DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.847#0459
430 CLUSIUM.
ware, and I conjectured that it had heen presented
to him by some English traveller who had been
obliged for the same civilities which we were then
receiving. Whilst, therefore, my more learned and
scientific companions were looking over some bronzes,
I stole up to examine it, and to convince myself
whether or not I was right. It consisted of a small
and well-finished tray, the handles of which were
worked in heads exactly like two of our own vases
found at Paestum, and this tray was filled with a
variety of small cups and sugar-basins, and utensils
which were certainly not English, and of which I
could not make out the use. For a dejeune there
was neither tea nor coffee-pot, so I tried if the
vessels would answer for a writing-stand, or for a
cruet-stand, or for a toilet-table. None, however,
would suit exactly. For the one purpose they were
too few, for the other too many, and the forms all
ran riot. Accordingly, ashamed to show that I did
not know what to make of the thing, nor whether
it were ancient or modern, I looked out of the win-
dow, praised two or three prints in the room, and
then asked with a careless air what was the use of
that china-stand upon the buffet. The good priest
smiled, and said it was a focolare which he had got
out of a scavo a few weeks before! I forgot all my
prudence, and exclaimed, " So it really does come
from a tomb, and it is ancient! How extraor-
dinary ! I took it for a wedgewood dejeune." We
then proceeded to examine it, and he told us that it
was often called also a " recipiente," and that it was
ware, and I conjectured that it had heen presented
to him by some English traveller who had been
obliged for the same civilities which we were then
receiving. Whilst, therefore, my more learned and
scientific companions were looking over some bronzes,
I stole up to examine it, and to convince myself
whether or not I was right. It consisted of a small
and well-finished tray, the handles of which were
worked in heads exactly like two of our own vases
found at Paestum, and this tray was filled with a
variety of small cups and sugar-basins, and utensils
which were certainly not English, and of which I
could not make out the use. For a dejeune there
was neither tea nor coffee-pot, so I tried if the
vessels would answer for a writing-stand, or for a
cruet-stand, or for a toilet-table. None, however,
would suit exactly. For the one purpose they were
too few, for the other too many, and the forms all
ran riot. Accordingly, ashamed to show that I did
not know what to make of the thing, nor whether
it were ancient or modern, I looked out of the win-
dow, praised two or three prints in the room, and
then asked with a careless air what was the use of
that china-stand upon the buffet. The good priest
smiled, and said it was a focolare which he had got
out of a scavo a few weeks before! I forgot all my
prudence, and exclaimed, " So it really does come
from a tomb, and it is ancient! How extraor-
dinary ! I took it for a wedgewood dejeune." We
then proceeded to examine it, and he told us that it
was often called also a " recipiente," and that it was