Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-06-05
written for the Rutland Herald
what a Merchant Saw i'm Eurone
mo. 4e.l
MILAN, Italy. NAV IL 1870

MILAN, Italy, May Ii, 1879.
Before fashion had begun to send
forth her stern DEGREES from Paris, the
queens of society looked to the modistes
OF Milan for the niceties of toilet. In
the native Italian the correct pronuncia-
ton is Nall6n and from this we get mil
hnery, that peculiar art which has so
convulsed the feminine world
Milan is indeed beautiful CITY, and
reminds one of the nicely of Marseilles.
Towering over all else, and the decided
attraction of this city of 200, 900 souls.
stands that mammoth piece of marble
JeWelry the great cathedral. At first
sight | was rather disappointed, for one
naturally expects from marble struc-
ture much of whiteness and cleanliness.
but built as it has been during wide in
tervals of time, it is a wilderness of
varlegated pinnacles. Some white as the
virgin snow, some tinged, some dingy,
and not few much discolored. We had
nomore than shaken off the dust of travel
ere we FASTENED to the cathedral, and as
we approached the arohed doorway we
had a first taste of its exceeding elaborate
ness of design. The eye is bewildered by
the multiplicity of detail, but let it rest
here upon this doorway and select the
objects of labored ornamentation Leaf
and fruit, vine and herb, bird and flow
ers, sphynx and dragon-figures from
Scripture story, etc., etc. But we are
attracted to the interior, with a curiosity
l felt so keenly at the Alhambra and at
st. Peters, and, passing under the arch,
we at once have an appeal to our I'M
qualified admiration. Criticism is pros
trate even with the cynic, and one can
not but stand and ponder. Hilliard says
of it, "Surely if we could bring home
but one thing from Europe, that one
thing would be a cathedral" Sheldon
and Hilliard are at swords point on this
question. 1t is not merely size, hight,
or elaborate details, or shrines blazing
with gold and silver, or windows that
= arrest and fix all of the changing
hues of sunset, that give to these struc-
lures their power and significance. The
impressions which they make cannot be
communicated by description or trans
ferred to picture. A spirit hangs over
= them which illumines what is dark, and
raises and supports what is low. Their
shadows are healing to the soul, as that of
+, st. Peter was to the body. In their ma
e jestic presence the natural language of
u the heart becomes thanksgiving and aspi-
: ration. Happy are they whose faith needs
, no such appliances who feel the over
: shadowing presence of God alike in soil
!, tude or society, upon the mountain top,
e In the market place, in the tasteless
a parish church, and around the domestic
hearth. But with most of us the world
is too much present. Its cares engrOss,
= its pleasures intoxicate, its'sorrows and
r disappointments Cypress us. Few art
h the moments in which our spirits lie eX.
posed to the highest of influences, neither
:, darkened by despair, nor giddy through
u self-confidence,@ nor inflamed by earth
1t ly passions. For natures conscious OF
d inward struggle, of wings that are otter
4 clogged, and sometimes paralyZed, these
glorious structures were reared. Theil
!, walls and spaces seem yet instinct witt
a. and carved the saints and transient anC
ST soon effaced as the impressions which
y they leave may be, they areyet aids anC
allies which he who is most conscious o
~ his weakness will be the most grateful
e, for. To me, the Milan Cathedral, while
rs it Constrains the liveliest sense of won
in derment, and inspires the most profound
- admiration, it did less to call my sou
- Godward than to call my mind man
II ward | am deeply impressed of thi
ry gigantic result of concentrated power.
a seems as if some mighty Alexander
10 some world-conquering Napoleon mus
have emptied his capacious Golfers her
NC in Milan and then summoned the lngen
tx uity of the world to devise such vaIiet.
n of detail, such execution of finish See
of God. qDhat man has done, is the keenes
n detraction as bewildered | ponder owe
arch and nave, transept and altar. 8u
the most striking part of the Cathedra
lt' greets rs when we have assembled to tn
- roof A forest of pinacles surmounte
e. by statues. There are said TO be TOO
- pinacles and each prepared for a statue
. and 5000 statues already surmoun
10 them. They looked dwarfish and Grove
ed from the street, but once among ther
of one might think himself among a vas
he assemblage of silent sentinels which
-. while they speak not, ever and ano
challenge admiration. AS | think OF tn
'se moor and the needy of the world, of on
Wy sCanty aims houses and particularly c
ry the soualid wretchedness and beggary c
tn Italy' | cannot diVest myself of th
.,1 wasteful extravaganza which so cor
81 stantlv presents itself. We climbed
e. the topmost step of the highest pinnacle
Vn 1856 feet from Mother Earth, and there
ct al the sunset hour of marvellousl
he clear evening, our guide pointed to th
. y dim outline of far off range OF sno'
, mountains and assured us that they wei
ne 10 hundred and eighty miles oistan
he O. O. 'srday We went to see one OF mo-
T. no eSs n,sintings in the world. Anothl
- meneration cannot read ~ the glory g
III fbat 1wonderorts face Of the worlds r
OF deemer as depictted. by Leonardo !
nd Vinci, which in his wan Pioo" ~ 4
-al The last Supper" IS tal>V sotus 80 ~ -
he cav Da Vinci for fifteen Sars 80, seIo'
" to bring clearly before his mlnd SAe p
:, turs of the Son of God, ana inc MDil
U.s. has credited him with the honor WhlG,
he ie his dine. This morning before breal
las fast Smaller went with me again 10 u
,e. cathedral and we found a lot OF pfles
.,,o having and grimmacing before larI
US nnmher of people. We observe that
lei Italy the worshipers have stools
llh which to kneel, while nowhere IN opa
i'm did we see even rug, but the adorao
,rv senorJtas in their adorable silks and SO
q a ms had only the hard marble for knee
inc spot. A few priests not engaged
CT the services are free to protfer their al
nut as euides. and by black ROBBED rob!u
las father we were led to subterranii
rst chapel, betterknown as the crypt, WIN
- cost a million of francs. 1t enshrln
1I St, Charles Borromeo and is lined WI
de cold and silver, and framed most bea
his fifully in red, blue and white mosaic.
ton In the body of the church we saw
yer suspended casket containg nail Il OF of; t
ere Savviour's cross. At the feast OF r ~
ea inc the Holy Cross" this nail is expos
ecu and carried through the streets with gre
the / uora TOO is the yerital