Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1827-04-12

GENTLY wide TO admit a carriage and
horses, and ladies, it is said, have often
rode up on mules. There are no steps,
aud the fatigue OF ascendingi is the same
as that OF ascending ateep hiIA Enirr-
ging from this passage on 10 the roof,
very extraordinary scene presented
itself to US. We found ourselves on a
large plain surrounded by domes 10 all
directions. A long rsofed shed extend
ed along the ceatre of this plain, which
bad the appearance Of q work. house,
aud from which men occasionally came
out. On either side Of US arose two
eomes. larger and more beautiful than
the rest; and Immediately behind US
lowered the.great dome Itself. A heavy
balustrade surrounds the whole roof; IN
front stood the colossal statues oil tho
Apostles VS. clanbered Up the balus.
trade 10 order to Jake q nearer view Of
these sacred personases, and were as.
tonlshed to iind what hugh missbspen"
beings they were. What had appeared
FROM the pavement below to be finally
scuiptured statues, now exhibited their
real characters--large blocks Of stone,
bound TO gether With IRON braces, and so
roughly carved, that one is puzzled to
tell the difference between the fingers
aud thumbs. The grsat dome arises di.
rectIy from the centre of the root; no.
thing can be more majestic than its
appearance from this place--simple,
Beautiful and grand: nothing to disgust
or fatigue the eye: the more one re-
CARDS it, the more imposing does It be-
come--it Is not like ST. Paul's, too
heavy for the roof but stands in perfect
harmony with every thing around
The beholder is not startled with the
idea If its weight; because the place he
stspds on, is as 6rm as the earth itself,
Between each Of the windows project
two pillars. In this, If in any thing,
there is fault; the pillars support no.
this-s,,, aud therefore seem useless; but
so tsrfect is the iost assemble, that the
most fastidioIs taste would be ashamed
to find fault.
The ascent Of the dome commences
by fight of steps on the outside. We
then entaD and continue he ascent by q
magnificent stone stairway. We were
| first introduced into the whispering gal
lery which extends around the interior
! The COMMUNICATION OF schnd is perfect.
The 6rst thing that surprised us on EN-
tering this gallery, was the coarseness
the Mosaic. From below, il appear
ed as fine Is the pictures which adorn
| the alta.s in the interior; but from this
gallery ithas the appearance OF huge
pieces Of coloured glass, thrown carsiess-
| " upon mortar We ascend again, and
after a wearisome Journey, came to the
second gallery, which surrounds the
dome at the top OF the arch: from this
place, the view below Is terrifying; tha
dome recedes from under you, and you
feel as though standing on tho brink Of q
precipice. Though high railing sur
rounds it, eur isars oyercaese our Sudg
Dent; we could not approach the rail.
ing, but shrunk back under tho wall
with that feeling of horror & dread which
man experiences when he ends him
self suddenly on precipice, oEer which
another step would plunge bin. The
passage now becomes narrower. After
ascending few minutes longer, the
guids opened door, and told Us to
look down. We ware now a. the very
extreme height Of all.
The picture IF the Deity, which
from the pavement below 10 hardly dis
tinguishable, was within our reach; it
was hugh, coarse and inelegant. The
people moving or the pavement below
appeared less than Lillirutisns. The
height 10 so dizzy that the guide had to
hold us while looking forward, and win
not permit us to remain but two or three
minutes. We assembled and reached the
lantern, small room above the dome,
in which is kept an album. to insert the
names of visitors. Continuing our as.
cent, we soon became involved In
darkness, and squeezing through mar
row passage, and up perpendicular
iron ladder, we entered the ball
Here terminates the Journey. But the
bah is not the least wonderful apartment
we have visited, though not certainly
the most comfortable or elegant. 1t IS
close, dark, aad hot; few loop.holss
are made to admit the air, they are
not large enough to admit of any view.
The size of this ball is surprizing -
Standing ON tiptoe, We could not touch
the top--twelve men might stand 10