New-York tribune., 1868-04-04


now looking frayed rusty, and brazen. The recess
Of the great altar at the back of the Cathedral is lit
orally one mass of gliding in which pious aborgines
and eternal saints appear in paint and gold. There
is no taste as TO where pictures shall be hung nor
does the presence of such loud and prOdigal orna-
ment admit il. Good, bad and Indifferent are
classed together without cOmpunction. The meek
saints appear in the Odium Of painted statuaTy Inc
bleeding wounds Of saliow and agOnIzed Chllit
done IN wax or wood, are exposed without mercy
But the choir is the specially OF the interior. from
floor to ceiling il takes luxurious growth III OAK
carvings Inside is the assembly OF the SAINTS hnely
paneled, and room for any number of chorlsters'
The organs on either side contain or are associated
with the finest designs in oil the church. Cherub
and seraph are busy with the pipes and make merry
overhead with the instruments OF an orchestra,
while below them the faces of tie imps are mad
with pain. This the least prosaic part Of the Ca
thedra picture. Choir OF church seldom or never
e1andly served. daily Office IN the former is the
chanting Of the canons by frayes and boys-a vocal
business Of no great interest II took nearly CEN
tury to build the Cathedral of Mexico, and it wOald
contain three OF four such churches rs build in
the United States. It's ornamentation is extrava-
CANT and in good part tastelcss Hence the interior
of the cathedral at Puebla, though smaller, Is
better. True art is only another form Of economy ;
but this has not been appreciated in the lavishnoss
of the Mexican churches.
Not more than generation since twO-thirds of the
City of Mexico were church or convent, and three
fOurths were church property. The remains of this
sacred monopoly attest the facts of history. Here
are the ruins of converts SO large and close that
streets have been run through them for heahs sake
taste for mystery finds interest in the bones which
have been lately brought out of the walls Of some Of
A.. IN al
not more than fifty years ago, and Yidamri shot
six months ago near the site of some of its terrOrs
an immense convent now being torn down, with half
hope of finding buried treasure. Nothing new is to
be said of the converts When they were populated
with fraylcs their inside police bad and un-
healthy and their secret morals and politics not free
from popular suspicious. In the NiceRegent Revi-
lacgedos time. frGylcs were not allowed 10y him Ia
leave their monastery walls at night and poor Fra
Lippo Lippi's plight was the consequence of unre-
sisted temptations The monasteries are OF kind.
barred cells many corridors pdtiOs with fountains and
gardens. Where they formed vast a religious hive
system as in Mexico undoubtedly they did, as even
Catholics admit eDgender debaucherics of faith and
devotion without morals. There arc many churches
in Mexico all of which tell the same story as regards
art many converts which repeat the same prose OF
sacrifice suffering and rue-faced notifications But
neither church nor convent bear adequate testimony
10 the pathetic and aeconate side of their worship
No church could exist simply in the hard. mechanic
exercise" of saying prayers. The poor folks who
postulac at the shrine of the Bleeding Heart do so
with sad sincerity Above the idols are the ideals.
The picture notion of the apostle is often better than
can be- found in any prayer-meeting, be il ever so
Wild Ii is the loving side OF human nature which
makes all rcii gOn one, peIpetuates the Promchcan
ideal of. Chrst and proves that the humblcst clod
hopper is not less an idealist by nature than the
philosopher The cbnrcb may perish, but not the
love which built it; and some time new PhGniX
NAV rise out Of this sad old church of Mexico
Strange il is how the materof fact Of religion runs
through every fiber Of tho commonplace life Of
Mexico One is astonished 10 learn that tho street
hc is walk ing through is that Of the Heart of jesus
and that a murder was but a week ago committed IN
the street of the Holy Ghost In the same neighbor
hood is bako-house which bears the titeo OF thcPana-
deria del EspiI1tu Santo, and n pulquera dedicated
to the same spirit These things are evidence OF the
sort Of proprietorship which the Church held over
Mexico in the days whom it art, politics, trade
edncatlon and more beside In the capital all houses
seem to be at least century old. and built to last
century more, so thick are the walls. The wars of
the Church have left opportunity for modernness
hence tho drainage OF the place needs great amends
Ii is very regular level circumscribed, picturesque
and rich city, Its PdsoO is noble drive III view OF
The mountains the hill and castle Of Cbapultepcc
and boasts a fine statue of Charles ". by the famed
Mexican architect, Tolsa. The Alameda is beauu-
ful public park and garden But saving that this
mountain circled valley of Mexico is picture Para
dse--the finest situation in point of scene enjoyed
by any city Of the old world perhaps Of the newt
am bold 10 prefer the comfortable bricks of Phlade
phia the busness-like stores Of New-YOrk. No
traditions however, feudal or romantic, will stand
long beside wellinformcd shanty True, the castle
like interiors OF these Mexican houses satisfy the
Summer life of their inmates; but much is 10 be said
in favor of brick and wood. Seeing how medieval
Mexico really is in her forms, at least who can with
hold praise from those who are striving with as lib
e1al an aim as Onr own 10 the locomotive through
the trad !. ions of IN. dark ages v. O'D.
Tie ChicogO EreRing Journal especially COM
nends the resolution Of the Pennsylvania Republican
.1tr H.1. oh.