pon the antique form and manner, prefers splendour and
elegance to holy solemnity and religious dignity. In this case the
lofty, light, airy halls were adorned with rich architecture and the
images of saints, which were here placed against the walls, between
Ionic pillars, were singularly contrasted by the carving over the
doorways, which invariably represented a dance of genii, or fruit and
the dainties of the kitchen.

The professor entered--I reminded him of my friend, and claimed his
hospitality for the period of my forced sojourn in the place. I found
him just as my friend had described him; clear in his discourse,
acquainted with the world, in short, quite in the style of the higher
class priest, who has been scientifically educated, and peeping over
his breviary into life, has often sought to know what is going on
there. When I found his room furnished with modern elegance, I
returned to my former reflections in the halls, and uttered them to the
professor aloud.

"You are right," said he, "we have banished from our edifices that
gloomy solemnity, that strange majesty of the crushing tyrant, who
oppresses our bosoms in Gothic architecture, and causes a certain
unpleasant sensation, and we have very properly endowed our works with
the lively cheerfulness of the ancients."

"But," said I, "does not that sacred dignity, that lofty majesty of
Gothic architecture which seems, as it were, striving after Heaven,
proceed from the true spirit of Christianity, which, supersensual
itself, is directly opposed to that sensual spirit of the antique world
which remains in the circle of the earthly?"

The professor smiled: "The higher kingdom," said he, "should be
recognised in this world, and this recognition can be awakened by
cheerful symbols, such as life--nay, the spirit which descends from
that kingdom into earthly life--presents. Our home is above, but while
we dwell here, our kingdom is of this world also."

"Ay," thought I, "in every thing that you have done you have indeed
shown that your kingdom is of this world--nay, of this world only;" but
I did not communicate my thoughts to Professor Aloysius Walter, who
proceeded thus:

"What you say of the magnificence of our buildings in this place can
only refer properly to the pleasant appearance of the form. Here,
where we cannot afford marble, and great masters in painting will not
work for us, we are--in conformity with the modern fashion--obliged to
make use