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THE VISION OF GOD.

image in my eye is lesser than the area of the less than half an inch of the surface of the retina. This would reduce the size of the image to much less than the millionth part of an inch. This is a minuteness of reduction which the mind cannot grasp. Yet within that minute

spec have converged the myriads of rays reflected from every smallest point of the façade and dome of the basilica exposed to view, with a delicacy of pencilling that exceeds the comprehension of the intellect. Consider this wonder still further. If another with me view this object-nay, if a million or a million times a million of spectators view this object, a pencil of rays will be reflected from each of these minute points, and radiate on every eye; and as every eye must be in a different position, the angle of incidence on every retina must be different. But all will be perfectly accurate, and display the fabric and surrounding landscape to every spectator! How innumerable the radiations! How minute the image! How astonishing the wonders of vision! But my capacity of vision is still more astonishing. I can see vast worlds floating in ether. I can see nebulae beyond nebulae in infinite space. Still greater!—if I live holily, I shall see the great Creator of all-the God of infinite glory-I shall see Him face to face. Oh! then my eye and my heart and all the faculties of my soul shall be satisfied. "Satiabor cum apparuerit gloria tua!" "I shall be satisfied when thy glory shall appear".

SCENES ON THE ROYAL STAIRS.

We have now arrived at the extreme end of the colonnade to the right, and here we reach the covered gallery, and that staircase, the grandest in the world, and which is called the "Scala Regia", and leads to the Sala Regia, a superb hall of audience, whence you enter into the

Sistine Chapel, where the ceremonies take place in presence of the Holy Father and the College of Cardinals. Here a corps of the Swiss formed a guard of honour, and here the distinguished visitors were set down; and as the superb state coaches, their ormolu ornaments, and heraldic emblazonments, the tossing plumes of the horses, and glittering epaulettes and gold lace of the liveries, drove from the glaring reflected rays of the sunshine into the obscurity, and became enveloped in the sombre shades, it appeared to me as if they wished to throw over them the veil of modesty before approaching the august presence of the Vicar of Christ, or that they wished to clothe themselves with a garb in uniform with the mourning habiliments of "the widowed mistress of the Gentiles" in these days, when "the ways of Sion mourn”, and that "the Lord in His wrath hath covered with obscurity the daughter of Sion !"

The gallery leading up to the "Sala Regia" is 23 feet wide, and 360 feet in length, and at the entrance were congregated splendid equipages, and brilliant liveries, and crowds of every grade, profession, and clime thronging to the ceremonies. They ascended the Scala Regia in different groups and in quick succession. There were princes and several members of the royal families of Europe. I have seen there Nicholas. the late Emperor of Russia, accompanied by four Russian generals, attired in embroidered rifle green uniforms, and polished steel helmets terminating in spikes. The Emperor also wore military uniform; his coat seemed to have no seam, or opening, or buttonhole, and seemed to have been woven on his figure; he wore a high bearskin cap, with a very tall, slender plume of hair, which waved majestically. I observed at the ceremonies the Grand Duke Constantine, her Royal High

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KNIGHTS OF MALTA; KNIGHTS TEMPLARS.

ness Princess Olga, now Queen of Wurtemburg, and the Princess her sister; also, Don Miguel of Portugal, and several members of the house of Austria, and of the royal family of Naples, and some Turkish notabilities. There were there the Ambassadors of Spain, France, Austria, and Bavaria, with many other courts of the world, with their attaches and suites, accredited to the Court of Rome. There were ladies all in full dress, wearing all the various national dresses of their country-some with veils of great size and richest textures thrown over their heads, and falling down in graceful ample folds, and enveloping the entire figure. In olden days, there were there also the Knights of Malta, the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, and the Knights Templars; but the military orders may now be considered as entirely comprised in that of the Knights of Malta; for when the Knights of St. John were obliged to evacuate Rhodes, the Emperor Charles V., in the year 1530, made them a grant of the island of Malta, since which period they too were associated with the title of the Knights of Malta: and the Knights Templars having been suppressed by Pope Clement V. at the General Council of Vienne in 1312, the only military order that now remains is that of the Knights of Malta. There were military and naval officers from many countries. There was the pilgrim with his cockle shell and staff, and the poor Franciscan with his shaven head, coarse habit, bare feet, and hempen girdle. There was the superb costume of Morocco, and picturesque costumes from Dalmatia and the Isles of Greece. Amidst the general bustle and excitement were heard the measured tread of the military pickets and Swiss guards on duty, with the trumpet flourish and roll of drums. All these seen by the feeble gleam of the declining sun, and from the extreme end of

