The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-07-01
yew DsseovsrIss In Rome.

WILLIAM CULLEN BEYAxr, the poet, is now
in Rome, and Is writing series Of dsscrip-
tive letters to bis paper, the New York
Eeening Post. From his last, dated Rome,
May, Il, 1853, we make the following inter.
esting extract:
Rome has its rich collections Of ancient
art in the Vatican, but there ID still richer
museum in the earth below. The spade can
hardly be thrust into the ground without
turning up some work Of art or striking up
on some monument Of the olden time Most
Of the fine statues 10 the public galleries have
! believe, been discovered in digging TO lay
the foundations Of buildings; and who can
tell what masterpieces Of Greek sculpture are
yet concealed under that thick layer OF rub
bish which oyerlies the ancient level OF the
eity--what representations Of
"The fair humanites Of old religion %
are waiting the hour when they shall be re-
stored to daylight and the admiration Of the
world-prostrate Jupiters, nymphs with
their placid features and taper limbs i'm.
bcded in the mould, and merry fauns that
have smiled for thousands Of years in the
darkness Of the ground
The present government OF Rome is turn
ing its attention TO the excavation OF those
spots which promise most. As | was pass
ing the other day, in street leading to-
wards the Colosseum, in company with an
American artist residing here, he said, point
ing TO certain ancient columns, the lower
part Of which stood deep in the earth "The
Pope wants to dig about these columns, but
the spot is leased, aud he cannot. II il we're
in the possession oil those who own the fee
he might take II, but he cannot interfere with
lease. At the foot OF these fine old columns
he would probably find something worth his
trouble"
This passion for excavation has been for
tunatcly gratiiled elsewhere. II you look
at Sir William Cells Map Of the Environs
Of Rome, you will see traced from near the
gate Of St John towards Monte Cave, be.
yond the Alban lane, an ancient road bear
the name Of Wa Latina. II you look for it
On the Campagna, you will find il covered
with grass, and cattle grazing over 1t. On
the line Of this buried street, and no, far
from the city walls, workmen employed by
the Pope are breaking the green turf and
trcnchiug the ground to a considerable
depth. They have laid bare several solid
masses Of Roman masonry, and the founda-
ton Of an ancient Christian church, basli-
ca, over which were scattered, in the soil,
many marble columns with Corinthian CAPT
tails and bases on which is carved the figure
Of the cross, Indicating beyond question
tn, v,urnnon ~ tha bn,l.l,,u Rat che ,nnut
remarkable Of these discoveries are two
places Of sepulture, consisting Of vaulted
rooms in the earth, 10 which you descend by
staircases Of stone. The earth had fallen
into the entrances and closed them, but had
not filed the space within, so that the stuc-
co medallions and paintings overhead were
found in as perfect preservation as when
they came from the hands Of the artist. In
one of these tonbs, which consisted of sin.
gle vaulted chamber with pure white sur
face, l found an artist perched upon high
seat over two huge stone collins, copying
the spirited and fancifal figures Of men and
animals, in stucco, with which the arched
ceiling was studded. The other tomb is
larger and deeper in the ground and consists
OF two vaulted chambers. communicating
with each other. against the walls Of which
stood marble sarcophagi, rough with figures
in high relief
On the ceiling OF one ofthe rooms, among
the stucco metallions, were arabesques in
vivid colors, and landscapes in frcsco, which
show far more advanced stage Of this
branch Of the art than anything which has
been found in Pompeii. They are painted
in what seem TO me neutral tint, Here
are trees with gnarled branches, and foliage
drawn with free and graceful touch. and
buildings rising among the trees, and fig
ures of people engaged in rural employ
ment; and all is given with q skilful erial
perspective. the objects becoming less dis
tinct and sharp in outlines rs they are sup
posed to recede from the eye. Ten years
hence says the artist who accompanied us
on this excursion, you may see all these fig.
urcs engraved and published in book
Here at Rome we never do anything in
hurry"
/, is not unlikely tina, the admission of the
external air will cause the stucco TO peel
from these vaults, or al least viii cause the
paintings to fade. Il think" said our
friend, the artist, that the landscapes are
lese distinct now than they were ten DAYS
since" In The meantime, all Rome is talk
ing Of this discovery il is the great topic
of the time Numbers Of people are con.
stantly passing out Of Rome 10 visit the ex-
eavation on the Va Latina. As we APP
preached the city the other day. by the mag
nifcen, paved road called the New Appisn
Way, we wondered why oil Rome should he
rushing into the Campagna So many peo-
pie did We meet walking, and 81 many car.
riagcs rafting out Of the gate Of san Clio
vanni. When a, length We visited the ex.
cava,lons, this was all explained. There
was quite 'hrong about the principal tomb,
where man in uniform stood a, the tn
trance admitting only q certain number Of
visitors at time, in order that they might
not be in each Others way.
WASHINGTON. June 1.-THE senate adj
journed yesterday su~ de, alter two days