The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1840-09-04

leglons, on the havoc OF the Goth, OF the
Lombard, of the Norman, now pouring
down It's burning rays on the scattered
hamlets and silent fields the same moon
that looked so meekly on the revcls OF
the senatorial villa, on the midnight mys-
teries of the sacred groves, now softening
down the rude rents Of time, and restor.
ing to the naked ruin a portion Of that
beauty 1t can never wear again in the
glare of day ; to meet the same smile on
the landscape, the same soothing breath
on the mountain side. as when they wei
coined Cicero, Horace, Virgil, to
their cool retreat; what scene can COM
pare with this, what epitaph can plead so
touchmgly for pause in the hurried
march of life; for a tear upon this sepul-
chre OF world, whose destiny has been
fulfilled, and all of which save its memo.
ry, has passed away. Let us seat our
selves again upon the summit of the Al
ban mount, and give few more moments
to the past. Below and around us, far as
the eye can reach, spreads the broad un-
broken expanse of the Campagna, the
seven hills seem to have shrunk to a level
with the plain, and Rome. though she
still sits proudly upon their crests, is only
known by her massive palaces and the
solemn swell Of the dome of St. Peters.
10 the north, upon the uttermost verge of
the horizon, stands Soracte, stern, soli-
tary carrier, scarcely sofened by the dis
tence. The undula,ing chain of the Sa-
blue mounts, rough, PERCEPTIONS, now COW
cred with dark, close, grown forests, now
standing out craggy and bare, draws an
impossible line to the east, and is separa-
ted by broad valley from the long slope
OF the Alban mount The sea from Cen
tum Celia 10 Antium washes the whole
western coast, and is scarcely distinguish
ed by its deep blue, and the purer line of
It's horizon, except from the Campagna
itself. The Tiber CLEANS out brightly
III It's tortuous course, and the white walls
of modern village mark the spot where
it mingles with the waters of the Medi-
terranean.
Ages ago, those waters girdled the base
OF the mountain on which we sit, and the
highes. points Of the Campagna were but
specks on the surface. A few hardy saw
ages fed on the chesnuts and acrons of
the Sabine mounts, but the Alban was
wreathed in clouds of volcanic smoke.
and poured forth its torrents of lava
through the broad craters. Years passed
away; the waters gradually retired from
he foot of the mountains, and the land,
'aised by the earthquakes shock and lava
lood, came forth smiling in the verdure
1t new creation. It's smile allurcd the
hardly mountainccrs to a softer dwelling,
md as they descended, tribe after tribe,
heir clustering cottages, and spreading
lamlcts, revealed the presence of a spirit
more than human. For the father of the
rods himself, driven by rebellion from his
celestial seat, had descended to this favor
ID spot and taken up his abode among
men. II was then that the arts and all
he powers Of the mind, and all the SYM
'athes of the heart, first developed their
influences, and often did the
men of after times look back with sigh TO
he sunny period, & radiant were the coIors
which they painted the golden age.
Three silver lakes had risen up in the
raters of the volcano, and on the shores
It one Of these the son Of stranger from
eyond the sea, had erected the walls Of
new city. A few cottages, too, had
zen silently spreading along the brow oil
hill that overlooked bend Of the Tibes.l,
n these descendant Of the founder Of I,
Ilba, first gathered together the fugi.ivcs ,
# the neighborlng cities, and surrounded ,
rs dwellings with wall. Hill after hill !
vas successfully added to the enclosure. ,
III the inhabitants Of the remotest corners 4
i the earth, knew no honor greater than ,
0 be admitted to the rights of those who I
we're born within its circuit. !
A gorgeous temple then covered the /
pot. 1t was landmark TO the returning |
1arlncr, who shouted as he saw it from 1
far, and turned his PROV to the welcome q
horc. 1t was a gathering place for the /
tiles Of the mountain and the plain, who /
net in common worship around its altar a
nd shared the consecraied victim in its q
hade. Here came the warrior before he
ad dipped his sword in blood, TO pray
Or the guidance and the protection of the y
lthcr of gods. And here, TOO, he came t
shen the strife was ended, and raised his i
ymn of victory tn the cod in ,,,Loeo r,,,,, q