Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1860-08-30
LETTER FROM EUROPE
ROME, March 10, 1860.


Yesterday We visited the manu-
factory Of mosaics at the Vatican, an
saw the process of copying picture
10 every stage and combination. Th
t process is difficult and tedious, re
1uiring often, fifteen and twenty year
to make one picture, which, Of course
is of great value and rare produc
ton Of art. This manuiactory
belongs to government, and the pro
> ductions are kept in the Royal gal
lories, or are used to embellish tn,
churches.
We likewise visited the Convent
or Monastery Of the Capuchin Friars
so widely scattere d over the Catholic
world. This is the residence and
headquarters of these monks who
are sent to all parts of the world on
deeds of mercy, and TO disse inmate
the principles of their faith and
order. They are a hardy, inGustri.
Gus and sell-sscriiicing people, live
by the labor of their own hands, and
are ever ready 10 60 on deeds OF
charity; they live in communities,
till their lands and manufacture
their own clothing. They all dress
in uniform made Of their coarse
cloth, with heavy full mantles, hood
or cowl as their only covering for
the head, and rude sandals for their
feet after the manner of The early
christians. Their cemeteries or csta.
combs. as they call them, are won
dsrs as burial places for the dead
They consist of a series of rooms,
partly under ground, where the
monks ars inferred side by side, and
after remaining for years, are taken
up to give room for others: those
the longest buried being first disln-
TERED. This custom has continued,
no doubt, moro than thousand
years; and the skeletons, thus accu-
mulated, are arranged in every imag,
Unable form around the rooms. -
Many are arranged around the walls
in real architectural order. forming
arches, inches, columns, facades Of
gothic churches, with ornamented
fronts aud entabIatures; while others
are arranged around tho doors, and
windows, aud cover the ceilings in
tasty iestoons, flowers and arabesques
in excellent and ingenious design
The imitation of garlaDds, flowers
and arabesquo, is very striking and
natural; the deception being almost
perfect, owing, partly, to the obscure
light OF these under ground rooms.
The ribs are made TO serve as vines
aad tendrils, while the small bones
of the feet. hands, and those of the
vertebra, represent foliage and flow
ers. The gentle and graceful curv-
ing of the ribs is most perfect and
striking imitation OF vines and creep
ing plants, and, altogether, this scien-
tiilc arrangement of human bones is
strangely novel and curious, and dis
plays no common ingenuity. In the
arches and inches are whole skeletons;
some standing erect, Others rePosing;
all dressed in the peculiar dress of the
order, and labeled with the name OF
the person and the date OF bis de-
cease. To one not accustomed to
such scenes it s truly astounding,
and, at first, appalling. ] shall new
er forget the look Of commingled
wonder, astonishment aud horror ex-
pressed in the face Of my young
friend Taft OH entering these mys.
rious abodes of the Aead.' posi-
lively believe had be been alore lie
would have retreated in consterna-
ton from the unsarthly aspect
This custom among the monks IS
common, and, no doubt, arisesfrom the
regard and vensration they have
for the memory of members OF the
association; believing 1t more in accor'
dance with religion and humanity to
thus preserve the bones Of deceased
brethren instead Of letting them fall
to dust and bs lost to sight and
memory. They regard it as a con-
sistent religious rite, intermediate
between The old pagan custom oi
burning the dead and preserving tho
ashes in m urn, and the modern
mode Of burying the dead, leaving
their bodies to decay 10 damp and
often watery grave, and miugle with
the common earth.