New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-22
AMONG THE SABINE HILLS
Facts and Fancies in Suburban
Rome.

fling consulted introduction and index alternate
". eroaned repeatedly from anguish of spirit,
and petulantIy complained that she never could
find what she wanted in a guidebook. A rich
husband a charming daughter and a hopeful son
fresh from college were evidently accustomed to
these tantrums for they paid no heed to them.
Finally. in a moment OF desperation when the
train was approaching HadTian's Villa, she
,urned 10 the courier with the exclamation: Il
think somebody might tell me how many of
those Roman kings there We're: Were there
lore Than seven and what were the names of
.ben17p As left the train at the station for
Us arisu's Villa, ] unable to ascertain
whether her search for knowledge respecting
the kings CT Latium successful. She had
barely glanced at the Roman Campagna, over
which she was passing toward the blue Sabine
hills and had devoted her energies for an hour
20 The discovery Of a list Of kings, from Romulus
"a The Tarouias. Her zeal and humility were at
least oomnaendable On the previous Sunday I
had seen z dashing young American girl march
into the choicest room of the Capitoine Mu-
selrn. sniff at the Marble Faun.' and tap the
Diving GIaaiator's" head contemptuously with
her. parasol and proclaim in high key. Il think
they're al perfectly awful! 1 uldn't take any
Of these dreadful antiques as a gift! Why
should we waste Our time in looking at such
ro-ris +bjpes," The worthy matrop who corr
eiaered precise knowledge Of the legendary his
tory Of Latiun to be essential TO an adequate
endowment Of Rome was as far from the truth
as the overconfdeut damsel who condemned
after single glance masterpieces of ancient art.
Rational sightseeing requires sensibility as
-reu as scientific knowledge. Hadrian's villa
may be ineligible 10 learned antiquaries but
casual visitors are only bewidered when they
s,,e,,,r. "a separate and Identify the mined
-z,-E4T, Viii b Of
,.erdaBt hillside are Uttered. When the Acad-
e,,ies are differentiated from the Lyceums,
Tempe from Campus, Tartarus from the Ely
sian Fields. temples from theatres, and hippo
drores from aqueducts, inquisitlve perplexity
IS not satisfactory substitute for uninquisitlYe
ignorance. The ruins Of this imperial suburban
residence may be impressive from their magni-
tude but rifed as they have been Of wainscot
and pavement, marbles and mosaics, caryatides
and statues. the effect OF the naked walls IS
Inon0tonous and wea.isome. The real treasures
have gone TO the Vatican, the Capitoline and the
national museums. and have been scattered
among European capitals; and the empty cells
remain encompassed with thickets Of brambles
and mounds of rubbish. knowledge is not
source OF enjoyment IL the demolished and plum
dered villa as il is in the ruins Of Pompeii; but
the Gesolation Of the scene and the picturesque
ness Of the environment make an irresistible APP
peal TO sensitive natures. Even in the glare of
& midsummer day, when the springtime anem-
ones have been shrivelled and the ferns, moses
end Ivy have been burned brown, there is
melancholy beauty in -Rese shattered galleries
and heaps of shapeIess masonry empowered
among olive groves and clumps Of expresses,
Nexes. pines and jumpers under the bluest Of
skies. Ruined TuscuIum is well worth the dom
key ride from Frascau even If the sites of
Cicero's home and The house of his friend, Lu-
cullus, cannot be definitely identified with the
tIzfted greenery Of the Villa Rufinella. The
foundations Of the theatre and the heaps Of
broken stone On the steep hiIlsides make clas-
sic picture of desolation among the verdant hills
commanding q magnificent prospect of the mys-
terious Campagna and the Eternal City. The
romantic valley where the walls Of Hadrian's
Villa are shimmering in the vivid sunlight is
another transcript Of picturesque ruin and the
rsvages Of time. and high above it is Tivoli,
ancient as Rome and inaperishabIe in beauty.
At TivoH ! again met my chance American
Rcquaintances who were confronted at the sta
ton Of Eadrian's Villa with the researches of
LiVy respecting the legendary history of Rome;
and they were evidently enjoying the cas-
cades, the ruins, the villas and the views of the
mountains and the Campagna, it was safe to in
FER that no fresh Investigations had been under
taken. Not even complete knowledge of the
lists Of kings, ccnsuls, emperors and popes or
OF the varied historical associations of this |
matchless town. enables one to appreciate the
beauty of the landscapes which defied alike the |
genius II Claude and Turner Byron, in his !
poetic "reminiscences Of ulisapplied study of !
Horace, could exciaim: 1T is q curse to under |
stand, not feel thy lyric flow" Tivoli is a |
series Of pictures not 10 be interpreted by guide
books and explained in detail. Claude's favorite |
uuCertone. SilYery gray, is in the cascades and |
IN the stone houses and churches on the crest |
Of the kills. and his freshest greens are dull in |
comparison with the richness of the foliage |
especially OF the olive groves with which the !
town is empowered. Turner's deepest tinge of |
orange IS IN the circular temple Of the Sibyl and |
the oblong travertine temple of Tiburtus, on the |
Ncge OF the cliffs; and where even in his most |
brilliant oanVases can there be found stronger
contrasts Of color than those Of the time mel !
lowed Ionic and Corinthian columns the cIinging
masses Of Ky, the foaning cascades, the blue
Italian skies and the golden glinrner Of sun
4ght? And was it Claude or was it Turner who !
eespaired Of ever transating in paint the wide
reaches and atmospheric elasticity Of the Roman
I anapf gna from the Sabine Mountains to the
sea? Horace's Thur IS Irresistible in pictu-
rescue charm and variety and, like his melo-
oioUs verse IS to be felt rather than closely con-
stFued and completely understood
Accurate information is equally unimnortant
= hen the famous Villa d'Este is visited It is
not necessary 20 call the roll Of kings or en-
perors when one approaches from the grottos
the stately mansion, for it dates only from the
sixteenth century and derives little adven-
Litious aid from historical association 1t is A
neglected palace. untenanted except as a sum-
neT school for students destined for the Roman
priesthood. and the vaulted passages lead only