ITALIAN SCENERY, MANNERS, AND CUSTOMS. 3i
FIL<\T]E X V .
THE GAME OF BUMBLE-PUPPY, AND THE TEMPLE OF VESTA.
T H I S edifice is one of the most anciciit in Rome, having been erected by Nnma PonipiUus
on the banks of the Tyber; and it was hciv, that the choscn Vesta!s kept a continual fire on
the altar of the Goddess, l l i e Romans in every age preserved a constant veneration for this
temple, which was religiously kept in good order, till the burning of the city by Nero, when it
received considerable damage. It was afterward repaired by Vespasian, or ])omitian his son
with great care. It's portico is circular, and composed of twenty fluted columns of Parian marble
of the Corinthian order. Pliny tells us, that it's roof was made of Syracusan brass. When
it was converted into a Christian church, the columns were almost buried in the wall, and
both the pillars and the wall were covered with plaster within and without, so as to conceal tlie
beauty of the work and ornaments, which excite the admiration of those who observe them
closely. When first this temple was made a church, it was dedicated to St. Stephen; but it
afterward acquired the name of St. Mary of the Sun, owing to an image of the Virgin which
adorned the church, and was worshipped under tliis denomination.
The youths in the plate are amusing themselves by playing at Bumble-Puppy. They first
cut in the ground with a knife nine holes, large enough to receive the ball with which they play.
Every one of the players puts into the centre hole the piece of money it lias been agreed to
play for: then they shozo Jingers (See Plate 24 J, to see who is to begin. The situation of
the boy the nearest to the ball not being natural, it may be presumed, that, when he was picking
up the ball to play, the other claimed it as his turn, and they are deciding the question by
even or odd; liis companion is stooping, to see how many fingers he shows. If, when the ball is
thrown, it do not get into any of the holes, the money staked by the player is lost; if it go into
a corner hole he gets back his stake: but he who is skilful or fortunate enough to lodge the
ball in the centre hole, takes all the money, and the game begins again. The centre hole is
called il tiitti, ' the whole/ because it wins all. Should the ball fall into the middle hole of
either of the sides, the money remains. "When all the playei-s have bowled, and no one has
lodged tlie ball in the central hole, every one puts in another piece of money, and they begin
again as before: thus the game is continued, till one of them wins the wliole stake.
'J'he place where they are playing is between the Temple and the Tyber, near the ancient
navalia, or wharfs, where every thing coming down the river to Rome was landed, before tiio
bridge Sublicius prevented the barges from proceeding so far.
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