Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-03-09
TIE CATHEDRAL At alAR.

AftAtAtttA ftttRRAtfA ~ AF t aNAN Atf
of letters from the Continent. This time
she describes her visit 10 the Milan
Cathedral. and the many Italian tourists (
in this country will acknowledge the vivid +
ness Of her description.
You 20 upon the roof. and you walk
upon the battlrmenls or ascend the high.
est tower, and you seem to have passed
high out Of the region Of commonplace /
things. The brsvliful plains Of Lem
hardy lie around you ike map, and the
horizon Is glhtering with the entire sweep
Of the Alps, like a solemn senate Of arch
angels with diamond malt aud glitirripg
crowns. The Mont Blanc, Munje Rosa
with his countenancg Of lighf, the jung
frau. and all the weird brethren Of The
Oberland. rise one after another 20 your
delighted gaze, and tue range Of th-
Tyrol flors far off into the blue OF The
SKY. All around, wherever you turn, i
the unbroken phalanx of mountains; aud
this temple, with its ten thousand stat
ues, all standing in attitude Of ecstasy, or
praise, or prayer, seem. ike worthy
altar, a fitting shrine Tor the great plain
which these beautiful mountains iuclosy.
/ 1t srems to give all Northern Italy to
God.
" The effect Of these statues in this
high, pure air, in this solemn and glorious
scenery is Peculiar. They seem meet
companionship for those high regions.
They seem to stand exullant on their
spires, poised lightly as ethereal creatures
the fit inhabitants Of the blue, pure SKY.
/ One feels that they have done with earth /;
one can fancy them band OF white-robed
kings and priests, forever minisiering in
that grea: temple Of which the Alps are
the walls, aud the cathedral the heart
and center.
This afternoon as I was there il was
The time Of evening service, and the
whole building at times SEEMED TO vibrale
with the swell Of the organ, and the ri,-
i z and swelling Of the Ambro,ial chant
seemed surging and dying, like the dis-
tant sound OF many waters. ! stood and
leaned against the marble right over the
choir, where ] could feel the vibration oI
the organ, and around me were noble
and lhoughlfuI figures Of men and wo-
men who had been exalted there by -,
false or earthly standard Of honor, but
for having led noble aud holy Iyes-loi
humility, patience, iortiludr, constancy
Tor the victory that over-cometh iL,
2 world-and ! thought 10 myself how
wholly and charactefi>tically Christian
the whole thing was. Suppose an oI'
Roman, like Cato or Cicero for instance
10 have fallen asleep ia his day aud sud
denly awakened IA ours, aud placed -.lrnt
ly on The top OF this vast building, hon
would he be puzzled TO know what
commemorated. That il was a soIrmr
commemoration Of something he eou.,
at once see. That crowd-, both Of mrI
and women, were thus exalted 10 be ha.
in perpetual rrmahbrurc'., would ale
be plain; bat for what: One uneer-a
expression ia every face, whether upligy
or downcasi, must haze struck him a
something new, something different iron
what antique sculpture ever dreamed
WHO were these that pressed the ero-
to the breast With one band and bor
the palm-braneh in the other ; Wha
are these with this strange, sweet ecsta-
I that look upward Here a woma
Il stands on a wheel armed with spike
+ yet looks juyluIly heasrnWafd. Here
man stand, ia sliaeklrs, yeE seems ridi..'
@iih joy. Truly Cicero would say. vi
D, are these aud wheuee eOne they :. au
the only answer could br, " These AZ
,hey that have come on, of great Ir.bs
laliou. having washed their rubes an
made thefu white ia the blood Of d
Lamb s.
se TnE MoRAyIASs.-It Is nDw moi