The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-25

Not It's Ruins, But az 1t Existed in
All Its beauty.
From the London Shines.


Our Paris correspondent writes: 'In
the midst of the incessant agitation of
the last two years. which has prevented
all those who write for the public from de-
voting their time and efforts to questions
of art, have been quite unable to refer to
any of those attractive or striking projects
which have been conceived to render the
Universal Exhibition a brilliant nantes
tation of human genius one of the most
captivating ideas for persons enamored
of the beautiful is the scheme of Cheva-
lier Pesce, the architect of the Italian en-
bassy in Paris. He proposes to reconstl-
tute Pompeii-not the Pompeii of the ia
nous ruins, but the brilliant city as it ex-
isted before the stream of fire from Vesu-
ViGs had buried It from sight This pro-
JecJ has been in prepare ton for the past
two years, and the most distinguished
names in France, the men most eminent in
all branches of art and science, have I'M
hesitatingly promised their support to NJ
Pesce. Another scheme, it is true, for the
reproduction of the existing ruins was re-
Gently talked Of but the latter scheme
failed to receive support and encourage
ment from the competent specialists who
had SO ardently adopted the idea, as NJ
Pesce calls it, of Pompeii vivante Pom
peii undoubtedly is a name to coniure
with one of those magic words that have
laid hold of the imagination of the world
Even in their existing state, whoever has
had the good fortune to visit the ruins of
Pompeii had carried away an impression
that nothing can efface and has been
haunted by the desire to behold once more
the vanished city which the excavations
of recent times have partly brought TO
light
The scheme Of M. Pesce is almost com
plete realization of this dream. He pro.
poses to restore to us the life of the forum
the camp, the gladiators, the Temple of
Isis, the theater bordering on the forum
the numerous shops and pubic baths, and
ala those houses, squares and open spaces
where formerly were concentrated the life,
the activity, the 7. easures, the celebrations
and public spectacles which made this wa
tering place by the Mediterranean one of
the most attractive spots in the Italian
peninsular. No detail in the life Of Pom
pei known to archaeology in the period
before the disappearance Of the ancient
town seems likely to be neglected in this
magical eVocation, and the spectator wan
dering- across the city viii find himself
suddenly in the midst of that ancient life
which, without this artificial aid, it would
be so difficult even for the most learned
imaginations to evoke. Numerous actors
in costumes enthusiastically accura te. win
give 10 the city its former animation The
forum is TO be crowded with a constantly
moving throng. The arena win be given up
to the gladiaiorial combat. The Zines of
shops will offer the moN varied products
for sale The charlatans and hawkers Will
scream their wares in the streets. Chariot
wheels will follow the deep-dug ruts i'm the
stone highways. The mysteries will be
celebrated i'm the Temple of Isis Orators
will harangue the crowd in the public
squares-in fact, the whole town, repeo-
pied, will rise from the ashes beneath
which 1t was buried in one Of the most ter
rible of catastrophles"