in sculpture and painting, something whimsical, extravagant, and monstrous, consisting either of things which are merely imaginary, and have no existence in nature, or of things so distorted as to excite surprise and ridicule. The name arises from the circumstance that figures of this kind were anciently much used to adorn the grottoes in which the tombs of eminent persons or families were enclosed. Such was that of Ovid, whose grotto was discovered near Rome more than a century ago.

END OF VOLUME TENTH.