53
in the progress of human intellect.
in the progress of human intellect.
Madame de Stael - Corinna, or Italy
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? 46 . CO R I N N E ; O R I TA L Y .
convenient habit of being guided by the opinion of others.
A s they left the house together, he said to his friend,
" Confess, now, dear O swald, that I have some merit in
not paying my court to so delightful a person. " -- " B ut,"
replied N evil, " they say that she is difficult to please. "
-- " They say, but I don' t believe it. A single woman,
who leads the life of an artist, can' t be difficult to please. "
N evil' s feelings were wounded by this remark ; but whether
d' E rfeuil saw it not, or was resolved to follow the bent of
his own inclinations, he continued, " N ot but, if I could
believe in any woman' s virtue, I should trust hers above
all. S he has certainly a thousand times more ardour than
were req uired in your country, or even in mine, to create
doubts of a lady' s cruelty; yet she is a creature of such
superior tact and information, that the ordinary rules for
j udging her sex cannot be applied to her. W ould you
believe it? I find her manners imposing: they overawe
me in spite of her careless affability. I wished yesterday,
merely out of gratitude for her interest in you, to hazard
a few words on my own account; such as mak e what way
they can; if they are listened to, so much the better, if
not, why that may be luck ier still; but Corinne look ed on
me coldly, and I was altogether disconcerted. I s it not
absurd to feel out of countenance before an I talian, a poet,
an-- every thing that ought to put a man at his ease ? " --
" H er name is unk nown," replied N
haviour assures us that she is highly born. "
only the fashion of romance to conceal one'
evil, " but her be-
-- " N ay, ' tis
real life, people tell every thing that can do themselves
credit, and even a little more than the truth. " -- " Y es,
in some societies, where they think but of the effect pro-
duced on others; but here, where life is more domestic,
here there may be secrets, which only he who marries
Corinne should seek to fathom. " -- " Marry Corinne !
peated d' E rfeuil, laughing vehemently, " such a notion
never entered my head. My dear N evil, if you will com-
mit ex travagances, let them be such as are not irreparable.
I n marriage one should consult nothing but convenience
and decorum. Y ou think me frivolous; nevertheless I
bet you that my conduct shall be more rational than your
" re-
' ll
s nobility:-- in
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? CO R I N N E ; O B I TA L Y . 47
own. " -- " I don' t doubt it," returned N evil, without
another word; for how could he tell the Count that there
is often much selfishness in frivolity? or that vanity
never leads a man towards the error of sacrificing himself
for another? Triflers are very capable of cleverly direct-
ing their own affairs; for, in all that may be called the
science of policy, in private as in public life, men oftener
succeed by the absence of certain q ualities than by any
which they possess.
A deficiency of enthusiasm, opinions, and sensibility, is
a negative treasure, on which, with but slight abilities,
rank and fortune may easily be acq uired or maintained.
The j ests of d' E rfeuil had pained L ord N evil much: he
condemned them, but still they haunted him most im-
portunately.
BOOKIV.
R O ME .
CH A PTE R I .
The nex t fortnight O swald devoted ex clusively to the so-
ciety of Corinne. H e never left his house but to visit
her. H e saw, he sought no more; and, without speak ing
of his love, he made her sensible of it every hour in the
day. ' . S he was accustomed to the lively and flattering tri-
butes of the I talians; but the lordly deportment and ap-
parent coldness of O
of heart so often brok
far greater power o'
swald, through which his tenderness
e, in spite of himself, ex ercised a
er her imagination. H e never related
a generous deed or a tale of misfortune, but his eyes filled,
though he always strove to hide this weak ness. I t was
long since she had felt such respect as that which he
awak ened. N o genius, however distinguished, could have
astonished her; but elevation of character acted deeply on
her mind. O swald added to this an elegance which per-
vaded the most trivial actions of his life, and contrasted
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? 48CO R I N N E ; O B I TA L Y .
strongly with the negligent familiarity of the R oman no-
bles. A lthough some of his tastes were uncongenial to
her own, their mutual understanding was wonderful. They
read each other' s hearts in the lightest alteration of coun-
tenance. H abituated to the most tempestuous demonstra-
tions of passion, this proud retiring attachment continually
proved, though never confessed, shed a new interest over
her life. S he felt as if surrounded by a purer, sweeter at-
mosphere; and every moment brought with it a sense of
happiness in which she revelled, without seek ing to define.
O ne morning Prince Castel F orte came to her, evidently
dispirited. S he ask ed the cause. " This S cot," sighed he,
" is weaning your affection from us, and who k nows but
he may even carry you far hence?
some moments, and then replied, "
never said he loves me. " -- " Y
"
Corinne was mute for
I protest to you he has
ou k now it, nevertheless:
he speak s to you by his life, and his very silence is but an
artful plan to attract your notice. W hat, indeed, can any
one say to. you that you have not already heard? W hat
k ind of praise have you not been offered? B ut there is
something veiled and reined in about the character of L ord
N evil, which will never permit you to j udge it wholly as
you do ours. Y ou are the most easily k nown person in
the world; but it is j ust because you voluntarily show
yourself as you are, that reserve and mystery both please
and govern you. The unk nown, be it what it may, has a
greater ascendency over you than all the professions which
could be tendered by man. " Corinne smiled. " Y ou
think then, dear Prince," she said, " that my heart is un-
grateful, and my fancy capricious? I believe, however,
that L ord N evil evinces q ualities too remark able for me
to flatter myself as their discoverer. " -- " I allow," rej
Castel F orte, " that he is high minded, intelligent, even
sensitive, and melancholy above all; but I am much de-
ceived if his pursuits have the least affinity with yours.
Y ou cannot perceive this, so thoroughly is he influenced
by your presence; but your empire would not last were
he absent from you. O bstacles would fatigue a mind
warped by the griefs he has undergone, by discourage-
ments which must have impaired the energy of his reso-
oined
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? corinne; or itaTly. ? 49
lutions; besides you k now what slaves are the generality of
E nglish to the manners and habits of their country. " These
words recalled to the mind of Corinne the painful events of
her early years. S he sighed, and spok e not; but in the
evening she again beheld her lover, and all that remained
as the effect of the Prince' s counsel was a desire so to en-
amour N evil of the varied beauties with which I taly is
blest, that he would mak e it his home for life. W ith this
design she wrote him the following letter. The free life
led at R ome ex cused her, and, much as she might be re-
proached with a too rash degree of candour, she well k new
how to preserve a modest dignity, even in her most inde-
pendent proceedings.
" ToL ordN evil.
" Dec. 15. 1794.
" I k nownot,myL ord,ifyouwillthink metooself-
confident, or if you can do j ustice to my motives. I heard
you say that you had not yet ex plored R ome, that you
k new nothing either of the chefs-d' osuvres of our fine arts,
or the antiq ue ruins that teach us history by imagination
and sentiment. I conceived the idea of daring to propose
myself as your guide through the mazes of long-gone
years. Doubtless R ome can boast of many men whose
profound erudition might be far more useful; but if I
succeed in endearing to you an abode towards which I
have always felt so imperiously drawn, your own studies
will complete what my imperfect sk etches may begin.
