. Voyages and travels of Her Majesty, Caroline, queen of Great Britain : including visits to various parts of Germany, France, Italy, Greece, Palestine, &c. &c., and comprising the latest description of those interesting countries : with remarks on the state of society, religion, manners, customs, antiquities, arts, literature, natural curiosities, &c. & few passengers, moving at a distance indifferent directions, were the only living beingsthat disturbed the silence and solitude whichreigned around. Thus the place seemed restoredto its original wildness, and abandoned once moreto flocks an
. Voyages and travels of Her Majesty, Caroline, queen of Great Britain : including visits to various parts of Germany, France, Italy, Greece, Palestine, &c. &c., and comprising the latest description of those interesting countries : with remarks on the state of society, religion, manners, customs, antiquities, arts, literature, natural curiosities, &c. & few passengers, moving at a distance indifferent directions, were the only living beingsthat disturbed the silence and solitude whichreigned around. Thus the place seemed restoredto its original wildness, and abandoned once moreto flocks and herds of cattle. So far, in fact,have the modern Romans forgotten the theatre ofthe glory and imperial power of their ancestors,as to degrade it into a common market for cattle,and sink its name,—illustrated by every page ofRomanhistory—into the contemptible appellationof Campo Vaccino. Proceeding along the Via Sacra, we passedunder the arch of Titus; but now a meremass of ruin, insulated walls, immense stonessuspended in the air, arches covered with weedsand shrubs, vaults opening upon other ruins; inshort, above, below, and around, one vast collec-tion of magnificence and devastation, of grandeurand decay. This stupendous fabric was erected by the em-perors Vespasian and Titus, out of part only of the U^.f ?• - .^i/«iii|||f#iii!i:i,-:^^. NEROS GOLDEiV HOUSfi. 225 materials, and on a portion of the site of Nerosgolden house, which had been demolished by orderof Vespasian, as too sumptuous even for a Romanemperor. The Coliseum, owing to the solidity ofats materials, survived the era of barbarism, andwas so perfect in the thirteenth century, thatgames were exhibited in it, not for the amuse-ment of the Romans only, but to all the nobilityof Italy. The destruction of this wonderful fabricis interesting. When Rome began to revive, andarchitecture arose from its ruins, every rich andpowerful citizen wished to have, not a commodiousdwelling merely, but a palace. The Coliseu
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubjecteuropedescriptionandtravel, bookyear
