The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-11-21


The Maggior Domo would anno,
kindly man. In his ante-room NAV be So Dv
persons of every station, but mostly of IN
lowest, waiting for q conference; and tn a
poorest sheepskin-clad shepherd may be seen
seated in the gold-and crimson chair at the
small table with the most kindly-mannered
and attentive of listeners. The Maggior
Domo is man of taste. He has a choice
| collection OF works OF art and antiquities
his diamonds would fill queens with envy.
1t is said that he invests all his money IN
diamonds, that his property may be portable
when occasion comes for flight; but. to Judge
from that composed visage, lie contemplates
anything rather than flight. He is a polite
man. II J am taken to visit an English
country gentleman, who has in his dining
room lew impudent limitations OF old mas
ters pictures, though l am a painter, he ney-
er ASKS my opinion, but authoritatyely in
IoriIs me tnat This is Titan; those three
are Raphaels; and the one at the ton nj tbe
room is Michael Angelo" The Maooior
! Domo always asks my opinion, and is $50
| glad' when it comedies with his own.
An agreeable, ne is yet wary man: he
| lets you choose your own conversation he
never leads it; he exhibits the most special
Interest in all your affairs: and if you are
| OF sanguine temperament and easily I'M
| pressed, you iatter yourself that he has oc-
casionally taken you into his inmost conf
dence, and you leave his presence thinking
what an agreeable man the Maggior Domo is,
and surely how much maligned. But not
wlthstanding the well-sustained composure of
that countenance, the sweet, silvery voice, the
| ready confidence, and the abounding polite
ness OF his demeanor, something tells me that
had better have any one for my enemy than
he, and that, reversing Lord Palmerston S
famous apothem, it is fortunate for me L do
notsay "Cicis RVmanusl sum-
This evening / dine with the Maggior Do
mo. am received at the bottom of the grand
staircase, by an officer OF eendarmes, who
says something to the Swiss guard, and am
invited to ascend. On each landing are what
look like two gigantic beadsmen, lin fam
ing scarlet and yellow uniforms. and
carrying huge choppers, or, more properly,
battle-axes. A solitary ascent on a wide
staircase, with such surroundings, is rather
stlmulatiye to the imagination. In compan-
lonship 1T would be nothing more than as
cendln9 the steps to a Museum; but the
width and height Ofthe fight, the guards, the
architecture, and other accompaniment,
make Inc teel something OF Strafford or a
| Charles the First sort OF a sensation. The
headsmen on the landing keep til .ir ewes fix
ed right upon you and seem to mark you toI
their OVID. They let you pass, certainly, but
only to hand you over to those on the next
landing.
You pass the superb entrance to the PapaI
apartments, when the line OF he1dsmen cul-
inmates In knot of about half dozen of
tnem, and then ceases. Another flight. and
you are at the top. Here some lacuueys come
rom the ante-room to receive and pass YOU on
to the next apartment, where are two func-
tlonaries in plain black, who look SO grave
and Impressive that don't know whether
am expected to bow or not. / am conducted
oy these into another apartment, where are
| TWO eccleSiastics, ,-bishops,-not attired. like
our Right Reverends, in somber raiment, but
In radiant silk of brightest mauve. l did not
catch the exact titles OF these two dionitariss
but they sounded something ike Vioetta and
Mauvaise, IN parti6us infdeliuna In mo-
ment or two, entered the Maggior Domo him
self, attlred partly in black and partly in scar
let. The preliminary ten minutes before DIM
ner are occupied in showing me, and asking
my opinion on the contents OF the cabinets,-
rare antiquities, Greek canoes, neillo-work,
and excellent carvings bv Celini. L say ask
ing my opinion" but the fact was, / went
into the room novice, and lett it lin my own
opinion, at least) a. connosseur. Dinner is
announced, and we pass into the dining
apartment. iNl'
Beyond the contents OF the cabinets the
suit OF apartments offered little for notice.
