New-York daily tribune., 1843-07-25
VOL. HHE. no. 81.
a fatal curiosity, would land, till, blinded and
suffocated he too fell with the victims that per-

From this we went to the amphitheatrc, where
the oladiatorial shows were held. 1t IS magmt-
cent area of an oval form. and sufficiently capa-
cious to hold Is or 10000 spectators. There
were the dens where the lions were kept, and
there the very area in which men fought and
fell. stood at one end and shouted, and the
answering echo came back clear and distinct
4 second voice 1t enhanced the solitude. Some
have imagined that spectators were assembled
here at the time Of the overthrow of the city, and
as they felt the first step Of the mighty earth
quake that Ieraded its DOOM they rushed in dis
NAV from their seats. But this could not be, for
Pompei did not fall by an earthquake, and the
mountain, long before the eruption, gave omlnous
sound of the coming blow. Dio relates that
spectrcs lined the summit of the mountain, and
uncarthly shapes fitted around its trembling
sides. This was doubtless the mist boiling up
from its confinement through the cracks and
shooting into the upper air. Pliny himself says
in his epistlc that he saw from Miscnus, ID or ~
miles distant from Naples on the other side,
cloud rising from the mountain in the shape OF
pine tree. and shortly after embarked for the city
sea of fire that boiled under her and struggled for
freedom 1t was not a time for amusement
Terrified men and women ran for the sea- that
also fed back aiirgLted from It's shores, so that
even Pliny could not land before the city, but
was forced to proceed to Stabn. The believing
mountain the sulphureous air, the qulverlng
earth, would not let city even so dlssolutc as
Pompeii gather 10 places Of public amusement.
CONSERVATION reigned IN every street, and drove
the frightened inhabitants away from their dwell
lings. This is doubtless the reason why so few
bodies were found Those that perishcd were
slaves or those who tarricd till some falling col
umn or wall blocked up their path, and the de-
sccnding cindcrs blinded their sight as they
gropcd about for way Of egrcss. Fear and
darkness Nor day was turned into night,) might
have enthraed others beyond the power of NOV
ing. And / was standing on the same pave
ment those terror stricken citizens stood on two
thousand years ago, and was looking on the same
mountain they gazed on with such earnest IN
curry and fearful forebodings Then it rocked
and swayed and Numbered before the pent-up for
ccs that threatened to send it in fragments
through the heavens. Now silent and quiet it
stood on its firm base. Yet to me it had mo-
rose and revcngeful look, as if it were conscious
of the ruin at its feet.
The excavations are moro extensive than ]
supposed, and the effect of the clear light of the
sun and the open sky on the deserted pavcments
is peculiar and solemn. A visit to it is an cpl
sode in a mans life he can never forget. An old
column or a broken wall left of once populous
city interests us. We stand and muse over the
ruined pile till it becomes eloquent with the his
tory of the past. If one single complete temple
be found, how it increases the interest. But to
wander through whole city standing as It's IN
habtants left il in their sudden fear, increases
tenlod the viyidncss Of the picture. The little
household things meeting you at every turn, give
speciality TO the whole. As stroed from apart
ment TO apartment, | almost expected to meet
some one within the door ] felt like an intruder
as passed into the sleeping rooms OF others-as
if | were entering the private apartments OF
those who were merely absent on q ride or avlslt.
The scenes were familiar, and it appeared but
short time since the eyes Of those who occupied
the dwellings, rested on the same objects In
turning the corners of the streets ii would hardly
have surprised Inc to have met the inhabitants
lust returning and looking on me as stranger
and an intruder. 1t required an effort TO con-
vince myself that these streets and these dwell
lincs were throngcd and occupied for the last
time nearly 1900 years ago. assure you the
struggle was not to cail up the past, but to shaGe
ii of-and when | finally stood at the gate and
gave farewell look to the lonely city that family
shone in the light Of the setting sun, feeling OF
indcscribabe sadness stole over me, and rode
away without the wish ever to see 1t again. But
the view Of the bay, and the careless laughing
groups we met at every step. soon restored our
spirits The streets were filed with lounsers, all
expressing in their manners and looks the Neapo-
Titan maxim g dolce far nientc, ut Is sweet TO
do nothinC.) You have heard of the bright eyes
and raven tresses and muslcllke language OF the
Neapolitans; but | can assure you there IS none
of il here, l. G. among the lower classes. The
ONLY difference can detect between them and
our Indians was that cur wild bloods were the
more beautiful OF The two. The color Is the
same, the hair very like indeed, and as to the
soft, bastard Latin they speak, 1t is one OF the
most aboninable dialects | ever heard. know
this is rather shocking to ones ideas of Italian
women am sure was prepared to view them
in favorable, nay, even poeilcal hight; but
amid all the charms and excltemcnts OF this ro.
mantle land, | could not see otherwise. The
old women arc hags, and the young women dirty,
slip. shod slatterns Talk about brlght-eyed
Italian maids" Among our lower classes there
are five beauties TO one good-loohlng woman