' ' Many foreigners come hither, as they go to L
Paris, seek ing but the dissipation of a great city;
it were not treason to confess themselves weary of R
I believe the greatest part of them would do so. B
ondon or
and if
ome,
ut it is
eq ually true, that here may be found a charm of which
none could ever sate. W ill you pardon me, my L ord, for
wishing that this charm may be k nown to you? I t is true
that you must first forget all the political relations of the
world; but when they are not link ed with our sacred
duties, they do but freeze the heart. I t is necessary also
to renounce what is elsewhere called the pleasures of
society; but do they not too freq uently wither up the
mind? O ne tastes in R ome a life at once secluded and
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? 50CO R I N N E ; O R I TA L Y .
enlivened, which liberally matures in our breasts whatever
heaven hath planted there.
" O nce more, my L ord, pardon this love for my country,
whichmak esmelongtok nowitbelovedbyamanlik e
yourself; and do not j udge with E nglish severity the
pledges of good will that an I talian believes it her right to
bestow, without losing any thing in her own eyes or in
yours. " Corinne. "
I n vain would O swald have concealed from himself his
ecstasy at receiving this letter: it opened to him glimpses
of a future all peace and j oy, enthusiasm, love, and
wisdom:-- all that is most divine in the soul of man
seemed blended in the enchanting proj ect of ex ploring
R ome with Corinne. H e considered-- he hesitated no more;
but instantly started for her house, and, on his way, look ed
up to H eaven, bask ing in its rays, for life was no longer a
burden. R egret and fear were lost behind the golden
clouds of hope; his heart, so long oppressed by sadness,
throbbed and bounded with delight; he k new that such,
a state could not last; but even his sense of its fleetness
lent this fever of felicity but a more active force.
" Y ouarecome! " criedCorinne,asheentered. " A h,
thank you! " S he offered him her hand: he pressed it to
his lips, with a tenderness unq ualified by that afflicting
tremor which so often mingled with his happiness, and em-
bittered the presence of those he loved the most. A n
intimacy had commenced between them since they had last
parted, established by the letter of Corinne; both were
content, and felt towards one another the sweetest gratitude.
" This morning, then," said Corinne, " I
the Pantheon and S t. Peter' s, il trusted,"
smilingly, " that you would not refuse to mak
R ome with me; so my horses are ready. I
will show you
she added,
e the tour of
ex pected you
-- youarehere-- alliswell-- letusgo. " -- " W ondrous
creature! " ex claimedO swald. " W ho then are you? W hence
do you derive charms so contrasted, that each might well
ex clude the others? -- feeling, gaiety, depth, wildness,
modesty! A rt thou an illusion? an unearthly blessing
forthosewhomeetthee? " -- " A h! ifI havebutpowerto
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? corinne; or italy. 51
do you any service,"
ever renounce it. " --
hand with emotion ;
she answered, " believe not that I will
the possibility of a momentary lik
fancied that he perceived a fick
which piq ued him even to pain;
ing for him, yet he
leness in her manner,
and Corinne, as if she
"
" Tak e heed," replied he, seizing her
be careful of what benefit you confer
on me. F or two years an iron grasp has pressed upon my
heart. I f I feel some relief while breathing your sweet air,
what will become of me when thrown back on mine own
fate? W hatshallI bethen? " -- " L etusleavethattotime
and chance," interrupted Corinne: " they will decide whether
the impression of an hour shall last beyond its day. I f our
souls commune, our mutual affection will not be fugitive:
be that as it may, let us admire together all that can elevate
our minds; we shall thus, at least, secure some happy
moments. " S o saying, she descended. N evil followed
her, astonished at her reply: it seemed that she admitted
guessed this, said, when they were seated in her carriage,
-" I do not think the heart is so constituted that it must
? either feel no love at all, or the most unconq uerable passion.
There are early symptoms which may vanish before self-
ex amination. W e flatter, we deceive ourselves; and the
very enthusiasm of which we are susceptible, if it renders
the enchantment more rapid, may also bring the re-action
more promptly. " -- " Y ou have reflected much upon this
sentiment, madame," observed O swald, with bitterness.
Corinne blushed, and was silent for some moments, then
said, with a strik ing union of frank ness and dignity,
" I suppose no woman of heart ever reached the age of
twenty-six without having k nown the illusions of love; but
if never to have been happy, never to have met an obj ect
worthy of her full affection, is a claim on sympathy, I have
a right to yours. " The words, the accent of Corinne,
somewhat dispersed the clouds that gathered over N evil' s
thoughts; yet he said to himself, " S he is a most seducing
creature, but-- an I talian. This is not a shrink ing, innocent
heart, even to itself unk nown, such as, I doubt not, beats
in the bosom of the E nglish girl to whom my father des-
tined me. "
L ucy E dgarmond was the daughter of his parent' s best
e2
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? 52CO R I N N E ; O R I TA L Y .
friend; but too young, when he left E ngland, for him to
marry her, or even foresee what she might one day be-
come. *
CH A PTE R I I .
O swald and Corinne went first to the Pantheon, now called
S anta Maria of the R otunda. Throughout I taly the Catholic
hath been the Pagan' s heir; but this is the only antiq ue temple
in R ome which has been preserved entire; the only one
wherein we may behold, unimpaired, the architecture of the
ancients, and the peculiar character of their worship.
H ere they paused to admire the portico and its sup-
porting columns. Corinne bade O swald observe that this
building was constructed in such a manner as made it
appear much larger than it was. " S t. Peter' s," she said,
" produces an opposite effect: you will, at first, think it
less vast than it is in reality. The deception, so favourable
to the Pantheon, proceeds, it is conceived, from the great
space between the pillars, and from the air playing so
freely within ; but still more from the absence of ornament,
with which S t. Peter' s is overcharged. E ven thus did
antiq ue poetry design but the massive features of a theme,
leaving the reader' s fancy to supply the detail: in all affairs
we moderns say and do too much. This fane was con-
secrated by A grippa, the favourite of A ugustus, to his
friend, or rather, his master; who, however, had the
humility to refuse this dedication; and A grippa was
reduced to the necessity of devoting it to all the gods of
O lympus, and of substituting their power for that of one
earthly idol. O n the top of the Pantheon stood a car, in which
were placed the statues of A ugustus and A grippa. O n
each side of the portico similar effigies were displayed, in
other attitudes; and over the front of the temple is still
legible, ' Consecrated by A grippa. ' A ugustus gave his
name to the age in which he lived, by rendering it an era
* I n the original L ucile E dgermond; but as neither of these names are
E nglish, and the latter capable of a very ignoble pronunciation, I have tak en
the liberty to alter both. -- Th.
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? CO R I N N E ; O R I TA L Y .
