The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-23
REV, Mr.. STRONG'S LETTER.
prN PICTURES OF THE GREAT,
HISTORIC CITY OF ROME.

view of 1t From Pincian Hill-its
wealth of Works of Art-A De-
.o-iDtion of Pictures and Statu-
orv-The Value of One Picture-An
,,count of the Ancient Baths-The
o,d palaces and Old Families-The
residence of the American Minis
ter-Other Matters of Interest.
poue Dec. 10, 1901-Rome is so vast,
not in size, but in contents; 1t has
made so much history connected with
kingdom, republic, empire, church and
kingdom again, that the first feeling
is that of utter bewilderment. Tt has
untold history to give up, but how is
one intelligently to get at it? This
SUGGESTS that before Rome be inspect
cd in detail it be visited at large
that the most prominent point be Sc
Iected for a birdseye view of the city
that the different quarters be picked
out and then a carriage drive be
taken through these sections. The Pin
ciau Hill. at the northern point of
tbe city. is iust.the place for this OBJ
SprNaLlOn. Cld ditllAl5 CAA CAAS - 49,
terraces, the city lies unfolded at our
feet The eye sweeps over the whole
citv-ancient, medieval, modern; TO
tbe west rises the immense dome of
st Peters and the Hill of Janiculum;
IN the south the tower of the Capitol
and the Forum, with all of its ruins,
lie at it's feet; in between are all the
numerous edifices of medieval fRome,
huilt upon the ancient Campus Mar
fins 1t is a thrilling and inspiring
sight as we take this first view of
the Lady of Empires and the Head
of the Whole World Somewhere in
this crowded landscape is Meta-a
mark which marks the center of the
empire; it was the center of the world
politically, if not geographically. From
her went forth at this Christmas-tide
"the decree of Tiberius Caesar that
all the world should be taxed" and
all the world was taxed-and Christ
was born.
Our point of observation suggests
the best division of the city for study
We cannot see it from the hill, but
the Tiber is flowing with many a
curve through the city from north
to south; yet the point at which it
enters is almost in a straight line
from the point at which it leaves the
city This gives us our first division;
Rome on the right bank and Rome
on the left bank of the Tiber, or Ec-
cleiastical and Mediaeval Rome.
Again, as we look to the south, we
know that the three northern and east
ern hills are divided from the four
southern hills, so that we have Rome
on the northern hills and Rome on
the southern hills-or modern and an
cient Rome. Here we have our four
quarters through which our prelim-
mary drive shall take us, only CLAN
cling at the objects of interest.
The Pincian HILL where we are
standing, is not one of the Seven Hills,
but was called in ancient times "The
Little Hill of the Flower Gardens 1t
Il is now covered with the beautiful pub
lie gardens of the municipality-all
green, this winters day, with flow
ers, trees, and merry with the Sound
of many waters" from numerous foun-
tains An Italian garden is as pre-
else as a mathematical figure, but it
has its own peculiar charms; busts
OF great men and ancient statues line
/ us drives, nymphs and dryads play
within its fountains; every acorn is
picked up, and every dried leaf bundled
4 otf The old Roman wall intervenes
between the Pincian gardens, and
those of the Villa Borghese, which the
government has just purchased and
IL VIII be, perhaps, the finest gardens
IN the world when the wall is cut
through and the two are joined to-
sether, l was going to say it is sad to
see the old Italian families decaying;
nut gambling is said to be the ma
uonal vice and many of the mobiles
nave lost their patrimony through it,
40 not know whether this was the
ease with Prince Paolo Borghese, but
ne mas been compelled to sell his beau
uiui gardens and the villa, with all
VI Hs treasures of art. And owing
70 despotic law forbidding him to
seIl MS works of art out of Italy he
was Obliged to accept the govern
fnshs offer, 100000 francs He Of
a S!eu TO give the government every
.1iIhg-villa, gardens, paintings. sculp-
lure. .uIes-lf he might have the privilege of
Il sseilihg lust one picture, "Titian's Pro
ISne and Sacred Love-" to an English
bag aH' put no; that wonderful work
Il nau TO remain in Italy The price
Ior that single picture was more than
%e government gave for his whole es-
popHshment. An ancestor-CardinaI
ttISoIsnese-hed laid out the grounds in
S e most elaborate style, with lakes.
..ouHtalns, medieval castle. ancient
eITinpIes, Egyptian gateway, etc. and
r.ea the museum with most rare and
psqous paintings and statues; but
eoy ero" they have gone for a song to the
eeiDaefhment who first cut off all for
elsn competition!
a.. 'urnlng from the Borghese gar
set s through the ancient Flaminian
- NOV the Porta Popolo), through
iUh caesar came back from Gaul
mint eH ms victorious legions, with the
hisEty dream of empire seething in
w Dlaln, we re-entered the Pincian.
le.hembered just at the time that
merry these We're the famous gar
or OF Lueullus-that prince of epi-
ter- -ahd later. Morsalina, the in
harao,us wife of Claudius, celebrated
scso, "er dlsgraceful orgies. A different
har,, ms quiet afternoon. The mill
snd Uand Is discouring sweet music
4 recei,.inl in the world is here, paying and
cb9rst.s visits IN their carriages
n 7l'u 10 have stumbled upon. Where
C world could one gaze upon such
biy,aue Three thousand years of
rbst shaking hands with each other.
dei N uiu obelisk, down on the Piazza
loot1 Square Of the people-has
ev.r uoWn upon more history than
Of mat II gazed upon /, 300 years
Eue,,, ,gHts IN Egypt; then, when Au-
s,htp conquered the land of the
ersrt.'a ne brought II TO Rome, and
4 lo,p ~ the Circus Maximus. There
hrio-n'n down on 1000 years more OF
b.ourt, Ihen finally Pope Sixtus
chul'i here before the twin
"a t,. or The NirEln-and what a
'I" n lF uow. s,..,t,... ...,.t