New-York tribune., 1841-11-05

The tuJG grqnulars i = distinct species. which
forms the basis OF tye o; the hills OF Rome. It's
in this that tie cstsconbs, renowned II the
earl, hi-tory Of the Church and O. which many
openings still remain, were ezceveted, and the
original Latin denomination OF arsnGri5 is sui
preserved in the GrrlGre OF Scsud F-nsinone.
;hird specie. OF tu;a, OF speak with more pre-
cision, variety OF the species last mentioned, l.
the t1fa torroso earthy. Il i lit'ie Else thar
the ,ut granulare in state OF absolute dec0fapO-
,ition Beside the-e varieties u yolanic torma-
ton purnic- is al,o found il sey-y.I of the nils,
ana that Of the Janiculum i no, mi, nor TO The
punice of Li9ari.
While the formation OF :he hill. upon the lcfi
bank OF ,he river Is chiefly attributable to the
agency OF volcanoes ard OF fresh-wa;er streams.
the action OF the sea t.eli i equally apparent in
thos- of the opposite shore. Marine substances
nave been found in each o.; the three hills which
compose tbs chain OF the Ja-icuum, and oysters
Of the largest size NAV he seen interming!eI with
the soil Of Monte Marie. four hundred and forty
feet above the lev.l OF the The presence OF
fg.isl deposits ia IN. midst OF these creations OF
the deep is confirmation OF the thesry - briefly
-,,.tchea in the beginning Of this letter. In such
clear and indeihle characters mas Nature recorded
the abers and the revolutions OF her infancy
shall not attempt detailed description OF ,ne
fossil remains which have from time TO tine been
discovered both in and out OF the city. he
geological cabinet of the Sapienga contains
valuable collection some ot them belonging to
species long since extinct Among these Is Por-
,lon Of the usk of al elephant. thirteen palms in
length. which found at the depth of thirty feet
below the soil Of the sacred mountain. Seen
distinct species OF the D--x have been identified
among the shells, OF which there are tvs that are
not mentioned in the catalogue OF Lunwu'.
The copious water-courscs which flow in every
direction below the surface form undoubtedly eue
Of the most interesting ica in the s.5terr.nean
history Of this remarkable spot. Many of these.
once known to the ancicnt-, now wander Win an
uncertain current and cvcrs OF their rise aHd
outlets /, lost. Other. -till serve 10 supply the
fountains Of several editic.s both public and pn-
yate and have been proved by rigorous analysis
to lee among the most saubrous OF potable streams
We'll, are found in the valleys at depth varying
from Ten to twenty feet. and afford an abundant
supply Of the pur--t water. Upon the hills their
sources lie much deeper The greatest depth i''-
fore reaching The water Is that OF the wri. IN the
Villa Spada ON the Palatin", which i one hundred
and twenty-five feet, Partisan measure. The
greatest depth of wutrr is thrtysix feet eight
inches and in this instance the well itself Is
eighty-two fee, deep.
Beside tho stream. which irrgatc the subterra-
mean regions of Rome, we know by the concurrent
estmony of all antiquity that many parts OF the
exterior surface which are united by dry land
we're originally covered with large bodies OF water.
The valley between the P.aine and AvsntiHe
va. file by spacious pool, known among 'h"
carly Romans Il. ;hc Velabrum, and which
crossed a, the libcr now Is, by ferry Proper
rus even goes far 10 represent the boalmen a.
employing Il sail in the pu.sagc: in this however,
..ayt,
,ion. portiop Of this pool. which extended
around the base of the Paln,ine to the Capitol
distinguished from .hc main body by the epithet Of
the lesser Veabro, name which it in part re-
tain. to the present day, although every trace OF
it, primitive state has long since disappeared 1t
wa. chiefly for the draining OF these bodies OF
water tina, tue Cloucea Maxima constructed
md more thun of their original subterranean
tributaries still! flow through this same passage to
the river
In the Forum there was pool celebrated in
the early annals Of the city ns the Lago Curz'o.
and which, though but branch OF the lesser Ve-
iabro, has given rise TO variou. conJecture' and
much learned dsquisitisR. Nor has the position
and history Of the Lago Cnprea, the scene of the
,eath OF appearance OF Bumulu- been agiiated
with less nrdor And difficult as it is 10 ascertain
with precision tho location of objects OF which
every vcs,igc has been eilaced the of cita
tion and reasoning sufficient TO show that it nnsi
have covered thar part Of the plain which lies be-
tween St. Andrea della Vale and the river.
To complete this picture Of primitive Rome You
must fancy every hill as covered with thick-grown
woods, and here and there along theiI rocky de-
cliviiies some cavern lookisg gloemily forth from
a slroud of dark shrIbbery and trailing vines
The fable of Cacus is familiar to every reader OF
Virgil aud tradition still points you out his cave at
the base ui the Aventine. \ spacious grove oi
iuks crowned the Captone aud Ccrlian; aQrel'
and myrlles were interviewer in dark masses upon
ih, summit of the Avcntine the beech. that favor
tc OF Latin pastoral. spread it' broad -hhde over
the Esauine and even the least crcduouS ety-
moogi,t, will acknowledge the correctness OF the
interpretation which traces to lis willow groves
the origin OF the name OF the Viminal. Religious
associations. which have never Vet been satIsinc-
lorilv explained, impaired 10 these sroye- charac-
i-l of sanctitv which in part secured their prc-er-
vaon long after every other portion oi tie ciiy had
lost all traces OF its original aspect una.r the busy
hand of man. lhey were the favored haunis OF the
Dryad- and Guino. and Diana herself loved the
freshness OF their cool retreats. Beautiful mu-t
tley have seemed anld the temples and palaces OF
the im'.cria city, relieving th- Sombre majesty OF
their massive walls and extending grateful shade
aver their squares and fountains. Sons traces o
them still remain in the vicinity Of III" city. II not
enough to shelter YOU : in the days ftheirprim
vet showing how gracefully they followed the wind
ings OF the valleys, and with what garand-lke
yerdarc they cncl,cled the brows OF the hills But
he same causes which had been their protection
during the reign OF pagan>m. proved fatal upon the
public adoption Q; Christianity, and il Is generally
believed that but few remained share in the
,l-solaton OF the middle ages Il. W. u.
Rorae % T-ia del QuirinGie. J.xe ~, ISL.
DYING AND PRINTING ESTABLISHMENT,
OFFICE No. III WILLIAM. CORNER or JeHS-sr-