The native American. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1840, 1839-08-10
ROME.
JUNE 81, 1880.

summer 1t is 100 hot to walk, or ride or read but
! have just now learned that countryman leaves
this, for London TO night, and the temptation Of
sending you letter is too strong to be resisted.
As have already mentioned, cannot bring my
self to write epstle and then run the chance Vi
having it opened, read, and burned in the rascal
ly Post Office here, because, foIsooth, it does not
fatier the government, and the morals of this hot
bed OF iree-living and narrow thoughts
1t is due 10 the Romans to say that in no part
of The Continent do foreigners feel more at ease
than in the Eternal City. Whatever your reli-
gious faith may be, it does not seem to matter in
Rome. The utmost liberation prevails. Any
creed may have a church of It's own, ave. even
within the shadow OF ST. Peters if you please.
At High Mass, or any other splendid ceremonial
Of the Catholic Church, the best places are given
to hereto behoders. Even the lower classes are
tolerant. Ten 10 one that stranger unwittinglv
may do or say something to shock the preiudices
OF Roman; but if it be believed that you did
not mean the insult, it is not noticed. Should a
foreignerb be also Catholic he is sure kind notice
and hospitality upon the slightest introduction
sometimes without any introduction at al BY
the way, you cannot bring too many letters Of in
PRODUCTION to Italy. Toronia, the banker, always
considers letter Of credit upon him as equva-
lent to letter of introduction. If he does not like
you, he will show it by not asking you second
time 10 his house.
My former letters told you what thought of
the moras-namely, that they are very $3.50. As
an instance additional, let me state what was
told to day upon excellent authority. A German
gentleman was pointed out to me, of no very dis
tingue appearance to whom beautiful Roman
lady took fancy She sent to him and he called
upon her. 81 like you,' said she, looking at him
with her large dark eyes" like you, and wish
you could like me-. This was frank, at any
rate, and the stranger was equally SO. He told
her that she very beaulilul-that she knew
before He added that he loved hcr-thm she
wished 10 know. So from that time to this, he
is almost domestcated in the family The lady's
husband is polite to him, there is no public viola
ton Of the conventional rules CT society, so the
lady is received in company just as usual. The
husband in such case forms a fason of his own,
and thus strikes the balance against his wife's
lrailty. You may remember from the Guiccioli
case, how these matters are not needed in Italy.
There was the daughter living with Lord Byron,
and her father and brother (the Counts Gamba)
living under the same roof with La Countessa
Mor.
If the Romans have their faults, they also have
their redeeming qualities. have found them
extremely fond Of l.eir children, very sociable in
drunken man in Italy is a rare sight. In Rome
you dress as you please-you indulge i'll your
personal tastes and eccentricities, without be-
ing noticed, or even stared at. Not even in Lon
don might man venture into the streets in red
slippers, and a gingham dressing gown, but /
have seen the English do SO here,-and no one
minded them. In private lodging houses, much
true Kindness (such as money cannot prompt or
pay is often exercised toward strangers--especi-
ally if they be, in delicate health In a word,
think the modern Romns spring from bad po-
lical system working upon minds naturally
acute and aclive-for craft hypocrisy and false
hood are the natural fruits Of government which
brushes freedom of thought.
The; is no part Of Rome which has more in
terested my feelings than the Protestant burial
ground. 1t lies near the pyramid known as the
tomb of Caius Cesllus-itis just beyond the wall
of old Rome. The earliest wild flowers of the
year spring up in this sunny and solemn place
1t is simple cemetery, but how many recoec-
tons are attached to it, Miss Bathursl's tomb is
on the second terrace (here are thrce) She
was thrown into the Tiber by her horse and
drowned. Keats tomb is at the bottom of the
burial place, close to that of Bell, who knew
more and wrote better about the Fine Arts in Ttaly
than any one OF modern times. Upon Keats
grave an inscription briefly mentions that beneath
rests all that was mortal Of a young English
poet and concludes with the line he especially
"lshed to be traced on his tombstone, " Here
lies one whose name was written in waters" IN
the most howery and almost hidden corne, of the
cemetery, at the top Shelley is buried. His ash
es rest here-his body was burned on the sea-
shore.
1t would be folly TO attempt description of
81. Peters. The poetical critlque upon it in |
Chllde Harold is on every ones lips There is |
nothing in the world like St. Peter -the Cathe-
dral OF st. Paul's in London seems pretty when
think of it. 1t is rather body of churches
under one huge roof, than a mere church. Rich
IN sculpture and elaborate in mosaic, il is the
Queen OF Churches. You look forward, and
the extremity is more than 600 feet away you
look again. and the mosaic floor, unbrokenly pews
and seats, seem to cover an immense extent
you look and from whence you stand, in the mid
die OF the FAME is between four and five hundred
feet! and outside the Church how accordant. The
tall obellsk from Africa, the encircling coonnade,
'he graceful fountains. Oh what wonder of
art is ST. Peters!
y, sculpture and painting, with which Rome