" FUIT ILIUM."
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."'
Sin,—The Popes have of late at least respected the antiquities of their city. Some of us hope they may have their own again. This is from a letter received to-day from my wife, who is in Rome :—" They have pulled down all the Ghetto, all the Pescheria ; the fish-shops and slabs have vanished ; every- thing is destroyed ; because, please, they are going to make new wide streets there 1 don't know when I have felt such wrath Now I suppose they will put the fish- slabs (if they have saved them) into a museum, as if it were interesting to see them in a museum !"
This kind of improvement is in full swing everywhere in Italy. When one day at Venice the traveller misses St. Mark's, he will, no doubt, be told cheerfully, as I was told in 1886 of the Great Marble Terrace at Genoa, that it has been " demolito per far piu gran' la strada." Of course, nothing can be done but to give vent to "lamentation and mourning and woe," and write for sympathy to the Spectator.—I am, Sir,
G. H. E.
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