to groups, each worthy of a study, and all combining to afford an
effect at once strange and picturesque. There are groups of Americans,
English, French, Germans, and Italians promenading round the church,
talking in their respective native tongues, gesticulating, and now and
then pausing to admire a picture or examine a statue. Acquaintances
meet and greet; friends introduce mutual friends; compliments are
exchanged, and appointments made. Meanwhile masses are being said at
all the side altars, which are surrounded by knots of people who fall
on their knees at the sound of a little bell, and say their prayers
quite undisturbed by the general murmur going on around them.

"Presently there is a stir in the crowd surrounding the choir chapel;
the organ is at its loudest, and then comes a long procession of
vergers in purple and scarlet facings, and cross and torch bearers,
and censer bearers, and acolytes and deacons and priests and canons
and bishops, and a red-robed cardinal in vestments of cloth of gold
wrought and figured with many a sacred sign, and, moreover, adorned
with precious stones; and High Mass at St. Peter's, on Christmas Day,
is at an end.

"During the day most of the shops and all the Government offices were
open. Soldiers were drilled all day long in the Piazza Vittorio
Emanuele, and were formally marched to their various barracks, headed
by bands discoursing martial music; whilst the postmen delivered their
freight of letters as on ordinary days of the week. In the afternoon
most of those who were at St. Peter's in the morning assembled to hear
Grand Vespers at the handsome and famous church of San Maria Maggiore,
one of the oldest in Christendom, the Mosaics on the chancel arch
dating from the fifth century. The church was illuminated with
hundreds of candles and hung with scarlet drapery, the effect being
very fine; the music such as can alone be heard in Rome. On the high
altar was exhibited in a massive case of gold and crystal two staves
said to have been taken from the manger in which Christ was laid, this
being carried round the church at the conclusion of Vespers. Almost
every English visitor in Rome was present."

CHRISTMAS AT MONTE CARLO.

"Every one has heard of the tiny principality of Monaco, with its six
square miles of territory facing the Mediterranean, and lying below
the wonderful Corniche-road, which has been for ages the great highway
south of the Alps, connecting the South of