Like Italian rooms generally, they were scan
tly furnished, and, being at the top of the
building, they were not so lofty as might be
deslrable,-indeed, il is understood that they
were selected by the Maggior Domo solely on
account OF the facilities they afford for con-
slant access to the Papal apartments, situat-
ed Immediately beneath. Roman slander
says, they are conveniently placed for that
day when he shall lily into the inner cham
| Ders to hide himself" Be that as it NAV.
| they more than compensate tor any in
| ternal drawback by the magnificent view
they afford Of the surrounding country
l had expected but dull look out into the
Vatican quadrangle, instead of which was an
uninterrupted panorama OF the magnificent
chain OF Apennines from Albano to Soracte.
that, stretching halt across the horizon, SEEM
ed to fill the whole length of the window
from top to bottom with mass olblua noun
tains, villages, and vineya ards, all glowing in
the tints of an Italian sunset. The dinner
was strictly alter the French tashion,-the us
| ual soup entrees, &c. / am not "well upn in
the names OF French dishes, but remember
there was an excellent light herb-soup, with
| pyramid OF grated Parmesan cheese IN the
centre,-l think they call it ministra. Then
the usual entrees and haunch OF the delic
lous venison OF the cheyreuil small deer of
the Campagnla; birds also; and, especially
Wofthy Oh notice, dish of very minute ones.
0eccd tcOs Tor fig peckers). bird about tbe
size of a sparrow, but so esteemed in ItaIy
that it is eaten with no small amount of rev
erence and ceremony.
vi that exact ceremony, perhaps my limit
ed observation does not allow of my speaking
authoritivey; but it seemed to be the correct
mode OF procedure first to look at the bird. as
as it lies on your plate, for second or two
with an expression OF calm anticipation; then
wipe your finger and thumb with the napkin !;
with that finger and thumb take the bird by
thn bn9k as yvOnh oo nIiua Dlx7 1-,tI
more gravity, and put itwholly and bodily in
to your mouth. believe that the orthordox
mode IS toSwallow it entire, as some do oys-
tiers, or, In any case, to bite it but once; but I
have some doubts about the capacity OF the
oesophagus for this feat. [ did not conform,
in this latter point; but it certainly was excel
Lent another would have been acceptable
but it would not have been en- regle. Italian
wines are not generally good, nor indeed pot
able, less from any inherent defect in the
place OF their growth than from want OF prop
er culture While in France and Germany,
the vineyards are as well kept as gardens, in
itaiy they are mass OF tangled weeds and
undergrowt1. Nevertheless, there are some
toleIa5le yintages there, Velletri when good
IS equal to Rousillon; Capri is not bad; and
Falernlan-olt Falernian-is still worthy of
all that has been said and sung OF it from the
time OF Horatius Fiaccus downwards ;and sea
water is still drunk with it, as it was in the
days OF that accomplished taster
The Nasssgior Domo is a small eater,-per-
haps he is reserving himself for answering
dispatches aud general business in the eve
ming; So after the last course, he excuses
himself and rises, leaving us to discuss the
dessert and the Fale' nian; there was claret
as well, but l kept 10 the uin de paus. 1t
would appear that one of the eccesiastics
the Bishop OF Mauvaise, is retained specially
to superlntend the drinking department, as
that ecclesiaStic was most particular to see
that did justice to it; while the Younger of
the two, taking on himself the smoking bust.
ness, after the other was concluded. chanoed
his purp.e Tor the flannel dress OF the Domin.
lean Order, and invited me to fol ow him into
Wnat has been termed the Vatican kitch, n
hlschen, however, it is not, but a cool. acree.
apie department, in which smoking might be
mdulged IN without any apprehension of the
tooacco fumes reaching the Papal residence
Ihe wine which had been partakinc nf wa,
Brougar for my especial benefit; the bisbor
taxing Veietri, as more wholesome Thu
Right reverend Father was first-rate com,
panion, alter his fashion the very fellow n
smoke and drink iced Falernian with. II was
evident that they knew how to do this sor
OF thing in the Vatican, from the wav in yvbicl
the servants anticipated every requirement.
The blshop was, moreover. cyidertlv ,
eood Judge oi tobacco, as might be seen b,
the careful handling aad pinching with which
he examined the half dozen cigars that he
selected out ofthc bundle for my use.-send.
ing away the others as worthless. Arreeab,,
companlonship, iced Falernian, and exceIIen
Things, 1t is best to resign them before sat;etv
| SO, alter coffee is brought, we nrocood - II