East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-03-16
What they Knew 1900 Years Ago.

The letters Of Rev. Mr.. Thompson,
written during his recent tour in
Europe, africa and Asia, are hiiS Sa.y
instructive and entertaining. We
subioin an extract relating to the
'I.ost Arts"
"Tho author, on the LIST Of January
1868, approached Pompeii, one of the
cities overwhelmed by tho ashes and
cinders Of Vesuvius, or its memorable
eruption about half a century subse-
quent to the commencement of the
Christian era. In the suburbs stands
the first object which was not long
since brought to light after burial OF
ages; 1t was the large and elegant
mansion Of Arrias Diomeaes, which
bears numerous inscriptions as legi-
bic now as the day amor they mere
made, together with many traces OF
the great wealth of tho occupant. -
Tombs and ornaments remain along
the road outside tho city; within are
rows of shops and houses on both
sides of the principal street, which is
laid open for half mile.
'The portable articles found on the
premises, that served to indemnity
each house, have all been removed to
the museum at Naples, also the finer
frescoes and mosiacs. Enough OF
these remain, however, to show the
luxurious aud lascivious taste of the
inhabitants. Here is a living COM
mentary upon tho concluding verses
of the first chapter of Paurs epistle to
the Romans. The shocking momori-
ais of human depravity here found,
and now collected in the secret cham
Der of the Museb Borbonico of Naples
are no longer to be seen upon any
terms-the Pope, when in exile a
Naples, having prohibited their eHhi-
bition as contrary to good morals =
But every memorial of Pompeii shows
it to be city of lust-a second Sod
ON. The man Of letters who should
select such subjects for tho frescoe'
of his walls as are found in the house
of Sallust would be secuted from oui
modern society.
yet wonderful was the perfection
Of art as here exhibited amazing wal
the wealth Of city adorned with suci
temples, theatres and other public ed
ifices as yet are found in their OLE
places and proportions, along these 81
lent streets; vast, too, was the wealth
of private citizens who dwelt in thos'
houses, whose floors are rich mosiacs
whose walls are adorned with elab
rate frescoes, whose courts are sur
rounded with marble pillars and beau
t.ful marble vaces and fountains. Ii
the garden of one house recently OK
bun;ed, tie statuary has been loft pre-
cisely as found, pretty little group
surrounding The fountain, whose yer.
pipes can be traced from the reservoir
above.
"There is nothing new under Tn
sun, not even our patent method o
heating houses, and warm water fo
baths. This was dono at Pompeii
by means of hues Of tilling carried
around the rooms, within the wall
and having apparatus for the escap'
of heat from the furnace below
Walker, Chilson, ETC., have invaded
the patent of some luckless dealer il
furnaces in Pompeii. who wa
burned at last in ashes and cinders.-
We don't know much, after all, il
America, in this nineteenth century,
Take away the knowledge of the Cos
pei, and we know nothing in compar
ison with these ancient lords, of tn,
arts and elegancies of life.
''The streets of Pompeii are rcctan
gular, and were better paved, an,
probably better regulated than tn,
streets of New York. The house.
were much better built. The cemen
made two thousand years ago is like |
rock to day. There are no twenty
first street contractors here. How
wonderful is the preservation of thes
walls--in ashes, to be sure, but il
themselves proof against decay! How
distinct and how delicate the paintin,
upon the walls and ceilings How
admirable the arrangements of tn
houses and gardens How beautiful
but we must not linger on Pom
pei. For its gloom is tho more OPP
pressive for the sunshine upon desola
ton.