We now ascended the pillar of Trajan, by a spiral staircase of one hundred and eighty-three steps, cut out of solid marble, twenty-three blocks of which, placed horizontally one over the other, compose the column; from the summit, which is surrounded by an iron railing, there is a fine view of the city. This beautiful pillar had formerly a gilded bronze statue of the emperor Trajan placed on its summit, with a globe in his hand, containing his own ashes, which was, by Pope Sextus the Fifth, exchanged for one of St. Peter. At its lower extremity the pillar is twelve feet in diameter, gradually diminishing as it ascends to ten; the height, from the base to the top of the statue, is one hundred and thirty-three feet; the outside of the column is beautifully ornamented in basso relievo, with a representation of the Dacian war, admirably wrought on a continued spiral line from the bottom of the column to its top, as a memorial of his success in which, the Roman senate erected and dedicated this noble structure to the emperor, whose name it still bears. The spot, on which it stands, was formerly the centre of the forum of Trajan. After this we walked over what was once the celebrated Forum Romanum, originally built by Romulus, and where the courts of justice were held. This once important square, now known by the name of the Campo Vaccino, was supposed to have been seven hundred and fifty feet in length and five hundred broad. From hence we extended our walk to the Palatine-hill, passing near the Via Sacra, which lay about eight or ten feet below us, and from which the rubbish had been cleared to make it visible; we then pursued our way to the baths of Livy; the Coliseum; and the tomb of Cestius, which is a pyramidal structure, one hundred and twenty feet in height, and ninety square at its base; it is situated adjoining to the wall of the city, very near the burial ground for foreigners, amongst the various tombs of which my companions noticed several with English inscriptions. We now passed on to Monte Testaccio, which has derived its existence and name, from the quantities of broken vases, mixed with rubbish, which have been deposited upon its site. The top of this mound is surmounted by a cross. Although our Ciceroni were much fatigued with their excursion, we could not forbear visiting the Tarpeian Rock, and the Pantheon. On our return, as it was too late for Francis’s table d’hôte, we dined at a _trattorias_, where a variety of dishes are kept ready cooked, or ready for cooking at a moment’s notice. They have also a great variety of good wines, and amongst the rest, we here tasted the Orvieto, so justly extolled as a delicious beverage, and which reminded me forcibly of good bottled Devonshire cider.