Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1853-02-17
NUMBER VI.

by alternate factions the palaces and temples
erected by one being demolished by the next.
Still those very views show the wealth and pow
or Of the nation in its days Of glory The Pala-
tine Hill. the most celebrated Of the seven hills
presents only heap of ruins. There were the
palaces of the Cmsars covering many acres
there also Nero rcigned in his gilded palace,
and there fell. The lower stories of all those
palnces are still standing, but covered with the
rubbish from the upper stories and roofs. Many
of the arches remain in good repair, but their
splendor has all passed away, being now only
used as stables and hay-ofts. Over the lower
story Of Augustus C@sar's palace an Englshman
has erected fine house and planted his garden.
The Maxmus Circus, celebrated as the place
where the Rape of the Sabnes took place, was
in a valley near the palaces, but nearly every
vestige ofthe building has long since disappear
cd The ruins of the Baths of Caracolla present
a noble specimen of the magnifcence and uxu-
ry of the Romans They are more than half a
mile in circumference, and many of the walls
are still standing, presenting the finest speci-
mems Of arches, sixty or seventy feet in height
and eight or ten in thickness. They were said
tn have contained sixteen hundred rooms the
ceiling and floors of many Of which present now
very good specimens of mosaic. Besides the
baths, many Of these rooms appear to have been
used as places Of various kinds Of amusement,
where the Romans, when not engaged in wars
abroad, might indulge in the greatest luxury at
home. The Coliseum is the ruin which attracts
the most attention at the present day, and shows
better its original extent and magnfcence than
any other. II was commenced in the year seven
ty. and finished in eight years. The original
design WINS arena for gladiitors, but at differ
ent periods since it has been used as military
post, hospital during plaques, tilt for knights,
aud is now rendered sacred by the erection of a
cross in the centre, and fourteen small chapels
or closets for saints around the arena 1t is Of
an oval form, the central arena being about two
by three hundred feet in diameter. The walls
are $50 feet thick at the base, and formed of
arches. the external wall being 100 feet in
height, built of hcwn stone the interior is of
stone and brick, forming a succession of seats
from the bottom TO the top, and estimated to uc-
connlodute eighty thousand persons No won
der that the gladators in those DAYS sought
death rather than disgrace before such an ASSEM-
bled multitude. About one third of the original
wall is still standing at It's original height, and
enough of the interior to give perfect idea
OF IFS original structure. The Forum, the great
arena OF Roman orators, was for more than
III (. Al.
modern enterprise has cleared away much of the
rubbish; still its original extent is only in part
DEVELOPED Sevtfa miles IN extent Of the world
RENOWNED aquedeft, built to convey water from
the mountains ovsH the low lands of Rome, are
stIll standing a monument of the enduring nature
of brick and mortar. The Appian Way, SO often
mentioned in R5mau history, leads from Rome
towards Naples, and is the oldest paved highway
known. From the gates of Rome it is lined for
many miles on either side with mausoleums, tenn
pies and monuments, being the favorite burying
place for the distinguished dead; and many of
those immense monuments erected to their mem
DRY are still standing, though crumbng to de-
cay. During some of their wars this way for
near ten miles from the city was completely
blocked up by the destruction of those monu-
ments, and has remained SO until within few
years. The government is now engaged in re-
opening the way, and many antique monuments
OF much beauty have been discovered and de.
posted in the Museum. But OF all the ancient
buildings of Rome the parthenon has been the
best preserved. II is now, after lsO0 wears from
its construction one of the finest monuments of
modern Rome. Tho despoiled by the ruthless
hand of man. more than by time, of its original
ornaments, the beautiful proportions cf rs porti-
co and dome still remain a model for ali modern
architects. The interior is circular and lighted
solely by M aperture at the top, ii retain. its
original pillars of porphyry and most of its an
hque finish OF marble The pavement is of eran
ito and pophyry, and the only one of the antique
remaining in condition TO be used bur that
is sufficient 10 give nm idea of the beauty
and solidty Of the material then used. The
building has for many centuries past been used
as chapel, and within its walls are the to,nbs
of RaphHl and several other distinguished men
The Tarpean Rock still retains its position bu,
has lost all its terors, having diminished under
the hand of man, until all that now remains
serves but for the foundation for house While
all these monuments of ancient grandeur have
far exceeded my expectations by then magnifi
cenee and extent, the riber, so often mentioned
by Roman writers, has dwindled down from the
mighty river which in my youth supposed it to
be, TO a small muddy stream no larger than the
Winooski. have enumerated only small por.
ton OF the many ancient ruins remaining at
Rome still these may give some idea of It's an.
clent grandeur; and all these were DESTROYED.
not by the slow progress Of time and decay, but
by ruthless man, for love Of glory and conquest,
and to humble, degrade and ensaye the con-
quered When look at these ruins, and reflect
that two thousand years have elapsed since ma.
ny of them were constructed, America seems
indeed but in its infancy.
OF modern Rome, St. Peters is the great and
almost only wonder that travellers seek to con-
template. /; is an immense pile of stone, but
so situated that it is difficult to get any one view
OF the exterior that will convey any adequate
idea OF ITS size. The exterior is well finished
but has little OF the statuary and fine carving
winch constitute the external beauty of the old