Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-03-12
Pomreii.

SO started on my Hompeli'n eAcuisioh "t
once.
All alonc the ronte were the macaroni
orJ Italian poste manufactures. The IN
clothed men and boys were at work IN the
dough. while others We're spreading the
wheaton blankets upon the pavement,
over racks. and upon roofs to dry dark
and dingv establishments that not even
the amplitude of hour-dust has power to
chasten. Every couple OF steps were
vendors of earthen jugs of the Hariy ho-
man form-large round oydies,- IONS mar
row necks. handle on either side. Tray
ellers purchase them to take home as
relics the natives still use them as house
hold utensils. The road was dusty. as 1t
is ever in the dry season, and the Inhabi-
tants seemed crumbling into earth. Here
parpers and princes cluster together. The
tilthiest peop!e live and carry on their
trades in the first stories OF the palaces,
while above them and behind them are IN
effable extravaganza and beauty. Ihe
highrcad is the
EMPIRE or TIE UNwAsHED,
uncombed and unkempt classes, very
sink of corruption. while through IRON
barred courts l caught exquisite views Of
the magnificent beyond, where the palace
lawns slope down to the margin OF the
blue bay and the hoary pallor Of the mar
bles casts the vivid, Italian hues OF ma
ture into richer color. Here the Old
apothcgm is transposed, foul without anu
fair within.
As we rode on, the eternal crater,-
cIor,d by day and fire at night,-kcpt us
company. Sometimes we seemed to be
sealing his very base, at another he was
receding. and again he was upright by
cur side. Great boulders of lava be-
strewed the way, and served rs supports
to the wretched shanties; and here they
were lust as the molten fire rolled down
/ the mountain side, and accumulated, and
! rrew solid. 500 wears ago. What with
/ the srorching sun and the pumice-stone
powder from the highway, the plants
/ were as arid and white as the wall by
which they dropped. 1t was warm, diS-
/ agreeable ride of two and half hours,
with no fresh patches Of glowing scenery
/ to relieve the squalor of the road; all was
/ as dolcful auI dirty IA If Sorrento
orange groves, Capri 5 sapphire caves ami
Ischia's purple rocky heights were not
| elistening of i'll the bay like 'Jcwels i'll
| the Ethiop's ear The sunshine was
1 there. but there was Il" green nature tu
temper lis rays: it fell fierce and blind
ing upon all around. | WIS glad when
We came our journeys end, curious as
all Of it WIS To my Strangers gaze. 1he
Diomcd inn, adirty miserable hotel at the
gates Of Pompeii, is the rest for tourists
while waiting for the guide of the un-
earthed cl,y: and here We tarried long he
fore ciccrOnc appeared.
Need | mar the harmonious chant "i
Plinv. Bulwer, Dumas or Nlcolinl by a
Jiscor,lnnt repetition? They have he
uueathed to the world the religion, the
sports, and the romance of this carly 30
man Newport They have added an ne.
count Of the moral diseases. gnawinG like
canker-worms atthe heart of society, whei
poor Pompeii was overtakcn by the triple
storm of fire, ashes and lava, on that darf
and dreadful August day of % y H..
when wives sought husbands. mothers
their children and lovers cried aloud II
vain for each other, finding peace s-i', II
eternity. had read the stories OF thai
evcntful ,lay, with the same wonder and
awe rs | had read OF the creation, The
flood, the crucifixion perhaps with som,
Of the vague bewilderment with which
read Revelations. and seasoning cf the
romantic skcpticism with which | rca,
the arabian Nights" Robinson Crusoe,
or 'GuIlivcr's Travels"
roMPEIAS RELICS.
