Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-12-02
VIrgiI,s roInb

Charles Warren Stoddard writes TO the san
Francisco Chronicle; "The chief novelty OF
Naples is the Grotto OF Posilipo and the mouth
Of thie grotto ia the tomb of Virgil. The caT1i-
age drew up at q small door in the solid rock,
out Of which the grotto is hewn ring at this
door summoned guny fellow from black
smith shop also hewn out of the rock--the shop,
not the man. entered and found long flight
of steps that led into vineyard full Of grapes
AID sunshine, a lovely spot narrow path
wound through this Eden, and the grape-haryes-
teis, brown, staHart fellows, directed me from
time to time, ~ that after many turns that
brought me deeper into the dense green Crap
cry, came at last to rock overhanging the
mouth Of the grotto, and here entered an an
Gent columbarluln, entirely Overgrown with
grass. temple on an Island could not be more
completely separated from the turmoil aud trafc
Of the town.
"Ihe one chamber, about fifteen feet square.
held many vacant recesses which probably once
contained cinerary urns, and in front of one Of
the unglszed windows stood marble slab erect
ed to tine memory of the poet and bearing 4
lengthy epitaph, not quite 50 long however, as
the Ined. II is not surprising that tomb,
even though II shelter the remains of so distin
sIished parsonage as Vigil, should have fallen
10 decay in the course OF ineteen centuriea
Many have doubted that his dust rcposes here
yet petrarch, with the poets easy faith,
lihilteu u lauIel Oh Tue IOOl OF the column
barium, which fouIished until its yitals
had been gashed by the knives of tllose
who make pl actice OF robbing every shrine
they visit. While stood in that secluded spot,
Hooded with green and amber light that siited
through tue yine-screens at the windows, |
thought of long gothic ball alled with desks,
and at every desk ayoung head bowed over L
"elI-thumbed and puzzlelng Textbook The
green amber light Of the summers afternoon
stole in there also, and through the half-open
window was heard the chant Of summer birds.
There was a busy silence in that half hour vi
school, and after it came the hour Of deliver
ancel the tramp of triumphant feet, and the
shout of JOY into which entered all the isup
pressed physical vitality of the day. Then there
was silence deeper than before, while the light
faded from green TO brown and from amber Il
gray. At the far end Of the hall sat him whC
was at once tutor and tormentor, under whose
rule we grew apace, but groaned the while ",
grew. ALI many an hour when my heart wa.
elsewhere, have my eyes sought the fascinating
pages 4 him who sang of wars and hero in
tongue that then seemed To me a mistake
Through all these centuries his enchantin;
verse has caused the youthful hear
10 quicken and TO quake. The chant that cam
70 us before the gospels yet IL stlll as fresh an
clear aa the arks first song in the spTinl Villa
have We to thank thee for, o Virgil though fu
tiny sake We have lost many half-hoday, an
borne the taskmazter's retributiVe stripes
did not imagine in those trOublous days that tll
time would come when, with uncovered head,
should enter the mnusoleum where thy revere
dust reposeH, and there, with flood of tend,
and half regretful memories rushing upon me,
should honestly say, IN the tullness of my hear
% Virgil, forgive you Tor having snug in l..
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