Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-08-04
MORNING LEADER.


/ ~ uhteu thplFht suht Nstut AooSi anu presents
a graphic picture Of the past and present
Rome
Since wrote last, / have been 10 Rome
Yes passed within the gates and walls Of
the old imperial city, and became for time
dweller among her ruins, her glory, aud her
grandeur, that still throw dignity and
naughty pride over the city to this day. You
must Imagine how / climbed the ascent Of the
Capitoline Hill, and stood upon the very spot
that contained tho rugged heart of Rome
Though the adoTnments, and externals have
much changed she grand features of the place
are all there, sndI looked around upon the
seven hills, the valleys between, the Roman
Forum, and Campus Martius There is much
to see in that survey from the Capitoine Hill.
Around you, below you, at your feet, lie the
past full Of wonderful history, and the present
| full Of wonderful impressions. Just at one
side, / looked down the Tapiean Rock, and
thought as looked over the rocky side, what a
good place for oil Tarquina. The summit is a
garden of roses, aud houses stand thick at the
loot of it There is no use describing Rome
in a letter / passed through the Roman
Forum and sat at the foot of temples in ruins,
and under tue shade Of columns and pillars
that have no equal nov IL is wonderful how
these ruins are preserved passed under The
triumphal arch Of Septim Sevorus, along the
Via Saora. Temples, grand ruins old columns
some in groups, some alone and solitary, aud
some fallen add broken, still speak language
Of pride and magnihcsnce that will live for
centuries vet l walked under the Arch Of
Titus, and under that Of Constantine These
arches are admirably preserved, and are the
most impressive things, perhaps, in Rome
walked over the vast grounds Of the Palace of
the Casars covered with mounds and ruins,
grown up by ivy and shrubbery,
As ! walked up to the Coliseum, felt a
sense Of mingled humility, grief, and defiance.
The world has harped upon this wonder of the
Roman Emperor, and yet no man can compre-
hend 1t without seeing it. The language OF
SupeTlatives dwiudles INTO common place, and
yet the Coliseum stands as it has stood, and
defes your wonder These stupendous crea-
tions certainly ill us with more than wonder
AS passed beneath the splendid arches of the
entrance that was once swept by the purple of
the EmperOrs, saw the Court before me, and
longed to weep. walked over the grayelly
ground as though it were sacred. Christ
anity, as a principle to ciyihze and redeem
mankind, may be said TO have been born here,
in cradle OF blood, warm from the beating
hearts of the thousands who fell l lin
gered long here. l went around and around
It's circumference and climbed its battlements,
and plucked wild flowers from its rocky pas
sages aud stair ways.
cime again and again, and my last visit
was near midnight, by the light Of the cres-
cent moon. Such scene can only be had
once, l thought, and as | sat there in silence
SO deep that it was really painful, an owl
, perched upon corner Of a ruined wall, and
! began TO cry. Around the circle OF walls the
echoes went, dying and dying, but seemed as
though they woulG never cease. The owl cried
thus over the proudest monument Of the great
; Nespasian; and yet the vile purpose TO which
, this sublime structure was afterwards devoted
both hallows and curses The spot forever
OF all the beautiful things still standing of
old Rome, the temple OF Vesta and the Panthe-
on are the most fascinating The Pantheon in
spired me with feeling of awe and devotion
and love such / never felt elsewhere. Both
OF these temples are now used as clthedrals, and
are in "A state OF perfect preservation. Although
the Pantheon has been pillaged by rapaelous
Popes and stripped by the church of all its or
naments and wealth, it is to this day the most
perfect, the most beautiful and impressive build
ing upon the face of the globe Both of these
temples are small and compact. The temple Of
NebJa Is lhubtu ddtdy llttb temple puI III
structure for the Vestal Virgins and for the
eternal symbol of Roman honor aud Roman
purity. May it stand TO all future ages as beau
titul aud interesting as it is now
/ walked ong the Appian way upon the old
Roman pavement. It's story is written along
its sides in thousand monuments of historical
events and deeds The great CatacOmbs of
Rome are a sad wonder. | saw the subterra-
mean chapes of the early Christians, where they
lived, worshipped and died | passed hours
among the damp, narrow streets OF the dead l
stood and contemplated the Gate which Belita-
rius had seen erected TO his honor by the Roman
people, aud at which he sat blind and ragged
afterwards as he begged bread to cat There
is not street nor a spot that is uut sacred by
some column, monument or temple My life
passed as though ] had been in dream. /
visited the great bronze wolf described by Ciee-
70. l saw the very rents, scars and seams
traced by the lightning when it struck the great
temple Of Jupiter Captollnus l saw the
very statue at the foot Of which great CBsar
fell assassinated by his enemies. II is a noble
statue Of Pompey, and hardly has an equal
Besides the antiquities of Rome there is more
10 see Of modern things than fills the life time
Of most men
have been within the great, the sublime S.
PeferS! IL is truly the mOstma iestic, the largest
and most wonderful church in the whole world
Nor is there a building its eq lal in the known
world. Over and over again went 10 St. Pc
ter's and yet 1 never saw enough. ! loved to
feel the humility it inspired, and il seemed
when / entered that sublime nave that | was
approaching nearer to the presence OF the liy-
ing Gcd, had DO feeling of wonder, no vul-
gar sentiment Of amazement--it was one senti-
ment Of most profound aud most humble awe,
humility and Of self condemnation. My tohOle
soul tSGs fHed-there was nothing Left, nothing
wanting. 1t was a feast to a hungry soul!
The Vatican is the museum OF nation or
rather of the world for 900 years, and Of tho
Roman nation for 1000! II took mo two days
entire Of rarid surveying to get through the
rooms alone. But have not room to dwell
upon a subject that takes volumes to describe
stood before the greatest painting ever made,
and that yet exists. mean Raiia0's Trans
I fguration. 1 saw Michael Angeles greatest
work, which is, / believe, unequaed yet
mean the ffeseo painting Of the Last Judgment.
Busts and statues OF Roman Emperors, hato-
rians, orators and men Of note, all made from
lie and are considered accurate portraits, here
stare you Ia the face There is not a celebrity
Of Rome or OF Roman history that have not
seen l looked at the wonderful LAGOON, and
all around me were people who had come 10 see
it from all parts Of the world-ther faces
looked griefstickenl Who would believe
that marble could speak thus 7
looked with pride upon the Antinous, and
the Apollo Belyidere. Human beauty In all its
glory and pride and strength, embodied in the
male fgure Such are these great works
will not dwell upon the Apollo nor the Venus
de Medici. haze seen them. The Gladiator
/ confess, did not please me. Perhaps was
too ignorant to see It's Beauties presume