[Footnote118:Constantin。Orat。adCoetumSanct。c。25。Inthissermon，theemperor，orthebishopwhocomposeditforhim，affectstorelatethemiserableendofallthepersecutorsofthechurch。]
[Footnote119:Constantin。Porphyr。deStatuImper。p。86。]
Hadthismagnificentedificeremainedinasolitarycountry，itwouldhavebeenexposedtotheravagesoftime；butitmight，perhaps，haveescapedtherapaciousindustryofman。ThevillageofAspalathus，^120and，longafterwards，theprovincialtownofSpalatro，havegrownoutofitsruins。TheGoldenGatenowopensintothemarket—place。St。JohntheBaptisthasusurpedthehonorsofAesculapius；andthetempleofJupiter，undertheprotectionoftheVirgin，isconvertedintothecathedralchurch。
ForthisaccountofDiocletian\'spalaceweareprincipallyindebtedtoaningeniousartistofourowntimeandcountry，whomaveryliberalcuriositycarriedintotheheartofDalmatia。^121
Butthereisroomtosuspectthattheeleganceofhisdesignsandengravinghassomewhatflatteredtheobjectswhichitwastheirpurposetorepresent。Weareinformedbyamorerecentandveryjudicioustraveller，thattheawfulruinsofSpalatroarenotlessexpressiveofthedeclineoftheartthanofthegreatnessoftheRomanempireinthetimeofDiocletian。^122Ifsuchwasindeedthestateofarchitecture，wemustnaturallybelievethatpaintingandsculpturehadexperiencedastillmoresensibledecay。Thepracticeofarchitectureisdirectedbyafewgeneralandevenmechanicalrules。Butsculpture，andaboveall，painting，proposetothemselvestheimitationnotonlyoftheformsofnature，butofthecharactersandpassionsofthehumansoul。Inthosesublimearts，thedexterityofthehandisoflittleavail，unlessitisanimatedbyfancy，andguidedbythemostcorrecttasteandobservation。