The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-01-26
THE mAIsoN cARREE.


This celebrated building, after the plan Of
which tn Capitol ef Virginia was constructed,
il situated at Nismes, 10 the South Of France,
and was originally Roman Temple. The
model sent by MIR. Jefferson TO this country, =
still, we believe, ia existence, though rheTe, we
do not exactly know. II was kept for great
many years, at the Governors House, but We
think il has been removed, probably, to the
Capitol. II is q perfect miniature Of the origi'e
nal, and differs from the Capitol in that it has
futed columns. The Capitol, we always
thought, one Of the most striking buildings we
ever saw. II has one defect however, in our
eyes, and that is, that it is stucco, whereas the
original is marble. This looks most awfully
like the shabby genteeI, and we have never
been able to divest ourselves of the idea, that
it evinced want of taste to waste so fine
model upon such inferior materials. 1t re-
minds us of the fable of the frog, endeavoring
to swell himself up to the dimensions OF the
OK. If our predecessors had determined to
give US copy of the Maison Carrse, il should
have been of marble. If they only wanted to
give US q otuCCOcu u Shouiu uos
been on the plan of the Maison Carree.
But we did not commence this article for the
purpose of criticising the taste Of past gene
ration. We only designed to introduce the
subjoined passage, from late work Of Alex
andre Dumas, who has been travelling down
the Rhone, and has written an exceedingly
agreeable book upon the subject. Here it is:
Through all our operations we had not yet
had time to visit the Maison Carree. which is
generally considered the masterpiece OF an
Gent architecture at Nismes. Cardinal Able
roni, said it ought to be inclosed in golden
case; and Louis XIV. and Napoleon thought
seriously of transporting this wonder Of art of
the second century to Paris, but it was found
to be impossible. Louis XIV. forgot this pro-
ject in dancing at the opera, and Napoleon in
gaining the battle of EyIau. Although greatly
DESTROYS of seeing an object which had been
coveted by king and an emperor-both sur
named Great-our visit thither was put off on
account of the day being too advanced.
Reboul, according TO bis promise. came to
US the next morning at eight O'Clock. Giving
orders TO our host and to our servant to have
our breakfast and carriage in readiness on our
return, we set off to see the Roman wonder.
| was much disappointed at the first aspect of
this monument, which did not come up to the
idea had formed of it. found it small COM
pared to the Arena, and | quite understood
Nupoleon's imagining he could have it re-
moved.
The Maison Carree, as was informed by
Reboul, had undergone many degradations.-
1t was built during the reign of Antonious; in
the eleventh century, it was used as an Hotel
de-Ville two or three centuries later it was
given up TO man named Peter Boys, in pay
ment of a debt incurred by the town. No
sooner was it in his possession than he built a
house on the southern side, and defaced the
wall by following it out TO receive the wood
WORK and beams destined to support the roof of
the new building. From the hands of Peter
Boys the Maison Carree passed into those of
the Seigneur of St. Chaptes, who converted
into stable, and, to make it more convenient,
built brick wall across, and divided the en-
terror into mansgerand stalls. In 1876 his heirs
sold il to the Augustine monks, who built
nave. chapel and tribunes. Finally. in 1889,
the Maison Carree, which was then considered
as church property, was taken from the monks,
and became the central Hotel de rAdminis
tratisn of the Department. Since this period
great care has been taken of it, and it has net
only been restored in some places, but much
embelishedn