PILGRIMS AT ROME. An immense crowd of strangers assembles from all parts of the world to behold the ceremonies of the Holy Week; and the confessionals for people of every tongue occupy a conspicuous place in the transept of St Peter's, which is the central point for pilgrims from all lands. But the period is passed when they were counted by hundreds of thousands, and the whole population of Rome does not now half equal what is storied of the number of its former visitors. In the Holy Week of 1818, the pilgrims who fell in my way had fewer poetical and religious attributes than those could well imagine who had only read of them in verse and legend. The men who bore scallop shell and sandal shoon in the olden time, have been much indebted to the vigorous fancy of the poets, or else the species has degenerated, as Buffon says the human race does in America. In the south of France, I met with three different pilgrims who had their poetical appendages. Long coloured garments, cockle shells, sandals, and beard, all bore evidence to their sanctity. The children at the villages came out to touch them, and even a little familiarly felt their beards, while the pilgrims bore their scrutiny with condescending gravity. But in the whole of Italy I never saw one who did not quite disgust me. A slouched hat, an oiled cloth for the shoulders, and a sturdy stick, was their only equipage, besides a large string of beads and a crucifix; and their countenances bore the impress of that sort of character which is seldom roused by any other than animal passions. They all appeared much alike. As I left Loretto, they were scattered on the road almost to Foligno, about to visit La Santissima Casa upon the fête of the Virgin. They were such looking people as are gathered at Rome in the same garb, principally from Fondi, which is the greatest receptacle of villains in the neighbouring territory. They come to Rome during the Holy Week to be fed at the monasteries, and to have their feet washed by a Cardinal and his attendants. I was curious to see the ceremony of washing and feeding them, and to observe how his Excellency, who had a seat in the Roman Conclave, would descend to this lowly office. And, in truth, the dexterity evinced was admirable. A very good-looking pilgrim was selected for Monsignore, and his SILK stockings stripped off. The princely labourer did not fatigue himself by his exertion, but speedily had done with his example of humility and benevolence. Those who had scarcely shoe without stocking fell into inferior hands. Roman ladies of rank perform similar services for female pilgrims in another part of this same Monastery. The ceremony of the Pope's washing pilgrims' feet, and afterwards serving them at table, if it could have been exhibited with less bustle, might have affected the imagination; but the hall is not large, and was crowded to excess. Among the thirteen Apostles, as they call them, was an Abyssinian; for they are always anxious, in this theatrical religion, to possess as various claims to our attention as possible. I could see nothing but a puerile affectation of humility in this employment of the self-styled Holy Father. The splendid service of plate and external pomp, agreed little with what professed to be an earthly copy of the condescending kindness of our glorified Lord. It did not carry the fancy back with unmingled devotion to the time when He was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, and abundant in painful labours. But in the way of contrast, it brought to D view the abuses which have tarnished Christianity, like dust from the wheels of time. Her beauty had been soiled when the princes of the earth met in council to prepare a robe of earthly tissue, to adorn, as they supposed, this heavenly being; for they sought to conceal her humble origin in their later glories. The Lord, who dwelt with fishermen, needs not such mimicries to keep alive the history of his works; and since his religion is one of self-denial, and especially of nonconformity to the world, these scenes, which bring us nearer to the spirit of this generation, are unchristian in their tendency, as they have been unholy in their design. They originated in the fixed purpose to captivate men by all means to obedience, not to the faith, but to the popedom; and are continued against the enlightened sense of the nineteenth century. The numerous spectators of this show, being generally of the better order of foreigners, were for the most part Protestant; and except the |