Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1872-06-15
LETTERS FROM ABROAD.
NAPLES, ITALY, April, 1877:

"See Naples and die" is the Italian proverb
scarcely dared to hope should ever realize
the first part of it, but in Naples l am-the
latter part Of the proverb trust will not be
an immediate consequence. But before tell
you of our lovely ride hither, l will give you
Il little more of my days in Rome:
1t was rather unsatisfactory to rush through
the galleries as we were obliged to do not
that would waat TO study every picture, but
ii is pleasant to select few artists and COM
pare them. This try TO do, and now have
learned to study with twice the rapidity that
had at first. In the Borghese Palace there
are several of Andrea del Sarto-Madonnas
and one Magdeene, and it is very satisfactory
10 recognize his hand before looking at the
catalogue, in that sotness and richness and
beauty Of features which show in all his
works. On Saturday morning we were be-
lated in getting TO the Vatican, so upon ar
rivIng there, we found there were but twenty
minutes before the door would be closed. We
present our pass TO the Swiss Guard Mt the
door, he points the way up the Scala Regia, at
the end of the extensive corridor; up we go ;
er stairway, finger on the wall indicates an
other flight; when shall we find tue Trans
fguration ?" we are so tired of running up
stairs. We rush through four or five rooms,
and then demand frantically "Where is the
TRANSPORTATION ?" "1Su" Still higher that
means, 50 we go up, up, up, till the two hun
dred and thirtieth step is reached, then along
another hall, where the custodian, after slow
response TO our ringing the bell, informs us
we have but u few minutes left; we know il
only too well, but make dive for the picture
sit down and try TO drink it In as If we would
never see il again in our lives, which feared
might be SO. Too soon it is IL o'clock. Pass
ing the Sistine Chapel on the way down
stairs, we rang the bell but the custodian said
it was closed, "but must see il, if but two
minutes for cannot come again" / said, SO
the thought of the c0ppers won him, and in
we ran, sat down on the step, and stretched
our necks as long as we dared, to get what
little idea we could of Michael Angeles cell
ing, but the disguises from the smoke OF the
censors makes it very difficult to study. Back
of the altar is the Last Judgement" but l
find it more satisfactory to look at photographs
of it. Well, II the Pope does turn us out
from his house at this inconvenient hour he
leaves his church open for us, for that is the
church of the world. All the pictures in it
are mosaics and most beautifully wrought at
that stood before the copy of the Trans
figuration," and thought how can 1t be four
times the size OF the large original; ut dis
tance il appears the same size, and near 10 II
the surroundings are all so large in good pro-
portion. that it seemed only twice as large,
but forgetting the surroundings, can see now
how really great i: is On the pavement are
marked the various lengths of the largest Gu
thedrals Of Europe; the longest--St Paurs OF
London, comes short of 81. Peters nearly one
hundred feet The Duomo of Florence is
little short of ST. Pauls.
Monday had a more leisurly visit to the
Vatican-went into the "Stanze of Rephael,"
into the Loggia and the chapel of San Loren