Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-09-27


the Carrousei, with the long aud elegant build
nss Of the Louvre and ruilleries, came IN V,ew'
they looked more like the Paris had formeu III
my mind, having been long familiar win 'l.e''
appearance from prints was set GOWN a.
side door Of the gallery Of the LouVfe-a rap
brought a liveried servant forth, who' WIN 10"
and side chase, extended his hand; tne hrs' '''
pulse was to nv pocket. as a matter OF cou'se'
hut the word 81 passeport'' recalled to m,nd the
use of that document, which my guide DOCK
told me was only necessary, to gain admlt'ance'
| Another bow, writing my name IN huge TOTO,
and stood within that tar famed repository OF
art, the l.ouvre-once the treasury OF the WORM.
The lower gallery is devoted to statues. many
of the finest works Of the antiques; IKE sta-
tues, but l love pictures; and therefore nave
hurried through on every visit to get among ny
favorites. The fighting Gladiator cannot oe
passed without notice; it seemed az though uh'
kind not to pause and bestow compliment upon
his manly form braced to noble daring.
The statues are many OF them exceedingly
fine; interesting, for they are the work Of ages
past; although have not yet learned to ehect
raptures at e-ery thing that IS old, nave oeen
too long used to try art by the standard OF ma
ture. To-day as wandered among these pre-.
cious relics Of the past, little fat looking John
Bull, of the first water, entered, with long
spindle. shanked "my lord' at his heels; they
paused before piece of marble scarcely bearing
the form al any thing human or divine;--" Fine!
very fne!'' uttered the old gentleman, rising on
his toes. and coming with consequential air up
on his fiat foot" fine! very fine" putting
pair Of gold spectacles on his nose.
NV lord looked shy, hut at last opened his
mouth" really cannot see its beauties"
lit is an an,ique-a Greek fragment, sculp-
tured perhaps by Praxitees himself-i must be
good, my lord"
opened and shut my eyes dozen times lest
there might be some disorganization in my vi
sion; bu, every time the same unintelgbe mass
Of marble was before me. How truly has Shee
said-
Dug from the tomb Of taste refining tire
Each form is exquisite. each black sublimei
Or good or bad dishgsr'd or deprav'd
All art is at it, resurrection saved;
al crown'd with glory in the critics h avn,
Each merit magnifod, each fault forgv'n
But the enchanting Torso of Venus on the
first visit could detain me but minute, when,
few steps higher, knew the treat that awaited
me- The paintings on the ceilings Of the halls
of sculpture do not satisfy my ideas OF excel
'ence. however crude they may be; cannot see
in nature the continual and gorgeous displa, OF
the prism-the eve rests with more delighted
emotion upon the coolest statues. To the gale.
~ Of paintings: The first room contains some
old pictures and early ESSAYS of genius; as soon
as entered it caught glimpse Of the great
picture Of Paul Veronese in the next great hall.
and vas before it; but must 90 again and again
befure leave Paris.
.4ugua 16-There is without the walls of Pa
ris spot devoted to the dead, where the monarch
of US all seems clothed in flowers never Vet
| felt desire to lay my bones in any ore spot OF
earth in preference To another, until | saw the
cemetery Of Pere Lachaise The whole day
has been spent Among its delightful solitudes In
almost every nation and every cline the living
pay respect to the ashes Of the dead; and al
though It can avail thuse naught who have passed
that dreaded bourne, the grave should not be e.
yelled with the earth; It is an awful landmark on
the confines Of eternity-a record to those still
her pyramids and embalmed her dead 10 last for
ages, and even the savage OF our own wIlds
venerates the ashes Of his ancestors; one pathecal
ly said to his tribe. it is time tor US to 60, for
the plough-share of the white man hath scattered
the bones of our fathers"
Until very late period, the custom of bury.
ing promiscuously in churches prevailed in Paris,
| as | believe to be still the case in most Catholic
countries. The government were compelled 10
put stop to the practice, from the repeated and
violent epidemics produced by the exhalation,
e'nanating from these receptacles Of the dead
Several burial places have been established with
out the walls, but none to be compared with Pc
re Lachase for the beauty Of its localities, and
taste in the disposition, and arrangement, though.
ou:. Whoever sees the sunset upon the city Of
Paris from the upper part will not soon forget il;
not a tower. not building Of note in the me.
tropolis but may be distinguished; there lies the
city of the living, here the resting place Of the
dead, where but scene of the tragedy of man s
existence is acted, and it is the last: here falls
the curtain.
The stranger wanders with those calm thought.
ful emotions Of pleasure. peculiar to such scenes,
through the high ways and secluded by-pa'hs. -
The tomb Of the foreigner from every cline is
mingled with the dust Of Frenchmen; and ndi.
viduals of every sect and denomination share
their final home together in the cold earth. Per.
haps while he is gazing on some rich structure
reared over the ashes Of the wealthy, a solitary
foot fall or sigh NAV startle hiHl--a figure clad
in the garb Of mourning is retiring from some Sc
cluded spot-oh woman: thou art the echo Of the
-. l.