The Worthington advance., 1900-04-20
PoMPEu TO BE REPRODUCED.


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I'm the midst Of the incessant agita-
tion of the last two years, which has
prevented all those who write for the
public from devoting their time and
efforts to questions Of art, 1 have been
quite unable to refer to any of those
attractive or striking projects which
have been conceived to render the uni
versal exhibition brilliant manifes-
tation of human genius. One of the
most captivating ideas for persons
enamored of the beautiful is the
scheme of Chevalier Pesce, the archi-
tect of the italian embassy in Paris.
He proposes to reconstitute Pompeii
not the. Pompeii of the familiar
ruins, but the brilliant city as it ex-
listed before the stream of fire from
Vesuvius had buried it from sight.
This project has been in preparation
for the past two years, and the most
distinguished names in France, the
men most eminent in all branches of
art and science, have: unhesitatingly
promised their support to NJ Pesce.
Another scheme, it is true, for the re-
production of the existing ruins was
recently talked of, but this latter
scheme failed to receive support and
encouragement from the competent
specialists who had so ardently adopt
ed the idea, as NJ. Pesce calls it, of
Pompeii vivante.. Pompeii undoubt-
edly is name to conjure 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 has carried away an
impression that nothing can efface,
and had been haunt ed by the desire
to behold once more the vanished city
which the excavations of recent times
have partly brought to light.
"The scheme of NJ. Pesce is almost
complete realization of this dream
He proposes to restore to us the life
of the forum, the camp, the gladia-
tors, the Temple of Isis, the theater
bordering on the forum, the numerous
shops and publis baths, and all those
houses, squares and open spaces
where formerly were concentrated
the life, the activity, the pleasures,
the celebrations, and public spectacles
which made this watering place by
the Mediterranean one of the most
attractive spots in the Italian penin-
sula. No detail in the life of Pompeii
known to archaeology in the period
before the disappearance of the an
cient town seems likely to be neglect
ed in this magical evocation, and the
spectator wandering across the city
will find himself suddenly in the midst
of that ancient life which, without
this artificial aid, it would be so diff
cult even for the most learned imag-
nations to evoke. Numerous actors,
in costumes archaeologically accurate,
will give to the city it's former ami
nation. The forum is to be crowded
with a constantly moving throng.
The arena will be given up to the
gladiatorial combat. The lines of
shops will offer the most varied prod
ucts for sale. The charlatans and
hawkers will scream their wares in
the streets. Chariot wheels will fol-
low the deep-dug ruts in the stone
highways. The mysteries will be cele-
brated in the Temple of Isis. Orators
will harangue the crowds in the pub
lie. squares-in fact, the whole town,
repeopled, will rise from the ashes
beneath which it was buried in one
of the most terrible Of catastrophes.' -
London Times