The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-10-30
1 The POmpeIian Centenary.

Tho Italians are exceedingly fond of
commem0rations, SO much so that one
is sometimes tempted to think prefer
ence for play over work has more to do
with the celebration of such frequently
recurring anniversaries than any real
Importance or interest attaching to the
occasion. But it can. scarcely be denied
that an archaeological celebration which
had been arranged for the 25th of Sep
tember, is worthy of the interest and
attention not only of Italians themselves
but of cultivated persons in every part
of the world. 1t is intended to COM
memorate the eighteenth centenary of
the destruction of Pompeii. ID. go
The invitations to participate in this
truly unique event have already been
printed, and in great measure forward
ed to the more prominent Of the per-
sons and institutions whom such an oc-
casion is sure to interest. The tickets
of admission are classic tesserG, bear
ing the following inscription in those
red mural characters so familiar to all
who have visited the buried city.
"Tessera for gratuitous admission to
Pompeii-the XIV. of September,
DCCCLXXIX.-on the recurrence of
XVIII. centenary after its destruction"
ing brief programme: I" 10 o'clock A.
M, in the basilica., Report of the direc-
tor. 1880, visit to view the monu-
nepts. 1880, excavations in the With
and vi. visions of the lXth region.
Invitations have been sent to all the
archaeological and artistic academies
and institutions of Germany, England,
and other countries, and already re-
plies have been received from
the principal bodies. During the
last three months all excavations
have been suspended at Pompeii,
aud no fewer than forty new excava-
tions have been fixed upon to be made
on the occasion Of the centenary. To
behold a fresh excavation in the buried
city is often a very wonderful and in
teresting experience. Sometimes the
cover is drawn blank, so to speak, and
no object of mark or interest rewards
seekers. But often it is otherwise. In
the time of the Bourbon King of Naples
distinguished visitors to POmpeii used
to be complimented by the opening of
some fresh excavation in their honor.
1t is related that when the late Lord
Brougham visited Pompeii, such COM
pliment being paid to him, the result
was a very striking one. A point was
selected under which it was confidently
conjectured there must be a dwelling
house, and spade and pickaxe went to
work. Sure enough, there was the
house, and there was its closed portal.
A few skillful strokes opened 1t, and
revealed for one brief moment human
figure standing there within it. The
eye had barely time to take cognizance
OF his wearied appearance-an earthly
phantom revealed to the light of
the sun after nearly two thou
sand years of dark oblivion when,
in flash, it. crumbled and was
gone. A few handfuls of impalpable
dust alone remained to tell of that long
buried human creature. Itmay be that
some similarly striking incidents will
reward the research and curiosity of
the learned and artistic eyes which will
gaze upon Pompeii on the 25th of this
month. E'r-.-
A huge volume is now in the press,
entitled "Pompeii, and the Region
Overwhelmed by Vesuvius in the Year
LXXIX," and it will be published on
the occasion of the centenary. This
work will contain papers written ex-
pressly by distinguished naturalists and
archeologists. The naturalists have
discussed questions of physical science
connected with Pompeii, and the catas-
trophe which destroyed it, illustrating
its fora and the;I principal phenomena
of its destruction. The archeologists
have added to the goodly number of
studies already existing upon Pom
peiian monuments, and especially have
enriched the collection with valuable
observations on those which have been
discovered within the last ten years.
In order to make the celebration COM
plete, Vesuvius ought to send out a
mild eruption, merely a sort of ten de
joie, grand and beautiful, without being
terrible. The present crater is, how
ever, not the instrument which poured
forth death and ruin on the Campanian
city. The portion of the volcanic
mountain which vomited its burning
lava and its choking ashes 1,S00 years
ago now lies sullen and silent, with a
strange resemblance in its outline,
viewed from one point, to a crouching
lion. The last time stood within the
marvellous streets of Pompeii it was n
brilliant winter day, with sun as hot
as an English sun in June, and a sky
more luminously and intensely blue
than an English sky ever could be.
Forms and colors Of the gayest beauty