Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-09-21
From the New York Journal of Commerce.
-- POmDefi,


crease in interest from year to year. The
present system of excavation is more sci
entific, and the objects which are reveal
ed TO the eye of the modern world are
more carefully preserved than formerly.
The excavations at Pompeii commenced
as long ago as the year l748, when Col.
AleubIerre, who had been sent to inspect
new canal or water-course observed
that it was constructed through ancient
ruins. He obtained permission from
Charles Ill, to make excavations, and in
few days he opened house in Pompeii.
The ruined city was then supposed to be
the Stabie, and it was not until nearly
eigl, wears after the discovery that it was
identified as Pompeii.
The continuous labors of the Neapolitan
Government, from that time forward,
have uncovered an extensive city, with
the streets and lower stories of houses,
the temples and baths, the furniture and
decorations, and in many instance with
the skeletons of the ancient inhabitants.
Readers are familiar with the details OF
these strange and interesting discoveries.
The more recent excavations have added
greatly to the interest of Pompeii, and
Mr.. Guiseppa Florelli has achieved very
important success, surprising in some
respects, all that had been done before
his appointment to the superintendence.
The Reu des Mondss lately gave a remark
able sketch of the life and career of this
very learned and accomplished Italian
He was man of great ability, scholar,
at % years of age Vice President of the
Italian Convention of Savens at Genoa,
the subject of persecution by the Neapol-
itan government, imprisoned, his manu-
script destroyed, and himself finally re-
duced to earn his living by laying pave
ment in the streets of Naples. He was
appointed inspector of the Pompeiian ex-
cavations after the establishment of the
Italian kingdom, and he has justified the
appointment. By more careful system
he has succeeded in uncovering the sec
ond story and projecting balconies of
houses, a feature hitherto unknown in
Pompeii. This latter portion is built of
brick, supported by timbers, and the evi-
dence thus gained shows that the narrow
streets of the city were shaded for the
sunshine much as orienta cities now are.
This gives us an idea of Roman city
Pompeii was therefore little more than a
plan. Streets with ruined walls and of
houses on each side. Now we can see the
city as it was. The careful preservation
of fragments, noting positions in which
found and observing mmutest particulars,
enables Signori Floriella to restore the en-
tire house, instead of leaving it a dilapi-
dated ruin as heretofore. But the most
remarkable discovery of Signor Florelli
is TO be mentioned. In the eruption
which destroyed the city the ashes fell in
some places with considerable quantities
of water, forming in fact a rind or paste
which hardened over many objects
This fact had been noticed in one or two
instances, and the great show article OF
the museum had been the impression of
the female breast in the hardened mould.
But Florelii had gone farther and obtain
ed casts of the entire body in several in.
stances. He had found the moulds where
the mud formed around the entire bod
les of the dying Pompelians, and pour
ing plaster in to the hollow he obtains
fac simile statue of the man or woman,
Just as he or she yielded to the terrible
catastrophe. The eloquence OF these
statues surpassed all description. There
were four bodies in one street. Among
them were evidently a mother and a
daughter. The mother evidently died
calmly, lying on her side, perhaps suffoca-
ted. The daughter died not so easily
She was not sixteen years of age. Her
limbs, restored on the plaster cast, are in
attitude of pain, her small fingers clutch
ed in the agony of the death-struggle.-
She had thrown veil over her face and
bowed her head in her arms. TO shield
herself from the blast of the fiery storm.
/ The very fashion of her dress is perfectly
shown in the cast, and there is a start
| ling peculiarity in the exhibition OF the
smooth skin and rounded flesh where
there are rents in her garments. There
can be no criticism of such statues as
these. They are the reproduction out Of
the distant past the very agony OF death
coming on the Roman mother and her
child. There is no failure in the copy
There it is-as the storm of ashes both
caused and preserved it-in solid mould,
the human anguish that the casting now
reveals. Looking at it. one hears the
moan of the young girl as she buries her
face in her arms, and yields to the terror
of that awful night in Pompeii. q
The other two OF the four above men
toned, are thus described by writer in
the Edinburg RevieU; l. .fsa
At some distance from this group lay 6
third woman. She appears to be about
25 years Of age, and belonged to better
class than the other two. On one of hel
fingers were two silver ringes, and hel
garments were of a finer texture. He
linen head dress, falling over her should
ers like that of mstron in Roman stat
ue, are still to be distinguished. She hac
fallen on her side, overcome by the hea
and ashes; but terrible struggle seemstc
have preceded her last agony. One arm i
raised in despair, the hands are elenchec
convulsively. He garments are gathered
puon one side, leaving exposed limb o
, beautiful shape. So perfect mould o
! it has been formed by the yielding mud
Il that the cast would seem. 10 be taker
3 from an exquisite work of Grecian art
She had fed with her little treasure
which lay scattered around her-two sill
: yer cups, few jewels and some dozeI