Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-06-21
poMPEIAN Observation-Disclosures

Messrs. EprroRs We about entering the door OF
the Tragic Poets house. There other dwellings IN
Pompe far more deliberately finished and aseuy decorated
than the sbove for instance, the called "Casor and
Poux or the house Of the Doscou but have selected
this one principally from its simplicity and neat decorations
on the walls This well Of the private houses in
the city, had an atrum, with an impuvium and compuvium
above for air and light None exceeded two stores and
many had but one In this atum square there was some
tines fountain which supplied the family with water for
washing and other purposes but mostly an ornament and to
cool the air. Little exterior architectural ornament ap
pears 10 have been displayed the exterior their dwellings,
Blu. all that art tse fancy, and ingenuity could do was
avshsd on the interior. The sum Of the Tragic Poets
Home was twenty feet wide BY twentyeght long AT the
back was small tasteful fountain representing miniature
cascade-a pseudo garden not than ten to fifteen feet
long and twenty wde could be from the front; mme
datey back Of the aum, dog in mosaic Is represented on
the floor you enter the PASSAGE with the words CAGE
canen beneath, "be careful Of the dog" But the poets
dog never bit he quiet and good natured like his
poetry he fiction. Casting your eyes around, you
would see rescoed empaneled walls with paintings embemac
of the pursuits of the group Of poets readings and
scapes library SC. Here well elsewhere in this city
of and refinement find the architecture light and
graceful the lotus being the flower used to ornament the
cornices of the rooms and caps Of the light pillars.
Time has gradually caused most Of the interior architecture
the houses Of Rome to disappear but the catastrophe which
destroyed Pompe preserved all its light architecture in lis
minute details Among these reservations are the in
visible paintings these put the walls in resco, and
when viewed from the entrance show beautiful landscapes,
flowers &c. but approach totally disappear and
become patch Of unmeanng coors from which circum-
stance the artists Of the present day have been unable copy
Them and many have therefore disappeared entirely since the
excavation.
We are in every thing that relates architecture
imators and while such, let look at that period
when the art brought to the utmost perectonhe day
of Pompe and Herculaneum It about sixty years after
the commencement Of the PRONUNCIATION Of the doctrines Of
christianity when there probably enough Of the chris
tan ects to make bold and probably successful attack upon
the pagan temples ORDERS and priesthood as well as on their
style Of living and habits at time, too when It as more
than probable the priests Of Isis Venus Jupiter, &C., were
greatly incensed the doctrine at time when their
architecture both public and private, about to decline
at s instant those obscene cities suddenly covered up
and ALL their customs, habits occupations overwhelmed and
embedded in lava and ashes be dsntered future day
Without such catastrophe this would have been
pletey bo..ed out from us.
NV principal object in writing simply attract the
attention OF the
both and INTERIOR in the construction Of private dwell
ings. In vain may the country erect buildings requiring
massive architectural proportions 10 beauy and adon the
city, private dwellings continue to be boxes of brick
and mortar like the House Of Pansa the city will appear
combination Of magni6cence and meanness TO arrange
materials in architectural order and proportions embraces no
time expense than putting the materials an
uncouh FORM dsageeable the eye and contrary good
TASTE Let look around and if cannot ike the
Pompean find the materials for original mutations
The late Dr. Thornton established order which he called
the Columbian the shaft Of the pillar the cornsak the
head half open these pillars be places
in this ctyn the Capitol and on the Of of the
Patent Office The and airy appearance Of these
columns peculiarly adapt them to internal ornamental arch
He also used the tobacco flower ornament in
stead of the lotus. These also be in the small TO
tundo in the CAPITOL the entrance Of the Senate chamber
What beautiful flowers than produced on the Ame
rcan tulip tree, the laurel, and the wild jasmine could be
selected for ornamental architecture the tobacco leaf would
give bold display above the column the ancient thse
ornamental frescoes fall scenery woodland lakes wild
Indian legends would furnish subjects enough the charac
Of all the in the house, from the scuey to the
saloon. We would then have shocked and
panied by red brick houses and bare unneanng walls
proceed to deal III few everyday articles
little mortar, brick, sand, and paint. Insignificant these
articles appear in the hands Of who
understands fully architectural science they become Of great
importance. The durability Of these articles and little stone
has been the Of preserving the histories the dark
ages and bringing TO light much that hidden, and which
without them would have been lost Architecture like
all other sciences, arrived perfection by very slow degrees
and il did not acquire any great perfection until mathematics
became general study among its professors. until the
proper combinations Of light and shade well known
We do not in the cbass buildings of the Ahensns mere
square piles Of MARBLE stone and molta thrown together in
heterogeneous and called building; in the re-
mains OF Roman architecture which still preserved to U.S.
do find that the materials hwn together in discor-
dant manner, If express il, but pillars, angles
squares &C. are arranged that the light and shade may
fall gracefully on some part of the building during all parts Of
the day. have already spoken former Communications Of
the light snd graceful internal architecture Of the Pompeians
style peculiarly adapted to pnvate dwellings, and which
would admirably contrast with ne heavy and massive stuc
lures adopted by the Government in this city. In vain
look about us for beautiful private architectural dwellings
see nothing but tall red brick houses, with dirty white rim
the roof like redfaced topper grown grey The
erection OF brick box, with unmeaning white walls within,
giving sePulchral look, adds but little the value
Of its erection than the price Of bricks mortar carpenters
work and labor but the materials put up with
design and architectural beauty. adds not only its value
equal TO materials and labor, but increases the intrinsic value
according to The degree Of taste and beauty Of the design
Besides oil this, really adds much more value the pro-
perry not fictitious value, but real one We often hear
said, by those who have knowledge Of architecture,
h0ree 0Oodf h.. 49, ~xI.s Grn