and bred, often prostrated by the storm, how
difficult is it to conceive that an attenuated aerial hollow beam, no
thicker than its mere rind, should, by human science, be constructed
strong enough to withstand, besides the weights rushing through it, the
natural gales and artificial squalls of wind to which, throughout its
entire length, and at its fearful height, it is permanently to be
exposed."

Notwithstanding these "incomprehensible" speculations, the tubes are
abundantly strong to sustain the pressure of the heaviest trains, even
were they to stand still in the middle of the bridge. It is calculated
that each tube, in its weakest part, would sustain a pressure of four or
five thousand tons, "support a line of battle ship, with all her
munitions and stores on board," and "bear a line of locomotives covering
the entire bridge." The bridge was completed, and the first train passed
through it March 5th, 1850. The total cost of this gigantic structure
was only L601,865.

GLORY OF ANCIENT ROME.

Ancient Rome was built upon seven hills, which are now scarcely
discoverable on account of the vast quantities of rubbish with which the
valleys are filled. Pliny estimates the circumference of the city in his
time at 13,000 paces (which nearly agrees with modern measurements), and
the population at 3,000,000. Rome was filled with magnificent public
edifices, temples, theatres, amphitheatres, circuses, naumachiae,
porticos, basilicae, baths, gardens, triumphal arches, columns, sewers,
aqueducts, sepulchres, public and private palaces, etc.

In the time of the Caesars, fourteen magnificent aqueducts, supported by
immense arches, conducted whole rivers into Rome, from a distance of
many miles, and supplied one hundred and fifty public fountains, one
hundred and eighteen large public baths, the artificial seas in which
naval combats were represented in the Colosseum, and the golden palace
of Nero, besides the water necessary to supply the daily use of the
inhabitants. One hundred thousand marble and bronze statues ornamented
the public squares, the temples, the streets, and the houses of the
nobility: ninety colossal statues raised on pedestals; and forty-eight
Egyptian obelisks of red granite, some of the largest size, also adorned
the city.

Such was ancient Rome, "the Eternal City." Although visited for more
than a thousand years by various calamities, she is still the most
majestic of cities; the charm of beauty