Year: 1859

se n ~ Ii


M Anew Years day is but little regarded a
Rome The week proceeding is one of tn


most Important in the whole calendar Ever


day is festival and every night joyful wit


music and song and radient with torth-ligh
and bright illumination of palaces. l wa


tired of all this pomp. The excitenents hat


lost their charm. Depression of spirits-tha
4" bitter cup" which is presented after all kind.


of intoxication-took most powerful hold upor


my mind as | entered my room to spend alone
| the last evening of the year. Few know the
pleasure of letter writing who have not felt the
solitude of strange cities. Man does not con-
slider then whether his letters are prscd or not
He forgets that the one to whom he writes
may be too far above him to esteem his opin.
ions, too little acquainted to value his experien-
ces, too much engrossed with more important
business to respond to bis sympathies. To
| him the slightest link of acquaintance in that
| far off land is regarded as golden chain too
| bright for calumBy and detraction to corrode
| and too strong for envy or misfortune to sever.
| Writing to friends in America l forgot the
| hours until my watch said half past eleven. I
had but half an hour of the year 1853 to spend
and / determined to visit in that time the Col
iseum and watch the old year out among the
still ruins of faiien Rome.


Descending to the street passed on through
the dmly lighted and impaired thoroughfares
until l arrived where the modern city ends and
only ruins succeed. Skirting along the north
ern base of the Palatine hill, ! stopped beneath
the arch of Titus. There was but enough
light TO distinguish the representation of the
golden candestick, which was the richest OBJ
ject obtained at the plunder of the Jewish tenn
pie. Coming out from the arch the grand
form of the Coliseum appeared in the valley
below. The round high walls rose in the dark
ness in such huge proportions and with such a
solemn majesty, that kind of terror quite over
come me, and | hesitated to advance. There
was no moonlight and there was a stiffness all
around me, which seemed the more strange, as
knew that a city of nearly two hundred thou
sand slept quietly near by. On my right was
the Palatine, crowned with CAESARS crumbling
palace. Nearest to me was the addition made
by Nero, and its fragments of mingled brick
and marble crumbIetl down to the place where
[ stood. On my left was the open temple of
Coiistantne, a huge exhibition of extravaganza
without taste. Nearer the Coliseum on the
same side. was the shapeless heap which once
constituted proud edif;ee of an imperial arch
itect. 1t was this structure which eeused the
death of the gifted Apolodoras, fer the boast
iul monarch could not brook rival, even in
architecture, and the man who hail devoted
lifetime to acquire excellence i'll his profession.
was too Jealous of his rights to tiatter the van
itf Of his sovereign. Hence VIXEN shown the
beauties OF the finished building. and asked 10y
the proud Caesar fo; praises he simply replied,
. 1t is verg good for an Emperor!"


But why should pause in the tarkness to
call up the memories, and awake in imagina-
tioh the mighty dead, whose fortunes and mis-
fortunes haze their monuments in these rtl,i,
und shapeless forms.


Descending by the via sacra | had pas
sed half the distance to the Coliseum, when !
saw the figure of man moving before its wills,
\ little noise of my nearer approach drew his
httchton and | heard at once the challenge of
French soldier, Qui la" ! continued to
advance without replying, partly because did
not know exactly what to say, or how to say
it. and partly because / was shocked at the
sudden transition from thoughts of cd Rome,
to the necessity of calling out at the top of
my voice among her scpuchres, in answer to
the rude challenge of Gaiiic barbarian. But
this modern BreDnus was not going to let me
approach too nearly and after a slight pause
he repeated the "Qli la at the same time
taking the gun from his shoulder with clicil
which I knew neaiit something. Il suis A
mericain, [ replied, nnd he permitted me to
advance He said he dare not let me enter
without an order but seemed quite willing TO
reiilve the tedium of his lonely watch by con-
versation. l was also content to talk awhile,
for felt sure of obtaining permission to visit
the ruin as was justified by the result, for after
short conversation and a pleasant leave ta-
,t.ing, in which expressed my disappointment,
7 retnr,ad and asked if 1 could not be allowed
to walk round the edifce. He replied affirma-
tiyely. and added could enter by any OF the
side arches. if | chose bit | must keep beyond
the beat and sight of his colr1nanlon who kept
guard upon the opposite side.


It is impossible for description or painting
to convey much idea of this structure. l rad
seen it by daylight, l saw it afterwards by
moonlight, and upon this occasion by starlight,
yet it was In every way indescribably grand.


Within its arena thousands of men have
fought with wild beasts to amuse successive
generations of Rome's cruel tyrants and blood
thirsty rabble. Christian and Pagan blood
has enriched that little spot of earth and lent
to it the double sacredness of monument to
our suffering humanity and to the supporting
power of our holy religion.


The scene was, to me, solemn, and its effects
never to be eraced. I returned to my rooiii
unconscious of objects by the way, and fully
prepared to pardon all who feel '' childish en-
thusasm at view of the Coliseum.


Yours truly, P. G. WILSON.