ER ROME.--THOUGHTS ON
APPROACHING AND ENTERING "THE ETERNAL CITY."

[Illustration: To Rome.]

CHAPTER XVIII.

A LETTER BY DICK, AND CRITICISMS OF HIS FRIENDS.

They took lodgings near the Piazza di Spagna. This is the best part
of Rome to live in, which every traveller will acknowledge. Among
other advantages, it is perhaps the only clean spot in the Capital
of Christendom.

Their lodgings were peculiar. Description is quite unnecessary. They
were not discovered without toil, and not secured without warfare.
Once in possession they had no reason to complain. True, the
conveniences of civilized life do not exist there--but who dreams of
convenience in Rome?

On the evening of their arrival they were sitting in the Senator's
room, which was used as the general rendezvous. Dick was diligently
writing.

"Dick," said the Senator, "what are you about?"

"Well," said Dick, "the fact is, I just happened to remember that when
I left home the editor of the village paper wished me to write
occasionally. I promised, and he at once published the fact in
enormous capitals. I never thought of it till this evening, when I
happened to find a scrap of the last issue of his paper in my valise.
I recollected my promise, and I thought I might as well drop a line."

"Read what you have written."

Dick blushed and hesitated.

"Nonsense! Go ahead, my boy!" said Buttons.

Whereupon Dick cleared his throat and began:

"ROME, May 30, 1859.

MR. EDITOR,--Rome is a subject which is neither uninteresting nor
alien to the present age."

"That's a fact, or you wouldn't be here writing it," remarked
Buttons.

"In looking over the past, our view is too often hounded by the Middle
Ages. We consider that period as the chaos of the modern world, when
it lay covered with darkness, until the Reform came and said. 'Let
there be light!"

"Hang it, Dick! be original or be nothing."

"Yet, if the life of the world began anywhere, it was in Rome. Assyria
is nothing to me. Egypt is but a spectacle!"

"If you only had enough funds to carry you there you'd change your
tune. But go on."

"But Rome arises before me as the parent of the latter time. By her
the old battles between Freedom and Despotism were fought long ago,
and the forms and principles of Liberty came forth, to pass, amid
many vicissitudes, down to a new-born day."

"There! I'm coming to the point now!"

"About time, I imagine. The editor will ge