Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1889-10-04

OFF
Italy are visited. Cathedrals, Notifications,
public parks, fashionable thoroughfares,
where the rich live in luxury, and narrow,
dirty lanes, with a snperabundance of fester-
ing filth, where the poor die in doleful gar
rets, are critically scrutinized.
AN ADVENTURE.
At Florence became interested in a Door
little hunched-back boy, who, dwarfed by his
infirmity, was making his way with difficult
ty on his erutch through the gaping crowd
that surrounded our party. He among many
others was trying to sell guide books, but
could not well be seen owing to the crowd OF
other venders and sturdy beggars in the way.
Having previously bought book, I gave
him a small coin. With ChesterGeldian
politeness he touched his cap to me in ao-
knowledgement, bowing profoundly, mean
while balancing himself on his crutch. :. Sub
sequently, at the cathedral, sold my guide
opportunity to buy another of the boy. He
was overjoyed evidently at his good fortune,
and tipped bis hat to me gracefully. later,
whenever he caught my eye.
Returning to the cathedral, was cha
grined to find that my party had gone by
way Of side door instead of the main en-
trance, as I expected. After looking in all
directions the search was abandoned. Ny
little crippled friend came hobbling up on
his crutch and sought to point out the way
they had gone. But though did not over
take them until We met at our hotel at night,
I found that trifipg act of kindness on my
part had evoked grateful response from tho
heart of the unfortunate boy, despite his
bent form and ragged garments.
Mass was in progress at the great cathedral
and we had an opportunity to hear the grand
organ, with q chorus choir of marked sweet
ness and compass, while the fragrance of
burning incense filed the air. The structure,
while beautiful and imposing without, is
comparatively plain within.
MILAN.
The great cathedral at Milan is too well
known to require q description now. Both
the interior and exterior are .profusely deco
rated, while its huge proportions give dis
tinct impressions of awe and sublimity.
From the summit view of SURPRISING beau.
ty is afforded, which many of our party en-
joyed. The roof is absolutely wonderful.
There are ninety-eight turrets of the Gothic
style of architecture.
The ghastly statue of st. Bartholomew is
shown-with his skin off and laid on his
shoulder, bys some whim of the sculptor. It
seemed entirely out of place and should be
consigned to some anatomical museum.
st. Ambrose is said to have been buried
here. We entered his gloomy cell and sat in
his stone chair. San Carlo Borromeo, whose
ashes are contained in case of solid silver,
so heavy that it must be opened by machine
ry worked by hand, undoubtedly deserves all
the respect for centuries attached to his
memory. He was heroic and self-denying
during the plague of 1915. He spent q
large private fortune to relieve the sick and
peor, and went about barefoot carrying a
crucifx-to assist and comfort suffering hu-
manity.
But Italy has produced too many heroic
characters for me to linger long at any par
ticular spot-Oh-istopher Columbus, Cara
baldi, Michael Angelo, Cavour and many
more. Our party moves on and We must
join them.
The city is disenchanting. Like all Euro
pean and Asistic metropolitan centers, it is
built of stone and stuoco-presenting q SOM
bre aspect. Narrow streets, excepting two
or three, comparatively few parks or public
promenades, excepting the Pincio region and
a few more, destitute of trees or shrubbery of
any amount, it's dingy high fence walls, es-
pecially along the Appian way, with few
sidewalks, furnish o justification for the
statement.
She has, however, history and antiquity.
Here once fourished Julius CSsar, Nero and
a long line Of Roman emperors when Rome
| ruled the world. Here Paul came after his
| "appeal to Cesar" The ehisel of the seulp-
tor, tho brush of the artist, the lines of the
poet and the faithful pen of the historian
have in some faint degree at least furnished
us with important facts.
We have before us both old and modern
| Rome. Blocks of new buildings are going
| up in many directions of the city of a SNOWY
but shoddy character, some of which fall be
fore occupied. Public improvements are
also in progress. Rows of venerable build
| ings on the banks OF the classic Tiber are
being torn down to make room for fash
ionable promenade along the margin of the
river, sheltered by rows of trees like those
bordering the Seine in Paris. No doubt it
will be fine improvement when completed,
though the pedestrian now gropes his way
| through narrow streets amid showers of
crumbling plaster, stone, brick and other de.
bris.
| Rome need not here be described. Suffice
it to say that the chief antiquities and OBJ
| jeots of interest were seen, including the
Vatican, the private chapel of the Pope, the
Sistine chapel, with the wonderful galleries
of sculpture, fresco and painting. We also
saw the carriages of the Pope, which are un-
/
| arch on earth.
The columns. arches, ancient walls, gates
to the city, baths of Caraoalla, the forums
| Coliseum, Catacombs and the unspeoifed
wonders of the spot. Carriage drives along
the Appian way and throughout the princi-
pal portions of the city, with strolls at night
| fall along the prominent streets OF the me-
| tropolis, gave favorable conditions for study
| ing Rome as 1t was and is.
| Our guide from London to Palestine and
Egypt, and back to London, is Mr.. Robert
d. Crunden, profound linguist and most
accomplished scholar. He speaks Auently
twelve languages. Alternately he is a shrug.
ging Frenchman, voluble and gesticulating
| Italian or a stolid and emphatic German
His attitude in other lands We are yet te
learn. His knowledge of classical and bibli'
| cal antiquities and localities is simply anna
zing. Though many scholarly men are
members of our party, all by common con
sent regard him as an authority in these
matters.
St. Peters church, at the Vatican, though
often described, must be seen to be appreoi'
ated. 1t is by far the largest and handsom.
est church on earth. All that art and min6
could do was done to make ii the monumen
tai structure for worship to be found on tn
face of the globe. The choicest of stones
the mightiest of columns, height of ceiling
length and breadth of the edifce, statuary
pictures and adornments of every kind exist
We say pictures to avoid confounding then
with paintings-nothing is done in oil. TIL
largest and loveliest pictures are mosaics-
eleven thousand stones of different hues be
ing used. On the ceiling, among many por
traits, is one of st. Mark, with pen in hand
From the marble floor it seems like pen o
ordinary size, and yet it is six feet long
The vast building cost sixty million dollars
and five hundred dollars a week is expended
for repairs and cleaning. Rome has thre
hundred and seventy churches, of whicl
eighty seven are under the supervision of tn
representatives of the Pope.
Our visit to the Catacombs assumed
wierd and sepulohral aspect indeed. Led b
an aged Franciscan monk, who, clad in tn
humble attire of his order, lighted our path
way down the stone stairway to the abode Q
the ancient dead, bearing burning taper Il
his hand. Each one of our party also Gal
ried dim light of the same character. Ta
and short men, young and old, with two Ia
dies, clothed in various styles of dress, "
presented peculiar if not grotesque appear
ance.
No bodies now remain In the Oatacomb!
The last one was removed many years ago
and the venerable dust piously buried else
where with appropriate religious ceremonies
Many of the most valuable inscription
| oorvad in marble mr. okher sf0naa have has