The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-05
v,srr TO vEsUVIUS.

oAkaOOmDB We lhu IOI our distinguished RulOS
a prinCe Of the Church, who devotes himself
70 their investigation in conjunction and alter
nately with Rossi. The great results OF such
a,udies are now known, and a more natural
and correct picture OF the first centuries of
Cyhristendom is produced than those obscure
representations OF death-lke paleness aud
the darkness Of the grave. l wished on
vesuvius. ten times over, for scientific guide
How many dark secrets lie petri6ed around
IN Lougingly thought, amid the smoke and
roaring Of the volcano, ofmy honored teacher
NJ G6ttingen who enlvened his sparkling
geological lectures with poetical intuition.
Another new source Of rich recollections now
found in Italy. But this lay neither above nor
beneath the earth; the best part Of 1t ioated,
AZ in Kaulbachs Battle Of the Huns, in the
air. It was the spirits Of the old Goths, who,
over the ruins Of their royal city Of Ravenna,
over the halfburied tomb OF Theodore, over
that wide, solitary pine forest by the solitary
sea. 90 hither and thither in the air, mourn
ing and signing that they were slain SO soon.
Yet. always unsatisfed, they cannot quit the
SIGHT of that beautiful land in which Gothic
virtue was at least able to establish permanent
forms Of government.
Vet Of Rayenna and the cataoombs perhaps
another time: now would tell of our visit to
Vesuvius.
We had actually given it up. The mountain
was too uneasy. As soon as it was dusk in
Naples. the red tuit of flame shone upon its
heights, threatening and solemn. All night
through one saw every couple OF minutes
The summit yelled in smoke and fire. In
Pompe every one said, it is exceedingly
IN eli nm IN a
crater. Travellers who had come down from
the mountains had scarcely seen anything but
the current of lava which had broken out at
the cone of ashes There did not seem to be
sufficient to compensate US, that | should ask
my lady companion to undergo the pain and
fatigue which l was able to appreciate from
fermeT ascent. We went therefore, from
pompeii as far as Sorrento.
For those who do not wish to 60 to Sicily,
there is no more beautiful resting-plaoe on the
Italian Journey than Sorrento. Oar entrance
was favored. Before the gates of the city
Signor GargiulO-the proprietor of the Coou-
mella in which had spent so many pleasant
days five years before-met us. The host
recognized and greeted me Immediately. The
great flower terrace, with its rooms, was
vacant, the house not too full. A few minutes
later we were surrounded by the refreshing
shade, the fresh scent OF flowers, and the deep,
nnchanging quiet which fill this house on
the Shore distinguished among all the splen-
did spots on the earth. An what heavenly
days of repose were those again in Sorrento
Our terrace projected like an elevated hall,
far out into the orange garden, over whose
green tops one looked into the blue sparkling
sea. From the green woods around, from the
screen Of flowers on the terrace, rise mex
haustible perfumes; from the sea floats mp
eternal freshness. Bat the Gulf of Naples
is grand enough to be prominently sublime
Inn, .F.1 Il. IT,"
green mountain behind the strand beneath as
if sown with pearls the blue pointed heads of
the islands swimming in the pure ether, all
combines to form the most magnificent tableau,
and all is as if drowned in splendor, aud sur
rounded by eternal rest. One observes not
how time passes, in looking and thinking.
And this sea so sparkling and so lovely
When we sat below between the rocks, how
beautiful were the green waves in their swell
ing and murmuring, and so clear aud trans
parent even beneath their mirror TO the mossy
rocks below, down to the gloomy depths out
of which the white shells sparkled. The sun
goes on its eternal course in the lofty lirma-
ment, the shadows grow longer; suddenly all
the water swims in red glow, and then a
mis- sinks down, and the rippling aud whis-
pering and FLASHING of the waves become louder
yes, it is evening; one has not observed the
passing of the day in this cool rest aud
quiet, where no thoughts throw any sha-
dows of strife into the heart aud the
soul is bright and clear to the bottom
as the wide, warm, blue ether around
and the illuminated depths of the sea.
Only little disquietude ever again returned;
1t was Vesuyius even, which looked down SO
proud in its might, so challenging. AS the
ruler OF the gulf it had already met as when
we descended at Capus from the coach. How
beautiful and magnificent he stretched up
wards, clothed in the purest velvet blue like
princes mantle, the white cloud Of smoke
like crown on his head When we rode
down, two evenings later, from Camaldoli,
and the sun was setting, the entire mountain
seemed drowned in rosy light, just as il a
mild inward glow had broken out on every
side. And now he thundered sullenly through
the silence of Sorrento, aud now he threw ul
his sheaves of fame into the night. A gian
of the gloomy primeval ages, he protected lat(
the gentle present. dark, mysterious, anc
hostile to man. The volcano occupied thu
mind even when one was not looking at it
On the fourth evening we made sudden reso
luton, and quick three-horse team brough
as speedily the four hours Journey to Pom
peii-a lovely drive in the night throug
blooming fragrant gardens, or down by tn
sea beneath lofty hills from which the whit
towns threw down their lights on the quie
mirror of the gulf.
When we came through Castellamare ther
were great illuminations and splendid fire
works. They were celebrating the annivel
sary of the Constitution. Five years before
had Joined in the celebration at Naples. Sine
then Italy has improved little, the people her
are more industrious and cleaner but theT
they have grown terribly wilder, the entil
world of off irehOders muuh more thievish. an
yet five years had again passed and no groun