53
in the progress of human intellect. F rom the chefs-
d' ceuvres of his contemporaries emanated the rays that
formed a circling halo round his brow. H e k new how to
honour men of letters in his own day; and posterity,
therefore, honours him. L et us enter the temple: it is
said that the light which streams in from above was con-
sidered the emblem of a divinity superior to the highest
divinities. The heathens ever loved symbolical images:
our language, indeed, seems to accord better with religion
than with common parlance. The rain often falls on the
marbles of this court; but the sunshine succeeds to efface
it. W hat a serene yet festal air is here! The Pagans
deified life, as the Christians sanctify death; such is the
distinction between the two faiths; but Catholicism here is
far less gloomy than in the north, as you will observe
when we visit S t. Peter' s. I n the sanctuary of the
Pantheon the busts of our most celebrated artists decorate
the niches once filled by ideal gods. S ince the empire of
the Cssars, we have scarce ever boasted any political inde-
pendence; conseq uently, you will find no statesmen, no
heroes here. Genius constitutes our only fame; but do1
you not think , my L ord, that a people who thus revere the
talents still left amongst them must deserve a nobler
destiny? " -- " I believe," replied O swald, " that nations
generally deserve their own fates, be they what they will. "
-- " That is severe! but, perhaps, by living in I taly, your
heart may soften towards the fair land which nature has
adorned lik e a victim for sacrifice. A t least remember,
that the dearest hope the lovers of glory cherish is that of
obtaining a place here. I have already chosen mine," she
added, pointing to a niche still vacant. " O swald, who
k nows but you may one day return to this spot, when my
bust-- " -- " H old! " interrupted he; " can you, resplend-
ent in youth and beauty, talk thus to one whom mis-
fortune even now is bending towards the grave f " -- " A h! "
ex claimed Corinne, " the storm may in a moment dash
down flowers that yet shall raise their heads again. O
dear O swald! why are you not happy? " -- "
me," he replied; " you have your secrets, and I
swald,
N ever ask
mine:
let us respect our mutual silence. Y ou k now not what 1
e3
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? CO R I N N E ; O R I TA L Y .
should suffer if forced to relate my distresses. " Corinne
said no more; but her steps, as she left the temple, became
slow, and her look s more pensive.
S he paused beneath the portico. " There," she said,
" stood a porphyry ur n of great beauty, now removed to
S t. J ohn L ateran: it contained the ashes of A grippa,
which were deposited at the foot of the statue he had
erected to himself. The ancients lavished such art on
sweetening the idea of destruction, that they succeeded in
banishing all its most dreary and alarming traits. There
was such magnificence in their tombs, that the contrast
between the nothingness of death and the splendours of
life was less felt. I t is certain, too, that the hope of aril
other world was far less vivid amongst them than it is
with Christians. They were obliged to contest with death,
the principle which we fearlessly confide to the bosom of
our eternal F ather. "
O swald sighed, and spok e not: melancholy ideas have
many charms, when we are not deeply miserable; but,
while grief, in all its cruelty, reigns over the breast, we can-
not hear without a shudder words which, of old, ex cited
but reveries not more sad than soothing.
CH A PTE R I I I .
I n going to S t. Peter' s, they crossed the bridge of S
t. A
ngelo
on foot. " I t was here," said O swald, " that,on my way from
the Capitol, I , for the first time, mused long on Corinne. "
-- " I do not flatter myself," she rej oined, " that I owe a
friend to my coronation; yet, in toiling for celebrity, I
have ever wished that it might mak e me beloved: were it
not useless, at least to a woman, without such ex pectation? "
-- " L et us stay here awhile," said O swald. " Can by-gone
centuries afford me one remembrance eq ual to that of the
day on which I beheld you first ? " -- " I may err," answered
Corinne, " but I think persons become most endeared to
each other while participating in the admiration of work s
which speak to the soul by their true grandeur. Those of
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? coriN N E ; oa italy. 55
R ome are neither cold nor mute; conceived as they were
by genius, and hallowed by memorable events. N ay. per
haps, O swald, one could not better learn to love a man lik
yourself than by enj oying with him the noble beauties of
the universe. " -- " B ut I ," returned O swald, "
listening beside you, need the presence of no other wonder. "
e
while gazing,
Corinne thank
the castle of S
most original ex
ed him by a gracious smile. Pausing before
t. A ngelo, she pursued: " This is one of the
teriors among all our edifices: the tomb
of A drian, fortified by the Goths, bearing a double cha-
racter from its successive uses. B uilt for the dead, an im-
penetrable circle enclosed it; yet the living have added
more hostile defences, which contrast strongly with the
silent and noble inutility of a funeral monument. Y ou
see, at the top, the bronze figure of an angel with a nak ed
sword (5); within are prisons, framed for ingenious tor-
ture. A ll the epochs of R oman history, from the days of
A drian to our own, are associated with this site. B elisarius
defended it against the Goths; and, with a barbarism
scarce inferior to their own, hurled on them the beauteous
statues that adorned the interior. Crescentius, A rnault de
B rescia, and N icolas R ienzi (6 ), those friends of R oman
liberty, who so oft mistook her memories for her hopes,
long defied their foes from this imperial tomb. I
stone connected with so many glorious feats. I
the master of the world' s lux urious taste --
love each
applaud
a magnificent
tomb. There is something great in the man who, while
possessing all the pomps and pleasures of the world, fears
not to employ his mind so long in preparations for his
death. Moral ideas and disinterested sentiments must fill
the soul that, in any way, outsteps the boundaries of life.
Thus far ought the pillars in front of S
such was the superb plan of Michael A
trusted his survivors would complete;
t. Peter' s to ex tend;
ngelo, which he
but the men of our
day think not of posterity. W hen once enthusiasm has
been turned into ridicule, all is defeated, ex cept wealth and
power. " -- " I t is for you to regenerate it," cried N evil.
" W ho ever ex perienced such happiness as I now taste?
R ome shown me by you! interpreted by imagination and
genius! W hat a world when animated by sentiment, without
e4
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? 56 CO R I N N E ; O R I TA L Y .
which the world itself were but a desert! (7) A h,
Corinne! what is to follow these the sweetest days that my
fate and heart e' er granted me? " -- " A ll sincere affections
come direct from H eaven," she answered, meek ly. " W hy
O swald, should it not protect what it inspires? I t is for
H eaven to dispose of us both. "
A t last they beheld S t. Peter'
ever erected by man: even the E
inferiors in height. " Perhaps,"
s; the greatest edifice
gyptian Pyramids are its
said Corirme, " I ought
to have shown you the grandest of our temples last; but
that is not my system. I t appears to me that, to perfect
a sense of the fine arts, one should begin by contemplating
the obj ects which awak en the deepest and most lively ad-
miration. This, once felt, reveals a new sphere of thought,
and renders us capable of loving and j udging whatever
may, even in an humbler q uality, revive the first impres-
sion we received. A ll cautious and mystified attempts at
producing a strong effect are against my taste. W e do
not arrive at the sublime by degrees, for infinite distances
separate it even from the beautiful. "
O swald felt the most ex traordinary sensations when
standing in front of S t. Peter' s. I t was the first time the
effort of man had affected him lik e a marvel of nature.
I t is the only work of art on the face of the globe that pos-
sesses the same species of maj esty which characterises
those of creation. Corinne enj oyed his astonishment.
