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has sent forth his light to the Jews, to the magi, and to If you refuse to follow the light, say not I cannot,' -say at once, I will not.' What a star have we, natural conscience! [What a plunge into chaos, good Father!] We have just been commemorating the appearance of the star to the magi. Upon us has risen a greater light than rose on the Gentiles. We, in the right faith, should rejoice in the light of our church. Do you refuse to follow the track of that light? Do you say, I cannot attend to ceremonies— my time is occupied? It is in vain that you say people of intellect do not attend to these ceremonies; God has appointed them. The seventh day you must devote some hours to God; the rest he gives you, and yet I do not see you often in his house. I will not bring forward scripture to prove this, lest you should suspect me of any sinister purpose; but I will quote the holy father, St. Jerome." The quotation I do not, however, remem,ber. During the whole sermon, he had been moving with great activity from one end of the pulpit to the other. He now sat down, after advising the people to give alms; about half of the congregation then went out, and a man came about with a bag on a stick for alms; the bag, I fear, got only bajocchi; for it was quite to the poor this commendation of kings and learning had been addressed. After a few moments, he again rose, and, putting on his little black cap, began:-" Had God reserved to himself three or five days, they would have belonged to him; to rob God of his time is like taking money; accuse not God that you want light." He then went on with a long list of their church ceremonies, to which they ought to attend, urging that they would enjoy their pleasure more for doing

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SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE.

so. Then, suddenly snatching off his cap, he began, “Ave Maria," &c.

The pulpit was shaded by the sounding-board; the preacher was continually passing from one end to the other by the hand-rail, slipping along with ludicrous swiftness. His countenance was very expressive; his elocution extremely fine. His voice and pronunciation noble-the Italian, from his mouth, was a manly, sonorous language. The organ was well played; a slight effort of fancy might almost have realised the voices of the magi, when they saw the star, and rejoiced greatly. I think you will agree with me, that this Jesuit sermon was the reverse of the Genevan motto-" After darkness, light." What a fine opportunity did this subject offer for pressing the obedience of faith; the magi believed therefore, they obeyed. Surely, the Jesuit had profited little from his own favourite magi; all will be obedient; all will call the sabbath a delight, on whom the day-star has arisen, with healing in his beams; such will not ask how they may curtail the sabbath; they know, assuredly, that those are the happiest days of their lives, in which the world has withdrawn its tedious, vapid requisitions, and left them at liberty to dwell on the love of him who is their reconciled father in Christ Jesus.

"Santa Maria Maggiore" is situated on the Esquiline. It is founded on the site of the temple of Juno Lucina; the tale told of its origin is worthy of a Roman legend :"Under the pontificate of St. Liberius, St. Patricius had a vision, which was confirmed, the next day, by a miraculous fall of snow, on the 5th of August. This snow covered precisely that spot which was to contain the church!" It is a noble room, divided into three naves by thirty-six pil

PROCESSION OF THE CULLA.

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lars of white marble, preserved from the original temple, dedicated to Juno; the Virgin is now worshipped there. On each side are chapels. The first, on the right of the high altar, is that of "the Holy Sacrament," decorated with a very magnificent tabernacle. On the opposite side, is the chapel of the Virgin; its rich altar is adorned by four superb pillars of oriental, fluted jasper; their bases and capitals gilt. We are told" that the image of the Virgin was made by St. Luke;" it is on a ground of lapis lazuli, surrounded by precious stones. On the entablature of this altar is a bas-relief, representing the miraculous fall of snow, which caused the erection of this church! On the arches of the windows are some good things of Guido Reni.

On Christmas Eve we were informed that there would be a grand procession at Santa Maria Maggiore; we went about six o'clock, and got into a chapel on the left side of the high altar. The church was brilliantly illuminated, crowded with people, and the nobles, in court dresses, were mixed with the multitude, all walking up and down, and conversing as in a ball-room. We heard repeated continually-"La culla." After a length of time, we observed motion in the chapel opposite to us, which was so splendidly lit, that it was difficult to distinguish objects.

That there was life we were sure, but the distance and confusion were so great that the effect was very curious: there appeared, but still equivocally, on a high throne, dressed in white, a priestly figure, whose brilliant tiara or mitre (for we could not determine) from time to time appeared to move; figures, in long robes, ascended stepsknelt-holding, as we thought, a book to the pontiff: lights and draperies, and genuflexions, gave an undefined

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effect to something that yet appeared sacred. A long procession now advanced; soldiers cleared the way from the western door, and ranged themselves up the church to the high altar; solemn-chaunting cardinals, priests, and tapers, wound slowly up; and, at length, a high crucifix appeared, with an arched, white satin scarf over it; and then came, with gentle motion, two immense fans of ostrich feathers; beyond these a white satin canopy, with silver fringe, like the top of a bed, and beneath “ La culla," (the cradle,) a long silver urn, with a silver image of our Saviour! All knelt. It was placed on the high altar; the canopy and fans now moved off to fetch the pope, and he came under their protection to celebrate high pontifical mass before the "Culla."

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The silver image remains all the next day to be worshipped and kissed by the multitude, who seem overjoyed after they have knelt and embraced the Bambino, of which you hear every one speaking.

CHAPTER XII.

The House of Nero-the Baths of Titus-St. Paul-Mamertine Prisons-Temple of Antoninus Pius-the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola-the Fountain of Acqua Felice-the Church of " Maria degli Angeli ”—the Christian Soldier—Church of La Santa Agnese -Epitaphs from the Catacombs-Temple of Bacchus-Mons Sacer.

WE were yesterday at the end of the Esquiline, nearest the Coliseum. Our object was to see the ruins of the Baths of Titus and the house of Nero. During the residence of the French in Rome, they made the Italians clear out about thirty rooms, which had formed part of the house of Nero ; but had afterwards been taken advantage of to support the baths of Titus. Each of us, with a wax taper in our hands, followed through the corridors, on whose lofty vaults we discovered, by the additional light of a torch on a long stick, arabesque paintings, men, women, sacrifices, bacchanalian feasts, &c.: the brightness and freshness of the colouring was really surprising, and the correctness of the drawing beautiful. The corridors have been excluded from light and air by the building up of the fanlights at the ends, for the strengthening of the foundations of the Baths of Titus. The colours used have been ascertained by Sir Humphry Davy to be chiefly metallic; and we saw several old earthen pots that had contained colours. We were then shewn the spot where the inimitable group of the Laocoon was found; a group in which one is almost at a loss to say which is most strongly depicted-parental love or human

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