Year: 1859

I stood one morning at the foot of tht
Capitoline Hill. 1t was on the east sidC
where the old Roman Forum, the present
Campo Vaccinno, is SITUATED. l had beer
studying the sculpture of those half projecting
columns and excavated arches which once ech
oed back the words of Cesar and Cicero Oh
sounded to the stamp of Pompey and the
more modest tread of Paul.


Thoughts of these fill the soul for the time
yet one il often interrupted there by incidents
as different from those exalted events of the
past as the Roman Of to-day differs from his
ilIustrous ancestor, Or the Forum now from
that chief of Romes public square when Hor-
ace and Virgil crossed it from the House OF
Micenas to the Capitol


There are two roads ascend the hill curving
like the sides of an ellipse from the Forum
and the way is rather steep. I have often
seen the poor horses glad to stop at the two
resting places on the ascent.


On the day of which am speaking was
called from my philosophic reveries on the
ruins of Rome, by the approach of large
cart drawn by three mules abreast. The load
was not heavy, yet these appreciative beasts
evidently prefering the Forum to the Capitol
resolutely stopped, They occupied the place
where one of the = Rostra - must have stood,
and I did not know but they had determined
to give US some specimens of dagenerated Ro-
man eoquence. They did not stand long in
need Of the moving cause which appears
to have opened the mouth of their distinguish
ed Ba!amatic progenitor, for thirty times their
'' smitings fell upon their delenselcss bodies
accompanied with such cursings as the prophet
could never have devised for his animal Or his
enemies. Those on either side were beaten
with heavy whips and struck upon the head
with the stocks until they lay upon the ground
quivering with pain and terror. Then the
middle one. which really seemed willing to do
it's best, was as numerically treated as the 9th
ers, until they rose again and partially hid it
from the bind rage of these cruel men. There
seemed to be little or no attempt at the accom-
p!ishment of the ascent, by either mules or
men. The latter appeared to love every other
emotion and desire in the intense passion for
punishing these dumb brutes, while they only
shrunk from the blows and lost all idea OF
what was expected Of them.


Not only the two persons who accompanied
the load but several of the spectators joined ii
the horrid oaths and lent willing hand to the
| cruel scourge which fell with increasing force
upon the suffering animals, and the entire
crowd collected around were aroused to a per
| feet phrensy of rage, without one emotion O
pity. AS 1 looked upon this scene of cruelty
l said mentally, does my country possess " mer
of like passions" and viii the day come wher
she, as Rome now, will refuse to protect by
law these dumb brutes which serve u.s. from
the wild fury of man, when the storm of un
controlled rage has possession of his soul? Ii
those days of declining power which may
reach us as they did Rome, will human beng
be found subject to these cruel and irresponsi
BILE masters, cut off from the hope of redres
and shut out from the sympathy of the world


The italian loves his animals with almos
Arab tenderness, and the cruelty for whiCl
they have become so noted is only manifesto
ton of passion, which, having no check in tn
laws is deemed by almost every one quite ez
cusable to indulge. In short the g good mas
tiers u have some of the finest and happies
looking horses in the world, while the regula
:. drivers keep some of the most miserabl
animals to be met with in Europe.


Yours truly, G. P. WnsoS.