Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-04-14
NUMBER 1913.
Correspondence of the New York Observer.
Living I'm Rome.

RoNE, February o, 1855.
MY DEAR IRES3Us I find, in my private letters
from America, many Inquiries respecting the habits
OF life, the manners and customs OF society, and
variety of matters and things in this part of the
world which do not know how to answer better
than through you. If you choose to print what
may write, shall make no objection provided your
readers do not. / do not know either that they
WIN have any special occasion for obecting, since
II is their privilege to live in country where every
one Is free to read or not, as he may happen to
choose. We have the latter choice here, and, If
one chooses not to- II is very well, but he cannot
always read what he would like. The censorship
OF the press is not an obsolete idea but one quito
1 In vogue at the present time, and extending not
alone TO the printing and sale, but to the introduc
ton into the country and to the possession Of what
| ever may be obnoxious TO the powers that be, or
preudicial to the prevailing form Of religion, which
are one and the same thing.
| Besides the Inde1 Eapurgatorias which is
volume in itself, although simply a catalogue OF
books which not only all good Catholics, but good
and bad people of all sorts, forbidden to read
| or to have in their possession within the Popes
dominions, every newspaper that comes through
! the post office is examined before delivery, and
curtailed of its obnsxious portions. This revision
sometimes occupies several days after the arrival
/ of the mails, and what survives the censor's scs-
sors would be stale news were 1t not for the pre-
serving qualities of that of salt water which
| lies between us and our homes, and which gives
i such a keen relish to whatever comes over it, We
are duly thankful for all that are permitted to
read and if we do not have the benefit of the rest
we presume that some one else does or 1t would
4 not be taken out.
There is very little external splendor in Roman
| life. All the splendor seems to be concentrated
upon the church. The city itself is quite wanting
in this respect. The streets are contracted, and,
/ with two or three exceptions, are very irregular
running hither and thither in all directions, the
name of the same street changing as often as ts
bearing or oftener The Corso which is the princi-
pal thoroughfare and place Of shopping, and which
is renowned as the scene of the Carnival now about
| to commence, is narrow street about mile in
4 length its contracted dimensions quite upsettng
i the IDEAS which one forms from reading the ac-
counts Of the gay revels and wild races which an
nualy make it scene of attraction for travellers
from all parts Of the world.
j In no place does 1t expand excepting where an
occasional square of corresponding dimensions af
fords breathing place and opportunity to catch
glimpse of the sky. This is the only street in
! Rome which boasts eide walk, and this one only
in patches. All the others seem made exclusively
for horses ifone may judge from the habits of the
| drivers, who make no account of human beings
but drive them literally to the wall and it often re-
| quires great degree of dexterity to avoid being
driven into the ground. The squares or plazas
as they are called, are small open spaces, seldom
L
like the rest of the city and without the sign of a
tree, shrubbery, or grass. There is very exten-
| sive and beautiful promenade upon the Pincian
HILL laid out with great taste planted with oriental
and rare treer, and plants and flowers of every de-
sciption kept in perfect order and open always to
the public, but this is quite upon extremity Of
the city.
The palaces, which are very numerous, and
which are not always without architectural beauty,
are nevertheless gloomy prson-likc buildings gra-
ted In the lower stories at every window and pos
sible entrance with strong iron bars and the same
protection is found In the more private dwellings,
a precaution once necessary, If not now OF pub
lie buildings apart from the churches there are few
of any note. The public offices are generally to
be found in some Of the old palaces. The church
/ es with few exceptions have no claim to beauty or
grandeur in their externals, the wealth Of centu-
ries having been lavished in decorating the inte-
riors. Modern Rome is built chiefly upon the
Campus Martius, which in ancient times was lefc
| vacant on account of the liability TO inundation
from the Tiber, while the ancient hills, by far the
more beautiful site, are now occupied as gardens
lie waste One cannot fail 70 wonder at the tasto
which could pass by these noble and commanding
situations, and place immense and costly palaces in
the narrow and filthy streets Of the plain below.
As 70 the way of living among the .forsstieri, or
strangers, almost everybody keeps house in Rome
single gentlemen and families-those who come to
/
weeks. The hotels are but the gates Of the city
4 through which they enter and where they tarry
simply 70 make arrangements for residence, be il
for longer or shorter period, and there is not
boarding house IN Rome. The Gazette regularly
announces their arrival at the hotels and then
chronicles their removal to particular apart.
mentsp as they are called, which information Is
obtained from the police, where II must be duly re-
ported. In that quarter OF the city where Ameri-
cans and English most do congregste, nearly every
house s fitted up for such occupancy and IL be-
comes quite an English speaking town during sey.
eral months Of the year. I have learned that tho
police records for seversAyears past, show that or.
dinarly the number Of English who visit Rome
during the winter, and who remain some longer
and shorter, has been 1000 or 5000, and Of
Americans about 1000 but there have been less
than half the usual number the present season In
this quarter Of the town, well in other parts
the dwellings, which are several stories In height
are 30 constructed that each floor is separate
residence, provided with every convenience for
living. fthere Is any difference IN the rcspecta-
biity OF the several stories, our notions Of such
things are turned upside down, and the natural
order Is established; those who live nearest the
clouds are the highest up In the world In more
senses than one.
Having occasion 10 call upon titled English
| gentleman who Is spending the winter here, and
not knowing In what part Of the building he was
L
quiring at every landing, until found him at last
in the upper regions, as much Mt home with his fam
| lily, and apparently well satisfied with his po-
sition in the world II he we're In bis own palace
| In London. Eighty steps are by no means an un-
common ascent by which TO reach ones friends
aud indeed, for health, well ss on some other
accounts the offier quarters considered prefer
able. The lower story, in Italian, as in European
houses generally, is of account for purposes Of
dwelling, and, II not occupied for shops II may
| serve as a carriage-house Or stable. These sew
eral stories called by the musical name Of pianos
have OF course one common entrance, which is
closed at evening; and II there IL not porter's
lodge, the number Of knocks upon the door indi-
cate the story which you wish to enter, and the
bolt flies back apparently Of ts own accord or in
obedience to your summons. A porter from above
BY means of pulley, performs the operation Ny
curiosity was once quite excited in noticing the
method by which the several floors were supplied
with water from common fountain or reservoir in
| the courtyard. saw bucket descend as II were
from the clouds and crossing the court in mid-air,
fF.a4 Al. n L...I -