Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-19

Acron, King OF the Ceninians, and con-
secrated the spolia opima-the weapons.
etc. OF the defeated-to Jupiter Feretrius
Admitted among the number OF the gO1s,
he was called Quirinus."
Local affairs are related In the in
scription at the Temple or Isis, which
tells that "Nonniirs Popidus Ceisinus
has entirely rebuilt, AT his own expense.
the Temple OF Iss. overthrown by an
earthquake. on account Of this llberality
the decuriors have ASSOCIATED him
gratis 10 their order al the age Of 60
years"
In another place the inscription records
the name OF the man who erected a sun
dial on "A column 1t was not always con-
sidere1 q good thing 20 know the time.
for parasite in one OF Plautus's PLAYS
hopes that the gods will exterminate
the man who first invented hours and
who placed sunoiels in the city. for
now, however hungry man Is. he may
not eat till IL pleases the sum-
And az you wander through the
streets and enter into the open houses,
for 1T t. an open house that has no
door" as the old proverb says. and
Pcmpeilan houses are ali doorless. the
walls sneak TO you. and the very dust
that sweeps over the tcssellated pave
ments seem TO murmur to you Of tho
past
have q paper weight OF pavonuzzo
marble. which was once a slab in the
floor Of tho splendid house Of Hoicorius
Rufo and the suggestions that one
has in looking upon Il and thinking OF
the sardalle9 feet that trod upon II, and
the strange hanquets Of antiquity that
were held close 10 q. render II as a sort
Of silent witness Of the gayety and
giamor that we associate with the
past. Some such slabs IN the other parts
OF the disinterre1 city may be similarly
associated with other memories. more
near To our own day.
WALTER SCOTS VISIT.
The once celebrated poetess. Lettia
Elizabeth iandon. relates that when Sir
Walter Scott visited italy a fete was
given In his honor at Pompeii. All the
guests took some character from the Wa
verley Novels. The deserted city echoed
with music; lamps flung their light over
the walls so long unconscious Of festiviiy.
The city of the Dead suited wen the fes-
tival Of the dying.
Sir Walter was present. but uncon-
sciOus: he sat wan, exhausted, and mo-
tionless-"the centre Of the glittering
ring" formed by his own genius. And the
poetess describes the scene in verse and
tells how for this great master of fancy
'ineN nave stI pare lns Guy III lHe 4oSt'
His own creations Ill the silent streets;
nc Roman pavement rings with golden
s.uis,
The Highland plaid shades dark Italian
eyes,
And the young King himself Is Ivanhoe."
Since then the streets Of Pompeii have
Witnessed several festivities, generally
reproductions Of the lives and manners
and costumes of tho ancient jewellers. but
none that has had so charming a record
as that of the figures from the Waverley
Novels. I'm the city of the Dead. for the
entertainment Of the great writer who
had created them. and was dying himself.
Its chief memories, however, go back TO
q period preceding the year 70. and evil
de1tly az the fountain in the street Of
Abundance indicates, TO several centuries
prior to that date. These memories have
made themselves eloquent 10 scholars OF
to-day. and speak TO them Of the manifold
life of the lost city in tones that are loud
and clear.