Litchfield enquirer., 1845-01-16

IM1-+A
ding from ruin to ruin, and church to church. We
visited again the Forum, andthe many ruined tenn
pies that once beautiticd and adorned it--at the
Coliseum, the arch OF Titus and Of Constantine we
remained to study-thence from these to Trajanb
column covered with beautiful bas Feliels, and
standing amid the mighty rnins of temple that
formed part of his FOrum--then to the palace Of
the Cesars, which covers with mass of ruinsand
heaps Of rubbish the whole Of the Palatine Hill
to the baths Of Caracalla, showing stil beautiful
remains of the mosaic that once formed its cell
ing and pavement, and where ID an immense hall,
used by the bathers to swim. AT the baths OF IL
ts, some Of the frescoes are as fresh and periect
az il lately done. Here was found the celebrated
groupe Of the Laocoen, and the huge granite basin
now in the Vatican Here too was the palace Of
Nero, and the house Of Horace and Virgil. But /
feel that we see too much and too many things OF
interest, to enjoy them as we ought They will
prove, however, sure provision for after reflec-
ton. ~ s%
The next day being Sunday, we went with some
friends to large room, which the English have
been allowed to fit up as place of worship out
side the city walls near the Piazzo del Popoo and
donot remember to have seen place of worship,
except on an extraordinary occasion, SO well filled
After church, We took the road leading to the Pin
clan Hill near by, where is the public promenade
of Rome. 1t affords lovely view, fine prone
made, and good carriage road, and is much fire.
quented, particularly. on Sunday, between the
hours Of twelve and four. A little farther on,
near the place dEspagne, are the houses once &C.
cupied by Poussip, Salvador Rosa, and Claude LORI
raine. On the steps descending to the Place DIS
payne, were seated a picturesque groupe Of Gala
brian peasants, withthe novel costume, and prim-
tive looking bag pipes, composed Of reeds and the
skin Of a pig. ez d. ss4.f h Al ne VI .3-sfsf,
In the afternoon, Mr.. C. with friend, made use
of their tickets of admission to the exhibition at
the Propaganda, The students were from almost
every part Of the world, each delivering a short
grafton in his native tongue-altogether about for
ty different languages. There was one from Wash
ington, U. S., one from China, and also from all
the intermediate countries. They returned very
well pleased. if not edited. s.,~.,
Another day, we accepted an invitation Of some
friends to share their permit to see the Quirinal
palace and the Pope's private collection of Erus-
can antiquities at the Vatican; both which require
special permission. Being the Pope's summer
residence, it was at This time Invested of some of
its furniture and garnishing. There was no great
degree of spIendor-some fine specimens Of the
arts, such as paintings, has reliefs, very pretty
chapel for his private devotions, and profusicn
of crosses, crucifixes, &c. in the different apart
ments A billiard table in one Of the apartments,
struck US as singular but upon inquiry, we were
told that it was placed there by Napoleon, and had
been suffered TO remain as memento OF klm.--
Leaving these, we drove to the Vatican to see the
Etruscan antiquities. Many things were similar
to multitude Of the same kind we had already
visited. The personal ornaments of fine gold,
beautifully wrought. were the most novel and Gu
rous, and showed the perfection Of the art in that
early dav. An ancient chariot or car interested
me- as did the interior Of some ancient sepulchres
or tombs, with every thing found in them. We
were shown also the gardens of the palace, which
are extensive, affording from many points hne
views but laid out in that quaint and formal style
that is rather nutre and strange, than beautiful.
We took leave here Of our friends, and after visit
ing fountain, church, and an ancient theatre,
drove to the Pantheon, perhaps the most beauti-
full, and certainly the most perfect monument Of
ancient Rome, and to more interesting than any
other. 1t still retains its original form and dmen-
sions, and the finish of the interior remains the
same, though robbed Of its exterior decorations Of
gold and brotze II has no windows, but islight.
ed by circular opening in the centre OF tsodome.
The body OF the building is crcplaE, supported in
side by beautiful columns of precious marble, rest
ing on pavement rich in porphyry and granite.
The whole interior is encrusted with rare andcost-
" marble, aud contained originally three rows of
inches, the lower intended for statues of the infer
mol deties the second for terrestrial heroes and
the higher for the celestial divinlties Its piazza
is market place, with a pretty fountain and an
obelisk Of Egyptian granite, covered with hero
alyphics. The Pantheon serves as tomb for the
remains Of Raphael, Annibale Carracci, and some
Cardinals of note. 90 "A sanctuary and home Of
art and piety, &c Relic of nober days, and robler
arts" }stE5 iH .hl2
The next day, we visited the Capitol. De-
spoiled yet perfect" and the collection Of paint
ings and statuary it contains. Here we find the
celebrated dying Gladiator. Anfinous fawn cell
ebrated for its beauty; Venus, by some thought
more beautiful than the Venus di Medici, and the
bronze statue of boy extracting a thorn from his
foot this last is cquisite, full of truth, beauty
and nature The boy seems so intent, and as you
stand regarding him so unsuccessful that you feel
induced to offer him assistance. Here also Is the
thunder stricken nurse Of Rome" the brazen I'M
age Of the wolf that sucked the men of iron, Ro-
mulus and Renus,- and which was struck by light-
ming when great Caesar fell. There il an apart
ment filled with Egyptian statues taken from Adri-
uus Villa; and another called the Hall Of PhIlosc-
pliers. contains busts not only Of the celebrated
Creek and Roman philosophers, but of their poets
and historians. What field for the Phrenologst
Is here What food for the Antiquarian amid the
domes of thought, these palaces Of the SOUL
The mixtures Of this collection are more in num-
Der than, and Though some Of them are very beau-
tful and of great reputatioD,l are unlike those OF
the Vatican, which though few, are each the chef
d'ouyres of the masters, and generated over the
world.
From the Capitol we went to the Tarpeian rock,
the promontory whence the traitors leap cured all
ambition. 1t is somewhat diminished from the
time that the conspirator, Cassius, was thrown
from its dizzy height but still affords depth SUI
Rcient to deter one from risling leap unless ne
had desire to throw off this mortal coil. Near
10 this IS the Mamertine prison, in whose dim.
arear light, many illustrious persons have pined
in agony. We were shown the dungeon where St.
Peter was confined, and where is still the spring
said to have appeared mraculously in the floor OF
mis- prison house, furnishing water wherewith to
baptise his jailor and fellow prisoner. This closed
another day, and we turned towards our temporary
home. The house in which we at present live, IS
in the street Of Lobsters Our breakfast is brought
TO us through the g Mouth of the Lion" To get
to the restaurant, where we occasionally dine, we
90 by the s Way OF the Converted" Near by Us