The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-05-26
WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, MAY 26, 1858

for the night. Suddenly. with one common
consent, that great expectant crowd broke up
in disappointment and scattered in haste, but
not in time to escape the storm bOrne heavily
in the bosom of that cloud, which came down
in thick sheets, in actual strata Of rain. Mon
day was also unpropitious; but on Tuesday
night the noble display came of, under the
most favorable circumstances. We were on
the ground at an early hour, and watched,
almost from the beginning, the curious process
of lighting up. At first, we could distinctly
sec the workmen swarming over the vast ed-
fee, let down by ropes from lofty cornices,
swinging and running like spiders, about the
most perilous places. But as the twilight deep
ened, we lost sight of the agents, and all SEEM
ed to 90 on by magic. The lights, which were
tapers in small paper lanterns climbed the pill
lars, stole in and out Of the sculptures Of the
capitals arched over the windows, ran along
the cornices, scaled the dome, mounted to the
summit, and sprang out on to the arms of the
cross. AT last it seemed to stand complete
every line and angle and curve of that wonder
of architecture seemed to live out in light.
But the sight, thouA beautiful, was not grand
or dazzlingly brilliant The building actually
looked smaller than usual-the innumerable
tapers shone softly, and twinkled like stars 1t
was as though the church had been rained
upon by o meteeric shower or, as though the
milky way had wound itself about it, from
| summit to base.
But at the second illumination, instantane-
ously, universally, the vast building and the
long colonnades leaped from that soft-shaded
light into living flame II seemed that the sa-
cred fire had descended upon the cross, which
fret blazed FORTH or that it had been lit by
| lightning. Great glorious lights burst out of
the darkness in thousand unsupported places
some pointing steadily toward heaven, some
streaming like red banners on the winds of
night They swung between the pillars of the
colonnades, they throbbed among distant shad-
ows, they flashed on near columns and cornices,
they made the dome look like q globe on fire
There was something 80 marvelously beautiful,
30 almost incredible in the sight that ! was
quite overwhelmed and bewildered, half ques-
t,oning if it was not some splendid illusion of
the senses, some gigantic fairy phantom, some
wOndrous unreality. My friend, Mrs. S
has since told me of a remark made by her
little son, in the height Of his childish excite
ment, which admirably expressed this feeling
allow beautiful how beautiful Oh man.
ma, don't believe IT."
1t was singular thing, that the farther we
went from st. Peters, after this, the larger it
appeared, till it seemed to have grown into a
great mountain Of light Seen from the Pin
clio, it was grand and beautiful beyond all ina
gination. We remained on this height till very
late, aud left reluctantly at last thinking, with
real sadness, that those glorious lights would
burn away into the morning. and we never see
| them more
| April 4h.-The fireworks which were due
on Easter Monday but were postponed on ac-
count of the weather, came off last night from
the Pincio. From the windows Of Mr.. Cass's
house, which command an admirable view, we
witnessed this most magnificent display
had never beheld, had not even conceived,
anything in the way Of fireworks half so
grand. Though they only lasted about an hour,
there was a wonderful variety in forms and
colors. 1t opened with an illuminated cathe.
dral, which almost rivalled st. Peters. Then
there were thousands of rockets, and serpents
and wheels, and Roman candles, and fiery fsf
sent swimming through the air and at Las
came the Girandola--a mighty irruption o
rockets, sort of mimic Vesuvius, but sigh
Of surprising splendor. Throughout these dis
, plays there was an incessant discharge O
bombs, from the Pincio, where they are fire,
a in hollows, some six feet below the surface G
Q the ground. Perhaps for this reason the re
!, ports were tremendously heavy, and to me b
/ far the grandest part of the entertainment
1 The ghostly statues on the hill, and the i'm
mense cOncourse on the Piazza, were ever,
{ now and then lit up by the many -colored illu
limitations, with an absolutely awful effect A,
far as could judge only the foreigners were
greatly excited by the scene the people seem.
ed to take it very ooolly, as they had the illumi
nation of St Peters.
After all, believe that it is but sulenly tina,
they submit to being amused, instead of being
liberated; and with this conviction is my heart
most cheered rejoice in their sullcnness, in
their sadness even and if could Zee in them
more manly pride and stern determination,
would hope for them against the world
close this letter reluctantly, for with it ter
inmates my correspondence in the Era. Some
time since, made an engagement to furnish
series Of letters for anothcx journal-The
Saturday Euening Post, Of Philadelphia--but
! find that neither my time nor my health will
allow mo to carry on the double correspond
ence So am compelled to closc tho one in
the Era, as open that in the Post To such
friends as have followed me thus far in my
pilgrimage but can g with me no farther
say adieu TO you, au revoir
GRACE GREENWOOD.