New-York daily tribune., 1843-09-19

gladiator had lain as the life stream ebbed slowly
away. while his thoughts, far from the scene of
strife. reckless who was the victor, were
" Where his rude hut By the Danube lay
There were his Young barbarans all al play,
There was their Daclaa mother.
i" Danube with his young barbarlans and Their
Oh. what wild hcart-breakings had been IN
that arena. Every inch OF 1t had been soaked
IN blood. an d vet not stain was left-not
scar remained to tell of the death-strug-
ecs these walls had witnessed The Caesars and
the people, the slave and the martyred Christian,
had all passed away. The spot where the one
looked and the other suffered alone was left
Thought crowded upon thought as | looked down
upon it, till the solitude and silence became too
painful for me- | seemed TO have lived years IN
those few minutes. | turned to descend, but
alas, was without guide or torch, locked up
on the Coliseum after midnight To thread my
way through the dark galleries and down the
nichcd slips, was nc easy task; bat after going
and returning, mounting and descending for near
quarter Of an hour and which seemed an hour
! found the way, and landed safely at the en-
trance. After some humping, the guide came
and set me free.
/ returned through the Basca of Constan-
tire, and standing by one of its fallen columns,
paused to hear the scream Of night bird which
came from the Palatine hill, and was echoed back
by another from near the Capital. had never
heard it then, though have often heard 1t since
1t was shrill, single cry, that, heard amid those
,p6acrrihahlv thrilling -
Rght above Inc, on ruined front, leaned several
marble statues IN attitudes natural that 1t was
almost impossible to believe they wcrc not human
beings keeping watch among the runs. Just
then the wind began to sweep by IN gusts shak-
ing the ivy over my head, while the wild, mourn
full cry of that night bird seemed like the wall OF
a ghost amid the surrounding dcsolaton. The
hour the place, and the silence, made 1t too lone
". 1t was fearful. would stand and listen,
anxious yet afraid to hear it repeated, and when
again it rung over the ruins it sent the blood
back with quick flow to my heart. passed
under the great arch and began to enter the city,
feeling as if | had heard the ghost Of Rome cry
inr out amid her ancient ruins. But | know all
description must seem rhodomontadc to you at
this distance, yet to heart that has not lost all
worship for the great and the old, it is widely DIFF
fcrcnl. The only good description | have ever
seen is in Byrons Manfred. II is much better
than in Childc Harold
do remember Inc that in my youth
When was wandering npon such night
stood within the Collseuma wall
Midst the chief relics Of Almighty Rome;
The trees which grew along the broken arches
Waned dark in the blue midnight, and the stars
Shone through the rents of ruin; from aitr
The Watchdog bayed beyond the Tlber aud
More near from out the C;esars' palace came
The OWLS long cry and interruptedly
Of distant sentnes the distant song
Began and died upon the gentle wind.
Some cypress beyond the tme-worn beach
Appeared to skirt the horizon, yet they stood
Within boiv.Shot where the Cas,rs d%eit
r
And thou dldst shine thou rolling moon, upon
All this and a wide aud tender ligh
Which sofleued down the hoar ansleri,y
OF rugged desolatioa, and filled up,
As 'lweie anew the gaps Of centuries
LEAVING that beautiful which st SO,
And making that which not, till the place
Became religion, and the heart o'e1
With silent worship Of the great and old
The dead but sceptred sovereigns who stlll rule
Our spirits from their ruins. H