The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-07-14

remember leaving my paitcc oh'
evening for stroll through part oil
the old city that | had not previously
explored During the walk, while pass
ing an old and dilapldated palace, whose
upper stories were occupied by about q
dozen poor families. paused at the
broad. open doorway Of a room on the
ground floor which had been converted
into a blacksmith shop. the sparks from
the anvil were thickly and swiftly fly
ing. and / stood looking on. as | am
fond OF doing IN such localities. and un-
der such circumstances. when my atton-
ton was attracted TO the floor and the
material composing II. | walked In the
shop bowed and smiled 10 the smith, aud
then began 10 examine the floor which
was very uneven and broken up. but
withai. It exhibited tangible signs OF
past splendor. its dim glory. its dying
dead beauty. The floor was mosaic.
Alas, Imperial Caesar dead and turn
ed 10 clay.
VIII do 70 stop crack, and keep the
wind away"
DO NOT LOOK FOR EoM,Ns.'
The vicissitudes Of animal life may be
variable enough, and surely sufficiently
comprehensive in its mortal span. from
the cradle TO the grave. yet il is eN-
ceedingly questionable II the innumera-
bic changes of inanimate matter are less
so. when We consider IL ia all its diyersi-
fled character. II We view il as nothing
into something. and then from some
thing into nothing again. Is there not a
simple analogy between the mortal ex-
istence OF animate and the inert exist
epce of inaHlmate natter The public sit
uation of ms Roman Palace was a mat
ter OF great comfort and convenience
10 me-. for whenever tired or wearled
With sightseeing afoot hours would be
Interestingly ana amusingly passed at
my window. watching the crowds Of
people continually passing TO and fro
during the evenings. generally the small
er portion with business In view, and the
greater We're idlers and pleasure seek
ers. do not remember ever seeing
many Italian crowds that were not mix
ed IN this ratio. The study Of Italian
faces was marked of my programme.
after my first week in Rome, IL was
done while ! was in a very cOmpromls-
ing mood. after closely serutinizing sew
erai thousand facial arrangements with
out once detecting set OF features cast
in a Roman mould, | concluded that the
types had either been lost or Worn out,
and that a new font was necessary, or
the old one revised IL the Identity was
a question of preservation and exist
ence. 50 when you 90 70 Rome, do not
look FOR Romans DO not indulge In the
idle expectation Of seeing what does not
exist IL will prove 10 be q pastime
without being attended with any pleas
IRE or profit, and only result in dsap-
p0intment and yexatiOn at discovering
the almost total extinction Of race
that was so noble and gifted.
TIE MASSES tCNoBANr.
While living in MY Palace" and OBJ
serving the ways and manners OF peo-
pie that l felt an interest i'm. if only
for their surroundings ana their Illus
trous ancestors, Il often occurred 70
me how little the masses really knew
about their own history Some of them
were perfectly ignorant OF the character
of the many famous old monuments that
sun stood Ia their very midst. hard by
their dwellings. I knew several old men
who had never seen the Coliseum or
even heard Of IL. and a policeman could
} ot tell me where the Pantheon was,
said that be had heard Of il. bat thought
b. had been moved to the British Museum
or somewhere else. I was discussing R0-
man history. once with my guide. who
10 know "lots OF things" We
We're standing IA the dome Of S. Peters
from which there Is glorious view OF
the city and it's surroundings. 7 looked
upon the Capitolne Hill, made some re-
mark about the Palaces Of the Caesars.
etc, ana IN the same relation casually
spoke of the assassination OF the great
Julius Caesar by Brutus ana the other
'cnspiratOrs. My guide remarked that
he had heard his father say that a man
named Brutus did XIII somebody. and
he thought the fellows name was Pom
pey.
! passed some hours of very sober and
serious reflection while living beneath the
roof Of the "Palazzo RospOii." Perhaps
never INDUCED more truly reflective
and seriously thoughtful moments with.
in the walls Of a human habitation.
may have fairly revellod. iHxuriated i'm a
wider range OF fancy and speculative
thoughts for the time. while seated on
Monte Pincio and looking down on the
historic city as il lay beneath and around
me- gOrgeOusly enrobed Ia all the en-
'hanung glamour Of the past; and In all
the s0fiening haze the mellow tints. the
linn T0seate gleamlngs of the evening
sun as IL grandly lowered its golden disk
behind the purple-crested Alban His.
The past of Rome suggests the i'm
9ers0Hati0H Of history Her monuments
elevate the soul. inspiring solemn, Yet
serene feelings and it Is thought
'raught with eXultation that man Is ca
Fable OF producing creations which, after
he lapse Of a thousand years, sin rem
)yate ana animate others.
After | had lived a while I'm Roma
tterna.' ] decided 10 dispose Of "Aiv
Palace" and move TO another fine old
lily ] had heard Of 50 much. and whore
here We're any number OF fine palaces.
left Rome wiki some regret BY stay
Nas pleasant. and l hope not without
Improvement and profit 10 myself-at any
ate, in many happy recolleciions and
associations.
Z was not cut by good society 70 anv
considerable extent and neither was 1
iOnlzed more than susceptible nature
IAN receive without vanity. ! admit
With all cand0r that the pope failed 70
all on me and he also neglected 90 invite
ne TO the Vatican. yet I do not feel
iurt and am fully prepared for an such
lights. even II they were really intended
o annoy me- about which ] am very
doubtful, knowing ss 1 10 tile grand
haracter of His Holiness
l finally left Rome with an that was
o grand, 50 historic. SO classic. sun
tanding in its sunset halo o. glory on
he ancient banks Of the taHny and tur-
ia old Tiber. and there also remains
ONE OF NY PALACES" &. A. *.