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

which surround them, and the uISlaHCe az
which they are seen, into broad ana warmer
tints, or higher and richer relieves; aiding, IN
stead of iniurng. the general effect, and max.
ing out by the incest grada,ions simple and
commanding whole.
In building of This size, light and colour,
like that Of The external atmosphere, Is OF pri-
mary importance. II is managed with The ut-
most skill The colour Of the great arcades,
and consequently Of great portion Of the int.
rior, is of l sedl,e rather than sombre grey. he
white and gall aE,ico marbles AT The sides are
in the finest sem'tOnes, and support the chiti
color with rich EFFECT. There is little light, but
there are no uicks rlaved with it; there are
! few windows, bu, all the light hey give you
! have. The effect Is not monosiic, nor cold,
nor austp-r--nn,hIug northern, nor Gothic
| but there is fficier, brace and mellowness 10
! prcc Jude Fri div, 20 .uasS Ihe parts, 10 pre-
| serve unmarried I've 5, r;"'is md the Solmn OF
the buildingi whilst ", il, a'so, is beautifully
blended festival he '.iDcss, southern bril-
/ liancv, an Italian airucas, which FL 1t well Tor
| The nareant and picturesque Of the Catholic
worship, wlhou, in any degree depreciaIing or
degrading the -ancity and mysticism OF the
Temple. 1t is in happy and classical harmo-
ny with the genius of the people, and belongs
to them as inherently and intr!nsically as their
religion.
! soon perceived tina, had not time 10 enter
Into an examination Of details; and though IN
vte: at every step by some monument OF M
teresi was compelled To hurry on TO th- COM
plrtion Of my general view. i he subterrane-
an chui CHI was fortunately open; descended
with the few oungers who were grouped at
the door. /, disappointed me. There is a
much nobler thing of The kind at Assist, and
may add, though smaller, al ST. Pie'ro al
Toscanel.a. You wind round caiac omb pas
| sapes, scanned and embroidered with AN.
cent mosaics, Byzantine p'jnlings, and bronze
relieves Of al! degrees Of richness and dciormi-
". irten,ed and rough with affairs and ton6s,
! under low arcades, Frightened here and there
by the iron lamp Of some distant chapel, whilst
near YOU are seen immense rude masses oil Sc
puIchres rising out Of the ancient Placement
and through the grating, iron gates oil oratorics
and entries, without graduation, order or com
bnaion. The centre chapel is tho sanctuary
Of the place. The high aiter covers the ashes,
or at least recalls the memory OF the apostles.
It's decorations are splendid, but though.
them inferior TO the promises oil my lmaSlna'
lion. The hundred undyiug lamps, the rich
balustrade, the embracing STEPS, SEEM pre-
lude to sone,h hing nob'er 1t has gold and gid.
ing some sculpture and more marble; but SO
indeed has every part Of ST. Peters San Car
los tomb at Milan is rock crysta-solid silver
and--a shrine.
On my return TO upper day, visited the
Sacristies. Braschi had al least a sense OF neat
ness and proprety. The interior is worthy Of
ST Peters The principal consists OF cen
trail domeG hall, lined with the requisite mar
: bic aud wainscoing, and branching into the
ves,ing- chambers and chaptrr room and chap
els of the canons on one side, and Of the bene'
| iciares on the other. 1t is in good clean taste,
and decorated but not loaded The exterior is
Gu, up into angles and projections, in :eeping
with the front ofthe church, and OF Course eth
er very feeble or very hdeous.
1t was now time 10 ascend the cupola. Az
ter short interval Of repose | set out. 1t is
in itself little Journey The Cordonata is Of
The description alluded to by Ariosto, aud is e'-
cry day assembled by The asses and workmen,
who have planted themselves in village al the
top, and are increasingly employed by the Con-
ercgazione della Reverenda Fabbrica in keep.
ing up the repairs Of the city OF building which
surround them. Bramante had already excel.
led in this department Of his art, and The Pozzo
| of Orvieto will bear a comparison with The
Cordonata Of San Pielro. 1t was a very consi-
dcrable time, adj giro in giro cternamente," be-
| fore reached the top; and then found my
self as at The entrance OF third church, sur
rounded with its groups of subordinate chapels
and sanc,uarics under the form Of the elipti
cal cupolets, which stretched on every side in
bold perspective around me. From this view
embraces Rome, gathered round the base of the
! first temple in The world; girt with her Cam
pagna desert and Sabine mountains; defined
boldly by her dark red rampar,s and broken
aqueducts, in the midst OF gloomy plain,
which is soon lost, nself, in tho grey line Of
the Mediterranean. l continued still ascending
through the interior Of the vault Qor the cupo-
la is doubie) and on opening a small door, I
stood suddenly on the the enabature. The
gigantic inscription, "Tu es PETRA &c. hich
runs round, coming thus abruptly upon me in
all its size and grandeur, appalled, me for a
moment. My eye mex, fell upon the marble
pavemen, with that involuntary horror which
sickeIs Ind as,onishes the s:outest heart. !
saw immediately opposite scafolding sus-
pended as il were in mid air, upon which a
single figure seemed employed in filing up
some squares in the mosaic, which time and
| the seasons had displaced. Dover cliff and its