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

nro6es of door arch, emf sblainre, with pleasure;
and feels satisfied even with the bold breaks of
light, ~hich cross the pavement from us hne
entries. Standing in the centre, you command
on one side the equestrian statue oil Constantine,
in the other that OF Charlemagne, both in
the worst taste but in the best light-delestable
,s statues. picturesque as embellishments, and
in any case bearabie, as portion OF the mere
architectural sculpture, which goes to the ma
king up OF the general effect. FROM the base
ofConstan,ine there is striking view OF the
Scala Rcgia, an extravagansa Of berh'his
which nigh, be endured, II Justihed oy the
breadth OF the staircase, or the Importance o.
the object in which it terminates; out as IL Is,
mere surprise, and scarcely that. when we re-
collect its prototype, the Spada. ne Ves'io"'e
opens by FIVE great ga,eways into Tie INFERIOR
The great bronze gate remains SHUT cxcep' on
the highest festivals. This is Ike singing YES
pers and saying mass in the canons corner
and is tying up with a capricious economy
great portion Of the state and magnihcence OF
the temple. intended to have examined II IN
detail; hut The day was advanced, every step
increased my impa,ience: and taxing up the
heavv mating over ct the side entrances,
found myself at once in the midst OF the splen-
doris of The interior.
central door. The glory Of the scene smote
| upon me al once. I hat sort OF moral exuta-
| ton which runs over the frame, on hearing
| fine passage in the poems Of Homer or Shaks
spcare, or the music Of Handel or Cimarosa,
is perhaps the best illustration OF the feelings
| produced by the first fash Of a view, probably
| unrivalled upon The whole earth. a man feels
| proud in belonging 10 the same class 1T crea-
| tior, with the beings who tonld raise such won
ders: they lave balanced, il not surpassed, the
gories OF anc lie ut times, by new glories OF their
own; and disdaining, like true inventors, 10 fol>
low in the track Of ancient conquest, have open
ed by their own proves, and hitherto unex-
plored domain 10 the efforts and conqueals
| Of 2osteritv.
The perfect unity Of the plan-the dIslin.
gushable pre.eninence Of the principal parts!
| the propriety and harmony Of each-the easy
| flowing Of the inferior into the superior-and
the gradual emerging Of a sublime whole out
| Of these n,ul,i,udinous combinations-all this
has been often observed; but they seized me
with an original force, when for the first time
my eye hoated down The centre nave the side
ONES are forgotten in the centrally and met 10
interruption until it reached the bronze canopy,
the hundred lamps burning over the tomb Of
| The apostlcs-the numerous aS roups ground
,hem, and the insgnifcance OF This croxd to
| the towering strength Of the four huge"5ut
resses Of the cupola. Here its immensely
strikes al once; but the impression OF mere
magnitude is, perhaps, secondary. The hrsl
is beauty, ana nothing but beauty. The CEN
trail nave is divided into three great arches, be-
fore you arrive ct tie iransept or altar These
arches are indeed superb; but there are only
three, and the wandrrirgs Of the imagination
are thus cun'ai'ed, aud obliged to rest here
Then the harmony Of arch, pedestal, roof, enta-
blature, without single discord, for the t.
cures on the archivolls can hardly be consider
ed such, is most exquistely drlusivc. he
eye slides up and down without stopping for
remark. On advancing, il becomes more and
more habi,a,cd to these dimensions. The ca
nopy, altar-the giant arms of the cross stretch
ing on, into transepts, equal to calhedrals on
each side-the choir behind studiously pro-
lopged TO the size of another church-lhe aisles,
the chapels, and cupolas surmoun'ing them on
each side, all appear consi ,tent and subordin-
ale conceptions Of magnitude and grandeur
But the moment we reach the centre OF the
cross, we Start back from its adme asuremcn,.
The only sublime departure from all other
ideas, which admits no dpproach-abo all
precedent--tn which we have no resemblance in
our memory or magina,ion-churoh and tenn
pie in itseIf-is the miracle of the building, the
central dome. Here, indeed, we feel in undi-
minished mastery and power the awful genius
Of The architect. Every thing is sublime-no.
'n'ng breaks or damps this influence. The con-
| ste!atrd ornaments which decorate its surface;
the effusion, without check or measure, OF ar
chileo tural riches; The Mosaics, the marbles,
the gidings, which emboss il with every vari-
ETY. oi gorgcousnesS, cannot orercloud or sub
due for an instant the pre-eminence Of this mas
ter idea. The daring purpose Is comprehend
svely and completely expressed in one dome
upon the other. The sight, which scarcely at
,ains the SUNNI, Of the first, wanders about in
| the duskincss OF the second. This indistinci-
ness wells and magnlies The eye, after swim.
ming amids; its twilight, gradually descends
upon the earth along frezes, capitals, shafts,
pedes,as or surprising beauty, until at last it
alighc upon beggar on The marble pay ement,
scarcely as high as the moulding Of the plinih.
II is anay'ically only we arrive at a just n'es-
| sure, and the more we anayze, the more we are
| COMPOUNDED with humility and admiration.
The beauiSof this temple is an order per Sc.
| II is Uncomfortable how much its size eats up