Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1868-11-13


How vehicles passed in most Of them I wa
unable 90 see. But they are finely paved
The blocks used for this purpose are eeier
ally about the size Of a barrel-head, and ar,
firmly imbedded in the ground. In tn,
more frequeuted parts Of the city. thes,
blocks bear the marks Of wheels, aud be
tween the curbstones that line the Zoo, way
90 the sides there are raised stepping stone,
a. the Intersection of streets, on which foot
passengers crossed. The names of these
thoroughfares are quite characteristic, suct
Merclry, Fortune and judging from thei
appearance, | should infer that they were
laid ont with special reference to drainage
and cleanliness. Sewers aud culverts ara
81 II visible Such care for health and com
fort must have been required not Only
hN the warmth of the climrs and ths
darger from malaria, hut By tie Gengpl,
crowded houses which must have occupied
all the available space.
The shops are quite diminutiva. Most
Of them are neat little band boxes in com.
parison with our stores, yet always strongly
huilt and conveniently arranged. I saw q
bakers shop, in which the mills for grinding
ar still standing, and at one end of the
room a bake oven, as much like Dutch
oven as Holland or Pennsylv,nia could
show. A shop for the sale Of wine md oil
exhibits the counter containing large bottle
0r trs, while at the side is a range 0f shelves
used for glasses. Lou1gers az these places
must have been poorly accommodated.
But the habit Of the Pompaiians was 10
lounge in the sunshine and Opea air. Evi
deutly they we're an outdoor people. The
dwellings are generally houses, not homes.
or az least, rot homes ss We understand he
term. Those domestic ARRANGEMENTS We
consider so essential to the privacy uf iuii-
vidual members Of the household, werr flr
ejgn % their habits and tastes. Fami7 life
as such seems 70 have been co1hnei to
common wauts and very simple couve,ien
ces. Where wealth allowed it, provhion
WAS very fully made for company, thMgh
he number Of guests entertained on any
one occasion must have be,a small.
Among the largest and most snowy homes
are those Of Sallus' and Of Psnsa Tle
former taking us name from the inscription
G. Sailust, NJ. F., on the outer wall, covers
surface estimated at A. yards sq,np,
while the latter, including the space Of tie
garden, occupies an area Of over 300 feat
( by l2I. IL all this class Of mansions tn
atrium is prominent. Decorative art l
never wanting for its adornment. A fe a
feet from the walls that bound the inuei
line Of the chambers and private rooms
pillars are generally seen, and IN the centr,
Of the tesselated pavement lying within
these ornamental columns, il marble res
ervOir for water, Cmpluvium or c1mplG
vium Over this basin the roof was open
though it might he closed by an awning
Beyond the atrium are other apartment
connected with Coionnadp, among then
the eating hall and the picture gallery
FrescOes are very commonly seen on IN,
walls. Elegant tastes. whose memorials are
still fresh and beautiful, appear in painting
and other forms Of establishment. At every
turn mosaics meet the eye. | saw a she'll
work grotto that was very striking. Front
ing the little garden at the rear Of the house
its arch, t0un an, basin, we're elaborarely
ini-hed in the hest stN ie of art. On the
pavement Of the vestibulum you would
sometimes see" SdlUe," . AUe," in large let.
ters Of mosaic work and on the floor o.
toe Z" Tragic Poets House" I saw the ulac,
where the mosaic Of the Dog had beet
found. On subsequent visit 10 the Au,
scum, / took a special Interest in this Dog
By no means a handsome Dog, nor Is the
mosaic tine, but " CaUe CGHem in g0Ot
i-iEv i-itrrs uudrr the animal, gave me
together with his chain and look, bad
opinion Of him and a good opinion Of hi
master, the Tragic Poet" who doubles,
thought that dogs ought to be bauishsd from
Tragedy. Your Professor and myself bavy
great respect for that Poet.
On the whole, those houses would MOI
have suited either your Professor or your
selves. The cold floors, the absence o.
chimneys, the substitution OF the braZier fol
the hospitable hearth, would lot have ac
corded with your notions. If we had beer
POmpeiians, We should have undoubtedly
boarded with the baker who had big bake
oven.
But to see the eeaius Of Pompeii, ons
must see the public ediices. Everywher,
iu them, the Roman idea Of vastness, siren
9Th, endurance, is plainly visible, while a
the same time the ornamental figures suct
as the Bacchanates and the Fauns and tn,
trescoes OF arabesques, show the doninancI
OF Greek taste. Around the Forum, mos
OF the Temples are situated. Here are th,
Temples Of Jupiter, of Fortune, Of Venus
and also the Pantheon and the Basiica
And grand they must have been with thei
courts and statutes, their pillars and porti
Goes, for they are grand even now as ruins
Some OF the altars, with their panels @
carved figures, are surprisingly fine. AS
WaAhN4 hi'NA4A AA4Fu III lI lcaurA upon huEi
marble slabs, now bare and cold and rea,
| their inscriptions, it was an hour for th,
| vivid recall Of those facts which thes
symbols suggested. The whole scene q
/ this poiut was most impressive. Situate,
at distance Of 400 yards from the Hercu
lanenm Gate, the Forum commanded a bril-
I liant view Of Yersuvius and the Apennines
while, near al hand, broke the coming wave
/ Of the finest bay In the world. Slopes AM
/ plains terraces that nourished the fruitfu
/ vine nelds where Nature was prodigal Q
ali her choicest gifts and Art was equall
lavish with her maguiicence an lay as
gorgeous outspread before aud around
/ Through what an atmosphere, 50 soft, 81
clear, as transparent, these things wPr
seen, and over all what a ornament ben
/ with its arch, varying 10 hue from horizp
TO zenith and shedding down upon land anl
sea the same changing tints Of splecdor, n
/ one can ever know unless he has stood as
stood in winter on this spot aad has seen f1
himself the most Respondent panorama tha
the earth presents.