in bronze and white marble are to be seen on this _Piazza_. In bronze are:
a statue of Perseus by Cellini; Judith with the head of Holofernes by
Donatello; David and Goliath; Samson. In white marble are the following
beautiful statues: a group representing Hercules and Cacus; another
representing a Roman carrying off a Sabine woman. The Hercules, who is in
the act of strangling Cacus, rests on one leg. Nearly in the centre of the
_Piazza_, opposite to the post office and in front of the _Palazzo
Vecchio_, is the principal ornament of the _Piazza_, which consists of a
group representing Neptune in his car or conch (or shell) drawn by
sea-horses and accompanied by Tritons. The statue of Neptune is of colossal
size, the whole group is in marble and the conch of Egyptian granite. This
group forms a fountain. There is likewise on this _Piazza_ an immense
equestrian statue in bronze of Cosmo the First by John of Bologna. The
_Palazzo Vecchio_ is a large Gothic building by Arnulpho and has a very
lofty square tower or _campanile_.

The Gallery of Florence being so close to my abode demanded next my
attention. The building in which this invaluable Museum is preserved forms
three sides of a parallelogram, two long ones and one short one, of which
the side towards the south of the quai of the Arno is the short one.

On the north is an open space communicating with the _Piazza del Gran
Duca_. The Gallery occupies the whole first floor of this vast building.
The _rez de chaussée_ is occupied, on the west side, by the bureaux of
Government, and on the south and east sides by shopkeepers, in whose shops
is always to be seen a brilliant display of merchandize. As there are
arcades on the three sides of this parallelogram, they form the favorite
meridian promenade of the _belles_ and _beaux_ of Florence, particularly on
Sundays and holidays, after coming out of Church. I ascended the steps from
a door on the east side of the building, to visit the Gallery.