Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-08-04
THINGS IN poMpEII-BY BROOKS.

4 10 tuc tdF tdthcu EotuVeh-~uteteHsS uboul
! u miles. We hired carriage in Maple,
and at early morn were upon our way
BY ten o'clock, we were 10 the streets 0
the tombs, and upon the gate OF that city
which from the year 10 &as lost, till acct
dent discovered the place where Il was, 4
| 1850. Ill were 80 undertake to tell al
that Is now TO he seen in this city, should
but make catalogue. and interest no one
and therefore | will limit myself IN a:
brief description as possible. Unearth'
/ ed as Pompen now is, with its rootless
houses that the superintendent weight has
tumbled in, the first impression is not that
this is the mansion Of the dead OF so many
| centuries. and this impression Is strength
ened by the fresh and almost new appear
ance that all the buildings exhibit, but
when one sees so many tombs lining a
single street, and when one sees streets so
narrow, houses so small. and so strangely
built. that first impression soon yields TO
another which shows that this city Is not
Of this century, nor even OF many Of the
past that have gone by. Modern you see
IL is not, for there is nothing modern IN all
its arrangements. The middle ages, you
also see, have left no stamp upon II. for
there is nothing Of Gothic, or Saracen,
or Arabic look. Thus the mind wanders
backwards, ill il fixes itself upon period
when il finds as il were an illustration in
a city rescued from the dead, and yet pre-
served in all its freshness, Of the books
and Of the classics OF other days, with
which his reading has made him familiar.
pompei now exposed as il is to the light
of the sun. is a city Of Magma Gracia. be,
quethcd to us, as it we're. We have ~ u,
one Of the very best histories of the Past,
aud such history as no hook can Tell
Before | had seen this city, had no idea
Of the intimate links that there were be-
tween our times and the times Of old. The
barbarian invaders of Italy never finding
Pompei. buried in ashes as it was, OF
coHrse, could never disturb or overthrow
aught that was in il, and even Time and
age were defied, for what these ashes bad
hidden, ceased 10 grow old any longer
and thus Pompeii has come down 10 US,
lust as il was when its Inhabitants fled
IRON its walls n terror OF the lrruptions OF
Vesuvius. Thus we step into city near
Nv eighteen hundred years old. but old age
has not touched il. and we see the hablla
tons Of the men of that day, which they
seemed but moment before TO have lett
for us to visit How many things we see
all like the present day, and how little
time has changed US 10 much oil life. In
the pavements Of the streets can be seen
the very holes that the wheels OF The car
riages had worn, which was to me one oil
the freshest relics of old antiquity. Thin
bles, needles, perfumes, eyebrows. false.
hair, cosmetics, flesh scrapers, paint and
rouge were found ia sumo of the boudolrs
of some Of the women. Vanity. you see,
was the same then, eighteen hundred years
ago. as it is now. The horror Of the al
fright Of that awful day when Pompell was
overwhelmed, is best seen in villa oil Dlo.
med. which is but little way out oil the
city. Two skeletons were found IN his
garden. (who had been probably flying to-
wards the sea That nearest TO the door
had keys in one hand, and gold ring, or
namented with two separate heads 10 the
other: and not far from these skeletons
were found fragments Of silver vases, and
a linen wrapper, containing eighty eight
pieces of silver money, ten OF gold, and
nine of bronze. 10 this garden is seen
what was a reservoir for fish, and Jet a.
EN- ancient wine jars are still resting IN
the cellar, against tie walls, TO which they
are Glued by dust and ashes: and here the
skeletons OF eighteen grown persons, and
,,vo children. (one quite baby.) were
discovered. Perfect impressions oil each
corpse were distinguished IN the dust and
ashes, which probably drfted through the
Ioopehoies into this cellar. Several neck
Iaces, with other gold ornaments, silver
and bronze, a piece OF coral, comb, &c.
were among the valuables which IN The
fright. Young women, who was one oil
The skeletons, had graspcd in her hands.
when she with the family, fled to this eel
lar for a retreat. Copies Of these neskla-
ces. as well as Of many other curious
things 10 PompeiI, are now manufactured
and sold in Naples, and il is becoming
quite fashionable to wear them al The pre-
sent day. M NJ
AZ we went into the city by the Via Do
mifiana. as il was called, the road upon
which were the tombs, as upon the App
an Way. out of Rome, not only tombs are
seen among which the Pompeans seemed
10 have their seats of pleasure, without
that fear Of the presence OF ihe oeaa' 'pa'
now besets all Of us of this day-bns an
inn is seen. where strangers were lodged,
when thew were not permitted TO sleep
within The walls Of the city. This inn APP
nears 10 have been capacious. and to have
| been provided with horses and carriages.
| a. remain, Of a cart. The tire OF wheels
| with six spokes. the skeletons Of a donkey
and piece Of bronze resembling horses
bit, were found there. The excavation oil
the portico Of this inn brought TO light five
human skeletons, four OF which locked in
each others arms) are supposed to be
those OF mother and her children. who
on reaching the portico. were sufiocated
by showers Of ashes. Close TO the city
gate is seen the sentry box, which was
also occupied by soldier who died al DIS
post, as skeleton. a lance. and inc crest
Of helmet were found within IT. on en- :
| tering the city, another inn is seen, WIN
| ali lie apnendaoes of a IgaiteiT $ kitchen,