Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-10-12

sand only could be seated, there was He.
twenty thousand more in the gallery ah"4. 10
There were as many walls aronud the ,,nO,tI
atre as there were M nioaa. or ranges oTTp"Nt
differing in height according to he 5ciyk, 81 Ssi
several ranges which the. supported. and
pierced with arches corresponding win lbo:.
the external wall.
The external wall is demolished for ,,,,,,
half of its circumference; but the seronI o..
presents itself behind the breach. a new hnI M
against the ravases of time. The effect n'oH
ed by this peculiar architecture. by archie. vI:i
myltiply as you advance or retire, n,ss..s
themselves II " obliquely and now in fo,l f"au,;
here sinsIy and there in long sweeping ,;,,.'
wonderfully varied and imposing. it is renJs,I
sthl more picturesque by its ruined state: f'' =
only do the fallen partitions and The broken e..
case create a greater variety Of outline, and "'..
as it were the hidden rece>ses Of the bpild;rlP
the investigation of the eye, bur the whole +, .
rior is overgrown with moss. with shrub. u, ,'
wildly in the wind. with vines tuinct pr,,sr~:
around its crumbling arches. or hanging II r,,.
raj ~festouns from ITS unequal walls: and o..
with the fresh though short.lived flower, =, ~.
trast at once both with its decay and il, r,j'.
ance. An additional effect is Of course prpI.,,
by the vastness Of the fabric and the massy,r,,
OF its construction, illustrating, as they DO, !.
power Of mechanics, the impress of mind onr,'
ter, and presenting an imposing instance Of
! wealth and masniicence Of ancient Rome,
The Colosseum is, on these various accO7r.
perhaps the best place to mediate upon tie idle
city. As stood upon the highest point TO VIII
| could ascend, and turned from the %con,emn,
ton of its massive ruins to the view witlout, al
looked down upon the columns and arches op.
forum and the Sacred Way, or regarded the mo-
derins walls which are scattered over The VIA.
surface of the ncighboring Pala,ine, or throne
the arches of the amphitheatre itself. and perez.
ed towards the south nothing but scattered run,
a region uninhabited; when | marked the de,s
ton and silence of this most popuIons region a
the ancient mistress Of the world. ! was ready nj
exclaim. the city doth indeed sit solitary.-vs
out, surro ended by a desert, and an a,mO.rls,
of death, and covered within with the graves I
her ancient magnlfcence. In vain | endca,rs
to call up before me the thronging multitude, 81
g!ittering pomp. the imperial pageant. In vi
| endeavored to paint to my minds cycHe R
man form and step. the graceful habit Of n
- gems togata, the yelled matron and the se
ed philosopher. the slave, the freed man and ID
artisan, and all the strange varieties Of anae
life. The present impression was too strong =
the stern reality of desoIation too powerful
afford any scope to the Imagination.
Such. however, was not the case when VIZ
ed the Colosseum by moonlight. There is a:t
a magic influence, in the rays Of the planet /
night, which releases the imagination from
usual restraints, and suffers, and indeed incta
it to recall the images Of the past, and Penet1|
into the obscurity of the future. As | look.
through the broken wall of the Colosseum uP]
the ruined palace Of the Casars, | could pitrl1
to myself the splendid throng which waited 4
the Emperor in his progress hlther from the a
periaI abode. / could see the ANXIOUS cOiI
rise to welcome him as he entered on the Podi''|
| could perceive the waving signal and The coz
mencement of the games. | could see the va
burst roaring from his den, and soon despaftaa|
by his numerous and wary adversar'es' lcg'|
see the gladiatOrs enter the arena, aud g'eetu w
audience to whom their mortal agouie; were cM
an amusement. ! could mark the progress ae
fight between cOun!rymen and friends, cO.'S
ed to aim the sword at kindred bosoms. LOOK
observe the failing strength Of one a! lensa"
sert him: he lies at the mercy Of his ad'f'i.
The victor cannot follow the dictates oil I' hT
%-condemncd to obey the decision Of the mo-
stands with sword suspended. ready 10 '"''%s
in its scabbard, or in the body OF his un't"-'
opponent. Meantime the silent victim NUy
ING to ask for mercy, leans upon the taI", :
feeling that life with him is pear It's Close, !"
ports himself IN memory to the plea'a"' ="
where it began,
"Thinks ofhis young barbarians aIsP"'
And oftheir Dacian mother
But the thumbs are turned downward "es"t,
of inexorable cruclty-his last dream '%~
rupted by the sword which penetrate" ~
The soul sickens as it turns away 10"
like these, enacted in an age o. 'eI'r"'.'
shudders at the mOnstrous mixture u w.
~pravity with the elements, and not ON. y"
but the actual development, Of neral s't."
| was glad TO be recalled to eAl'''oS cs'I""
The increased grandeur OF the ed'h'e y
doubtful light. the death-like silence VIM
vsded these once crowded precincts ut~ -
choIy h~ootings of,theiowl, that alone s% d.
to time raised her bodIng voice among ~ dat
the motionless stiffness and the 'T",
breath of my companions, were all oA'Su" s
produce powerful effect Nothing; l lT"r ID
be- more picturesque than the varied 'nf.n
moonlight: here pouring like a ,'''a"
vaulted passage, through a single apelvu.
roof, and there breaking on the d"'hn'' WV
successive arches; in one place shedding ll,,
A.. .,.u ,or,;rons nf the C2,ca, le3'H.