" I have selected," she said, " a day when the sun is in
all his splendour; still reserving for you a yet more holy
rapture, that of beholding S t. Peter' s by moonlight; but I
wished you first to be present at this most brilliant spec-
tacle-- the genius of man bedeck ed in the magnificence of
nature. "
The sq uare of S t. Peter' s is surrounded by pillars, which
appear light from a distance, but massive as you draw
nearer: the sloping ascent towards the porch adds to the
effect produced. A n obelisk , of eighty feet in height,
which look s scarce raised above the earth, in presence of
the cupola, stands in the centre. The mere form of an
obelisk is pleasing to the fancy: it loses itself in air, as if'
guiding the thoughts of man towards heaven. This was
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? C0R I N N E J O R I TA L Y . 57
brought from E gypt to adorn the baths of Caligula, and
afterwards removed by S ix tus V . to the foot of S t. Peter' s,
beside which this contemporary of many ages creates not
one sentiment of awe. Man feels himself so perishable
that he bows before the presence of immutability. A t
some distance, on each side of the obelisk , are two foun-
tains, whose waters, perpetually gushing upwards, fall
again in abundant cascades. Their murmurs, such as we
are wont to hear in wild and rural scenes, lend a strange
charm to this spot, yet one that harmonises with the still-
ing influence of that august cathedral. Painting and sculp-
ture, whether representing the human form, or other
natural obj ects, awak en clear and intelligible images; but
a perfect piece of architecture k indles that aimless reverie,
which bears the soul we k now not whither. The ripple of
water well accords with this vague deep sense: it is uni-
form, as the edifice is regular. ' E ternal motion and eternal
rest' seem here united, defying even time, who has no
more sullied the source of those pure springs than shak en
the base of that commanding temple. These sheaves of
liq uid silver dash themselves into spray so fine, that on
sunny days the light will form them into little rainbows,
tinted with all the iris hues of the prism. " S top here a
moment," said Corinne to N evil, who was already beneath
the portico: " pause, ere you unveil the sanctuary: does
not your heart throb as you approach it, as if anticipating
some solemn event? " S he raised the curtain, and held it
back for N evil to pass, with such a grace that his first look
was on her, and for some seconds he could observe nothing
else; yet he entered the interior, and soon beneath its im-
mense arches was filled by a piety so profound that love
alone no longer sufficed to occupy his breast. H e walk ed
slowly beside Corinne; both were mute: there every thing
commands silence ; for the least sound is re-echoed so far,
that no discourse seems worthy to be thus repeated, in such
an almost eternal abode. E ven prayer, the accent of dis-
tress, springing from whatever feeble voice, reverberates
deeply through its vastness; and when we hear, from far,
the trembling steps of age, on the fair marble, watered by
so many tears, man becomes imposing from the very in-
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? 58CO R I N N E ; O B I TA L Y .
firmities that subj ect his divine spirit to so much of woe;
and we feel that Christianity, the creed of suffering, con-
tains the true secret which should direct our pilgrimage on
earth. Corinne brok e on the meditations of O swald, say-
ing, " Y ou must have remark ed that the Gothic churches
of E ngland and Germany have a far more gloomy cha-
racter than this. N orthern Catholicism has in it some-
thing mystic; ours speak s to the imagination by ex ternal
obj ects. Michael A ngelo, on beholding this dome from
the Pantheon, ex claimed, ' I have built it in the air! ' --
indeed S t. Peter' s is as a temple based upon a church: its
interior weds the ancient and modern faiths in the mind:
I freq uently wander hither to regain the composure my
spirit sometimes loses. The sight of such a building is
lik e a ceaseless, changeless melody, here awaiting to con-
sole all who seek it; and, among our national claims to
glory, let me rank the courage, patience, and disinterested-
ness of the chiefs of our church, who have, for so many
years, devoted such treasures to the completion of an edi-
fice which its founders could not ex pect to enj oy. (8) I t is
rendering a service to the moral public, bestowflig on a
nation a monument emblematic of such noble and gener-
ous desires. " -- " Y es," replied O swald, " here art is grand,
and genius inventive; but how is the real dignity of man
sustained? H ow weak are the generality of I
vernments, yet how do they enslave ! " -- "
interrupted Corinne, " have borne the yok e, lik
talian go-
O ther nations,"
e our-
selves, and without lik e power to conceive a better fate,
? S ervi siam si, ma servi ognor frementi. '
' W e are slaves, indeed, but for ever chafing beneath our
bonds,' said A lfieri, the boldest of our modern writers.
W ith such soul for the fine arts, may not our character
one day eq ual our genius? B ut look at these statues on
the tombs, these mosaics,-- laborious and faithful copies
from the chefs-d' ceuvres of our great masters. I never ex -
amine S t. Peter' s in detail, because I am grieved to find
that its multiplied adornments somewhat impair- the beauty
of the whole. Y et well may the best work s of human
hands seem superfluous here. This is a world of itself;
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? corinne; or italy. 59
a refuge from both heat and cold: it hath a season of its
own, perennial spring, which the atmosphere without can
never affect. A subterranean church is built beneath:
tbe popes, and many foreign princes, are buried there --
Christine, who abdicated her realm; the S tuarts, whose
dynasty was overthrown. R ome, so long an asylum for
the ex ile, is she not herself dethroned? H er aspect con-
soles sovereigns despoiled lik e her. Y es, cities fall, whole
empires disappear, and man becomes unworthy of his
name. S tand here, N evil! near the altar, beneath the cen-
tre of the dome, you perceive, through these iron gratings,
the church of the dead, which lies beneath our feet, and,
on raising your eyes, they can scarcely pierce to the sum-
mit of this arch: do you not feel as if a huge abyss was
opening over your head? E very thing which ex tends be-
yond a certain proportion must cause that limited creature
man uncontrollable dismay. W hat we k now is as inex -
plicable as the unk nown: we have so reconciled ourselves
to habitual dark ness, that any new mystery alarms and
confounds us.
" The whole church is embellished by antiq ue marbles,
who k now more than we do of vanished centuries. There
is the statue of J upiter converted into S t. Peter, by the glory
which has been set upon its head. The general ex pres-
sion of the place perfectly characterises a mix
scure dogmas and sumptuous ceremonies;
ideas, but such as may be soothingly applied;
ture of ob-
a mine of sad
severe doc-
trines, capable of mild interpretation:-- Christian theology
and Pagan images; in fact, the most admirable union of all
the maj estic splendours which man can give to his worship
of the Divinity. Tombs deck ed by the arts can scarcely
represent death as a formidable enemy: we do not, indeed)
lik e the ancients, carve sports and dances on the sarco-
phagus; but thought is diverted from the bier by work s
that tell of immortality even from the altar of death.
Thus animated, we feel not that freezing silence which
constantly watches over a northern sepulchre. " -- " I
t is
doubtless, the purpose with us," said O swald, "
round death with appropriate gloom: ere we were en-
to sur-
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? 6 0CO R I N N E J O R I TA L Y .
lightened by Christianity, such was our mythologic bias.
O ssian called around the tomb funereal chants, such as
here you would fain forget. I k now not if I should wish
that your fair sk y may so far change my mood.