There. in the museum, sought the ex
hum,l proofs of the existence that wa
choked 50 long ago us scarcely to have
Ineal connection with or world.
fonnd eight human bodies perfectly petri
fed in their ushen shcaths ; IN these
read the encouraging lesson that Cicero
Pampey or Marcus Antoninus, Giaucn
or Clodius, We're rot men of create
physical stature than ouT presen. poets
statesmen and orators. The skeleton "i
dog. II bird, IL bone Of roast-fecf. lo''
of bread, dish Of barley, napkin 9TH
warp still preserved, bronze-laiaps
household luxuries, earrings, bracelets
and necklaces, teach lis that the work
creation, the human appetite, the prep"
ro;ion of food, the habits the cravings q
females forgewgaws, were the same III III
classic ages ns they are to-day. 1t ~
cold. stern fact that the life we fnund /
the streets Of Naples is very mich th
life that WAS stilled in the street of Tomb
is centuries ago, where the front AT
lower story Of the palaces were let t
merchants. while the ;edilc suppcd IN tn
:ttrium with his lo,ily guests, upon Ian
pr,vs. pisiachio, iics and Ncsuvio VINE
; w. saw that the bn,hs, the theatre, tn
temple, and the forum were the load'tai
Of men and women then ms now. Lux
= rinrylv ~, these Sybarites lived in thrl
hcuscs. sparkling with all the glory ,
= tu.r rIsI tlI,l
t re,inucs Of slaves, lullcl by the fall ,
fountains. charmed by the beauty {
T Greek female lovcliness, still the mo'
i opuent houses were comparatively SINAI
4 while vast spaces were devoted to ii
public buildings. where the populace M
e io discuss sta.ccraft in the forum, socl'
; scandal ut the baths, to worship the ial'
gods, and he dupcd by the charlatanry
+ such false priests rs Arbaccs IN the ten
+ pies. and enjoy the bestinl sports oi II
) amphithcatre. Here the masterpieces
Greek and Roman princes OF the ems
; and the brush were exhibited; here IL
song Of the poet and volce "f the d
' claimer rang through column and nrrI
:, wnv, from foundation to capital here IL
u puiricians fclicituted in transport Of 9
Il and aromatic ointmcntss; here the co
y trite matron anl maid repaired to sole
: partlon for the old sin, and sign C"
tract with her absolver for new one.
= The strects ara narrow, the carriaG
) way scarcely broad enough to admit "l
II of our two-wheclel vehicles of t"-,lh
sinking more than II foot below the sid
T. walk in the centre of which are strppin
- stones. retaining the print of horse
u Lonfs The ruts of wheels and tho wei
" and rounded curbs are evidences "i Il
= s,ncrannuation Of the city het"r" l
u destruction. or. MS | have heard 1t icri
II eJ its preservation. Would We ha'
' pnmncii in So perfect Il state of cunscrv
i, tion to-day had not the ashes from YES
Il ,ius ,mbalmed it. and protected II fr"
+. the decay and corruption of ages? II
, fountain hasilis ri the street corners II
worn intn hulluws by the press "f hum!
IL hands upon the brim. while the wat
i, ~ filled the pail, or 10y lazy in,lo!cnt ham
II that Iollcd here while their owners chnti
the hou,, away. The stone steps Il
~ worn into grooves 10y the tramp "f inn'
~ feet hat the word Of welcome. SG'rt.
t. rn,e cucn, tpcwnr' of the dog nr' Si
~ IN perfect black anil white mcs:'ic III I
y u4vrmcnts. Shafts are gone, c"ihln
% broken, and altnrs d"iiled, hut the '"l'
and forms Of the frCsc"cs are marvcllpl
~ ly mmafied Walking the streets
''' excIaimcd at the limited dimensions
g, the town How much sleeps still un.
~ wonder hills "i pumico-st"nc?
-, Horsr or pIoMEn.
III Come with mo to the house of Dion,
T., Every one eoc., tu the house of Biomc
~, uf course -is that just renson sh"1
neglect 1t? 1t IL slightly out of to-
and elevated from the rund. flight
of steps lead to the perlstyl", from VIII
as We entered the baths, the atriun,
or eating room. the gardens. th" lihrar
a nn",hrr flight of steps descend t"
re- cellar. to- the scullcry offices of the hon
N, and where the nmph"r" Of WIN" "
ter kept the vault that gave forth the d'
lso that sought shelter IN 1t will! their ST"
iss of oil and food the subterrnncnn rctr
al tn which the vain Julin came with
Jewels and frail life, $40 years -