New Orleans Republican., 1877-01-14

but the fsatureB are Go distributed ss to
produce the effeet Of minister. These
chapels stand on continuous podium, and
correspond with the bays Of the arcade, the
dividing wall of each itself pierced
window-wisel abutting against the
successive pillars. Above comes sham
triEoEium Gf the stock French pattern OF an
aroading of four compartments with Early
pointed shafts, and the clerestory completes
the triple arrangement The vaulting bays
are dispropOrtiOnately marrow from east co
west. The chsptls of the apse are scceHei-
BILE by narrow gangwavs, as the area which
serves alike for chorus c0ftorunl and saetu-
ary is surrounded by high gilt grill Of
very poor workmanship.
A noteworthy effect of diffusive and
sparkling color is due to the users and not
TO the builders of the church, from the ban
ners gay with silk and gold thread hanging
from the roof and filing the compartments
of the triforium, and from the er
uotos of metal or tinsel which absolutely
plaster the chapels. There is no decorative
color, nor indeed room for any, but the
clerestOry 10 filed with garish painted Rlaes.
We casually noticed that one OF the e1U0toS
was the Grand Cross of the Legion of
Honor, offered by an Admiral who has held
high political office. A low and rather toy
like under-church is placed underneath the
altar end, and the facade is tlanked in
advance by two blocks of accessory build.
ings of appalling ugliness, square and fat,
and. we should imagine, designed in imita-
ton of the dependencies of French
hotel. We are unwilling to pronounce them
the most hideous buildings in Lourdes, az
the opposite hill groans under two convente
which prove that human ingenuity had not
attained the ne plus ultra of friRhtfulness
when it invented the Union Workhouse.
The road from the church to the town,
about third of mile long, is bordered on
both sides by continuous row OF shops and
stalls exclusively devoted, with the rare in
tervention of few eating booths, TO the
sale of objets de piete. Solitary November
had left the ven0Ore, chiefly women, as ac-
tive and clamOrous as eparrows. What the
din of buyers and sellers must be when the
pilgrimage season is at its height may easily
be coDjectured. No one would certainly
choose that wav as the path Of mediation.
The sights of Llurdes are soon seen, and
we should advise the tourist who Wis.
its it by the morning train from, and
the afternoon train back to Pau, to
fill up the time by driving seven miles
up the valley Of the Gave (which at this
point runs from south to n0rtb) as far as
Angeles. The place may also be reached by
railway, but the times of the trains are con-
trary, and cuttings abound. The road
winds among graceful mountains of an in
creasing height toward the snow peaks OF
the more central Pyrenees, which all along
form the background of the picture. Ar
geles itself, on a sunny slope, with it's clean
aud comfortable Hotel dc France, would no
doubt be found 8 pleasant rest by the tour
ist, who would, time permitting, make his
way ten miles further on, to that old up
land watering place, Cauterets. On the
whole, q philosopher or lover of the
picturesque would be well rewarded by q
visit to Lourdes; but, in our opinion, who
ever desires to acquiesce with calm belief
in the reality of Bernadette SOubiron'e
visions had better turn his steps in some
other direction.-Saturday ReViet0.