? 46 . CO R I N N E ; O R I TA L Y .
convenient habit of being guided by the opinion of others.
A s they left the house together, he said to his friend,
" Confess, now, dear O swald, that I have some merit in
not paying my court to so delightful a person. " -- " B ut,"
replied N evil, " they say that she is difficult to please. "
-- " They say, but I don' t believe it. A single woman,
who leads the life of an artist, can' t be difficult to please. "
N evil' s feelings were wounded by this remark ; but whether
d' E rfeuil saw it not, or was resolved to follow the bent of
his own inclinations, he continued, " N ot but, if I could
believe in any woman' s virtue, I should trust hers above
all. S he has certainly a thousand times more ardour than
were req uired in your country, or even in mine, to create
doubts of a lady' s cruelty; yet she is a creature of such
superior tact and information, that the ordinary rules for
j udging her sex cannot be applied to her. W ould you
believe it? I find her manners imposing: they overawe
me in spite of her careless affability. I wished yesterday,
merely out of gratitude for her interest in you, to hazard
a few words on my own account; such as mak e what way
they can; if they are listened to, so much the better, if
not, why that may be luck ier still; but Corinne look ed on
me coldly, and I was altogether disconcerted. I s it not
absurd to feel out of countenance before an I talian, a poet,
an-- every thing that ought to put a man at his ease ? " --
" H er name is unk nown," replied N
haviour assures us that she is highly born. "
only the fashion of romance to conceal one'
evil, " but her be-
-- " N ay, ' tis
real life, people tell every thing that can do themselves
credit, and even a little more than the truth. " -- " Y es,
in some societies, where they think but of the effect pro-
duced on others; but here, where life is more domestic,
here there may be secrets, which only he who marries
Corinne should seek to fathom. " -- " Marry Corinne !
peated d' E rfeuil, laughing vehemently, " such a notion
never entered my head. My dear N evil, if you will com-
mit ex travagances, let them be such as are not irreparable.
I n marriage one should consult nothing but convenience
and decorum. Y ou think me frivolous; nevertheless I
bet you that my conduct shall be more rational than your
" re-
' ll
s nobility:-- in
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? CO R I N N E ; O B I TA L Y . 47
own. " -- " I don' t doubt it," returned N evil, without
another word; for how could he tell the Count that there
is often much selfishness in frivolity? or that vanity
never leads a man towards the error of sacrificing himself
for another? Triflers are very capable of cleverly direct-
ing their own affairs; for, in all that may be called the
science of policy, in private as in public life, men oftener
succeed by the absence of certain q ualities than by any
which they possess.
A deficiency of enthusiasm, opinions, and sensibility, is
a negative treasure, on which, with but slight abilities,
rank and fortune may easily be acq uired or maintained.
The j ests of d' E rfeuil had pained L ord N evil much: he
condemned them, but still they haunted him most im-
portunately.
BOOKIV.
R O ME .
CH A PTE R I .
The nex t fortnight O swald devoted ex clusively to the so-
ciety of Corinne. H e never left his house but to visit
her. H e saw, he sought no more; and, without speak ing
of his love, he made her sensible of it every hour in the
day. ' . S he was accustomed to the lively and flattering tri-
butes of the I talians; but the lordly deportment and ap-
parent coldness of O
of heart so often brok
far greater power o'
swald, through which his tenderness
e, in spite of himself, ex ercised a
er her imagination. H e never related
a generous deed or a tale of misfortune, but his eyes filled,
though he always strove to hide this weak ness. I t was
long since she had felt such respect as that which he
awak ened. N o genius, however distinguished, could have
astonished her; but elevation of character acted deeply on
her mind. O swald added to this an elegance which per-
vaded the most trivial actions of his life, and contrasted
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? 48CO R I N N E ; O B I TA L Y .
strongly with the negligent familiarity of the R oman no-
bles. A lthough some of his tastes were uncongenial to
her own, their mutual understanding was wonderful. They
read each other' s hearts in the lightest alteration of coun-
tenance. H abituated to the most tempestuous demonstra-
tions of passion, this proud retiring attachment continually
proved, though never confessed, shed a new interest over
her life. S he felt as if surrounded by a purer, sweeter at-
mosphere; and every moment brought with it a sense of
happiness in which she revelled, without seek ing to define.
O ne morning Prince Castel F orte came to her, evidently
dispirited. S he ask ed the cause. " This S cot," sighed he,
" is weaning your affection from us, and who k nows but
he may even carry you far hence?
some moments, and then replied, "
never said he loves me. " -- " Y
"
Corinne was mute for
I protest to you he has
ou k now it, nevertheless:
he speak s to you by his life, and his very silence is but an
artful plan to attract your notice. W hat, indeed, can any
one say to. you that you have not already heard? W hat
k ind of praise have you not been offered? B ut there is
something veiled and reined in about the character of L ord
N evil, which will never permit you to j udge it wholly as
you do ours. Y ou are the most easily k nown person in
the world; but it is j ust because you voluntarily show
yourself as you are, that reserve and mystery both please
and govern you. The unk nown, be it what it may, has a
greater ascendency over you than all the professions which
could be tendered by man. " Corinne smiled. " Y ou
think then, dear Prince," she said, " that my heart is un-
grateful, and my fancy capricious? I believe, however,
that L ord N evil evinces q ualities too remark able for me
to flatter myself as their discoverer. " -- " I allow," rej
Castel F orte, " that he is high minded, intelligent, even
sensitive, and melancholy above all; but I am much de-
ceived if his pursuits have the least affinity with yours.
Y ou cannot perceive this, so thoroughly is he influenced
by your presence; but your empire would not last were
he absent from you. O bstacles would fatigue a mind
warped by the griefs he has undergone, by discourage-
ments which must have impaired the energy of his reso-
oined
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? corinne; or itaTly. ? 49
lutions; besides you k now what slaves are the generality of
E nglish to the manners and habits of their country. " These
words recalled to the mind of Corinne the painful events of
her early years. S he sighed, and spok e not; but in the
evening she again beheld her lover, and all that remained
as the effect of the Prince' s counsel was a desire so to en-
amour N evil of the varied beauties with which I taly is
blest, that he would mak e it his home for life. W ith this
design she wrote him the following letter. The free life
led at R ome ex cused her, and, much as she might be re-
proached with a too rash degree of candour, she well k new
how to preserve a modest dignity, even in her most inde-
pendent proceedings.
" ToL ordN evil.
" Dec. 15. 1794.
" I k nownot,myL ord,ifyouwillthink metooself-
confident, or if you can do j ustice to my motives. I heard
you say that you had not yet ex plored R ome, that you
k new nothing either of the chefs-d' osuvres of our fine arts,
or the antiq ue ruins that teach us history by imagination
and sentiment. I conceived the idea of daring to propose
myself as your guide through the mazes of long-gone
years. Doubtless R ome can boast of many men whose
profound erudition might be far more useful; but if I
succeed in endearing to you an abode towards which I
have always felt so imperiously drawn, your own studies
will complete what my imperfect sk etches may begin.
