The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1809-06-21


sll pEAR FRIEND,
SINCE last wrote you ] have made second visit
to Pompeia, in consequence OF the discovery OF
rev room, III which usual great variety OF articles
in use among the Romans was found. As the very
unfortunate death of the Custos Musr has hitherto
prevented, and will probably continue to prevent my
seeing the collection at Poc this discovery is very
oppcrune to me, and for the reason the descrip
ton lnay be interesting to YOU Indeed 1T forms a
very tolcrabe indemnity for the loss OF my visit to
Portci for as large proportion Of the curostes in
the palace that place consisted OF pictures cut ont
OF the walls, those found in the rooms, just OPEN
ed, arc some compensation for the loss, and indeed
enable form apertect idea OF the whole and the
utensils discovered in the late excavations give us
very good idea of those before found, to which we
can add the satisfaction of knowing their authenticity
and antiquity, by surprising them (if may use
law phrasc) in the fact"
There IS one large picture in the house lately ex-
cavated which gives very excellent example OF the
degree Of perfection to which the ancients had attain
ed in this divine art II has been observed, by better
Judges than am that the designs of these pictures
are in general nimitabc, and that the ablest modern
artists could not change single fold III the draper
les to advantage but the execution and finishing
are generally bad. This, however, is by no means
extraordinary, as they were the common fnishings
of their rooms, and stood in the place of our paper
hangings
None but empcrours could afford to employ the
The subject of the piece which saw in this newly
excavated house, was the story OF Acteon and the
moment which the painter had chosen for his pencil,
was when the dogs Of Diana had just fastened upon
the unhappy youth, and when the newborn horns had
just started from his brow but while he retained in
all other respects the human form, The vcracious
fury of the dogs, and the horrour of Acteon at his
unexpected and (saying the dignity of Daina his un-
deserved fate, very naturally described. Ii the
;cicnts did not therefore, in the highest styles of
4to
iy claim rank equal to Raphael, it must be acknowl-
edged, that ther&o'se painters certainly excel
led their successors in the same humble but useful
sphere.
Among the articles found in this late excavation,
were two very elegant marble tables, in style of
workmanship far s2periour TO any modern produc-
tons of this kind The legs Of the tables were Of a
colour totally different from, and indeed in contrast
to the leaf top. The polish and beauty Of this
marble were totally unaffected either by time or the
substances which had surrounded it. No artist could
deliver a piece of work from his shop in more per-
feet order than these were, except some little
breaches, which they had sustained in the overthrow
ofthc house Two perfect iron tires for wheels, to-
gether with all the metalck garts of complete, and
probably elegant coach, were also found.
II is strange, considering the very dry nature Of
the pumice stonc which covered Pompeia and the
perfect and unchanged state of the paintings in fcs
co, that no piece cf wood in perfect state, should
have been found in this edce and indeed rs far as
7 am informed in any of the buildings Of this city.
You can only then conjecture the form cf the mple
sncnts OF wood from the parts which remain Of the
metals formerly attached to them Iron has suffered
ioorc than any metal discovered in Pompcia this is
: very natural and the causes familiar to chemists
The oxyd of iron formed around all the implements
of that metal has drawn in and caused to adhere to
the body the stones and small foreign bodies which
came in coaract with it. SO that some process and
lsbour necessary to detach them and discovefts
real form. 80
Ihavc small piece Of iron with It's enyelopc,thus
fcs1nct which shall send home, with my other spe-
c;,nen,s of ys suvian prcductions
Tlc tires the wheels resemble ours in FORM wi,lts
ana :a,netcr; they consisted Of single hoop as the
r:ngsl, one NOW generally do. The iron boxcs and
loops to The hubs Of the wheels, were precisely the
sar,c as they now are. The aylctrecs were OF wood,
,s 20 the ends of them attached pieces ofiron,
.hreqsil che boxes, snd Its beyond them only Al