The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-06-03

l
| The Campagna extends for man!
miles about Rome and once was PEG
pied by a dense population with numer
GUS towns; at the present day it Is {
| dreary waste of vast size. During thu
| last days Of the republic proprietors O.
large estates displaced the agricultural
population and rich Romans owned
vast tracts of land merely for pastur
age, and this pernicious system de-
prived the Campagna Of its agricultur
al population, and the whole region fell
to decay, and the defective drainage in.
vited malaria, which a high culture and
dense population alone could prevent
The Popes at different periods under.
took to revive agricultural pursuits
and thus sought to improve the Cam,
pagna and make it a home for many
people, but as long as the land is owned
by proprietors of farms and pastures on
a large scale there can be no popula-
ton, and malaria and ruin will continue
to rule triumphant BY q favorable
governmental arrangement the Roma
ma Campagna could easily sustain a
population of more than million in
habitants; it's soil is rich and produc-
prietors it would then be drained and
become an inestimable blessing to
Rome as well as to all Italy. Just be-
fore entering the city the railway
makes a great sweep and we pass by
theTemple of Minerva Medica, and close
by we notice the broken archespof a
magnificent aqueduct, this is the fam
GUS Aqua Claudia near the Porta
Maggiore The Aqua Claudia was built
by the Emperor Claudius in the year
81; it extends more than forty miles
to the mountains far beyond the Cam
pagna. Another aqueduct the Anio
Novus, extends to the river Anio, dis
lance of over sixty miles. The Emper-
or Aurclian constructed from the arches
Of these aqueducts the great Porta
Maggiore, one of the finest city gates
of Rome, and this was used as for
tress in the middle ages by the power
full Colonna family.
The Porta Maggiore is thus called
from the ponderous mass of stone
which was used in its construction,and
very near this wonderful gate the rail-
way finds its entrance through the
walls into the city. / visited Rome
thirty years since, having arrived there
from the ancient cities Of Egypt, Syria
and Greece; those oriental cities We're
very ancient even before the founda-
items of Rome were first laid.
Still Rome lays claim to great antiq-
uity. The more remote history of Italy
is hidden in obscurity, so also the orig
in of the city of Rome is matter Of
conjecture 1t was comparatively a
late period that the legend of Romulus
and Remus was framed and the year
1853 B. c. fixed as the date of the foun-
dalton of the city. In all likelihood,
however, the origin may claim much
greater antiquity, quite as remote as
the origin of many of the old cities Of
Asia Minor or Greece. 1t is the privi
lege of a life time to visit Rome; what
a halo of glory and interest and mag
nificence gathers about that mystic
word Roma! And to one who has read
the writings In prose and poetry Of the
classic authors, who has taken more
than a passing interest I'M the ancient
and medieval history of this glorious
city, a visit within its walls comes as
an inspiration. I know of no city in
the world, not even Athens, Jerusalem,
Constantinople or Alexandria (and
these cities possess the greatest posi-
BILE historical INTEREST," so peculiarly in
teresting as Rome, that city at whose
very name cities and nations treGribled.
for Rome was the "Imperlum," and
meant and embraced the world. The
old Romans were famous organizers
aitx fakr
their conquering generals could drive
their chariots to distant parts of Eu-
rope over splendid Roman roads, and
to Byzantium (Constantinople), and to
The east; they could drive to the great
cities on the western borders of Asia
Minor down through Syria and to
Egypt, and thus along the northern
coast Of Africa far away to Carthage
md even further, to the westward tow
ards the land now known as Algeria.
have met with portions of these old
Roman roads in Syria which are as
perfect as when they were laid down
,ver 1000 years ago. From small be-
,innings Rome became to be a great
lily, and in the second century Of our
ra had a population of one and one
lalf millions of Inhabitants. The Inn
nense wealth of the conquered nations
we're poured into her lap, and the pal
ces, of the wealthy men of Rome were
ltted up with the utmost magnificence
nd luxury. To cite one instance alone,
he house Of Clodius, the opponent of |
,icero, built on the Palatine hill, cost |
yer fifteen million sesterces, or about |
TX hundred and fifty thousand dollars, i
nd the riches of the whole world We're |
rought into Rome.
In the Palace Spada in a conspicuous,
osition stands the colossal marble
tatue of Pompey, at its base Julius
aesar was murdered, and Pompey 1t
ras who found Asia Minor the eastern
lost limit Of the Roman empire, when
e died Asia Minor had become theiI
enter of the empire, and from all of
nose rich eastern conquered nations
acre came such vast wealth into Rome
nat to even reckon or count 1t II was
npossible. The world had never be-
IRE witnessed such nagnificence as
as seen in Rome, and the Hike will
ever again happen in the worlds his
,ry. The human mind reels as it con-
.mplates and magnihcence and luxury
nat was an every day event among
lie wealthy aristocrats of Rome. To
stimate the value of the countless II
arbles, temples, and magnificent
orks of art bought from conquered