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N I S M E S.
OuE of the principal cities of Unguedoc, and that wUch peAaps chieSy merits the examination
of the curious, is Niiines.
It was originally Icnoxvn to the Eomaas, and was anciently caUed NcmanCs, or Civitas
NemaufenCs. According to Stnibo and Pliny, it oncc included twenty-four cities under
ils jurifdiflion, Stc. Certaii it is, the city nrnfl have been formerly of conlidetable extent,
as appears ii-om the circuit of the ancient waUs, the remains of which are fliU feen at fome
diftauce from the town.
The veffiges of andquity fliU exilKng alfo prove it to have been a city of great opulence
and magnificence.
This colony was fettled by Aogufhis Caifar after the linious battle of AiHum, and became
not only the moil principal city of Galha Narboncnfis, but gave birtli to a number
of great men.
One of its moil ancient monuments, which muft ever attrait the admiration of the curious,
is the Temple of Cains and Lucius Coefar, or Maifon Carrée, which is ffill in high
prefervation, and enchants mt h the moil exquifitc beauty of architeiture and fcnlpture.
It is of a reilangular form, of feventy-fix EnglHh feet eleven inches in length, including
Uie portico or pronaos, thirty-eight feet five inches in width, and as much in height.
Its entrance diiFeni however from the generahty of the Grecian and Tufcan temples,
which were commonly placed in an eaftem afpeft, whereas tills is towards the north.
It is built of a hard white flone, very Uttle impaired. The ontSde of the edifice is
ornamented witi, thirty charafrcted coliunns of the Corinthian orier, formed of three
diiFerent pieces of ftone.
Some architeils have fuppofed it of the Compofite order, on account of the bafe of tl,e
columns bemg Attick, and the modillons of tt.e cornice placed in a diiFerent direSion
from what they generally have ; but as every other part of the temple correfponds exaffly
to the Corinthian order, it may widiont hefitation be allowed to belong to it.
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