New-York tribune., 1903-08-24

had explored every bridlepath and leafy glade
of fhfs classic valley from Castel Gandolfo and
had been fascinated by the beauty OF Ariccia.
The viaduct was not completed on the grim No
,,sr,5er cay when Plus TX, disguised as an ordi-
nary priest, with spectacles. was bundled out
~ the Quirinal a week after the murder of
T2ossi and driven rapidly TO the Church of San
r,etro Marcellino, behind the Colosseum where
fresh pair Of horses was waiting for him and
cardinal Antonelli. From the walls Of Rome
3 had headed for the AIban Mountains in his
e5obt from irresponsible revolutionists; but. as
he had been warned that he would not be safe
a. Castel Gandofo, he followed the Appian
,7-sv with its ghostly memorials OF dead past,
md made a short halt at Ariceia, where the
4,svarian Minister'S cllaise was in readiness to
-ory-ev him 10 Veletri and Gaeta. After an
.vf1e OF seventeen months he again passed
.,-ouel, Ariccia but this time without haste.
CO.. ba was returning by the Appian Way in
.f,,r7rb 10 hear the tie Deum" sung at the Lat
-, and ST. Peters over the restoration Of
panaI rule The group Of buildings. which
,,,tn+e-s are never weary Of reproducing lin
,tc,,,res of Ariccia, remains it was when
pfDs TX made these journeys. The fountain stiH
-,sys IN front Of Berninis shapely church. with
, well proportioned dome: and buttressed in a
,..- rav3ne rises the huge Chigi palace, which
-r.1 am
The visitor who has come by the road from
,-,s.eI candolfo and Albano has little leisure
= either Papal rerniniscence or glimpses Of the
,u.s,, .,z1-n Of Virgil Ovid and Horace. From
- ,-;s5uct opens the glorious vista of the
,--,ra7,s and the sea; and behind the Chigi
,,.1scA 2 fragrant lane leads through Towering
1s,-sls and knobs to the lex grove Of the Capu-
chin conyent. where once stood Domitian's villa;
.n5 here there must be a long, delightful pause,
for there Is the loveliest view OF the blue Alban
,.l,e with Rocca di Papa high upon the noun
,sinside. and with Castel Gandolfo, grim and
dssolate, on the opposite shore.
The road from Ariccia TO Frascau leads
,brouzb woodlands between the Aban lake
and Nemi and terraces bordered by heXes to
80 n Papa. once the home of an Anti-Pope
md still crowned with the ruins Of castle, al
,e-natelv the stronghold of the Colonna and the
C,-s,ni At the bottom Of the town. with its
..san and tortuous lanes, is the house which
,,.ss5-,o d'Azeglio occupied while he was max
80 artistic studies When Plus TX came over
on his white mule from Castel Gandolfo he
,,,us, have glanced with peculiar interest at this
modest summer residence. At 1mola the plous
bishop had read D'Azeglios satirical treatise
Last Events in Romagna," with Giooertls s
.,Priraato" and one of Balbo's works; and when
he started for Rome TO attend the conclave of
1916 he carried with him the three books which
had helped to iberate his own mind from mar
rowness and to create a vague ardor for Italian
unity It was his intention to present with
prayerful humility the three volumes to the
new Pope whoever he might be; but he was
spared this tribute to New Italy, for lac himself
was elected by the conclave. Plus TX several
times made the ascent from Rocca di Papa to
the Encampnent Of Hannibal, the lava blocks
hill hA q
Cavo with its Passionist convent, its ancient
wych elm and the broken stones Of the Temple
Of Jupiter He was content either to stumble
along on foot or to ride his favorite white mule;
and he was not envious Of the Iaurels Of Pope
Alexander VII, who, after reconstructfng Castel
GaRdelfo. allowed himself the mimic triumph Of
being drawn in carriage over the basaltic
blocks which had been indented by the chariot
wheels OF victorious republican generals and
vaiuglorious Roman emperors. Plus TX was not
man Of letters like the pleasure loving palace
builder Alexander VII He could look upon
CAcero;s Tusculum above Frascau without emo
ton, ana was Indifferent whether the underpin-
ming discovered ia the lake Of Neml was the
foundation Of Tfberius Caesars floating villa
described by Roman historians. He could scale
the heights Of Monte Cavo and not be oppressed
with the dignity OF taking Junos survey Of
Latium from its Capiteline HILL as described in
the "lE1neid." It was enough that he could see
CasteI Gandolfo and Rome. AS for the humber
pilgrim who writes these rough notes OF
glorious days jaunt. he has been making stren-
uous efforts 10 stick TO the Popes and Castel
Gandolfo. But on Monte Cavo his powers of
self-restraiut are weakening. With magniti-
cent prospects Of classic ground opening before
him, youth is renewed with a spring food;
Virgil and Horace are whispering forgotten lines
90, p'e
"Childe Harold" are on his lips again; the gray,
aUstere Campagna IS transformed at even
tide into the winding sheet Of a glorious past
of gods and heroes; and the Popes. in their
picturesque castle above the Alban lake. shrink
into ineignifcance J. n. f.