Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-01-09
The Cathedral at Milan.


Mrs. II. Il. Stowe sends to the Y. In
dependent. another of her excellent series
of letters from the Continent. This lime
she describes her visit to the Milan Cathe-
dral
..You go up on the roof, and you walk
upon the battlcmcnts or ascend the high
est tower. and you seem 10 have passed
high out OF the region Of commonplace
things Tie beautiful plains of Lombar-
DIV lie around you like a map. and the
horizon is glittering with the entire sweep
of the Alps, like Il solemn senate of arch
angels with diamond mail and glittering
crowns. The Mont Blanc. Monte Rosa
with his countenaHcc o. light, the jung
| fran, and all the weird brethren Of the
| Oberland. rise one after another TO your
delight gaze and the range of the Tyrol
| goes far oil into the blue of the sky. All
around, wherever you turn, IS til" unbro-
ken phalanX OF mountains; and this tenn
ple. with It's ten thousand statues all
standing in attitude of ecstacy or praise
or PRAYER. seems like worthy altar, = fit
ing shrine, for the great plain which these
beautiful mountains inclosc. 1t seems to
give all Northern Italy to God
1.-THE effect of these statues in this high,
pure air. in this solemn and glorious
scenery, is peculiar. They seem meet
companionship for these high regions
They seem to stand cxultant on their
spires. poised lightly as ctherial 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, for ever mnistering in
that great temple of which the Alps are
the walls. and the Cathedral the heart and
| centre.
This afternoon, as I was there, it was
the time of evening service and the whole
building at times seemed to vibrnie with
the swell of the organ, and the rising anu
swelling of the Amorosan chant seemed
surging and dying like the distant sound
of many waters. l stood and leaned
against the marble right over the choir,
where | could feel the vibrations of the
organ. and around me were noble and
thoughtful figures of men and women who
had been exalted there by no false or earth
ly standard of honor, but for having led
noble and holy lives-for humility, pa
| tience, fortitude, constuncy, for the victory
that overcomcth the vorld-and | thought
| TO myself now wholly and enthusiastically
! Christian the whole thing was. suppose
an old Roman, like Ceto or Cicero, fer in
stance, to have fallen asleep in his day, and
suddenly awakened in ours, and placed
silently on the top of this vast building,
how would he be puzzled to know what it
commemuratcd. That it was solemn
commemoration Of something, he could at
once see. That crowds both of men and
women were exalted to be had in perpetual
remembrance would also be pl"i;-but for
what? One universal expression in every
face. whether Uplifted or dOwncast, muSi
have struck him as something new, some
thing different from what antique sculp-
turc ever dreamed. Who were these that
pressed the cross to the breast with one
hand and bore the paln-branch in the
other? What are these with this strange
sweet ccstacy that look upward Here q
woman stands on Il wheel armed viii
spikes, yet looks joyfully hcavcnward.-
Ticre Il man stands in shacklcs. yet seem:
radiant with joy. Truly Cicero would
say. Who are these and whence come they
aud the only answer could be, These are
they who have come out of greet tribula'
ton, having washed their robes and made
them white in the blood of the Lamb I