variety of phials and bottles, chiefly of an elongated shape, have been found among the subterranean ruins of Herculaneum. Most of these are of Glass of unequal thickness, of a green colour. A few vessels of cut white Glass have also been found, but they are of small dimensions.

In the British Museum, also, are a few large cinerary urns of green Glass, which are fine specimens of the ancient art of Glass-blowing. The round vases are of elegant forms, with covers and two double handles, the formation of which must convince any person capable of appreciating the difficulties which even the modern Glass-maker would have to surmount in executing similar handles, that the ancients were well acquainted with the art of making round Glass vessels.* (See PLATE 5, fig. 4.) Although their knowledge appears to have been extremely limited as respects the manufacture of square vessels, and more particularly oval, octagon, or pentagon forms, we meet with several crudely formed square vases, a great number of lachrymatories, and various fragments of other vessels, some of which have a raised border, hollowed inside, as if blown in open-and-shut metal moulds: there are, besides, small blue vases of very rich colours, variegated by yellowish white enamel patterns, &c.

The more celebrated ancient Glass vase is that which was, for more than two centuries, the principal ornament of the Barberini palace, and which is now known as the "Portland Vase."