' ' Many foreigners come hither, as they go to L
Paris, seek ing but the dissipation of a great city;
it were not treason to confess themselves weary of R
I believe the greatest part of them would do so. B
ondon or
and if
ome,
ut it is
eq ually true, that here may be found a charm of which
none could ever sate. W ill you pardon me, my L ord, for
wishing that this charm may be k nown to you? I t is true
that you must first forget all the political relations of the
world; but when they are not link ed with our sacred
duties, they do but freeze the heart. I t is necessary also
to renounce what is elsewhere called the pleasures of
society; but do they not too freq uently wither up the
mind? O ne tastes in R ome a life at once secluded and
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? 50CO R I N N E ; O R I TA L Y .
enlivened, which liberally matures in our breasts whatever
heaven hath planted there.
" O nce more, my L ord, pardon this love for my country,
whichmak esmelongtok nowitbelovedbyamanlik e
yourself; and do not j udge with E nglish severity the
pledges of good will that an I talian believes it her right to
bestow, without losing any thing in her own eyes or in
yours. " Corinne. "
I n vain would O swald have concealed from himself his
ecstasy at receiving this letter: it opened to him glimpses
of a future all peace and j oy, enthusiasm, love, and
wisdom:-- all that is most divine in the soul of man
seemed blended in the enchanting proj ect of ex ploring
R ome with Corinne. H e considered-- he hesitated no more;
but instantly started for her house, and, on his way, look ed
up to H eaven, bask ing in its rays, for life was no longer a
burden. R egret and fear were lost behind the golden
clouds of hope; his heart, so long oppressed by sadness,
throbbed and bounded with delight; he k new that such,
a state could not last; but even his sense of its fleetness
lent this fever of felicity but a more active force.
" Y ouarecome! " criedCorinne,asheentered. " A h,
thank you! " S he offered him her hand: he pressed it to
his lips, with a tenderness unq ualified by that afflicting
tremor which so often mingled with his happiness, and em-
bittered the presence of those he loved the most. A n
intimacy had commenced between them since they had last
parted, established by the letter of Corinne; both were
content, and felt towards one another the sweetest gratitude.
" This morning, then," said Corinne, " I
the Pantheon and S t. Peter' s, il trusted,"
smilingly, " that you would not refuse to mak
R ome with me; so my horses are ready. I
will show you
she added,
e the tour of
ex pected you
-- youarehere-- alliswell-- letusgo. " -- " W ondrous
creature! " ex claimedO swald. " W ho then are you? W hence
do you derive charms so contrasted, that each might well
ex clude the others? -- feeling, gaiety, depth, wildness,
modesty! A rt thou an illusion? an unearthly blessing
forthosewhomeetthee? " -- " A h! ifI havebutpowerto
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? corinne; or italy. 51
do you any service,"
ever renounce it. " --
hand with emotion ;
she answered, " believe not that I will
the possibility of a momentary lik
fancied that he perceived a fick
which piq ued him even to pain;
ing for him, yet he
leness in her manner,
and Corinne, as if she
"
" Tak e heed," replied he, seizing her
be careful of what benefit you confer
on me. F or two years an iron grasp has pressed upon my
heart. I f I feel some relief while breathing your sweet air,
what will become of me when thrown back on mine own
fate? W hatshallI bethen? " -- " L etusleavethattotime
and chance," interrupted Corinne: " they will decide whether
the impression of an hour shall last beyond its day. I f our
souls commune, our mutual affection will not be fugitive:
be that as it may, let us admire together all that can elevate
our minds; we shall thus, at least, secure some happy
moments. " S o saying, she descended. N evil followed
her, astonished at her reply: it seemed that she admitted
guessed this, said, when they were seated in her carriage,
-" I do not think the heart is so constituted that it must
? either feel no love at all, or the most unconq uerable passion.
There are early symptoms which may vanish before self-
ex amination. W e flatter, we deceive ourselves; and the
very enthusiasm of which we are susceptible, if it renders
the enchantment more rapid, may also bring the re-action
more promptly. " -- " Y ou have reflected much upon this
sentiment, madame," observed O swald, with bitterness.
Corinne blushed, and was silent for some moments, then
said, with a strik ing union of frank ness and dignity,
" I suppose no woman of heart ever reached the age of
twenty-six without having k nown the illusions of love; but
if never to have been happy, never to have met an obj ect
worthy of her full affection, is a claim on sympathy, I have
a right to yours. " The words, the accent of Corinne,
somewhat dispersed the clouds that gathered over N evil' s
thoughts; yet he said to himself, " S he is a most seducing
creature, but-- an I talian. This is not a shrink ing, innocent
heart, even to itself unk nown, such as, I doubt not, beats
in the bosom of the E nglish girl to whom my father des-
tined me. "
L ucy E dgarmond was the daughter of his parent' s best
e2
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? 52CO R I N N E ; O R I TA L Y .
friend; but too young, when he left E ngland, for him to
marry her, or even foresee what she might one day be-
come. *
CH A PTE R I I .
O swald and Corinne went first to the Pantheon, now called
S anta Maria of the R otunda. Throughout I taly the Catholic
hath been the Pagan' s heir; but this is the only antiq ue temple
in R ome which has been preserved entire; the only one
wherein we may behold, unimpaired, the architecture of the
ancients, and the peculiar character of their worship.
H ere they paused to admire the portico and its sup-
porting columns. Corinne bade O swald observe that this
building was constructed in such a manner as made it
appear much larger than it was. " S t. Peter' s," she said,
" produces an opposite effect: you will, at first, think it
less vast than it is in reality. The deception, so favourable
to the Pantheon, proceeds, it is conceived, from the great
space between the pillars, and from the air playing so
freely within ; but still more from the absence of ornament,
with which S t. Peter' s is overcharged. E ven thus did
antiq ue poetry design but the massive features of a theme,
leaving the reader' s fancy to supply the detail: in all affairs
we moderns say and do too much. This fane was con-
secrated by A grippa, the favourite of A ugustus, to his
friend, or rather, his master; who, however, had the
humility to refuse this dedication; and A grippa was
reduced to the necessity of devoting it to all the gods of
O lympus, and of substituting their power for that of one
earthly idol. O n the top of the Pantheon stood a car, in which
were placed the statues of A ugustus and A grippa. O n
each side of the portico similar effigies were displayed, in
other attitudes; and over the front of the temple is still
legible, ' Consecrated by A grippa. ' A ugustus gave his
name to the age in which he lived, by rendering it an era
* I n the original L ucile E dgermond; but as neither of these names are
E nglish, and the latter capable of a very ignoble pronunciation, I have tak en
the liberty to alter both. -- Th.
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? CO R I N N E ; O R I TA L Y .
