pervading dust. Attempts at introducing trees | for whose protection alone Sevastopol exists, is and plants have proved failures, and the city constructed and maintained at an expense altopresents a mass of dazzling whiteness which gether unparalleled. Not a vessel of it has ever almosts blinds the eye. The streets are kept bowed to the gales of the ocean; not one of tolerably clean by gangs of military prisoners them, before the recent massacre at Sinope, has who are constantly engaged in sweeping them; ever seen a hostile flag. They are equipped, but in spite of this precaution the air is always perform a few manœuvres in the narrow sea, and full of a fine penetrating dust which produces then quietly rot in the secure harbor fortified for the most distressing ophthalmia. The soldiers their reception. That fleet bides its time to apemployed in making excavations for the public pear in the Golden Horn: Sevastopol is for the works have suffered dreadfully from this cause. Black Sea fleet: the Black Sea fleet is for the Not unfrequently in four-and-twenty hours after future. the first attack, the eye becomes putrid and drops out. Although the fleet has encountered no hostile vessels, the long rows of hulks tell of a foe still more destructive. The ships last only from five to ten years, and are then condemned as unseaworthy, while the vessels of other nations, last for twice that period. Ask any Russian official the reason, and he will shake his head mysteriously, and tell you of a minute worm-the teredo navalis-bred from the slimy river that pours into the inlet of Sevastopol, which attacks the timbers, and reduces them to rotten powder; adding with a sigh, that all attempts to prevent its ravages have proved unavailing. Those better instructed, shrug their shoulders at the bare mention of the Every thing here reminds you that this is no peaceful emporium of commerce. The wharves are lined with vessels, but among them is not a solitary merchant flag. Ships of war of every size open their ports upon you, No picturesque sailors, wearing the varied attire of their own countries, lounge about the quay. You meet only the white uniform of the naval and military service. Sentinels stand on guard at every turn, presenting arms toward their officers who pass and repass continually. Grim batteries frown every where; and the only variety of prospect is obtained by gazing now into the mouth of a forty-worm, wondering how it manages to work its two and now into that of a sixty-four pounder. By day every thing presents the orderly monotonous aspect of a fortress; and the stillness of night is broken only by the tinkling of bells from the vessels in the harbor, and the measured tread and frequent challenges of the sentinels pacing their continual rounds. Ascending to the summit of the city, the eye wanders along the line of bare limestone crags which gained for the coast the name of Ak-Tiar-the "White Rocks," and passes slowly down to the batteries which guard the harbor, the enormous three-deckers of the Black Sea fleet, and the long rows of condemned hulks, which have been converted into magazines and prison ships. The ordinary population of the city, including the military and naval force stationed there, is set down at forty or fifty thousand; but at times, when some great review is to be held, it is vastly increased. Yet in so large a town there is no such thing as a hotel or an inn, worthy of the name. A few miserable dens in an obscure quarter of the town give shelter to the few inhabitants of the surrounding country who now and then pass a night here. Yet, after all, there is something imposing in this great naval station. Its foundation and maintenance are a part of that great system of policy which aims sooner or later at bringing the shores of the Bosphorus within the bounds of the Russian Empire. Every thing that can conduce to this end is contrived on the largest scale. The public works are ably planned, and executed without regard to cost. I have already alluded to the aqueduct by which the water necessary for the careening-dock has been conveyed from a distance of four leagues. The stone of the neighboring cliffs is too soft for the construction of the basins and docks; that which is used has all been brought from a distance. The fleet, way through the copper sheathing. They will tell you that the real destroyer is the system of corruption which pervades all the official life of Russia. Contracts for timber are awarded to the men who will bribe highest; he in turn sub-lets to purveyors who bribe him; and so on until the money which should have been expended upon seasoned oak, finds its way mainly into the pockets of venal employés, and the vessels are constructed of unseasoned fir and pine. A final bribe given to the inspector insures that this miserable substitute is accepted. If we may credit the testimony of those who should be competent authority, there are not in the whole Black Sea fleet a half score of vessels capable of sustaining the storms of the Atlantic. Now and then, it is true, some unwary functionary is brought to summary and condign punishment. It is a common report through all Southern Russia that directly after a recent visit of the Emperor to Sevastopol, the soldiers engaged in sweeping the streets were surprised at the appearance of a comrade whom they did not recognize, though somehow his features seemed not unfamiliar to them. At length the rumor began to spread that the new sweeper was none other than the Governor of the city, who had been degraded from his post to the ranks, and condemned to perform the most menial offices. What his precise crime was nobody could say; though official corruption, being the most common, was at once fixed upon as the most probable. It is but fair to add, that I could never quite satisfy myself whether this story was wellfounded. The public has so little access to reliable sources of information, that the most absurd rumors find easy credence. At all events, the fact that nobody seemed to find any improbability in the story, shows conclusively the low estimate every where put upon official morality. If it was religious standard. By its effects on its follownot true, nobody doubted that it might at any mo-ers it can rightly