Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-03-06

Doric arches Of the lowest tier
artisans had their shops, and the
ruddly light Of the forge giowsd
upon piles Of green Vegetables ana
water-rreiohs and joints OF meat
which dangled from the trnvertine
blocks OF the Aigustan age. Above
the Ionic arches OF the Upper story
rose the grim walls OF the Saveli
palace, built in the Middle ages
on n lofty heap Of debris with
in the theatre. This was the
home Of NIebuhr when he lived
in Rome as Prussian ambassador.
From these windows he looked
down on the fountains, the orange
trees, ami Towering jessamine OF
his little garden,a far away across
the Tiber 10 St Peters and MentO
Mario. This district has undergone
a thorough cleansing. Tie ancient
| fish-market and the shops have been
removed, and the Ghetto levelled
- the ground. Whole streets Were
carted away during the last three
years amid clouds Of white dust and
mortar. Only the fortress-looking
walls Of the Ceoci palace,
the Portico OF Octavio, ami
the Theatre Of Marcellus re-
main. isolated aSd stripped
OF their surroundings. In short,
the whole Of this remarkable quar-
ter has disappeared to make room
for boulevards and Gerry builtr
houses.
There is no saying where the work |
of destruction will end. Three or
four years ago Villa d'Este, ~ nj /
rivol, was on the point OF being
sold and turned into a foundry, and /
Villa Borghese narrowly escaped
the same late. Even the apathetic
Romans were stirred when they
heard Prince BorgheSe announce
his Intention Of selling his villa,
the oldest and most famous In
Rome, founded three hundred
years ago by Cardinal Scipio
Borghese. This time the munich
pality protested, the case was taken
into court, aud the sale stopped by
Judicial decree. For the present,
At least Villa Borghese has been
saved. For n little while longer the
Romans may roam through these
gardens where once Raphael had its
home, and see the scarlet anomenes
and blue violetS come out in the
grass under the trees. For a little
while the tall stone pines Of Villa
DOria may lift their heads against
the golden sky, where the waters Of
the Fonte PaOline fash in the sun
set; but who can tell for how long?
The breath Of the destroying angel
Is In the air, and Mt any moment he
may pause in his flight over these
fair scenes and turn all this beauty
10 dust and ashes.
1t seems strange and almost in
credible that the Romans should sit
quietly by and see these things hap
pen and not one inclined 10 stand
up and speak word for the Later
IN view or the Ludovisi garliens.
Here aBc there a voice has been
lifted, protest raised, an article or
.wo has appeared in the papers,
here has been a little stir, a gOUu
ieal Of talk, then the subject has
)een allowed To drop, and the work ,
II sp0liatiOn has continued. 1t is ,
die 10 ask whether the guilt :
'ests on the head Of the gov ,
'rnment or the municipality. In
most cases, am inclined to ,
hink, the blame may be very even
y divided between the two. But
n point Of fact, it is the Italian ma
ion that is responsible for the ruin =,
( Rome. !
The same thing is happening in !
florence at this moment. There, )
90, the Oldest parts Of the city, the :
radle Of her liberties, the home Of :
Dante, is about to be destroyed to J
ratify the greed Of spectators and I
he laundering Of the Florentines
tier broad streets and empty
luares.
Once more we are reminded that o
history repeats itself.'' Rome, it {,
said, has always lived at the ex- q
ense Of the past. One age has in
ariably risen on the ruins Of it,
Predecessor. So in the Middle Ages
new Rome rose cut Of the ashes II
the imperial city,and the Temples r,
the Forum and the Colosseum II
scame the quarries which sup
lied marbles for the churches and
llaces Of the Renaissance. And
Ow modern Rome Is but following &:
leir example, and making her ia ~
Ire Of the debris Of the past. But -
least the middle ages and this II
en2issance left us monument ,r
orthy Of admiration in the place OF 90
lie city they destroyed: and we o n,
Ie nineteenth century, what shall ma
e have to show which can justify n,
IT acts Of vandalism in the eyes OF g,
'sterity? The Via Nazionale and La
e Piazza d'Independenz7 or the ~
1nte GarihIldi will compare but i'll
it'll st. Peters or the Sistina, and
e greatest admirers Of the new
Iarters will hardly put them on a III
vel with the Farnese palace or ~
{ Borghese gardens. And when ~
, ask, OF what profit has all this 81
On 10 the Roman people-are IN
ey happier or better or than TN
ey were before? this is the answer siA
receive: At the present time sG'
ere is more distress, more crime. an
IRE abomination and greater pow aiu
y in Rene than ever before. pr
xes are high, food is dear, failures W.. n
frequent, while last winter the ia
OF the working classes led lh'
riots which at one time threat as
ID to assume very serious proper ri
rs. Sci
lay we hope that our loved city cor
the beautiful Lake, Rome not adl
hstanding, viii by its growth and n d
do better? =
DR.. ED. IsAAcsoN.
MIN Elnr~ar-s III