The great Stair-case which leads to the Apartments is adorn’d with several fine Statues. We enter first into a great Hall, where we have the History of _Alexander Farnese_, when he pass’d the _Scheld_, who is represented as crown’d by Victory, with _Flanders_ and the _Scheld_ chain’d to his Feet. There is also a Number of other fine antique Statues in several Niches, and upon several Pedestals. The first Chamber is painted in _Fresco_ by _Salviati_ and _Zucaro_. There we see the Emperor _Charles_ V. and _Francis_ I. King of _France_, shaking each other by the Hand; the memorable Transactions of _Paul_ III. and _Martin Luther_ in Conference with that Pope’s _Nuncio_. In the next Apartments there are a great many fine Bustos and Ceilings, well painted and richly gilt. But the finest Piece of all in this Palace is the Gallery, which was painted throughout by _Annibal Carache_, whose skilful Hand has therein represented with very great Art the several Deities assisting at the Triumph of _Bacchus_. In fine, no Cost has been spared in this Palace. I have been assured, that the Furniture of it was very magnificent formerly; but it is since all taken away, and the Palace serves to lodge the Minister of _Parma_. ’Tis pity that ’tis not finish’d, for in Truth it wou’d be a fine Piece of Building; but the Case is the very same with all St. _Peter_’s _Miracles_, which is the Name they give to all the Palaces built by the Popes for their Families. The Popes are old Men when they come to the Pontificate, and Modesty, or Decency, hinders them from doing any thing for their Families, the first Year or two; so that they begin in the Decline of their Years, to undertake vast Designs, which they don’t live to finish; and ’tis seldom that their Nephews pursue what was begun by their Uncles, either because they don’t care to make a Shew of the Wealth that was left them, or else because they have not Souls great enough for the Undertaking; for, to be plain, those Nephews of the Popes are seldom good for much, and have had a poor Education. The Generality are Persons of a mean or base Extraction, who become Princes without any Merit but the Fortune of their Uncles, and are so intoxicated with their Grandeur, that they are swallow’d up in Sloth, and think of nothing, not even of the Preservation of their growing Families; so that they quickly fall to decay, and as soon as their Spring is over, they are snatch’d off on sudden by Winter. _Paul_ III. had a Project for building a Bridge over the _Tyber_, behind the _Farnese_ Palace, in order to give it a Communication with the Garden of the little _Farnese_ Palace, which is on the other Side of the River, in the Quarter call’d _Longara_; and if this Design had been executed, the Duke of _Parma_ wou’d have had a much finer Palace at ROME, than he has in his own Capital.