Litchfield enquirer., 1860-03-01
For the Litchfeld Enquirer CORRESPONDENCE FROM EUROPE.
RoME. Jan. l9. l86

.,t s.s.s5 .zs4 ROME, Jan. IS, 1860.
 An hour after leaving Perugia Monday morning, 9th, we turned off to visit the all- cient Metropolis of Etruscan Perugia, dis covered on hillside not many years since. The greatest tomb is one at the base of the hill, which we entered by descending flight of steps dug down some twelve feet to the door of the tomb, closed now by wooden gate, the great stone one being removed, and standing against the side of tho passage.
 We entered large chamber, twenty-four feet by twelve. and fifteen high, andcut in the softest possible stone--so soft that we could
 stick our canes into it-and with a roof carved sharply ana deeply in imitation of beams and rafters. This was vacant; but fromthe ridge of the roof hung, by an iron rod, g little bronze figure of genius, which had once served as a lamp. At the oppo- site end of this chamber was a smaller re- cess, over the broad entrance to which was boldly and finely cut 0 colossal Medusa's head. Around this, in close proximity, and leaving room for two or three men to stand in the centre, were grouped the urns of the patrician family of the Volumnii They are oblong chests of stone covered with white stucco, and the lid of each bearing figure of the person whose ashes were within, ill the attitude of reclining at feast. Facing us was the head of the family, and around
 us were it's other members, all bearing in their hands the shallow wine-cup-iti the faces of all, which were full of expression, nobility, and beauty, the most striking like ness, through all the differences of age and sex, to each other and to the grand counte- nafice of the chief of the house. can think of nothing more solemnly beautiful, touching the dead and their earthly part, than this heather gathering of them, purified by fire, deep in the bowels of the rock, at an eternal feast, where on set days the remnant of the household should meet them as stheyrwere in the bo6y, should view the places which they themselves were in time to take in the great last house, and should one by one be- gath. cred in, and have the heavy door swung ill upon them forever. Opening out of the great hall were eight other little cham. bcrs with bench around them cut also in the rock. which are thought to have served as receptacles for the bodies before burning
 Winding up the hillside, exactly after the fashion of an American fancy hurying- ground, are ilnes of other tombs, greater or smaller,
 bat none So grand as this, and all full ol such cinerary urns. .s....ss. t,.,,=,s.....,,..,
 We went on to Assist, in another high mountain, with most exquisite views over the broad valleys below us. Here is
 the grand church of tbe convent which was
 the first founded by the great St. Francis oi
 Assist, commenced only two years after his
 deatl-in 1928. Here we were shown 2 strange, dark painting, about three feet high, said to be, and can see no reason to doubt lit, . portrait of the wonderful man painted lin l23a, only four yeavs after his death, ny EoDe almost as remarkable in arts, diovanni Eda Pisa. Then the same afternoon to Folig- DO, making twenty miles. Tuesday, sending