53
in the progress of human intellect. F rom the chefs-
d' ceuvres of his contemporaries emanated the rays that
formed a circling halo round his brow. H e k new how to
honour men of letters in his own day; and posterity,
therefore, honours him. L et us enter the temple: it is
said that the light which streams in from above was con-
sidered the emblem of a divinity superior to the highest
divinities. The heathens ever loved symbolical images:
our language, indeed, seems to accord better with religion
than with common parlance. The rain often falls on the
marbles of this court; but the sunshine succeeds to efface
it. W hat a serene yet festal air is here! The Pagans
deified life, as the Christians sanctify death; such is the
distinction between the two faiths; but Catholicism here is
far less gloomy than in the north, as you will observe
when we visit S t. Peter' s. I n the sanctuary of the
Pantheon the busts of our most celebrated artists decorate
the niches once filled by ideal gods. S ince the empire of
the Cssars, we have scarce ever boasted any political inde-
pendence; conseq uently, you will find no statesmen, no
heroes here. Genius constitutes our only fame; but do1
you not think , my L ord, that a people who thus revere the
talents still left amongst them must deserve a nobler
destiny? " -- " I believe," replied O swald, " that nations
generally deserve their own fates, be they what they will. "
-- " That is severe! but, perhaps, by living in I taly, your
heart may soften towards the fair land which nature has
adorned lik e a victim for sacrifice. A t least remember,
that the dearest hope the lovers of glory cherish is that of
obtaining a place here. I have already chosen mine," she
added, pointing to a niche still vacant. " O swald, who
k nows but you may one day return to this spot, when my
bust-- " -- " H old! " interrupted he; " can you, resplend-
ent in youth and beauty, talk thus to one whom mis-
fortune even now is bending towards the grave f " -- " A h! "
ex claimed Corinne, " the storm may in a moment dash
down flowers that yet shall raise their heads again. O
dear O swald! why are you not happy? " -- "
me," he replied; " you have your secrets, and I
swald,
N ever ask
mine:
let us respect our mutual silence. Y ou k now not what 1
e3
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? CO R I N N E ; O R I TA L Y .
should suffer if forced to relate my distresses. " Corinne
said no more; but her steps, as she left the temple, became
slow, and her look s more pensive.
S he paused beneath the portico. " There," she said,
" stood a porphyry ur n of great beauty, now removed to
S t. J ohn L ateran: it contained the ashes of A grippa,
which were deposited at the foot of the statue he had
erected to himself. The ancients lavished such art on
sweetening the idea of destruction, that they succeeded in
banishing all its most dreary and alarming traits. There
was such magnificence in their tombs, that the contrast
between the nothingness of death and the splendours of
life was less felt. I t is certain, too, that the hope of aril
other world was far less vivid amongst them than it is
with Christians. They were obliged to contest with death,
the principle which we fearlessly confide to the bosom of
our eternal F ather. "
O swald sighed, and spok e not: melancholy ideas have
many charms, when we are not deeply miserable; but,
while grief, in all its cruelty, reigns over the breast, we can-
not hear without a shudder words which, of old, ex cited
but reveries not more sad than soothing.
CH A PTE R I I I .
I n going to S t. Peter' s, they crossed the bridge of S
t. A
ngelo
on foot. " I t was here," said O swald, " that,on my way from
the Capitol, I , for the first time, mused long on Corinne. "
-- " I do not flatter myself," she rej oined, " that I owe a
friend to my coronation; yet, in toiling for celebrity, I
have ever wished that it might mak e me beloved: were it
not useless, at least to a woman, without such ex pectation? "
-- " L et us stay here awhile," said O swald. " Can by-gone
centuries afford me one remembrance eq ual to that of the
day on which I beheld you first ? " -- " I may err," answered
Corinne, " but I think persons become most endeared to
each other while participating in the admiration of work s
which speak to the soul by their true grandeur. Those of
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? coriN N E ; oa italy. 55
R ome are neither cold nor mute; conceived as they were
by genius, and hallowed by memorable events. N ay. per
haps, O swald, one could not better learn to love a man lik
yourself than by enj oying with him the noble beauties of
the universe. " -- " B ut I ," returned O swald, "
listening beside you, need the presence of no other wonder. "
e
while gazing,
Corinne thank
the castle of S
most original ex
ed him by a gracious smile. Pausing before
t. A ngelo, she pursued: " This is one of the
teriors among all our edifices: the tomb
of A drian, fortified by the Goths, bearing a double cha-
racter from its successive uses. B uilt for the dead, an im-
penetrable circle enclosed it; yet the living have added
more hostile defences, which contrast strongly with the
silent and noble inutility of a funeral monument. Y ou
see, at the top, the bronze figure of an angel with a nak ed
sword (5); within are prisons, framed for ingenious tor-
ture. A ll the epochs of R oman history, from the days of
A drian to our own, are associated with this site. B elisarius
defended it against the Goths; and, with a barbarism
scarce inferior to their own, hurled on them the beauteous
statues that adorned the interior. Crescentius, A rnault de
B rescia, and N icolas R ienzi (6 ), those friends of R oman
liberty, who so oft mistook her memories for her hopes,
long defied their foes from this imperial tomb. I
stone connected with so many glorious feats. I
the master of the world' s lux urious taste --
love each
applaud
a magnificent
tomb. There is something great in the man who, while
possessing all the pomps and pleasures of the world, fears
not to employ his mind so long in preparations for his
death. Moral ideas and disinterested sentiments must fill
the soul that, in any way, outsteps the boundaries of life.
Thus far ought the pillars in front of S
such was the superb plan of Michael A
trusted his survivors would complete;
t. Peter' s to ex tend;
ngelo, which he
but the men of our
day think not of posterity. W hen once enthusiasm has
been turned into ridicule, all is defeated, ex cept wealth and
power. " -- " I t is for you to regenerate it," cried N evil.
" W ho ever ex perienced such happiness as I now taste?
R ome shown me by you! interpreted by imagination and
genius! W hat a world when animated by sentiment, without
e4
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? 56 CO R I N N E ; O R I TA L Y .
which the world itself were but a desert! (7) A h,
Corinne! what is to follow these the sweetest days that my
fate and heart e' er granted me? " -- " A ll sincere affections
come direct from H eaven," she answered, meek ly. " W hy
O swald, should it not protect what it inspires? I t is for
H eaven to dispose of us both. "
A t last they beheld S t. Peter'
ever erected by man: even the E
inferiors in height. " Perhaps,"
s; the greatest edifice
gyptian Pyramids are its
said Corirme, " I ought
to have shown you the grandest of our temples last; but
that is not my system. I t appears to me that, to perfect
a sense of the fine arts, one should begin by contemplating
the obj ects which awak en the deepest and most lively ad-
miration. This, once felt, reveals a new sphere of thought,
and renders us capable of loving and j udging whatever
may, even in an humbler q uality, revive the first impres-
sion we received. A ll cautious and mystified attempts at
producing a strong effect are against my taste. W e do
not arrive at the sublime by degrees, for infinite distances
separate it even from the beautiful. "
O swald felt the most ex traordinary sensations when
standing in front of S t. Peter' s. I t was the first time the
effort of man had affected him lik e a marvel of nature.
I t is the only work of art on the face of the globe that pos-
sesses the same species of maj esty which characterises
those of creation. Corinne enj oyed his astonishment.
