This picture is conducted with the greatest judgment. The attitude of St. Paul is as fine as possible, pointing out his hands to the statue of Mercury, alluding to their idolatry; for the men of Lystra would call him by that name, and worship him as a God presiding over eloquence. Thus the picture shews the subject of his preaching. The little drapery thrown over the apostle’s shoulder, and hanging down to his waist, poises the figure, which otherwise would seem ready to tumble forwards. The drapery is red and green, the back ground is expressive of the superstition St. Paul was preaching against, as above-mentioned. No historian, orator or poet, can possibly give so great an idea of the eloquent and zealous apostle as this figure does: for there we see a person, whose face and action no words can sufficiently describe; but which assure us as much as those can, that that divine man must speak with good sense and to the purpose. There were in all twelve of these pieces, two of which are in the possession of the French King: the King of Sardinia has two of the others, and one belonged to a gentleman in England, who pledged it for a sum of money: but when the person who had taken this valuable deposit found it was to be redeemed, being very unwilling to part with it, he greatly damaged the drawing; for which the gentleman brought his action, and it was tried in Westminster hall, where the picture was produced. The subject was Herod’s cruelty, and indeed, the cruel malice of the person sued, seemed to flow from a principle perhaps equally diabolical and inexcusable. Over the chimney piece in this gallery is a fine bas-relief in white marble of Venus drawn in her chariot, and attended by several Cupids. We come next to the Queen’s staircase, where the ceiling is painted by Vick. Here is King Charles II. and Catharine his Queen, with the Duke of Buckingham representing Science in the habit of Mercury, while Envy is struck down by naked boys. There are also other ornaments done by Mr. Kent. From the Queen’s stair case, we descend into a new quadrangle, in the middle of which is a round bason, and four large lamps on pedestals of iron work; and on the right hand over the windows, are the twelve labours of Hercules done in fresco.