Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-06-13
From the New York Mirror
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF EUROPE.

Mass in the SistiRe chapel--the cardi-
tials-the "Last Judgment the rope
Of Rome-the adam and Ebe"-
Chanting Of the priests--testa at the
church Of San Cdrlos--Gregory The
sirteenh, his equipage, frcia, etc.
All the world goes to hear ''mass in
the Sistine chapel and all travellers
describe it. 1t occurs infrequently, and
is performed by the pope. We were
there to-day at ten, crowding at the
door with hundreds of foreigners, most.
ly English, elbowed alternately by
priests and ladies, and kept in order by
the Swiss guards in their harlequin
dresses and long pixies. We were adj
mitted after an hours pushing, and the
guard retreated to the grated door,
through which no woman is permitted
TO pass. Their gay bonnets and fcath-
ers, clustered behind the gilded bars,
and we could admire them for once
without the qualifying reelection that
they were between us and the show.
An hour more was occupied in the en-
trance, one by one, of some forty car.
dinals with their rustling silk trains
supported by boys in purple. They
passed the gate, their train bearers lift
ed their cassocks and helped them to
kneel, moments prayer was num-
bled, and they took their seats with
the same seryile assistance. Their at
PENDANTS placed themselves at their feet,
and, taking the prayer books, the only
use of which appe" red to be, to display
their jewelled fingers, they looked over
them at the faces behind the grating,
and waited for his holiness.
The intervals ofthis mummery, gave
US time TO study the famous trescos for
which the Sistine chapel is renowned.
The subject is the "Last Judgment.
The Saviour sits in the midst, pronoun.
cling the sentence, the wicked plunging
from his presence on the left hand, and
the righteous ascending with the as
sistance of angels on the right. The
artist had, of course, infinite scope for
cApieoSioli, anu TIC idiiic vi lDc lTcSCO,
(Which occupies the whole of the wall
behind the altar) would seem to argue
his success. The light is miserable,
however, and incense of lamp-smoke,
has obscured the colors, and one looks
at it now with little pleasure, As well
as could see, too, the figure OF the
Saviour was more that of a tler throw
ing down states from the top of house
in some fear of falling, than the judge
of the world upon his throne. of
the other parts are better, and one or
two naked female figures might once
have been beautiful, but one of the
succeeding popes ordered them drest,
and they now flaunt at the judgment
seat in colored silks, obscuring both
saints and sinners with their finery.
There are some redeeming frescos, al.
SO by Michael Angelo, on the ceiling,
among them "Adam and Eve" exqui-
sitely done.
The pope entered by a door at the
side Of the altar.
With him came a host Of dignitaries
and church servants, and, as he totter-
ed round in front of the altar to kneel,
his cap was taken off and put on, his
flowing robes lifted and spread, and he
was treated in all respects, as If he
were the Deity himself. In fact, the
whole service was the worship, not o.
God, but Of the pope. The cardinals
came up, one by one, with their heads
bowed, and knelt reverently to kiss biz
hand and the hem of his white satir
dress; his throne was higher than the
altar, and ten times as gorgeous, the
incense was flung towards him, and hi.
motions from one side Of the chapel tt
| the other, were attended with NOR,
ceremony and devotion than all thu
rest ofthe service together. The chant
ing commenced with his entrance, ant
this should have been to God alone
for it was like music from heaven
The choir was composed ofpriests, win
sang from massive volumes bound ii
| golden clasps, in small side gallery
One stood by the book, turning tn
leaves as the chant proceeded, an
keeping the measure, and the other
clustered around with their hands elias
ped, their headsthrown back, and thei
eyes closed or fixed upon the turninj
leaves in such grouping and attitude
as you see in pictures of angels sing
ing in the clouds. have heard won
derful music since | have been on tn
continent, and have received new idea
of the compass of the human voice, an
| its capacities for pathos'afl sweetness
But, after all the wonders of the opera
as it is learned to sing before king
and courts, the cilantingofthese priests
transcribed every convention in M