The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-04-23

PARIS, ls42.

churches and holy relics. There are probably lew
cities in Europe which contain many churches
worthy the attention of the traveller account Of
their antiouty their architecture, the curious
lies which they contain. During the middle ages,
Cologne was called the Rome Of the North, name l
to which it was well entitled by Its Importance as
centre of ecclesiastical power, and the number and
splendor of its churches. The city had, that time
j, is said many steeples there days in the
year. but, present. there is hardly tenth part of
the number remaining. Nearly all of these churches
from six to hundred years old of them
still ancient the traveller, therefore, who is
connosseur in architecture, and is curious, to study
the different phases of the Gothic style, may there
crafty his taste to the full would be az tiresomet to
you to myself, if to attempt description of
the eight or ten churches which thought it worth |
while visit Ishall, therefore, say word only of
two or three of the interesting and of the Curl
GUS relics which they contain
The Cathedral is the largest and most interesting,
and if it had been completed would have been one of
the wonders of the world 1t is four hundred feet in
length and its to have been raised to the
height Of five hundred feet, but they, well as the
greater part of The building, far from attaining the
fulflment of this magnificent design 1t has been
said with TRUTH that this vast unfinished structure
presents an appearance between that of fragment
and ruin" The parts that have been completed are
patched up with boards and bricks render it
available for purposes of worship but presents
lancholy picture of mingled magnifcence and mean
The exterior of extremity of the church
only is finished and the noble richness Of its archi
lecture dazzles the beholder. The interior of the
building is filled at present with scaIoldngs erected
for the purpose of restoring and preserving that which
has been finished but left TO decay for five centuries
rather than of carrying out the original design that it
is impossible get good view of the vast and i'm
posing proportions of the ediice. Among the few
things that complete, several great painted
windows, of extraordinary brilliancy and beauty of
design. One or two remarkable old paintings are
shown, and under in the floor is the heart of
Mary de Medicis, Queen of Henry Nv Of France.
But the great cu1osities of this church its relics.
For fee of six francs, my companion and myself we're
permitted to crafty our wondering eyes with gaze at
the treasures of this sacred reperory. First the
tristan showed bone Of St. Mathew carefully pre-
served in little urn respendant with gold and jew
els Then came piece of clay red with the blood OF
some other martyred Saint preserved with equal care
shrine of another Saint in silver, carved with exqui-
site delcacy great number of little carvings in vo-
ry representing different in the life of the Sa-
viour, and executed with surprising skill number of
crucxes crosiers and other accessories of the Catho
lie service, the very names of of which
known to All these treasures rich with gold
and jewels, and thought that my eyes before
opened upon such rich and splendid collection
ceptng, perhaps, the crown jewels in the Tower of
;,>ca~
ply to direct question: that the greater part of this
fine jewelry was merely imitation. At last we were
ushcred with all due solemnty into chapel contain
ing the shrine wherein deposited the bones OF the
three Magi who came from the East at the Nativity,
bearing presents for the infant Saviour. This shrine,
cofn is of silver and gold deliberately carved, and
loaded with gems and precious stones of great beauty
and value Some of the most beautiful of these cost
ly ornaments canoes representing scenes Of the
heather mythology strange juxtaposition The
value of the jewels, which decorate this dazzling
shrine, is said to be than million of dollars
though its former richness has been considerably d.
mnished by certain pous distractions. Through a
little door, closed by large topaz shown the
heads of the Magi, encrcled by dadems, and bearing
the names of their owners traced in rubies Gaspar,
Melchior, and Balthazar, the ofthe Three
Kings" Their bones, it seems, found in Italy
by the Emperor Frederic Barbarossa and presented by
him as holy relics to the Archbishop of Cologne
had not ceased wondering at the shrine of the
Magi, before saw in the Church of ST. Ursula a
much extensive collection of relics of the
sort, consisting of the assembled bones of eleven
thousand virgins The traditions of the church re-
late that somewhere about the fifth century (if my
memory serves right young Princess Of Britain
called Ursula, in company with eleven thousand viz
gins of the same country, having been converted to
Christianity, made pilgrimage to Rome, and on their
return down the Rhine were murdered at Cologne.
Many ages afterwards, their bones were discovered
by miracle, "a dove having alghted the spot and
picked the ground with its BILL whilst priest was
praying for such revelation of the hidden trea-
sure,) and church built upon the spot and
secrated to ST. Ursula and the II 900 virgins Their
bones deposited within its walls and there they
have remained ever since. They are piled around
the church in glass cases, and, as you may well sup
pose, they form pretty extensive collection of
logy. That of the Hunterian Museum at London is
small in comparison. In the choir of the church is
numerous series of very quaint pictures, represent
ing the various scenes of the pilgrimage of the 00O
(among Others the baptism of the young ladies by the
Pope, they being all T" in naturalib,s'D found it
very difficult to preserve my gravity in looking at this
vast collection of human bones thus preserved as an
object of human reverence, and my companion, who
Catholic, was much amused at the sight Of
the superstitious absurdty as myself.
In another of the churches is Christ crucied not,
as is usually the case, carving in marble or wood
but most faithful representation, in some skilfuIly
contrived MATERIAL of sunken and whered CORPSE
with the blood streaming down the side and the ago
mics of death still dstorng the features The image