Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-28
In 80. Peters, nj Rome.

Correspondence of the New journal of Commerce
suppose no two travellers ever saw the same
objects in the same light and same moods I
had been prepared. by all the gude-books and
private accounts 1 ever read and verbal state
ments ever heard, to be disillusoned by the
actual sight of st. Peters, and still more by
visit to Its interior. On the contrary every.
thing outside and inside the grand edifice far
surpassed my expectations. From first to last
my visits to St. Peters were agreeable dis
appointments We had been cautioned. over
aud over again. TO be sure 10 be We'll
wrapped up entering the church. as security
against sudden chill. We were told that on
lifting the heavy curtain mat which serves
as the door. the change OF temperature from
| the external air would strike to the very
citadels of life unless we were defended by
triple thicknesses OF coats and sawls In the In
nocence OF our hearts We carried heap OF those
articles in our cab. Alighting in the piazza at
the foot of the steps which lead to the entrance
of st. Peters, We slowly assembled, holding UNI
brellas over our heads. and taking great care
not to get in the slightest degree heated for
the september sun is stu warm in the open air
with some trepdatiOn We approached the Great
doorway. feeling that critical moment had ar
rived. Shawls and overcoats We're then douned
and carefully pinned or buttoned. The final
preparation was putting on a thick. warm sk I'LL
cap. Then We gently pushed aside the pom
derous mat. and 10 and behold. found our
selves in anything but damp dark and
gloomy charnel-house i Fever EXPECT to
see another building In this world as
bright. beautiful and cheerful as st. Peters. Its
atmosphere is simply peTiectlon-the yentil aton
complete-a flood of white sunlight pouring
over every object and the temperature that of
any We'll managed private house. Cloaks and
coats were whipped off on the Instant and we
proceeded TO enjoy the wondrous sights with
out the least missiying. ST. Peters cannut be
described SO As to bring its greatness and its
beauty and brilliancy home to the unGersia and
ing OF any reader or listener. Therefore I par-
don all the gude-books and all the personal in
formants for having tailed TO impress upon me
any adequate conception of the most majestic
and faultiess OF human temples erected to the
worship of God.
Like every other person who has ever visited
st. Peters, found il impossible at first TO re-
a!iZe the known vast dimensions of this rile
The figures. as published are authentic and
yet, II is ones first impulse to deny their accura-
cy A good way to get al some approximate
IDEA vi the size of interior Is to walk around il
and time the performance. Most ladies wish to
SIT down before they have done the circuit and
IL Is good bit of exercise even for a man ac-
customed to long strolls in New York The
harmony OF the proportions of II. Peters will
for long time. however defy your best Efforts
TO grasp their magnitude. They were revealed
to me at last more 10y accident than by dcliler-
ate observation. Casually looking up al the dome
saw small dark object swingin i'm the air A
second glance showed it TO be a man who
had been lowered 10y ropes from some platform
above for the purpose of sweeping the dust
away from the beautiful frescoes He swung
pelliously back ana forth as he piled his brush,
ana looked with horrible fascination TO seq
him fall. But, in few minutes, | became ac-
customcd TO the sight and began to cornpare the
size OF his figure (say about feet 10 inchesl
with that OF other objects at the same height
Then i perceived that the shanely foot Of an
angel Zone OF many i'm marble which sit around
the Ceiling of the church, was almost az big as
this mans whole body. Seen from the floor be-
low, the entire angel seemed but little larger
than an average human being The actual hi hit
at which THESE images are placed is so great
while appearing so small to the ordinary vision
as to dwarf their dimensions as L have ex-
planned. The comparison OF the man, whiskng
his long brush up there. with the angels foot
gave me better clew to the stupendous but
harmonious proportions of st. Peters than any
other test whatever.
On one occasion it was my fortune to be
present at vespers i'm st. Peters. The service
was entirely choral. the popes choir rendering
the music. large company of priests assisted,
though they We're listening rather than par.
takers in the ceremony. The lovely chants and
arias seem to give as much pleasure TO them as
to persons who heard them for the first time.
The choir is admirably drilled and has some
singers of the kind that theatrical advertise
ments call phenomenal" The leading $50
prano OF the force could certainly be SO styled.
On entering st. Peters that evening, my ear
was struck by voice almost as clear and loud
and high as PATHS or Missions, rising Tar
above the surrounding chorus. 1 knew that
no woman ever sings in the popc's
choir, and therefore my curiosity was greatly
excited to see the author Of these lofty feminine
strains. The crowd prevented me from getting
good view of the singer. but I could make
out in the distance that the soprano" was
either large boy or small man, with a round
fat face From every parting Of the lips, with
out the least apparent effort, weled forth the
smoothest and sweetest notes; and the voice
was SO much like womans that only a sight
of the singer could convince me that it was
anything else. The pope's choir has long been
famous for its quasi-sopfano voices. doubt u
1t ever had better one than heard that day,