The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1809-12-20
AMUSING MISCELLANY.
FROM THE AsrnoL ocy,
Original Letters, from an american 7rsveHe'
in Eurohe, to Ms friends in this country.
LETTER TwENTY-FogRTH.
Rome, December s, 1904.
.iv DEAR rsIENr

Rome, December ., 1901.
.Y DEAR rRrENp,3. eessa Ns ..
You will perceive by the dates Of my letters that
ii ms days are devoted to curiosity and amusement,
all my evenings arc sacred to my friends. If slo
not succeed in giving you tolerable picture of
Rome IL Will be for tho want OF talents, rather than
cxcsticn.
Ihaso remarked that the Romans in tho later
periods of their history, more devoted to lux
nrysnan they had been even TO military glory.
have given short sketch of their amphitheatrcs
and circuses, which were devoted to pug;listick
coiabats, and to contests of gladators to races,
both pedestrian and equestrian and to coinbats
with Wild beasts. In the latter case, criminals con-
denncd to die, were thrown in to combat with lions,
,igers, d-bnars and bufialoes and IL they were
happy enough to vanqush shcir fcrocious enemies,
they were liberated.
Rome had besides these, two Naumachias, or
large hacnns Of water, in which naval colnhats
wcrc exhibited, for the amusement Of the people
Ono cf them, that of nemitiau in the square,
place on which we at present reside and it is now
replaced by aioantain made by the celebrated Bcr-
The exhibition of ,,apal combats in the midst of q
great city, though astonishing to citizen Of tho
present age who has not Rome, ceases To be so
when he knows the grandeur and extent Of the Ro-
man work. for the transportation Of water into the
cities. trt et'fkh IA
II the Roinals deserve celebrity for the manner in
which they triuMphetl over the obstacles, which OPP
posed their progrcss sn their valour, their love Of
their country, thoir vast power, their extensive do
Iinioas, t!lcr magui6ecnce and splcndour demand
our admiration believe me, their operations and
,hcir ahougs in Italy, and in every country, to which
their arms extended in procuring water in their
cities, worthy OF admiration. scarcely inferiour
The noblest rccks, which have resisted the hand of
time, arc their aqueducts. Not to mention the Aqua
Felco, the Aqua Appia. and several other inferiour
aqueductss the Aqua Claudia alone would have rem
dered the name of the Romans. immortal II more is
not said of these things, in speaking of the Romans.
IL is only because SO much be said of them on
every topick. The Aqua Claudia is brought 70 Rome
from distance of no less than forty miles .it is
conveyed the whole distance in vas, s,urluct s,,p
ported by brick arches, and which preserves lis lev
cl throughout II comes from ground so elevated.
that they are able to carry !; to The highest noun
tains in The city, the top of which il rises in yc
orous AMI picturesque Jets dcau. Many people.
willing TO depreciatc every thing grand have lament
cd, that the Romans did not know the art of t,uus
porting wattf under ground. that they were un
acquainted with the laws, which govern fluids, that
they deemed u necessary, always, to preserve the
Lrck Dc it'so, II vpi please though sosuss IL. I
ea'ne to Earops with the sasoe fserafecs for cali
them sich, but have rcsson TO n,tcr INV opn;op
Thenasions Who nou perfectly understand the laws
ef fld:ds, cannct manage lem so wcll as the Eo.
did, la order to convey them undsr groud. to
rse and descend hills. yen mast have pines rcgfcet
~ tght nnlistsolig They must be c...aer OF lead.
lion. or wood NO art th.t has yet bcta discovered
can cnabc yoi tn carry llrgs 1,iaas -sf water, in
s,y degree equal to that conveyed by the, Roman
woyks, ceniacd i, amy s'shsssnee YET kaown lf youA
exceed certain Dimensions, tac pipes burst To ,ro.
cure great quantity of wfcr you n,ss ma!tplv
the ad;nbcr OF vocr pipes, and thus your cxpensc
sqzls that Of tasse grand aqasiuesss "a al the