Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-05-28


the immolation OF his mother; 50 a younE
American of rank is considered as de-
graded il be refuses to spill the blood OF
any one, evan a familiar acquaintance
that has affronted him!
Our readers will probably peruse with IN
tercst, the following sketch OF the
once far famed {" Mistress o. tie
World,n from the journal Of an Ia
gliSh traveller
STATE OF ROME.
---Alas Rude Fragments now
Lie scatter'd where The shapeiy column
stood
Her palaces are dust
Rome, June 10, 1851 was at Rome
lin the year 1891: the city then contain
ed 100000 inhabitants, the luxury in
iequipage and liveries was considerable !;
in many of the great houses the foreigner
met with lospitabIe reception, and eve
ry thing indicated great and opulent
capital. / entered the city this tine BY
the same road, ard instead OF carriages,
was met by droves of oxen, goats & nall
wild horses driven along by black eyed
Iherdsmen armed with long pixies and
muffled up in their cloaks, they looked
like tartars. The dust raised by the cat
tie filed the air. These herdsmen with
their charge, seek every evening, within
the walls, a refuge from the pestlterous
atmosphere OF the environs. They take
possession of the quarters and palaces
which are abandoned to them by the po.
pulation, in proportion as it Giminishes,
and is crowded together with the un-
wholesome air into the centre Of the CT
ty. The Porta Popuili, the Transtiberine
quarter, and those Of the Quirinal & the
Mountain of the Trinity, are al eady de-
serted by their inhabitants, aud country
people have settled m them. The popu
iation of Rome is reduced to 100000
souls, and this number includes more
than 10000 wire dressers, herdsmen and
gardeners. Extensive districts of the CT
" are transformed into villages, and are
occupied by rustics, driven by the insa-
'lubrlty Of the atmosphere from their for
;mer dwellings. Such prodigicus dcpo-
'pulation in the short space Of % years, is
almost unprecedented. The political E.
vents Of that period have doubtless con
tyibuted much to its diminu'ion; but the
principal cause must be sought iii TIE Sc
neral relation of Rome, and in the effects
Of its noxi0us atmosphere. This scourge
is every year making fresh encroach-
ments; every year overspreads street,
places and quarters, and every year lis
banetul influence must augment; because
it acts in an inverse ratio to the assist
ance opposed by the population. The
fewer the Inhabitants, the greater the|
number of victims; and every funeral isl
the avant courier Of many more: That
period therefore is probably not far dist
tant, when this queen Of cities will bel
completely shorn of her splendor, and no
thing be left OF her but that glorious name
which time cannot destroy. The travel
Ter will then find at Rene, as he now
does at Volte,a, nought but vast col
lection of monuments, palaces and runs
If every age. The markes Of near ap-
preaching dectruetion are impressed upon
every part Of Rome. As there are many
mos houses than inhabitants, no person
thinks of repairing his own if it becomes
ruinous, he seeks another elsewhere; toI
mend door, &c. would be deemed la
bour thrown away--they would tumble !
down, and as they fall are LETT lying. int
his amer. numbers OF converts are
now transformed into ruinous shells; ma
ny palaces are become uninhabited, 4 nc
|one taxes the trouble even to secure their
doors. This Abandonment, this latter
population filing the streets with their
'cattie, already present striking charac-
|terist;cs of decay and ruin.
Amid this neglect of private buildings.
a strong anxiety torthe preservation of
antiquity as time has spared,is observa |
bic The government are carrying Oh
works upon an extensive plan, according I
to which all those which are partly CO.
vered with rubbish, are to be cleared,
and to be connected ard grouped, that
these precious relics shall present view,
at once picturesque and agreeable.
All the enyirons of the Vatican, with [
the exception of the main street con
Quoting toit, likewise abandoned tot
herdsmen. / was particularly struck
18th their desolute appearance, earlyl.
one morning, when | SET out to visit 81
Peters. The sun had just risen when
reached the great square, the doors OF
the Cathedral were still shut /; profound :,
s;lanna aueru "a here nreYsiled. eXceit at