" I have selected," she said, " a day when the sun is in
all his splendour; still reserving for you a yet more holy
rapture, that of beholding S t. Peter' s by moonlight; but I
wished you first to be present at this most brilliant spec-
tacle-- the genius of man bedeck ed in the magnificence of
nature. "
The sq uare of S t. Peter' s is surrounded by pillars, which
appear light from a distance, but massive as you draw
nearer: the sloping ascent towards the porch adds to the
effect produced. A n obelisk , of eighty feet in height,
which look s scarce raised above the earth, in presence of
the cupola, stands in the centre. The mere form of an
obelisk is pleasing to the fancy: it loses itself in air, as if'
guiding the thoughts of man towards heaven. This was
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? C0R I N N E J O R I TA L Y . 57
brought from E gypt to adorn the baths of Caligula, and
afterwards removed by S ix tus V . to the foot of S t. Peter' s,
beside which this contemporary of many ages creates not
one sentiment of awe. Man feels himself so perishable
that he bows before the presence of immutability. A t
some distance, on each side of the obelisk , are two foun-
tains, whose waters, perpetually gushing upwards, fall
again in abundant cascades. Their murmurs, such as we
are wont to hear in wild and rural scenes, lend a strange
charm to this spot, yet one that harmonises with the still-
ing influence of that august cathedral. Painting and sculp-
ture, whether representing the human form, or other
natural obj ects, awak en clear and intelligible images; but
a perfect piece of architecture k indles that aimless reverie,
which bears the soul we k now not whither. The ripple of
water well accords with this vague deep sense: it is uni-
form, as the edifice is regular. ' E ternal motion and eternal
rest' seem here united, defying even time, who has no
more sullied the source of those pure springs than shak en
the base of that commanding temple. These sheaves of
liq uid silver dash themselves into spray so fine, that on
sunny days the light will form them into little rainbows,
tinted with all the iris hues of the prism. " S top here a
moment," said Corinne to N evil, who was already beneath
the portico: " pause, ere you unveil the sanctuary: does
not your heart throb as you approach it, as if anticipating
some solemn event? " S he raised the curtain, and held it
back for N evil to pass, with such a grace that his first look
was on her, and for some seconds he could observe nothing
else; yet he entered the interior, and soon beneath its im-
mense arches was filled by a piety so profound that love
alone no longer sufficed to occupy his breast. H e walk ed
slowly beside Corinne; both were mute: there every thing
commands silence ; for the least sound is re-echoed so far,
that no discourse seems worthy to be thus repeated, in such
an almost eternal abode. E ven prayer, the accent of dis-
tress, springing from whatever feeble voice, reverberates
deeply through its vastness; and when we hear, from far,
the trembling steps of age, on the fair marble, watered by
so many tears, man becomes imposing from the very in-
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? 58CO R I N N E ; O B I TA L Y .
firmities that subj ect his divine spirit to so much of woe;
and we feel that Christianity, the creed of suffering, con-
tains the true secret which should direct our pilgrimage on
earth. Corinne brok e on the meditations of O swald, say-
ing, " Y ou must have remark ed that the Gothic churches
of E ngland and Germany have a far more gloomy cha-
racter than this. N orthern Catholicism has in it some-
thing mystic; ours speak s to the imagination by ex ternal
obj ects. Michael A ngelo, on beholding this dome from
the Pantheon, ex claimed, ' I have built it in the air! ' --
indeed S t. Peter' s is as a temple based upon a church: its
interior weds the ancient and modern faiths in the mind:
I freq uently wander hither to regain the composure my
spirit sometimes loses. The sight of such a building is
lik e a ceaseless, changeless melody, here awaiting to con-
sole all who seek it; and, among our national claims to
glory, let me rank the courage, patience, and disinterested-
ness of the chiefs of our church, who have, for so many
years, devoted such treasures to the completion of an edi-
fice which its founders could not ex pect to enj oy. (8) I t is
rendering a service to the moral public, bestowflig on a
nation a monument emblematic of such noble and gener-
ous desires. " -- " Y es," replied O swald, " here art is grand,
and genius inventive; but how is the real dignity of man
sustained? H ow weak are the generality of I
vernments, yet how do they enslave ! " -- "
interrupted Corinne, " have borne the yok e, lik
talian go-
O ther nations,"
e our-
selves, and without lik e power to conceive a better fate,
? S ervi siam si, ma servi ognor frementi. '
' W e are slaves, indeed, but for ever chafing beneath our
bonds,' said A lfieri, the boldest of our modern writers.
W ith such soul for the fine arts, may not our character
one day eq ual our genius? B ut look at these statues on
the tombs, these mosaics,-- laborious and faithful copies
from the chefs-d' ceuvres of our great masters. I never ex -
amine S t. Peter' s in detail, because I am grieved to find
that its multiplied adornments somewhat impair- the beauty
of the whole. Y et well may the best work s of human
hands seem superfluous here. This is a world of itself;
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? corinne; or italy. 59
a refuge from both heat and cold: it hath a season of its
own, perennial spring, which the atmosphere without can
never affect. A subterranean church is built beneath:
tbe popes, and many foreign princes, are buried there --
Christine, who abdicated her realm; the S tuarts, whose
dynasty was overthrown. R ome, so long an asylum for
the ex ile, is she not herself dethroned? H er aspect con-
soles sovereigns despoiled lik e her. Y es, cities fall, whole
empires disappear, and man becomes unworthy of his
name. S tand here, N evil! near the altar, beneath the cen-
tre of the dome, you perceive, through these iron gratings,
the church of the dead, which lies beneath our feet, and,
on raising your eyes, they can scarcely pierce to the sum-
mit of this arch: do you not feel as if a huge abyss was
opening over your head? E very thing which ex tends be-
yond a certain proportion must cause that limited creature
man uncontrollable dismay. W hat we k now is as inex -
plicable as the unk nown: we have so reconciled ourselves
to habitual dark ness, that any new mystery alarms and
confounds us.
" The whole church is embellished by antiq ue marbles,
who k now more than we do of vanished centuries. There
is the statue of J upiter converted into S t. Peter, by the glory
which has been set upon its head. The general ex pres-
sion of the place perfectly characterises a mix
scure dogmas and sumptuous ceremonies;
ideas, but such as may be soothingly applied;
ture of ob-
a mine of sad
severe doc-
trines, capable of mild interpretation:-- Christian theology
and Pagan images; in fact, the most admirable union of all
the maj estic splendours which man can give to his worship
of the Divinity. Tombs deck ed by the arts can scarcely
represent death as a formidable enemy: we do not, indeed)
lik e the ancients, carve sports and dances on the sarco-
phagus; but thought is diverted from the bier by work s
that tell of immortality even from the altar of death.
Thus animated, we feel not that freezing silence which
constantly watches over a northern sepulchre. " -- " I
t is
doubtless, the purpose with us," said O swald, "
round death with appropriate gloom: ere we were en-
to sur-
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? 6 0CO R I N N E J O R I TA L Y .
lightened by Christianity, such was our mythologic bias.
O ssian called around the tomb funereal chants, such as
here you would fain forget. I k now not if I should wish
that your fair sk y may so far change my mood.
