The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1842-05-03


spaces which have been conquered from the lava
and recovered from the volcano The village of
Poilici is built upon the roofs of the first Of those
Two cities, which was pctrifed on the day OF its
death, and into the tomb of which one descends as
into sort Of SHAFT ending at the theatre, where,
i, is conjecured, the inhabitants were assembled
when the eruption surprised them. II was in 1859
tina, the ruins Of the city made their appearance
for the frst time in an excavation made at random
which was resumed 1920, and finally organized in
1898, with admirable success. This discovery of
the theatre and Of every thing else, has taken place
| since that period. The theatre is of Greek archi-
! lecture; il is ornamenied with fine front and
with marble columns standing on the stage itself;
the spectators occupied twenty of steps,
with gallery above embellished with bronze
statues.
One still distinguish the places allotted to
the magistrates, the scene behind which the actors
withdrew, and number Of objects which excite
IN the traveller mingled aston ishment and emotion.
There are also at ercu laneum forum surround
ed with porticoos and temples, which almost
all of them damaged, and Jail with old rusty iron
bars, to which the prisoners were chained-a mel
ancholy feature Of all times and places, and mo
| notonous emblem of human society at all periods.
AS you leave these excavations, which have as yet
made little progress, and cannot be much extended
without endangering the safety of Portici, you dis
tincIy perceive several strata Of lava, proving be-
yond doubt that ilerculnneum was dro,oned in
repeated erup,lons OF Vesuyius.
The difficulty of carrying on the excavations at
SO great depth and under the very foundations
Of town, has caused the ruins of Hercula.
neum to be almost abandoned for those Of Pompeii,
w n m strik
IIerculaneum there only catacombs. Al Pom
peii tho Romans entirely revive the houses stand
and are furnished, and ornameniod with pic.
turesque paintings, the cellars stocked as well
as the tables; in than one dwelling the dinner
has been found the table, and the skeletons of
the guests round itand then you enter everywhere
on the same -four; and as the ashes, which lie but
few metres thick upon tho ancient buildings, are
cleared, the town appears, to light
again when the snow mets in the mountainous
countries. You arrive by suburb wholly lined
with Roman ,ombs, and walk ovel Roman pave
ment out by Roman vehicles; you may enter
the inn; there the stables, with tho rings 10
fsten the horses; close by ID the farrier, with his
sign his door. n you penetrate into o f
those tombs, you will find urns, containing ashes,
hair, and fragments of cacined bones. Every
where are displayed inscriptions, unaffected and
touching, such as the epflaph dedicated by wo-
man to her husbandj 'Sc'uitla to the friend Of her
soul Let us advance; are in the town. To
the right of the gate you behold the guardian
try box cut into the stone. Take tho font ways
at Poripeii, Roman foot ways, with posts at inter-
walls on both sidcs-footways where one not
to gaze wheel ruts made eighteen hundred years
ago.
Whom do you wish to be taken to You have
but TO speak-lhe names are written on The door
Of every house in large aud red letters. Here is
an apothecary shop, with his drugs IN phals, with
surgical instruments and basams still yielding
smell. Here are far different things, by my faith
Enter, you have nothing TO fear; but dare not tell
you where you are, unless you have perceived the
sign over the door. What think you of tP-and
yet facing Of those houses stands temple of
Vesta
Let us,then pay few visits we are in a bakers
shop and here is The -four grndstone-suppose as
one sugar loaf, covered with an extnguisher also
Of stone-rub the one against the other, after
throwing corn between them, and you have
Roman mill. This wreiched piece Of machinery
was entrusted 10 the hands Of slaves. But l have
reserved surprise for you; here is some bread
do you read the bakers name followed out of that
carbonized pancake ?-take and break it, Open
that cupboard; you will find there preserved olives,
dried figs, nes, and eatables Of all descriptions.
saucepan has been carried TO the Naples Muse
UNI, containing piece OF meat, as we'll preserved
as by Mr.. Apperrs process. What number of
meals Vesuvus interrupted on that wofu day
l. nevertheless, do not think tho Romans were
great eaters. have care fully explored number
of kitchens and dining rooms at Pompeii; and
have found even in the richest houses, but very
rih'ng cooking apparatus, and miniature table
utensils. Their plates were real saucers, and the
table upon which the dinner was served up, but
little stands, in general of stone or marble, which
could hold but one dish at time. The guests lay
down around as soldiers round their mess. What
is admirable, delightful, charming and oyerwhel-
ming to us barbarIans OF the nineteenth century, is
The exquisite pureness and deiicacy shape ofall
the utensils which served in Roman domestic life.
One must see those candelbras, lamps, vases, OF
all Sizes those charming little bronze oaieiactors
(or every thing was of bronze)hose ui3ods, scales,