The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-11-28 00:00:00

THE. FUNERAL OF RORSINI.

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The lowing account of the funetal of Rossini is fur-
nished a Paris correspondent
. .

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A cold, damp, gloomy day did not check the ardour
of the crowds who flocked to Rossini's funeral.
Among the envied holders ef tickets for the interior of
the Trinite church many ladies were seen shivering in
the precincts for two hours before the doors opened.
The general public, who had no hope of getting into or
even of approaching very near the church, took a far
greater interest in the ceremony than I could have
imagined, and it required a very large military and
police force to clear the way for the funeral procession
trom the Madeleine to the Trinite, and to prevent the
populace from blocking up the approaches to the latter
church. On the foot pavement of the Chaussei'd'Antin,
and in those parts of the Rue St. Lazare and the
Rue de Clichy which afford even a distant view of the
Triniffi, closely packed crowds of the humbler classes
stood patiently within the limits assigned to them, and
not only waited long to see the coffin carried into the
-thumb, but kept their standing ground till it came
out again two hours later. A few minutes after the
opening of the doors, not a seat (unreserved for great
personages, the friends of the family, or the artistes
engaged) was left vacant, and those who came
so late as half an hour earlier than the hour
mentioned in the invitation (twelve o'cli ick)
were glad to find standing room. All the fami-
liar faces of the habitues of the French and '
Italian Operas were there. The Institute of France
came in a body in their academic dream. Chevalier I
Nigra, with all the altachis of the Italian legation,
appeared in uniform. No regulations were made !
about toilettes, and most properly, for had mourning '
been insisted on, not a fourth of the ladies invited I
would have gone, and the church would not have been I
filled. In the Madeleine roses and green ribands in I
bonnets would have looked much out of keeping, but !
in the mild light of the Trinite they did not spoil the
general effect. When the coffin appeared in the nave
it was found to be completely covered with flowers,
evergreens, and decorations. At the head was a velvet
cushion, on which were laid the numerous orders of
the deceased. At the foot was an immense bouquet
of Parma violets sent from Nice. The intermediate
space was filled up by large laurel wreaths, one of
which was thickly irterspersed with choice flowers.
Just as the coffin was being carried from the entrance
portal to the catafalque in front of the high altar, a
handsome crown of gilt leaves was placed upon the !
eustdon among the decorations. A guard of honour of !
the list Regiment lined the nave, the deceased being ,
as a grand officer of the Legion of Honour, entitled to
military honours in France. Although the majority
of the spectators had come to see a spectacle, and
although there was laughing and talking in groups,
many had evidently solemn thoughts befitting the
occasion. It seemed to me that all the pomp, pumps
mpre ferret, was more and and affecting in its contrast
between dun and earthly vanity than the simaplext
pauper's funeral. The duet from Perg,olese's &Ara
by Allxmi and Patti, was the gem of the musical
ma 4,.