Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1844-11-07

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another, also kneeling, held lighted candle. In
the midst Of the service the Cardinals ALL one after
another, ascended the front of the platform, and
kneeing kissed the Pope's hand and the cross on
ms slipper; then descended at the side, and it was
quite amusing to see the train of each as thew as
| cended and descended passed from the hands of a
long file of priests till they reached their seats each
IN their turn After this the priests one after the
other made obeisance at the foot of the platform
without ascending it. This to mere looker.on
was all very fanciful and amusing as you may ina
CINE the only really impressive part of the gor.
geous ceremony being when the Pope kuelt before
the altar, and held aloft the Hostile whole as.
semblage prostrating themselves to the ground,
bowling themselves before the Lord of Hosts, and
keeping silence before Him. All this occupied a.
bout two hours, and then such display of Cardi-
nails carriages as was exhibited around the court OF
the Vatican when we descended each with three
footman behind and coachman in front, they as
we'll as the horses and carriages in liveries and trap
pings as rich as gay colors and gold and silver could
make them. So closed our first morning in Rome.
After few days spent in making purchases and
such arrangements as would most contribute to our
comfort during our stay here, we commenced visit
ing some of the many interesting objects we most
wished to look upon and at least felt my ardor re-
newed and began to realize that we were indeed in
Rome
Lone mother Of dead empires, there she stands
An empty Urn within her withered ands."
Methinks fit emblem for her would be Rachel
mourning for her children and would not be com.
forted because they were not.' How sad it is to
look upon so many wrecks Of what was once beau
tiful, grand and magnificent. And in Rome there
is not one but history, hoar chronicler of time"
has marked it for her own. Standing too as they
do surrounded by the dwellings of modern Rome,
they still look SO sad, SO lonely, apart. Among
them but not Of them, yet they have one friend in
heir desolation, they not deserted quite there
is that "rare old plant'-that garland Of eternity,
the ivy green, clinging to and becoming as one bo-
dy-you may destroy but cannot part them. They
entwine and grid themselves about each part form
ing shelter against the storms of adversely, and
protection against their fell destroyer Time. can
hardly single out any of these for minute descrip-
ton, and to lonly enumerate them would not only
be tedious and unneresting, but useless: so leav-
ing these reflected glories of the past, we will turn
to one of the most perfect realities of modern times
ST. Peters. All, how beautifully do these Roman
lists appeal to the feelings the and the ina
gnation, by their exquisite perfecions in the vari-
Gus departments of art. by their gorgeous decora-
tions, their imposing ceremonies, seraphic music
and fragrant floating clouds of ncense the worship
is beautiful, but as for their religion-hah,
But IL is with the ha~-s:f.a temple we have now
to do.
I" And thou of temples old or affairs new,
Standest alone, with nothing like to thee
Worthiest of God the Holy and the true.'
One cannot enter here and cast their eyes over its
spacious tesseated pavement, and upwards to its
vast and lofty dome, enriched with mosacs Of bright
and varied hue, in which the figures represented
seem starting into life; and then along its many
chapels and shrines, forming of themselves holy
city; where all that is most rare and costly in art
or nature has been brought to enrich and beautify
these temples Of the Lord without feeling his heart
swell with pride on witnessing so many marvellous
creations Of mans handy work, and with gratitude
10 Wdu StcdtOI tHht HC CtluOWed HIS HouiC
masterpiece with the genius capable of producing
such exquisite and beautiful specimens in every de-
partment of art. There are those who find faults
and defects in this beautiful temple, but for me
could not i'll would, and would not if could.
"Majesty, power, glory, strength and beauty.
all are aisled
In this eternal ark of worship undefled."
Some say that its very perfection is laut it is of
such rare proportion that its magnitude and gran
dear is lost or rather does not strike, and this is
called defect Byron says
"Its grandeur oyerwhelms thee not;
And why! it is not lessened; but thy mind,
Expanded by the genius Of the spot,
Has grown colossal"
But it was not thus with me, my mind was not SUI
cently expansive at least to contain all the full
ness of my delight, my heart was full, my eyes
oeraowing. 1t would be impossible for me to des-
cribs ai that it is beautiful here, and if did the
description would give you no adequate idea of the
reality There is first its many brilliant mosaics,
lshe impeishabe copies of the masterpieces of Ra-
PHIL. Domenicho an others, the originals Of
which ne in the vatican; the numerous magnif-
Gent m0Auments Of its many Popes. of sovereigns
and other o. the llustrious great chef d'9uvre Of
the master sculptors Bernni, Canoya, Thornaldson
and others, the splendid baldachin of bronze by
Bernin over the bodies of Saints Peter and Paul an
exquisite temple ITSELF and the elaborate bronze
pulpit Of ST. Peter also by Bernini who was employ
ed upon the principal works of art under nine Popes.
There is also bronze statue Of St. Peter, seated in