the enormous marble
columns which were its principal ornament. To a church to hear
the Armenian Mass. The priests arrived in splendid oriental
dresses, but I did not stay it out. Walked to the Borghese
Gardens, the fine weather being something of which no description
can convey an idea, and in it the beauty of Rome and its gardens
and environs are equally indescribable. Groups of pilgrims in
their odd dresses, with staves, and great bundles on their heads,
were lounging about, or lying under the trees. At night to the
Coliseum (but the moon never will shine properly), and back by
the Forum and the Capitol. The columns in the Forum look
beautiful, but St. Peter's gains at least as much as the ancient
ruins by the light of the moon. The views from different hills,
and sunset from the Pincian in such weather as this, and with
spring bursting in every direction, are things never to be
forgotten.

Sunday. {p.324}

High Mass in St. Peter's, which was crowded. I walked about the
church to see the groups and the extraordinary and picturesque
figures moving through the vast space. They are to the last
degree interesting: in one place hundreds prostrate before an
altar--pilgrims, soldiers, beggars, ladies, gentlemen, old and
young in every variety of attitude, costume, and occupation. The
benediction was much finer than on Thursday, the day magnificent,
the whole piazza filled with a countless multitude, all in their
holiday dresses, and carriages in the back-ground to the very
end. The troops forming a brilliant square in the middle, the
immense population and variety of costume, the weather, and the
glorious locality certainly made as fine a spectacle as can
possibly be seen. The Pope is dressed in white, with the triple
crown on his head; two great fans of feathers, exactly like those
of the Great Mogul, are carried on each side of him. He sits
aloft on his throne, and is slowly borne to the front of the
balcony. The moment he appears there is a dead silence, and every
head is bared. When he rises, the soldiers all fall on their
knees, and some, but only a few, of the spectators. The distance
is so great that he looks like a puppet, and you just see him
move his hands and make some signs. When he gives the blessing--
the sign of the cross--the cannon fires. He blesses the people
twice, remains perhaps five minutes in the balcony, and is
carried out as he came in.

The numbers who come to the benediction are taken as a