The National tribune., 1883-04-26

almost cloister-like, open-air gallery and are
ushered through high iron gate into broad
pathway hedged on both sides By laurels higher
than mans head Towards the west, this
path leads up steep hill, broken, half way, by
a little plateau, bearing a neglected fountain,
The afternoon sunshine filters through Hex
and laurel leaves and plays softly on the hill
side and about the fountain, and the air is
heavy with the odor of violets. Here and
there other broad, straight paths lead off at stiff
right angles from the main one. but no one
walks in these; and the busts of old Romans
resting on laurel-bowered pedestals at remote
ends of these side paths are moss grown and
lonely The hillside is covered with ground
myrtle in full bloom, and an occasional bird
note completes the promise of spring From
the hilltop the view is exquisitely beautiful
Nearest is the palace, angular and unobtrusive
externally, as all Roman palaces are, and quiet
in color. Then the city stretches away to the
ugly Tiber and beyond; farther, still, lies the
beautiful deadly Campania, and beyond this, to
the east, the purple mountains, with more
snow this spring than they usually wear.
Rome is rich in belvideres or points of outlook
over the Campania and the mountains, but
there can hardly be one more Enchanting than
this from the Corsini garden.
THE CITY ITSELF.
The Capitol and Kirchaio museums are gov
ernmental possessions open TO the public The
VATICAN dUQ CuuICuSo, Will tlClE WE1Itn
of paintings, statuary and antiquities, are
church property, and open to the people; yet
the private villas and palaces are so many, so
rich, and so freely open, that the tourist leaves
Rome with strong impression of having shared
III the enjoyment of private belongings and re-
ceived d generous though impersonal hoSpi-
taiity. This feeling is enhanced by the fact
that well-nigh all the beauty of Rome is in
doors. st. Peters, of course, is majestically
fr1l and the with thar
clear, free-howing fountains are charming
but this constitutes slender aggregate of
external beauty for so great city Every
sort of interior on the other hand, has its own
attractiveness from the wonderful little gro
GERS shop with illumined shrineS through all
the range of shops and studios and churches
to the Sistine Chapel itself. The shops are
especially entertaining not the stores in the
Anglo-American Quarter which are like any
other, but the little shops in the side streets.
These have no opening for light, ar or custom
ers, save large round arch, fringed with wares,
through which you pass from the street. In
side, the shop is neither more nor less than a
cave; floor, roof and walls are stone, and dark
stone too. The owners taste is shown in his
disposition of his wares, In framing his en-
trance arch, and in getting good lights on his
best works,-for all these shops are workshops
Scale-makers seem to thrive greatly, and their
brass and steel wares, of shapes used only by
druggists in America, make fine array against
the black background of the cave whenever
the sunshine strikes the arch and make its
metal fringe glisten. There are no sidewalks
in the streets where these shops flourish, and
the workman inside sits with his feet resting
on floor which is very nearly an unbroken
continuation of the bad pavement of the narrow,
crooked, crowded street outside. This is not
the misfortune that it seems at first glance, for
Rome is hot, southern city, and in the long, IN
wholesome summer a dark street is a refuge, a
| dark cave with stone or brick walls is a COM
| Portable abiding place, and the densely built
portions of the city are safest from the poisoned
| winds that blow in from the Campania. So true
| is this last statement that the Ghetto, or jew
| ish Quarter, which is packed and crowded be-
yond description, is famous for being the health
| lest spot in Rome The fitness of their way OF
| living is amply proved by the fine physiques
| and handsome faces of the Roman working
people, The women, especially, are erect and
| rosy with fine clear color and clear eyes, and
the grimy children swarning on Roman door
steps are wonderfully beautiful. The not eli
mate explains, perhaps, the neglect of external
decoration as it explains the elaborate care fol-
every sort of interior for all the world is ex
| peeted to live indoors and a street Is merely {
means of getting as quickly as possible from
| one interior to another. This indoor life has
| charm which grows with every day of stay
in Rome, and part of the reluctant feelins
| with which one goes away comes, perhaps, fron
the consciousness of having made for q time
| part of the real life of the city. For all Rom
| worships the beautiful and welcomes you TO
sort of fellowship if you, too, will come indoor
| and worship. I. &.