The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-11-09

A Lecture by Rev. Alexander Reed, ID. D.
Interesting Information Concerning Italy
a. llO

Interesting Information Concerning Italy
and the Italians.
The Rev. Alexander Reed, d. D., of this city,
last evening delivered lecture in the West
Arch Street Presbyterian Church. on the sub
ject "ltalv as / saw it," Of the able effort the
following is an ABSTRACT
"On the Mediterranean sea, like huge boot
which Napoleon would have been most happy
to have put on--lies the peninsula now called
Italy. In this country every portion OF the soil
is pilgrimage, every peak and plain, every
rock and river, is redolent with antiquity. The
Italy of day, exclusive of several islands, is
about as large as New York, New Jersey, and
PENNSYLVANIA. It is arranged in three terri
torial divisions, the Kingdom of Italy, the Re-
public of San Marino, and Monaco.
'It was on the evening of perfect summer
day that came from the northward to one of
the most beautiful cities of Italy-Naples. Its
beautiful bay was n splendid mosaic under the
rays of the departing sun. 1t was picture
never to be forgotten, and the grandest feature
was old Vesuvius, toward the south, able, and
seemingly willing, to destroy ALL
'Soon after arriving, our party started for
visit to this far-famed mountain. We drove
southwark from Naples, some six miles to
Resina, where we exchanged carriages for ac-
tive, sure-footed ponies and began the ascent.
From this point to the crater it is about miles
of travel. At the point of 5000 feet elevation, 2
miles from the crater, is the hermitage, where
we rested beneath the last trees we should find
on the ascent.
''The crater, full of vapor so as to be impene-
tTable to the eye, was some 500 feet wide,
ence, and, COUGHING upon its crumbling edge,
we peered into its invisible depths. A stone
hurled into it went down. down, down, until
one shuddered as it ceased to be heard. At
several places through the thin crust the fires
were visible, and we touched them with our
slaves
"Pompeii is reached by railway, and is 13 miles
from Naples. This city was founded long before
the Romans held the country. In the year 70,
Just 1901 years ago, when Titus ruled in Rome,
when the gay people of the city were busy
buying and selling, feasting and mourning, and
were intensely absorbed in municipal election,
all forgetful of God, then suddenly vast column
of black smoke burst from the mountain five
miles away, and, rising to prodigious height,
il gradually spread itself out, hiding the aud
Overshadowing the earth for many a league.
'The smoke and thick cloud were broken only
by blue and sulphurous flashes, and it was fol-
lowed by rain of ashes and showers of small
hot stones, mingled with heavier masses. Then
an aqueous vapor condensed into rain mixed
with the ashes that filled the air, and poured
floods of liquid mud upon the doomed city,
crushing in roofs and streaming through streets,
filling every nook and crevice until there was
no shelter left Those who had not fed, or who
returned for gain, had no escape. Those who
had taken refuge in cellars and secret vaults
were sealed up forever. Thus, in three days,
eighteen hundred years ago, Pompeii and Her.
culaneum perishea from the face of the earth.
"The cities as resurrected look much like
Durnt district in any city would look. The i'm
preston that you are in Roman town of old is
lively wondering where the people are to-day.
The houses are open to the sun, just as if occu-
pied. The streets have deep ruts cut in them by
the chariot wheels of long ago. We enter a
house unchallenged, and inspect the arrange
ments. The floor of the vestibule is laid in
mosaic, with the Latin word, SaIoe (.celconoe) or
flowers worked into the design. The houses
and shops are generally small, usually of but
one story.
"At the distance of 13O miles by railway from
Naples is the Eternal City on the Seven Hills
of Rome. One of its great attractions is st.
Peters, on the site of the former temple to Jupi-
ter. st. Peters is o landscape, other churches
are gardens. The temperature in the interior
is cool in summer and warm in winter. Its
windows are never open. IL has an atmosphere
of it's own and requires no ventilation. Thous-
ands of people in it give it only the appearance
of emptiness.
= ''The Vatican, the capitol of the Roman pos
sessions and the palace of the Popes, is as diff
ferent from other palaces as st. Peters is from
other churches. 1t is an accumulation of
palaces, built at different periods by different
Popes. With its gardens it occupies as much
space as the city of Turin. 1t contains between
four and five thousand rooms. 1t has
miles OF pictures, statuary, manuscripts, and
books. AS a museum it is the first in the world.
Its library besides its tens of thousands of vol
umes, has twenty-five thousand manuscripts.
THE Colosseum of Rome or the Flavian
Amphitheatre is one of the greatest sights.
Vespaslan began it, and the Jewish captives
completed it under Titus and his son. When il
was inaugurated 5000 wild animals and 10000
human captves were slain. 1t covers six acres
of ground. In the same vicinity is the principal
entrance to the Catacombs. These vast subter.
ranean excavations seryedas the places of refuge
and worship, and also the burial place of the
early Christians.
'"rhe city of Venice is wondrous marble
flower built upon the surface of the sea- Here
enc has peculiar sensation in being met at the
railroad depot by carriage in the shape of q
boat. No city eXerts so strong spell upon the
Imagination. 1t is q new kind of living, il
upsets all old habits In external Venice there
are but three things to be seen-sea, sky, and
architecture; but if you start out to see them
there as elsewhere you will drown. Think ol
the tide coming in to your front dool
twice a day. Think of having to call a
boat If you only want to put
a letter In the Post Office or make call next
door, But there are compensations for all in
eonveniences. The streets are never dusty
Besides, children never fail out of the window:
in Venice and drown, for they can all swim
You are never out of water to wash because o
a drought though drinking water is pool
enough.
Time will not allow description of all the
Italian cities, but after all, though the country
Is everywhere so beautiful, one is glad to eros:
the mountains and come into Switzerland the
republic, and the home of the brave. There we
are beyond despotism of Church or State. We
are eXhilarated by the free air. We rejoice tha
we are republicans. We breathe freer and rest
"Our description OF the country has beer
more In praise than blame. While we are glad
and thankful that we are Americans, it is not
thought best to trayel,ias do some as Judges
through all the earth, believing that there il
nothing good but at home. While there is muct
10 condemn, il Is not always best to speak of il
The object OF this sketch is not criticism, an(
therefore not 10 spy out defects
UDM gTETNAJUpZ