diversified by cultivation, and habitation. In the very further distance, we caught with delight the first glimpse of the expansive Adriatic, together with the Apennines, lifting their blanched summits to the skies, glittering with pinky hues as the sunbeams played upon their virgin snows; while for all the intermediate space there was luxuriancy of produce.

This town, with its many gates, and military wall, are all enclosed by one noble road that winds around the entire city ;-yet while, at this moment, I view the beauteous prospect varying at every point; and while I yet gaze once more upon the Apennines just passed:-Italy, and chiefly Rome, with all her grandeur, and all her recollections burst upon the mind; nor can I forbear a sigh to the memory of that country whose fame still remains, and ever shall remain, so long as the fleecy clouds canopy her soil!

Loretto.

267

CHAPTER XXXVI.

LORETTO-CHURCH-SANTA CASA-VIRGIN, AND JESUS HISTORY, AND VARIOUS FLIGHTS OF HOLY HOUSE-ITS CASE-TREASURY-PORRINGER-ANCONA-ORIGIN-TRAJAN'S ARCH-MOLE-CATHEDRAL-SENEGAGLIA, AND ACCIDENTS THE METAURUS, AND BATTLE

OF-ASDRUBAL

BERGAMI-RIMINI-ROMAN

ARCH AND BRIDGE—THE RUBICON, AND CÆSAR-CÆSAR'S COLUMN-REPUBLIC OF ST. MARINO, AND HISTORY-NAPO

LEON-CESENA-FAENZA-VIA EMILIA-IMOLA-BOLOGNA.

SUNDAY, ten o'clock at night.-Arrived at Loretto this evening, though just too late to see the Church, and Santissima Casa. Our stroll enabled us to explore the town which is handsome, and the patrimony of the Virgin which is so rich; an immense tract of ground being pointed out to us, the produce or revenue of which, 80,000 crowns, is appropriated to the maintenance of the priests of this church, and which income, together with other foundations, legacies, bequests, &c. support a very complete, and dignified ecclesiastical establishment.

The revenue of the city being thus misapplied, the hapless inhabitants are proportionately poor; they are clamorous, and irresistibly importunate for the passing stranger to purchase their religious offerings, their other trifles or ornaments, rosaries, crucifixes, necklaces, beads, trinkets, &c. so that we

268

Church of Loretto.

willingly gave to poverty what I would ever deny to superstition.

The artless speech of a young, and pretty girl who had fixed her station in the saloon of our hotel, and of whom I was purchasing some trifle went to the heart. Ah! caro Signore, quando non vengono forestieri, non si mangia.*

This maiden of fifteen told me that she had determined to take the vows, and to become a Nun.

Monday. We were in the church by half past four this morning, finding abundance of devotees who had groped there in the dark, as well as ourselves, to fall on their knees in the Santissima Casa. Mass was even then performing, while a profusion of lamps illuminated this most sacred and splendid church, erected to consecrate and shield the Holy House. Advancing up the nave, we gazed, for a moment, with delight at the grandeur, and beauty of the richly sculptured marble case immediately enclosing the Santa Casa, which occupies the centre of the church, and is placed directly under the great dome; hence, heretics as we were, we ventured to enter the Holiest of Dwellings, being a poor and miserable habitation of stone, about twenty-nine feet long, thirteen feet broad, and thirteen and a half high. At the one extremity is the window through which the Angel

Ah, dear Sir, when we have no visitors, we have no victuals.

Gabriel flew when he entered the house to communicate the will of God, or to make the holy Annunciation; at the other end is the fire place, being in dimension rather more than four feet high, and two feet broad, above which is the niche wherein is placed the sacred, and most sumptuously adorned effigies of the Virgin and infant Jesus; the first nearly three feet high, the latter about fourteen inches. This smaller portion of the house, or Sanctum Sanctorum, is divided from the larger by a rail of silver, &c.

Magnificence here blazed around us, and in every aspect gold and silver lamps perpetually burning, while costly effigies and ornaments, the gifts of sovereigns and of pontiffs, deck the sacred house and altar; contrasting strikingly with the mean, and little habitation; its smoky, and down tumbling walls. No sound disturbed the hallowed silence of the place, or interrupted the solemn mass performing, while all within the holy precinct were reverently on their knees.

Passing through, we stepped behind the altar into that more sacred part of the habitation where is the Fire place, and the cedar Image asserted to have been wrought by St. Luke. The Virgin holds the infant in her arms, while both are black as Indians. Little else than their faces are seen owing to the costly robes, and profusion of jewels which deck their effigies. On this morning the

Virgin's robe was silver, trimmed with black velvet flounces for the better display of her diamonds, &c. On her head, as well as upon the infant's, are costly crowns; the little Jesus displays a sumptuous ring upon his finger, while the Virgin is resplendent from the diadem on her brow to the hem of her robe in jewels of every description, asserted to be, and certainly if genuine, of inestimable value.

After gazing some time at this splendid show, and all its corresponding accompaniments; feeling, but not at that moment betraying, regret and pity, for such a superstitious and useless appropriation of wealth, on quitting this Santa Casa I looked down with some interest at the marble pavement which girds it, in order to trace the groove hollowed in its hard substance simply by the knees of pious pilgrims, who, formerly, were wont to do the meritorious act of penance of walking from the remotest regions, and of then making the circuit of the Holy House on their knees, in such countless, ceaseless throngs, that the very marble being worn away was of necessity renewed at certain periods. But such excess of devotion is no more; the French ransacked Italy; the sacred treasures and riches of Loretto were all in a moment swept away; nay, the holy image itself, which legions of angels guarded, and which could not be looked upon by profane eye, or blindness would have followed; this too was torn from its shrine, and speedily pack