Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-01-25
Rome Reviving as the Centre Of Euro
pean Civilization.

AeOAhO LeOfA'AhS Uo thS OOhbA v Va AhuAO
pean Civilization.
Amid all the changes and evolutions
Of our sorely agilated period the name
of Rome retains its immcmorial infiu-
ence. Time, war and the elements
have beat on the ancient city in vain.
The folly Of princes and the turbulence
of the people have alike subjected il to
loss of political power and Of material
prosperity-havo dcfaced il within
and isolated il from without, while
impairing all its resources and dimin.
ishing its population; and yet, in all
its lonliness, Rome has continued from
age to age to wicld an undiminished
empire over the human mind. This
she has maintained under every form
of government and in the very pres.
cnce of the mighty States which have
arisen in Europe and the West while
her ancient glories were crumbling to
ruin. At this moment she disputes
with Paris the interest Of mankind.
The French capital, so lately the chief
scat Of all the rcfnemcnts Of modern
life, the centre of the most conspicu.
Gus, if not the most formidable, i'm.
perial rule on cath, and the mould OF
fashion for every elegance and grace
of other communities, is desolate with.
in its walls under the shadow Of i'm
pending destruction, and is girdled
and manacled with fire and steel by
the fierce besicging armies that encir-
Gle it and cut II off from the world.
It's hour of humliating submission or
of material downfall has come
While mankind waits with bated
breath TO behold this solemn spectacle
new light is beginning to dawn over
the churches and monuments Of Rome
The gigantic shadows of her ancient
sanctuaries are frightened by the
presence Of the throngs Of visitors who
desire to become residents, streaming
in TO her from the most distant coun-
tries as well as from every part of the
European Continent. Her hotels and
lodging houses arc all crowded and
the most princely terms are offered fol
even the humblest tenemonts which
are but decently habitable. The hand
of restoration and improvement is al
ready vigorously at work, and the
keen glance OF intelligent speculation
is directed to means of comfort and
profit which the exigencies of the past
few hundred years have compelled
even the most enlightened of hel
princes to neglect. And not to th,
poetic fancy alone, but 10 the coolest
practical mind of our day, well may {
dream of substantial glory-that glory
which consists of reconstruction fol
the good Of fellow man-tako SHAPE
and grow until it becomes grand re
atty, in recalling what was ono,
achieved upon this site Of power anC
in forseeing what may yet be DONE
What an area OF thought is unfOldct
to the gaze that ranges over the Eter
nal City, the Campaign around it an'
the horizon crowned by the Alban ant
the Sabine Hills, on the one side, an,
gildcd by the shining waters of tn
Mediterranean, but twenty milesaway
upon the other, when the beholde
looks out from the ball porched ia
above the dome Of St. Peters
From the banks of the narrow TibeI
which winds almost Immediately be
low, extends the City of the Caesars
partly masked by the buildings of th
modern city, which did not even exis
when worldwide fame belonged {
the ediflces and monuments who's
very ruins challenge admiration.
Those temples in their splcndor eminent
Mid arcs and obelisks aud domcs and ttowcrs,
Rejecting back the radiance Of the West.
But il we cndeavor to recall the al
grcgatc of splendor and wealth {
which this imperial city was the cer
trc in the later and more prospcrou
period Of the empire, we shall find th
retrospect imposing. In the reign
the Emperor Claudius, one Of the SUI
cessors Of Augustus, Rome which wa
tho chief luminous centre Of eleganC
and luxury and Of substantial man'
facturcs, as well as Of the fine an
decorative arts-whilo at tho sam
time tho star Of science, the tongue
oratory, the mistress of poesy an
bellies letters and the instructing an
commanding head of religion--hel
{ undivided sway over one hundred an
& twenty million human beings, on ever
| known continent and island, in ever
cline, and ofth most amazing variet
Of race and culture. Her cstablishe
8 authority reigned equally supreme Q
the banks of the Thames and tho Tibe
and the glory that rested on her arm
. was only cclipscd by the respect thl
was willingly paid by all the trib
beneath her sceptor TO the wisdom
/" her legislation and tho grandeur
c her intellectual development lia
n alone contained eleven hundred AT
y J, nincty-seven handsome cities; and
is q question whether, judging by Il
remains ofpagan splendor found tber
some Of them did not exceed in a
tique times the magnifccnce Of the
=, most notable modern successors. III
Roman provinces of Gaul could boa
twelve hundred cities, those of Afri
three hundred and those of Asia f.
hundred, many of these, like Antio
n and Alexandria, disputing the pal
with Rome herself The leadil