Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-08-22
n. WHITMORE,
Publisher and Proprietor
CATHEDRAL AT TOLEDO.
Its Tombs and Treasures.

From the Hearth and Home.
The first cathedral was rebuilt, by st.
Ferdinand, and since then it he's so often
been ornamented and repaired to suit
the tastes of different monerchs and diff
ferent times that it has become a verita-
BILE museum of the most beautiful speci-
mems of the various periods of art. We
have not space enough here to describe
this vast monument, with its high towers;
its eight celebrated doors; its five naves,
supported by eighty-four enormous
groups of columns; its interior breadth
and hight, which $50 windows cannot
sufficiently light up; its choir full OF ad-
mirable carvings; its steel lectern, orna-
mented with bronze statues Of the twelve
apostles; its oxidized silver railings,
and celebrated masterpiece in
iron work, the grating to the
sanctuary, twelve yards in hight,
and surmounted by colossal image
of Christ. The main chapel is remark
able for its cedar wood altar, its two
bronze pulpits, its royal tombs and nu'
merous statues of kings and saints. 1t
would be almost impossible for us to
enumerate all the wondrous treasures
contained in the chapels, each one Of
which is as large as any good sized
church in this country Gold, marble
and mosaics are profusely scattered on
every side. The mausoleums are truly
sumptuous. Many names, high sound
ing though they once were, have been
effaced from the stone, as well as from
the memory of man, by the destroying
- e 49, four boua ham suarad
however. Here stands the tomb of Men.
doza, surnamed the great cardinal OF
Spain" He made himself dopbly glor-
ious, first, in giving Christopher Colum
bus the means OF discovering the New
World, and, secondly, in being the first to
raise the cross on the main towers OF the
Alhambra. Here lies Gil de Alboroz. A
cardinal and . general, he was instru-
mental in bringing the Pope back to
Rome. The cardinal died at Yiterbo,
and was borne from Italy to Toledo on
the shoulders of devOut people who took
turns in this long journey High up on
the vault we see the picture OF proud
hidalgo on horseback. There he wished
to be eptombed, so that, after his death,
no one should step oyer his body. Hic
facet pulyis cinis ct nihil {" Here lies
dust, ashes and nothing more. Such
is the eDitaph over the renowned Cardl-
nal Portoearrero, who was made the re-
cipient of the highest hopOrs. Don Alva
d. Luna, famous in Spanish history,
built himself q splendid tomb his bronze
statue. reclining on a casket, was made
to rise by an ingenious piece OF ma
chinery, and would kneel down during
mass. after which it would again return
to its recnmbent attitude. But before
the courtieR went to the galloWs
his tomb wns shattered to pieces,
like his power, and the mausoleum
under which his remains now lie was
erected by his daughter. The tomhs OF
the saints are extremely rich, those oil
Saint Eugene and Saint Leocadia being
of solid gold. Leocadia is almost the
natron saint of Toledo. She had made
herself conspicuous by her good deeds
at time when Christians we're bitterly
prosecuted. She was arrested and I'm
prisoned ia dark cell, but she was
happy to die for the Savior of the world,
and prayed necessarily that she might
have strength to bear her tortpFes with
out a murmnr. The yestry is full OF
works of art and valuable jewels.
Eighty-fve thousand pearls ornament
the cloak thrown over the Virgins statue,
and precious stones are similarly scat
tered over the garments Of ssints and
madonnas. The communion service is
kept in a small temple of gold and pie
cious stones borne on the shoulders Of
four angels, and ornamented with two
hundred and sixty statues. Three Ger
man artists worked suecessively during
one hundred years to complete this mar
vel of workmanship.