The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-02-10
-eFNas $500 per amman, IN, cd,.n,,ce

quIu' he wore a thrce-story ouo- = IA
very ike those that had been corr,oI =. "a
vance, and lichly embroidered cane 90 -
plice, with under garb of spotless Whit. 80
as be passed he slowly waved his hand - .r.
multitude, scattering bic; sings on eltL,r
side. He is benevolent looking, ybl,s-
haired octogenarian, somewhat disposed to
corpulency, judging from his head, lnd ey,.
IDENTIFY wishes we'll here and hereafter to all
mankind. That he verify believes binself
the infallble representative of God on earth.
and his church the only one where there Is
much probability of salvation, no one can
reasonably doubt.
There is an end to all things, and finally
the last of the procession was swallowed up
in the capacious choir OF st. Peters.
Then followed the ceremonies of The Lass,
which / do not understand sufficiently to
describe in detail. There were frequent solo
passages intoned by the Pope, and responses
droned in unison, apparently by all the high
eccleslastics present Intermingled were
cnants, recitations and choruses sung by the
choir tall of whom were malesl without Or
gan or any other instrumental accompani-
ment, but in the main, with great excellence
aao effect. OF course all this was In Latin.
Several times the smoke of incense was
swung in the presence of those Immediately
engage d; and the sacred vessels were carried
round-one of them so encrusted with dia-
monds that it blinked in the light as with the
fragments of shattered rainbows.
Finally when the Pope elevated the host.
and the clear ringing tones of the silver trum-
pets announced the fact to the four quarters
of the globe, the effect was startling beyond
description the vast concourse was moved
from its centre to its outermost boundaries
But for one, was brought TO my calmer senses
by the soliloquy of some dissenting French
men in my rear-"C'est impressif! c'est ce-
teste !mais ce nest pas religion I"
In the afternoon l attended services at
church near the capitolue where, it was un-
derstood there were to be sermons delivered
by children, and other marvellous doings
Here, in one of tie deep cbapels, they had
tableau, representing the infant Jesus and
his mother, with an ass reclining at her feet;
and prospective scenery of a distant city,
mountains and groves and plains, icceding
on the view till they faded in ths sky. The
whole beautiful prospect was so effectively
arranged as almost to deceive one into tie
belief that it was real. 1t would have done
credit to the best Parlsian theatre ;--and dur.
ing the exhibition, according to programme,
sundry Juveniles, previously inspired by their
mothers or teachers, spoke their pieces.
A word or two about our Portland artists
here, and must close this letter.
Simmons, the sculptor, has just finished
his Roger Williams-ordered by Rhode ISL
and for the capitol at Washington. 1t Is lar
ger than life size. The head is bare, the hair
carelessly thrown back; and the strong fea-
lures express decision and frmness tempered
by benevolence. The COSTUME is that OF an
early period in our colonial history-long
trock, waistcoat, and bageing breeches fasten-
ed to the knee, &c. 1t is well advanced In
the process of transfer to marble; and l am
assured by experienced artists here 1t will
more firmly establish his reputation as one
OF the first Of modern sculptors. He ought to
be commissioned to make for Maine Pitt
Fessenden.
Tilion, the painter, who left our city soma
ten or twelve years ago, has changed his mist
enveloped, dreamy conceptions of nature,
for representations of tue rich, warm, glowing
land and sea scapes that characterize this
country and climate-and is eminently sue
cessful. His RUNS of the temple of Neptune
at Paestum, now scarcely more than inlaid, Is
full of the farvor and poetry of the true artist
He intends visiting the East as soon as he can
make arrangements, in order TO illustrate the
desert aud oriental Hfc.-----.
ALI which is respectfully submitted from
Yours, S. b. b.