Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-04-15
QNOrtester 9aiIg Spy.
LETTER FROM ROME.

being filled with illusions to persons and
things quite proper in home letter, but not
exactly the thing to print. For this reason l
have concluded not TO trust you to exrlpate
my logs in the future, but to send you a few
scraps direct don't promise to write any
more carefully, or anything more worthy to
be read, for every moment on this soil is pre-
cious. only promise that my domestic af.
fairs shall not come in every other line, and
form a more prominent feature than the St
Peters and the coliseum.
Arrived at the railroad station in Rome we
ran the gauntlet of veteIinos aud determined
to enter the Eternal City for the first time on
foot and unguided, well knowing that we
could not go astray, for every spot is sacred
We passed under lofty gate. l cared moth
ing about inquiriDg its name then. 1t had its
history | well knew, and loved to muse on the
armies that must have trod its pavement be-
fore me, with no spirit OF research to break the
charm We followed 4 winding street, dark
and dirty, strange images and large blocks of
granite reminding US, at every step, OF the old
empire. Soon we came to dingy old bridge
1t was our first view OF the yellow Tiber A
single look told us where we were The
old Pous Cestlus was under our feet, and The
island just before us. The river seemed yell
lower and mudder than Horace had led me 10
expect; but the bend is so great here that both
above and below the island it was soon lost
sight of. Arrived on the opposite bank, we
followed the narrow, crooked streets, without
a thought where we were going. All was
Rome. We were content. But after a few
moments we began to see fragments grander
than before. Curious pieces OF freize and cor.
nice were built into modern walls-a vain an, &.
bition to mark the site of grander ediice
Once in while colossal arch, built of the
great, solid. unmistakable blocks, and crown.
ed with the massive key stone, formed now,
indeed, the door to miserable stable, but put
all such indignities to shame by its own i'm
perishable majesty. Suddenly these evi
dences of imperial times began to thcken-
broken columns on both sides of us-immense
walls lettering high above u.s. We almost
held our breath. Instinctively our steps
Quickened. A hushed, anxious suspense
seemed to possess the whole party, and
in a moment more the prophecy of our
hearts was fulfilled We stood in the presence
of a scene that no lapse of time can rob OF lis
freshness and its thrill Just before us stood
a line of massive columns, perfect and alone:
the massive front they had once supported had
fallen, but they disdlined to follow there they
stood, as if looking up to the sky for dome
left were three exquisite Corinthian columns,
less massive, but more graceful and more
mourntul for they had lost all-even their
brother columns. Farther on, in the same
direction, stood triumphal arch. Its immense
passage way and its two side arches were still
perfect, and it required no strong Imagination
to see the long procession passing through and
winding slowly up the steep hill just in 'front.'
Turning from this, the next object in view was
a single Corinthian column, rising out of an
excavated basin, and lifting its leafy capital
towards heaven. Alone, and SO exquisite
Then we looked down the long open space
The little shops, the ambitious churches, tie
wretched dwellings that lined the whole extent
hardly arrested the eye enough TO mar the
view for a moment; for we saw here and there
such majestic fronts of ruined temples that
there was room for nothing else. Then, on
the opposite side Of the open space, we slowly
followed the slope of long hill, and found its
whole crest crowned with crumbng arches
and towering walls, of which not column nor
facade remained but their immensely was
enough in itself The area seemed to be
closed at the extremity opposite to where we
stood, by another arch more simple and smaller
than the one near US, but of more exquisite
proportions, and beautifully situated at the
highest part of the road
And now for the first time we looked beyond
all this. Something rose up from the low
valley beyond this rise of ground and shut in
the whole horizon. 1t seemed to sweep in an
oval line around "A valley that imagined was
there, and seemed to tower up higher than any
of the hills around us. Could this be the work
of man? At first l said no ; that has in it
Gods immensely. But soon l saw the fatal
proof: imperteeton, decay. These were
mans walls, for they were crumbling; through
its faarful rhoSms I saw the hlus nnfailinu
mountains beyond.
How l shall always thank God for directing
my first steps to the Roman forum II had
dreamed where was going / should have
been robbed of all this thrill of surprise and
awe. And | needed no Cicerone to tell me
where was. This must be the forum. That
can be nothing but the Coliseum. Here is
the Capitolne hill behind me; on my right
is the Palatne, with its ruined palace OF the
Caesars, and that beautiful arch must be the
arch OF Titus, browning the Via Sacra, at its
highest point, just as it enters the forum. So
much know from my Tacitus, and that's
enough for tie present AS for these other
ilustrious strangers that surround me, would
not for the world have one OF your dusty an
tiuuaries come buzzing around at this impress.
sive moment, telling me what names have
been given them, and what wonderful inscrip-
tons have been decphered on them. Names
and inscriptions W nat useless tnlngsj 10
such monuments of beauty and majesty.
prefer to give them the silent reverence of
unknown awe.
A few steps farther brought us to the Traj an
forum, which recognized from the beautiful
column, with its spiral has reliets, which
had often studied from the splendid engravings
in Yale college library. We were now tired
enough to ask our way to the hotel we had
selected. We were directed into the busy
Corso. and soon lost in the hum of a modern
business street, all suggestions of the silent
city of the past On arriving at the hotel, we
found that we had gone entirely out of our
waV, and could not have made greater de.
tour. But | wish could always be as well
rewarded for losing my way
THE CARNIVAL THE JANICULUM.
TUESDAY, March Avery body told us we
had arrived in the nick of time. The great
last day of the carnival had arrived, and we
were present to accept fine balcony by some
American friends. And here let me say once
for all, that more hospitable, generous, and
whole hearted company Of men never lived
than the artists and other gentlemen from the
United States who are making their home for
a time in Rome They vie with one another
in pressing upon you every sort Of hospitality
and assistance. The doors of everything ny
open, by the secret Of some paper or talismar
that your Yankee friends have given you
So we saw the carnival in The best style. Blu
what miserable affair Imagine Main street
in your little city, little over nile long
Let every house have balcony. On Ger
tain day let all the foolish girls Of the city gel
into the balcony, and all the foolish young
men into all sorts of vehicles, and as they
ride by the balconies, throw chalk into the
Ian. fI.,u "A