The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-04-23

the hcst tier; the second tier remains, Will
indications that there was third. All OF
these are after the manner of modern the
atres. The house of Marcus Lucretius has
an entrance paved with mosaic. The parlor,
or large reception room, aud the dining room
opening into it at one end, are paved with
marble In broad hall is fountain sur
rounded by a small fish pond; this leads Go
small garden within the building; there is
a kitchen and other conveniences, several
bed-chambers, in one of which is beautiful
fresco of Venus. Besides these there are
stone baths, everything indicating the lux,
uriOus tastes of the owner. The house OF
Sallust is smaller and palmer, thcug gh suf-
6ciently large, and having all the eOnve'
niences proper for man in his station, Of
course including bath. The baths are all
of stone. l saw the brick oven, still entire,
from which the loaves of bread were taken,
The print of the bakers name on one of
these loaves suggests the idea at this day
that it seems strange the art of printing had
not been earlier discovered. 1t shows by
what slow degrees great inventions arc de-
veloped in the minds of men. The letters
are as well printed as if done by printing
press. We did not go through the whole of
the city which has been brought to light,
but we had seen all the public buildings, and
were informed that there was nothing else of
particular interest. have omitted to men
tion the great temple of Jupiter, the largest
and finest OF them all. 1t is believed that
only one-third of the city has been exca-
waited, and the public buildings, especially
the great Forum, indicate that it was a very
large city. There is museum in which the
movable curiosites which have not been re-
moved to the museum in Naples, have been
collected. The most remarkable of these
are skeletons of men, and horses, and dogs,
and, more dreadful to behold, there are
whole bodies of men and women in all the
conditions to which they are subject, turned
to solid stone. The head, and face, and
limbs, just as they were when submerged by
the flow of lava. There are hundreds of
skulls and bones of men. women and chill
dren, of all sizes down to little babies. l
was glad to get out of these horrible rooms,
and pursue our journey through the streets
of the city. The view from the walls of Pom
peii, of the broad campagna on one side,
and the chain of mountains, the bay, and
the city of Naples, 1 might speak of with
raptures, but for what have now to attempt
to describe.
On our return we had before US the most
enchanting landscape ever beheld. On
one side was the smoking Vesuvius, and the
long chain of mountains extending north of
Naples till it terminates in a precipice of
three hundred feet, just beyond the villa San
SOuci; the bay spread out at the foot of the
mountains, the Crescent City on the other
side, running up to the tops Of the hills like
great amphitheare, the chain of noun
tains which form the island of Capri finish
ing the southern end of the picture. I'm
agine this scene lighted up by the most beau
tiful sunset. The sun was encircled by a
ring of all the cOlOrs of the rainbow, and
its rays so softened that we could look stead
lily on its brilliant disk without being daz
zled. As we moved along the shore, the
waves were Gashing and fOaming, sometimes
thl owing up the spray eight or ten feet
The view was much more varied, but not so
rich in ooloring as our first view of an Italian
sky. On our approach to Venice the sky
was of the richest vermillion, so perfectly
reflected on the smooth sea, that it was diff
cult to distinguish between sky and sea.
Sd y Yesterday we heard an excellent
sermon at the Scotch church. This morn
ing being rainy, we visited the church St.
MARITIME, and the monastery, now deserted,
connected with it. The lofty castle, st. Ell
mo, stands high above it. The interior of
the church is finished in most costly and
elaborate manner The floors of tesselated
marble, or mosaic, the walls all of varie-
gated marble, some of the walls ornamented
with amethyst and Lapis Lazuli; there are
some really fine paintings, and the ceiling
elabOrately ornamented with beautiful fres-
Goes. Every point about Naples presents
something new and beautiful in scenery
From the balcony of this building the view
was very grand. A black cloud overhang-
ing the bay cast its dark shadow on the
water, while beyond there were patches of
sunlight on the mountains away down to
Vesuviu8. Coming back by a circuitOus
route, we passed right above the pretty vii
lage of Puteoli, several hundred feet below
Us.
5tA.-I thought 1 was done, and I have
no doubt you and your readers think it is
time should be, but cannot help it; you
may stop printing, or your readers may stop
reading, but cannot stop this garrulity till
l leave Naples with its bewitching surround
ings. Yesterday, leaving the train at Cas-,
tellum Mavi, we drove along the road cut
out of the rock-mountains winding around
and overhanging the smooth bay, rising
higher and higher, until the water was five
hundred feet below, and the precipitouS sides
of the mountains were thousand feet above
W. Dasso5 +brouob soyarel vilIa0es