DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61893#0177
Ch. III.
THROUGH ITALY.
149
seized and carried off by the French; but the
most remarkable object still remains·—the tomb
of the Saint, adorned with fine marbles and most
exquisite sculpture. In Addison’s days, oint-
ments, it seems, distilled from the body, celestial
perfumes breathed around the shrine, and a thou-
sand devout catholics were seen pressing· their lips
against the cold marble, while votive tablets hung
over and disfigured the altar. When we visited
the Santo, the source of ointment had long- been
dried, the perfumes were evaporated, the crowds
of votaries had disappeared, and nothing re-
mained to certify the veracity of our illustrious
traveller but a few petty pictures hanging on one
side of the monument. But the excellency of the
sculpture makes amends for the wretchedness of
the painting, and small must the taste of that man
be, who derives no satisfaction from the examina-
tion of the marble pannels that line the chapeL
Each pannel represents some miraculous event of
the Saint’s life; and however strange or chime-
rical the subject may be, yet the skill of the artist
finds means to make it interesting. The rich
materials and ornaments of the altar and of the
shrine, the bronze candelabra and lamps, will not
escape the attentive observer. On the whole,
though the style of architecture is bad, yet this
church, from its size and furniture, deserves
attention,
THROUGH ITALY.
149
seized and carried off by the French; but the
most remarkable object still remains·—the tomb
of the Saint, adorned with fine marbles and most
exquisite sculpture. In Addison’s days, oint-
ments, it seems, distilled from the body, celestial
perfumes breathed around the shrine, and a thou-
sand devout catholics were seen pressing· their lips
against the cold marble, while votive tablets hung
over and disfigured the altar. When we visited
the Santo, the source of ointment had long- been
dried, the perfumes were evaporated, the crowds
of votaries had disappeared, and nothing re-
mained to certify the veracity of our illustrious
traveller but a few petty pictures hanging on one
side of the monument. But the excellency of the
sculpture makes amends for the wretchedness of
the painting, and small must the taste of that man
be, who derives no satisfaction from the examina-
tion of the marble pannels that line the chapeL
Each pannel represents some miraculous event of
the Saint’s life; and however strange or chime-
rical the subject may be, yet the skill of the artist
finds means to make it interesting. The rich
materials and ornaments of the altar and of the
shrine, the bronze candelabra and lamps, will not
escape the attentive observer. On the whole,
though the style of architecture is bad, yet this
church, from its size and furniture, deserves
attention,