whole floor is paved with white, red, and black
marble ; it has twenty altars, each of which is adorned with
marble statues, and marble columns of various kinds, while
the altar itself is constructed of inlaid stones representing
some kind of painting ; I counted there from eighty to ninety
large marble statues, and the same number of small ones.
The monastery is rather large Afterwards I was in the
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