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New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 122, 27 August 1875, Page 15

Feasting-Rooms in Pompeii. — Pompeii, that beautiful and illfated city, buried underneath the shower of ashes, pumice and stones cast forth from Vesuvius, A.D. 79, and first discovered in 1645, and now a ruin of world- wide interest, is said to have derived its name from the word Pompe, with reference to the pomp with which Hercules, its founder, celebrated his victories. The frescoes which have oufc-lived 1.599 years, are brilliant yet in the forum and temples. The art of frescoe painting is still with us in practice, but the records of a medium of preservation so durable as to withstand the damp and fire of centuries is lost with the people, cunning and rich, whose hands wrought the beaxities of Pompeii. la the houses of this excavated city the dining-hall is always found most beautifully decorated. In these noble rooms the Romans reclined at feasts, at which small fortunes were expended. It is said of Lucullus that once wishing to deceive Pompey or Cicero when they insisted upon dining with him enfamtnlie, he simply sent word home that he would dino in the room called " the Apollo," where he never gave a supper for loss than a sum amounting to J82,000 of our money. In the houso of Scaurus, the most marvellously rich frescoes adorned its walls, and lamps of bronze gave brilliant lighfc. The tables were citron-wood resting on ivory feet, and were cow re i by a plateau of solid silver, chased and carved, weighing five hundred pounds. The throe couches were of bronze, overlaid with ornaments of silver, gold, and tortoiso-shell ; the feather cushions were of stuff of silk and gold threads. Pliny says of the tables of citron- wood that thoy were made of the roots and knots, and prized for their veins and marks, which resembled a tiger's 'skin or.peacock's tail. In a f urthei.' description of this diuiiig-hall of Scaurus, in Pompeii, it is stated that the floor was finished in mosaics representing the fragments of a feast as though just fallen from tho table — hence it was called the " tinswept saloon." A Rehabkable Back. — The idea has been started in the Vienna Jockey Club, of having a race to Paris between six of tho Vienna fiacres or hackney coaches, and prizes to tho amount of £2000 havo been subscribed for the purpose. Four fiacres have already entered the competition. Should more than six offer themselves a Boleotion will be made by bailor. The time fixed from Vienna to Paris in sixte )ii days. Lite baby Ruieks. — The Quee.i of Holland has an exquisite taste for literature, and writes with ability and j udgmont ; tho Em* press of Germany i 8 notod for her eloquence ; the Empress of Aus. tria is considered to bo the most beautiful woman in Europe, and the Queen of Donmai'k is remarkable for her polished manner in ths way in which she receives hor guests.