The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-11-11
An Auess,,s Lssklss-n,a ss.

can never forget my perplexity and as.
Constituent the first time saw specchio
in the hall OF tho Archaeological Society
| saw number Of the members gathered
in consultation round thing which took
for an ancient sacrificial instrument l
thought it was irying.pan. TWAS small
and shallow; but il had rim remaining,
and handle, and seemed very fit for the
purpose, only somewhat corroded with
lust, and worn down by time. lsaw the
wonder it excited; and had no doubt that
it was treasure most curious and rare; and
it might have fried either fish or eggs, or
any other sort Of thing represented in the
tombs. 1t was presented to me, in my
turn, for inspection, and timidly asked its
name. One OF the gentlemen said, "a
'speccho,'" and smiled, "a specchio," l
repeated, and considered within myself
SPECIFIC is the Italian for looking-glass;
but, perhaps, il may also be the learned
name for some of those mystical instru.
Inents, Of which the use is not known. 1t
vas certainly not glass. No one could
see themselves in that thick unpublished
metal; the convex side would make dis
torted face; and the concave, the surface OF
which was but slightly followed, and a
figure scratched upon it. looked again
TO see ii it was costume; but il was a
genius winged and naked-not, therefore,
as 1t appeared to me, model for female
fashions. asked the professor what it
was. He opened his eyes, and answered..
GA specchio! There was evidently no
ore there who could conceive the existence
Of being so ignoran! as not 10 know the
history, date, and use of a specchio; so
was silent. One person said to me, "How
would you like such looking-glass'" and
believing his speech to be Joke, laugh.
ed. Another good humoredly observed
"You will see it on the vases" For a
whole week was engaged in finding oul
the meaning OF a specchio, and peeped In
every shop window in Rome to see if
, could find it on vase. did fortunately
see if on my vases; and in due time, arrived
, at the knowledge desired. Alter puzzlins
out my lesson could not help thinking
} what pity that you learned men, who
give public lectures, should not hav'
r amongst you one poor ignorant being WIN
7 having felt, like me, the difficulty of crop
7 ing her way to the days of the flood, an,
the origin OF nations, could have had com
: passion upon another in distress, and hav
D said-"A SPECIFIC means a looking. glass
e and this is one. You will find that all tn
b ancient nations used them Of this form, an,
e OF brass, or of bronze, till about two cen
i turtles before the Christian era, when the
: were made Of polished steel, which custom
e continued until superseded by glass.
S very fine one of steel, purchased by Ca
; prenisi, was lately dug up at Avignon, G
d the time Of the empire; and glass wa
! known and used along with steel at the tim
6 of the destruction OF Pompeii, as YOU ma
g see in the toilet cabinet Of the Maple
| museum This bronze, though it looks I
j YOU so dull and dingy, was once very finel
e polished, and specimens are OCCASIONAL
!, found on which the polish still remains
Specchii of brass or bronze Cfoi the word
o mean the same thing are mentioned in III
l. book OF Job, at time probably 4 "a year
: prior to Abraham. We know, therefor,
r that they are Of the very highest antiquity
= and most probably were invented by Tubs
n Cain, and used by the ladies in Noah's arl
{. They are chiefly, if no, wholly, now foun
" in the graves Of Etruria, and the nun
e Der known is about five hundred" Ha
g any lady taken this compassion upon ME,
# should have thanked her more than di
+ that day either the wit or the charity of Ii
II learned men. By the time Campanal
II brought these specchi 10 Rome, | WAS wis
:: enough to have stared myself at questio
$ about them, and to have answered, that &c
e SPECIFIC meant SPECIFIC" never hear
N what became of them, but they are anon
l. the very finest that have ever been found
and must have belonged to some eminen
; ly. rich person.-Mrs. Gray's Tour I
= Etruid.