The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-03-18

y
mind, which was still labouring I'M
der the impression Of the novel aud
j ,irgalarly romantic views which the
passage ri the AIps had LETT upon it.
i had Just before seen those stu
lpendoGs monuments of Natures
pride, aud row looked upon The
trmmphs of Art. The transition
gave Il double effect 10 the prospect
! enioyea From the awful n sub
! limo labours of q God--rrom the
wild. tho simple, the terrible and
maJesiic-irom scenes OF peril. Of
beauty in its most serious ~ stelncst
aspect, OF horror and desolation :
where all was left with the early
impress Of creation all as 1t had
been from the beginning, and will
remain TO the end ct time. | turned
10 the elegant, the tasteful. the rich,
the luxurious and pcrIshable. 1t was
Il fine field for n philosopher; bat
an enthusiast like myself had only
the power of enjoying it,without fac
ther benefit tn himself or others. |
could not resist sight Of the Iron
Grown, which is only a plain golden
band set with gems in its centre a
piece Of iron. which they call one Of
the nails of the cross, is enclosed be-
tween two small glass plates. The
crown itself is cnshrined within n
large cross, opened and glazed over
in several places, for the purpose
of disclosing to the eyes Of the faith.
ful, the sponge, the reed, and some
OF the thoina. which were used NJ the
/. crucifixion. The ceremonies attend
ing the exhibition Of this holy ION,
the courtesyings, the genufe Aions,
the prayers. and incense burnings,
were enough to weary the patience
, of Archbishop Laud, and drive the
remnant of brains from the head 0i
T Mausa Headrigg, il they could hayt
| peeped up to witness these sacerdo,
/ tai antics. A priest had informed
NE In the molning, that ST. Peter
had discovered these relics 10 Mary
, Magdalen fin a dream; but the re
vercud Snowman assured me il was
no such thing that the Saviour APP
pearcd to st. Helena, and instructed
her where to find the cross that
she was successful in following her
directions, and gave this very nail, Il
part Of the discovery, % st Gregg
ry; who bestowed II on the Cathe-
dl nj OF Monza that the other ac-
count was an entire fabrication, cal
Culated 10 mislead the unwarr. and
not at all TO be credited. | left my
holy light fully convinced of the
superiority Of his evidence which |
Was Obliged to purchase at s francs ;
while the incorrect history only cost
. mr. two. Truth is not dear at four
! francs in Italy, where rather think
it is Il c,ntraband article, for one
scarcely ever hears OF it. This is
comparatively very respectable e.
/ violence of the encrvating, and,
: cannot bat think, demorallzing, bi-
gotry OF this degraded people.
VERONA.
c If had not been going to Venice
i | should have quilted Milan with
: regret, where | had found much II
5 interest and delight me. / passed
c through Nicenza, Verona. Il Padna,
in my way to the sea girt city, and
G owe to Shakespeare the chief pleasure
! | derived from my journey. 1t is
, not possible to approach Verona,
( which looks the sort of fendal city
that Cdputet aud Montague might
) have set BY the ears. without think %
, ing of " JHtlet and her Romeo" ]
assure yon their images haunted me
= through the streets, and though the
mooa was up before | could prevail
on mysel. to leave the Amphlthea-
: tire, which is magnificent. would
not forego the pleasure OF making
pilgrimage to Juiel's tomb, which
: they show in garden formerly at
. tached to a Franciscan COM ent.
! They have tolerably correct story,
bat should be very sorry to be
called on for an affidavit Gifts truth !;
still believe it al at the time, and
in such place, E in such night,
which Was like that which Spak-
speare himself imagined, no one
could nave refused to credit much
more. For my own part, stood
beside the old empty coffin, for il is
little more, with all the fond credu-
Iity nca de Nntcd nilrriIra al the shrine