Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1871-06-10
From the Sunday Telegram.
THE RUINS OF ROME.
BY COL. JOHN r: JOHNSTON.

The is no srot more teplete with in.
terest to the historian than the capital
of Rome. The name Of itself is full Of
expression. In the Roman capitol
the seeds of that mighty power were
planted which made that empire the
glory of the civilized world: In this
present capitol, at the time We visited
| it, there was but one single Senator
aud he appointed by the Pope He
amuses himself holding court and in
dnlging any other little diversion
which his fancy may suggest.
The ancient capitol has long since
vanished. The present was designed
by Michael Angelo. 1t reflects but
little credit upon the reputation of SC
great man, for it is neither sublime
nor beautiful. 1t looks like three pal
aces built by as many rich army sut-
lers, all of whom wished to live near
each other and had ordered residences
for themselves alone. Hence the
Rome of to-day is altogether unlike
the Rome of Cato, the Censor.
In the centre of the Plaza is statue
Of Marcus Aurelius--the most cxqui-
sitelv executed work Of it, kind now
extant. In this building artists and
poets were once crowned with wraathes
and laurels by the hands of dietin-
guishcd Senators. In the presence of
rank, beauty, fashion and learning,
and amid strains of sweetest music and
the accents OF patriotic recitations,
were these distinguished personagcs
thus honorcd.
The interior of the Capitol, as it is,
has an air of shabby gcnteel.' y but
not s'cdy elegance The building
next to the Vatican is filled with the
most rare and exquisite statuarv -
Here aro seen the Dying Gladiator,
the Venus of the Capitol, and many
works b Canova; also the celebrated
bronze wolf The gallery of pictures
is wonderful success, (oycr the left,
being about as badly executed rs they
well could be. | have probably seen
worse in Europe, but his is doubtful
The reader will here pardon little
depression. 1t really makes me feel
quite sad when | see SO nlshv persons
possessing great strength iii their
bodies, while in their brains they are
weaker than cat David was a
small man physically, but he soon de-
molished Sampson Our readers will
readily recall these pugilists. They
had little fight some years ago in q
country far more Oriental than that
in which | now wrlte-not an intel
lectual contest, but a struggle for the
belt, In ell countries there is muscle
and mind and science and soul, but
the more that is written on the muscle
the more do the masses appreciate it.
There will be a big weeping and wall
ing and Gnashing of teeth some day,
when the newspapers will revel in the
entertainment, and struggle as to who
shall get the news first.
was sadly disappointed on my first
visit to Rome. | had often heard of
it as the Eternal City, now clothed
in magnificent ruins. The mere men
ton Of ruin is poetry to an artist s
ears, unlcss it be the ruin of the hu-
man system. Every feature Of the
broken outlines of these ruins is filled
with poetic sentiment. There is q
graceful desolation in every broken
column, and i'll every displaced stone
They are everywhere met with,
wrcathcd in ivy, and the battlcments
and high walls are covered with q
drapery Of long grass. Many Of these
runs, however, are not placed IN good
position for the eye, They do not
stand alone in their solitary grandeur,
but could fix them just to suit artists
if allowed, You often find them
jumbled in places where you would
least expect to fud anything of the
kind.
The temple of Antonius the Plus
has been converted into a Custom
House. The mausoleum Of Augustus
is filed with small houses. The beau
tltul columns of the Theatre of Mar
cellus are struck upon the walls of the
Orsini Palace, and in the basement all
kinds OF mean shops are to be seen.-
Ancient grandeur seems to have been
totally forgotten, and all appear bent
upon the accumulation of money.
Every ruin in Rome has devoted
and admiring students, and many of
these shapeless and moulderins fab
RIGS have been the scene of antiquarian
discussions, in which the most sub
stantlal points have been lost in the
dust.
The volumes which have been writ
ten on Rome would make large
library in itself. Take walk to the
Basllica Of Constantine, or the Temple
OF Minerva. No one ever thinks OF
the follies which lie sleeping in the
archives of the Vatican.
The Vatican is the Pope's Palace
Pio TX. | saw him often, and he is
Just my idea Of a good Christian, and
ijust the man to be at the head of such
church & church cmbodrin9 50