BRILLIANT COSTUMES IN THE ROYAL HALL.

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the lengthened gallery ascending that noble stairs-the lustrous trains of the cardinals, and the senator and his pages, and the diplomatic corps-the moving groups dressed in satin and ermine and cloth of gold, decorated with gold lace and embroidery, with sparkling diamonds and jewels—the cocked hats and waving ostrich feathers, the glistening scymeters, sabre-tashes, helmets, and tossing plumes-all culminating as they ascended in a tapering pyramid of the most varied and brilliant colours, presented an unrivalled pcrspective that enchanted the eye, and more than realized the creation of the poet's fancy, or all that we read of in eastern story!

The crowds of distinguished Princes of the Church, dignitaries, and visitors, in their splendid robes, military uniforms, trains of draperies, and their silks and laces and suites, ascended the royal staircase in quick succession to the Sala Regia, or Royal Hall, a saloon of vast extent and height, decorated with grand fresco paintings, floored with marble pavements, and the ceiling displayed in high relief stucco figures and ornaments, by Daniele da Volterra, Sangallo, and built by Pope Paul III. as an audience hall for foreign ambassadors. Hence, there are four great porches, one leading to the Ducal Hall, one to the Paoline Chapel, one communicating with the royal staircase, and one leading to the Pope's private chapel, the Sistine, and there the ceremonies were to take place. This royal hall was crowded by indeed as brilliant an assemblage as eye ever beheld. An anxious humming pervaded the hall, and all were awaiting their turn to enter the Sistine Chapel. Before the door of the Sistine a double line of Swiss Guards was formed, through which all approaching should pass, and a sergeant of the Swiss looked a searching glance at each visitor, and if he discovered any one

66

PAPAL COURT TOILETTE.

not in full court dress, he gently indicated they could not enter thus into the Pope's presence in the Sistine Chapel. I stood for some time observing the visitors as they passed in. Some ladies presented themselves, but not being in the court dress, the sergeant politely signified they could not enter-they seemed quite disconcertedthey proposed to leave their bonnets outside and go in in their hair; but their costume, otherwise, not being of the appropriate toilette or etiquette, they were not allowed to pass. One gentleman who accompanied two ladies, though he was elegantly dressed, but wearing a frock coat, was stopped-his lady friends being properly attired, entered-he parted them reluctantly, but was obliged to retire and await their return. An humble, mortified Franciscan Friar presented himself in his coarse, brown, patched habit, shorn head, bare feet, and hempen girdle. He was received most deferentially, and entered at once. For he sacrificed fine clothing and all for Christ's sake-he wore the uniform of humiliation, selfabnegation, and sacrifice, which here is recognized as the uniform and full dress of Christ's fervent disciples. There "the mean habit shines"- and the crown of thorns is more prized than the diadem of gold and diamonds. What will be thought of it on the dread day of assize? He who now appears a fool will then appear to have been wise !

SISTINE CHAPEL.

The Sistine Chapel is so called from the circumstance of its having been built by Pope Sixtus IV. in the year 1473, and after the designs of the distinguished architect Baccio Pintelli. It is 150 feet in length, and 50 feet wide, and very lofty. The lower portions of the walls are painted, so as to represent tapestry, and the upper portion is de