Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-10-26


10 be seen from ST. Angelo, in the fnlness and
pride Of It's proportions. The more distant
view. the better; nor until the sweeping away Of
the island Of houses which intervene between
the Castle and the Piazza, shall complete the
original plan; can we fully Judge Of the entire
merits Of the picture. 8
The cupola, in itself and without reference 10
the accompanying architecture, is indeed noble;
but in connection with the facade, there is GER
tain lightness which is perhaps adverse TO ina
iesty. Its spiral firm is graceful, rather than
sublime. Unlike the dome Of the Pantheon, II
rises ~ GU, Of an order, built like another church
upon the temple. Perhaps the broad unorna,
men,rd surface Of the ancient building would
have scarcely accorded with the numerous en-
REGIMENTS and studied floridity Of the modern.
The body which supported such dome, should
have been built over again, and ST. Peters would
have been not an original exploi, Of the mo-
derns, but an ampli6ed imitation Of their prede-
eessors. The ancients might have been defeat
ed in the' own way, but nothing would nave
been added TO the achievements or resources oil
the art. The church would have been NIGH
tier Pantheon, but the dis'inctives OF Chris
tian Temple would have been lost.
The facade has incurred and merited the cen
sure Of all travellers. l, errs in design and
and inadequate; it is palace, not a temple--a
habita,ion for men, not God. A srmi>colon-
made which fiaitens into piasters as it runs
round the building, broken with cumbersome
windows and crowned with an attic pierced
with useless mezzanines, and weighed down by
gigantic saints out Of all proportion with their
pedestals,-all this still further dis6gured by
The double clock Of Plus vi. are poor compeh-
sa,ions for the deep shadows and simple gran
deur or the porticocs of Michael Angelo. The
general effect is diminutive, uilling and fut-
terry. The antique might have been too grave,
and its simplicity perhaps inconvcnient; but
here their is no attempt to palliatc or apollo
pize for these evils The few merits are timid
the vices stare upon you every where. Eve
nv thing appears forced and unnecessary
They should have seemed springing out Of the
building, and inevitable.
The accessories to all this, too, are SO mag
ni6cent, that they altogether Eclipse their prin-
ciple The church is one Of the last things
YOU think of, in the surprising spIendour Of its
Accomplishments. Nothing can be finer than
the colonnade Of Bernini. 1t is the chef d'eu-
vre Of that inan-si sic omn'a Even the curve
is AN excellency. l, is no, only o"igin:', bu,
happy. II gives you, perhaps, less OF the archi-
tecturaI, but more of the picturesquc-a much
combinations, than the simple line. ] will not
say the taste is perfect. but hardly wish it
were more so The execution, too, is far from
faultlcss; there are great blots in the details,
and in almost all the details The Entesis, for
Instance, even after the Basillca Of Paestum,
appears glaring and rxtravagant. Then the
fronting porticoes and their whimsical obliqui>
ty though compelled, perhaps, 10 this exp-di-
ent by the nature If the pan-bul with all this
the ensemble is satisfactory and complete. Ev-
cry thing is true to its purpose and realizes its
end. look for nothing antique here, bu, the
antique spirit which could suit, place and per-
feet such a wo,k-the anliqpe science and &C.
Jus, which could WELD principles at will, and
reproduce under new and richer forms, the
beauties and wonders Of the past.
The o5elisk which stands in the centre,
stanis well. 1t is an acccSsary-in general
they are principals. Squares have been clear
ed away 10 show off their bases; and in most
inst ances they are in possession of the chief i'll
tere SITS If he place. Here il wait, on and is
the last touc to the completion of the plan-
The achievement was Fontana's; but we smile
in turning over the folio which recounts his
exnloit What can give better scale of our
pigmy powers than the celebrated Machina.
the hundred horses, the threats Of Sixtus, and
the pension for life? he has immortalized our
inferioritv 10 the ancients.
The fountains ale admirable: no affectation,
trick or extravagance--a'! is pure, true, sim
pie Every thing is precisely where it should
be. The effect proce' DIS from the cause direct.
ly and unostentatiously, the water is sufficient
for the fountain, the fountain or taxa for the
wa'er-bo Tor the place. They are in clear
and bold accordance with the main object, in =
terwoven with. and not episodes to the pomp
and grandeur of st. Peters. Designed for the
mul,itudes who enter, they are large enough
for such multtudes as might 6ll st. Peters.
As to their beauty, is unrivalled; it is impos-
sible 10 throw water in more m.agpifccn,
manner than in the sheafs or columns which
burst up from these magnificent vases. When
the sun shines, and casts over them its rain
bows OF every hue, and the day is soft and tran
quill, it is difficult, to conceive any more appro
pirate prelude to your entry into the temple,
than thu sight and sound Of these fountains.
walked leisurely up the semicircular steps,
and stood before the vestibule. The obelisk,
fountains and colonades, here appear to still
greater advantage, from their opDosition to