Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-08-11

This is the place to revel in the illus
trious scenes of Roman life. Here con-
vened her Kings and Queens; here were
exhibited the royalty and exquisite at
tainments and obtainments of Princes and
Princesses; here statesmen, orators, poets,
philosophers and the noblemen and women
of the empire convened and basked in the
light and glory of their civilization. From
this platform Cicero ruled the multitudes
that heard him by the irresistible logic of
his argument and the overwhelming force
of his inimitable eloquence. There Mark
Antony delivered the funeral oration
over the dead body of Caesar, and where l
now stand the Roman Senate settled the
historic questions which exhibited the
genius of her learned men and established
for all time the destiny of nations whose
highest conceptions of God could be repre-
sented by figures and images made by the
hands of man.
The Mamertine prison where st. Paul
was incarcerated is gloomy dun
geon. No light Stagnant and chilly
air. 1t is a rockhewn cavern. A well is
shown from which they say he drew the
water to baptise his converts, many of
whom were soldiers. Outside Of the old
walls is the most beautiful temple saw
anywherein the old world. | speak not of
magnitude nor variety of statuary; but in
elegance of construction, and symmetry of
design, In richness of colors, in appropri-
atenesS Of pieces, it is simply sacred This
| temple Is in honor of the Apostle to the
Gentiles. His tomb, we are told, is there
The campauiform rests on four pillars of
polished malachite, and every department,
every relief on wall and ceiling, every
niche and alcove, is furnished with
mosaics. Like the Cathedral of Milan, it
is a Biblical cyclorama of illustrations
from the creation of man to Jesus Christ
in his great work among men in life; and
| from his apprehension, trial, crucifixion,
resurrection, and the final triumph of the
inyincible conqueror, and his coronation
by the saints in light.
During a visit to the holy stairs | taw
pilgrims ascending the twenty-eight mar
bic steps of the Scala Santa Dickens
said: "The sight was ridiculous in the alb
surd incidents inseparable from ito see
one man with an umbrella unlawfully moist
himself with it from stair to stair, and a
demure old lady of ffty-fve looking back
every now and then TO assure herself that
her legs We're properly disposed" By as
cendlng these stairs on their knees, thou
sand years indulgence is secured those who
believe it. These stairs they believe are
| the identical ones Christ descended from
the Judgment Hall of Plate. Martin
| Luther had made the ascent halfway.
when he arose and walked down, saving a
voice had spoken to him, ''the Just shall
live by faith
| The Catacombs on the Apian way were
visited and many Christian and heather
inscriptions noted, dating back to the third
! century. Rome is surrounded by sixty OF
! these subterranean tombs They occupy
as much space as modern Rome, but have
| been robbed of their treasures, and but
| few bodies remain to be seen.
The Colosseum, so long the building
/ quarry of Rome, is still
"a noble wreck in ruinous perfection"
There was seating room for $1,000 specta-
tors, and $4,000 could stand near the
arena. 1t was appropriately said of il
that 1t could unpeople Rome.
which on its public shows unpeopled Rome
And held uncrowded nations in its womb"
/ stood in the arena where the gladia.
tors entertained the Roman populace, and
where the sight of human gore won the
victor the applause of the unfeeling mass.
es. The dens of the wild beasts are being
excayated, and the royal seats and upper
and lower corridors exposed. \ mJon.
light view of the ruins is said to be truly
fine-they are fascinating indeed.
The Vatican museum is very large and
contains many splendid statues of ancient
sculpture from Egypt, Greece and ancient
Rome. The mosaics and paintings also are
nowhere excelled in Europe. Those of
the Sistine chapel are the best of Raphael
and Michael Angelo. l also saw some of
the presents of the Pope, received during
the jubilee going on at this time. They
are valued at $25,000,000.
But my space is exhausted, and must
bid the reader adieu. For twenty week.
l have tried to tell few things of the
many which l have seen and heard. | &C
from here to Germany, down the Rhine
through Belgium, England and Ireland
and hope to reach home by the 9th oi
June
| am very truly yours,
| I