The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-05-11

peian rock from view. Criminals were
executed 10y being thrown from its sum-
/ nit. Now, an athlete might leap down
without much fear of breaking bones.
Beyond this we came to the Forum Ro-
manum, with its ruined columns and tenn
pies, where the people assembled, where
Cicero spoke, where conquering generals
entered in triumphal procession with cap
tlves and trophies of victory. Leaving
the ruins of the imperial palaces of the
Palatine Hill on the right, we passed
along the Via Sacra, through the Arch OF
Titus, commemorative of the capture of
Jerusalem; thence to Constantine's Arch
and the Coliseum, whose massive proper
tions alone would be sufficient to bear tes-
timony Of powerful and luxurious peo-
pie. Standing among those broken rem
nants OF Rome's glory, one can not fail to
appreciate to its fullest extent the perish
ability of all human monuments The
consuls and generals and emperors have
long since crumbled to dust, the Coliseum
was used for centuries as a stone quarry,
and the Forum had to be dug up from
rubbish with which time had covered it,
to satisfy the curiosity of modern sight
seers. Instead of seeing stalwart Roman
soldiers, with sword and buckler, doing
guard duty under these walls, we saw
Victor Emmanuel's recruits practicing
with the needle gun.
Returning through the modern city
again, we wandered along the Corso, the
fashionable tEoroughtare, taking super
fetal view of things in general. Then we
approached the Tiber at the Ponte s. An
gelo. The yellow Tiber, whatever it might
have been in ancient times, is now an in
significant, muddy stream, scarcely worthy
the name of river. l could not repress
a smile as l looked down upon il, aud
thought of Cassius bantering Caesar to
swim across it, and the latter failing in
the attempt. The river is doubtless much
decreased on account of being filled up by
the sediment brought down by its waters,
and the Italian government is taking
measures to dredge it and make it navi-
gable for small craft. The bridge crosses
directly under the walls OF the grim old
castle of st. Angelo, which frowns forbid
dinghy on us as we approach. It was the
papal stronghold and is connected with
the Vatican by gallery of masonry SO
that the Pope can betake himself to its
protection without exposure, whenever
necessary. rus Ia. Gun not use IL as q
refuge now, however, as it was taken by
the Italian troops in 1870, and is now gar
risoned by the soldiers of Victor Emman-
uel, with whom His Holiness is not on
very intimate and friendly terms Hence
we went to the great objective point of
Italian tourists, the triumph of Michael
Angeles art, the visible head of Catholi-
cism, st. Peter, and rested amid the sub
lime magnifcence of its gorgeous architec-
ture. Returning again aross the Tibcr, we
wandered among the lazy Romans, passed
by on the other side of the beggars at the
church door, like priests and Levites, no.
tlced the neat uniforms OF the Italian Off
GERS, admired what few pretty girls we saw,
and So by easy stages passed through the
Corso to the Piazza del Popolo, and as
cended Monte Pincio, from which point
we had the whole city spread out before us
like Il picture. Here we rested and enjoy
ed the scene, well satisfied with our pre-
liminary survey. We were fortunate in
other matters, too, for we met several of
our old Vienna friends, tour Americans
and Russian, with whom we afterwards
had some pleasant experiences. | have
avoided speaking of anything
specifically in this letter, in order that
might merely introduce you to Rome in
general. Hereafter will take up some Of
the most interesting objects and speak of
them in detail. M.