The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1863-08-08
From the New York Independent.
y q N r e IL.
BY REV. GILBERT HAVEN.

w -. BY REV. GILBERT HAVEN.
Pompeii is the greatest marvel in Europe
Yet like ail great marvels il is exceedingly
simpis 1t is only the exact reproduction
Of life long exiinct-a IRE -Raphaelite
picture Of ancient lie and manners.
Taking the cars at Naples. we skirt the
south eastern shore of the bay. passing
Herculaneum about four miles out and six
miles further on are landed at . depot az
solitsry as Dickens found them on, the
American railroads. A single house marks
the station aud the living town OF Pompeii.
A high mound close to the railroad attracts
our attention. II is like the ouer grassy
wall OF a fortress "A terrace hundred feet
high. smoothed and sloped as if for a gar
den. This is the ou,ermost bank Of the
volcanic storm that buried the city. Wo-
men by the hundred arc bringing on their
heads dirt in great basketfuls. and casting 1t
outside of the terrace. They are disinter-
ring the city. We pass mp the path their
excavations have made, and in five minutes
strike an ancient roadway. Its pavement
is Of large, fat rocks. not unlike the Russ.
except that the stones are larger and of ir
regular size. This is the Appian Way. or
high-road from Rome that passed through
Naples and Pompeii. 1t leads to the gate
OF the city. Empty tombs. hotels. and
vilsas lines its sides in . most distinctive
conjunction. A RoIan hostelry. grave,
end place are cheek by jowl. Here is the
famous house of Diomede, with its garden
and courts and long narrow passage in the
cellar, whore 6ftern of the family were
found buried in the ashes that like snow had .
sifted in this last Of their retreats. 1t is a
succession Of rooms usually small. with .
pleasant open court. around which window
less sells set into the wallis were used as the
bed chambers OF the family. Little dark
holes like these might seem. At 6rstthouyht.
anything but aristocratic. But darkness
and coolne.s are synony nous here. Light
enough comes in at the door from the quad
rangle around which the little caves are
built while the dead, damp wallis of stone
give the needed luxury of shade and cool
ness.
Walking up the ancient pavement-a
slight ascent--we enter the Herculaneum
gateway. Towers on either hand mark the
posts OF ancient senlinels. Within the
street is lined close with houses Of stone or
mortar, all reduced to the level Of one sto-
ry. Here are public aud private dwellings.
shops and stores, all the usual characters.
tics Of modern town. To your surprise
you are Instantly at home in Pompeii. and
wander through its streets IS carslessly and
curiously AS through those Of Naples
They ere empty and silent; but it would
not surprise you to see heads peering from
these doorwsys. men busy in these shops.
carts running in these ruts. The city seems
not dead but sleeping. and youfsel that this
bright sun, pouring ia upon il, must awaken
il from its slumbers.
Streets run ia all the variety Of crooked
lines popular in European towns. They
are generally wide enough for only one cart.
and these have worn deep ruts in the pave
ment. Some of them have the addition Of
. sidewalk foot wide, but many are with
out any sucb1footpath both of these re-
spects, also. resembling many of the streets
Of present European cities.
The shops, as in modern Italy. are thrust
close to and often into the streets. They
delighted then, as they do now. to take
their work out of doors. Many evidences
of this strike you: little bits OF shops. wine
Jars. grand bins, and other signs Of trade
are ou the edge Of the streets bakers ov.
ems glowing in the face Of passers-by as
they do TO day in Rome. 10 this respect
Eurnpe aud the East differ totally from
America. We put our workmen in the
back shop. they theirs in the front door, and
often outside OF the door, so that, il not
careful, sempstresses sitting on the sidewalk
will make you tread on dresses being made,
ss ladies in Broadway will on those being
worn.t es, W.. :. ss
The houses are open. except few whose
treasures of MOSAIC and iresco are such rs
to require the lock and key. A high wood
en- lattice gate excludes you from these un-
less you accompany government guide
Entering them you find . uniorm sfyis6 of
building that h.s utterly disappeared from
modern hfe. There is lodge with small
neighboring rooms. probably for the accom-
moia ion Of the porter. an open square.
with MOSAIC pavements. in colors or in hap.
py combinations of white aud black. ex
tremely simple ADD rich. which would make
the fortune OF any oil.cAo,h manufacturers
VII, should transfer them to his iabrics--
Behind this ano' o'her square. in the center Of
which is often pool OF water encircled with
fowsss, around which are pillars. and the
wallis handsomely ad.rued with trescoes.-
Apartments for cooking. dining and sleep
ing are on the sides OF this quadrangle. Be
hind this are some,imes other Ike quadsan.
g'es. With pillars. pictures. statues. and 9th
er xdorniogs.
In,erspssssl With these private building
are the public edihces Lining the sam
strssas are the pillars Of the forum. she cour,
Qymnasium. theatre. aud the many temples
The thestre shows its tiers Of semi circula
seats - perfect as when crowded With play
Rosrs. The forum has its long rows OF maj
BE pillars. With some in process OF erection
TO 6ll the places Of those overthrown in .,