be judged. To keep within the ment be so. After a two day's stay at Sevastopol, Gottlob and myself once more replenished our meerschaums, seated ourselves in our wagon, gave the sentinels at the gate a farewell whiff, to convince them that we were honest Germans, and drove back to Bagtche Seraï. There we rejoined our companion, who was awaiting our return. The time we had fixed for our tour had already been exceeded; so putting ourselves under the conduct of our guide, we made the best of our way back to Yalta, by another route from the one by which we had come. We were fortunately, just in time to catch the steamer, on board which we embarked for Odessa. So ended our trip through the Crimea—a brief but pleasant episode in a year's residence in Southern Russia. THE HOLY WEEK AT ROME. THE Holy Week at Rome! What! unholy reminiscences of crowding, struggling, contention; of extortion and cheating; of dirt and discomfort; in short, of all the ills attendant upon the multiplication of the population of the holy city tenfold in proportion to its capacity of accommodation, does not this solemn church-festival vividly recall to every traveler, who has undergone its purgatorial experience, either to view its vain show, or to stir anew languid devotion in witnessing the significant facts in man's redemption which it is intended to commemorate? Rome, during this period, is the focus of Christendom. The Protestant hurries up to the Eternal City to behold the scarlet lady in all her pomp and circumstance, with the charitable object of seeing with his own eyes whether her color is not even more deeply dyed than it has been represented. The Catholic devoutly makes his pilgrimage to lay alike his sins and offerings on her altars, and with renewed heart and faith to carry back with him the blessing and absolution of Christ's Vicar on earth. Both are not unfrequently alike disappointed. I have known the scorning Protestant to go away the disciple of infallibility, while the simple-hearted Catholic, gradually losing himself among the mazes of doubt and hypocrisy which, fungus-like, cluster around the claims of papacy, at last acknowledged himself a pagan, or worse, an unbeliever in all religion. strictest limits of charitable evidence, I shall confine myself either to papal authorities or ceremonies; for it is solely upon them that it founds its high pretensions, and by them exhibits its righteousness. Bishop England, in a little work published at Rome, entitled an Explanation of the Ceremonies of the Holy Week," sets forth the claims and objects of the Roman Church at this particular festival. We, therefore, can not go amiss in briefly quoting from him the doctrines which he asserts to be animating principles of the practices he advocates. "The object," he says, "of our church-ceremony is not mere idle show; such exhibitions would, in religion, be worse than a waste of time." "God can never be pleased by any homage which is not internal and spiritual." "The legitimate objects of external rites in religion, are the instruction of the mind and amelioration of the heart; their object is the promotion of enlightened piety. Whatever does not tend to this, is at least useless; probably mischievous. The Catholic Church is desirous of having all her observances tested by this principle." By this principle, I beg all, whether Protestant or Catholic, to test even the few of the manifold observances that I shall be able to quote within my prescribed limits, and to frankly confess their own conclusions as to the degree in which they promote "enlightened piety.' The Pope, as we all know, claims to be the representative of Christ, with spiritual and temporal powers commensurate with a divine authority. Although our Saviour expressly declared his kingdom not to be of this world, yet his successor, and “risible head of the Church," is also a “temporal sovereign;" and, in addition to his ecclesiastical state, surrounds himself with as brilliant a court as can exist, in which females are outwardly excluded. In judging, then, of these incompatible functions, a charitable distinction should be drawn between that which properly belongs to the one or the other. Inasmuch, however, as the temporal power had its origin in his spiritual position, and is intimately blended with it in all its phases, it will be difficult to define the line of demarkation between his duties as high-priest and sovereign. We must therefore take him simply as he shows himself to the adoration of the faithful. No city, both from its past and present influence on the world's history, presents more claims "His throne is placed on the Gospel side of to interest than Rome. The many who visit it the altar," says Bishop England. From perare as nothing in comparison with those who de-sonal inspection, I can assure the curious reader sire and can not. I shall therefore give, for the benefit of the latter class, so far as I am able, a practical view of its ceremonies and principles during that period which it has set apart to commemorate with all its sanctity and splendor, as one of peculiar solemnity-embracing the most momentous events that ever dawned upon the human race-the death and resurrection of our Saviour. What papacy thus openly spreads before the whole world must be considered as its that no imperial robes surpass those of the Holy Father, in rich and curious embroidery, gold, precious stones, and general value of materials and cunning workmanship. Description would fail to illustrate the variety and pomp of costume of the Roman ecclesiastical courts. Therefore I shall present-so far as uncolored cuts can-the extent and costliness of this branch of service of the successor of Him who exalted poverty in the priesthood to the rank of a virtue. Clerks of the Chamber, in surplices, over rochets, two and two, in his habit of a Dominican friar, in surplices, over rochets, two and two, Incense bearer. Cross bearer. in tunic.-(Cut 12.) Two porters of the red rod. in tunic. Penitentiaries of St. Peter's, two and two, in albs and chasubles. Mitred Abbots, of whom only a few are entitled to a place. Four Acolyths, in surplices over rochets carrying candlesticks with lights Greek Deacon. BISHOPS, ARCHBISHOPS AND PATRIARCHS, two and two, the latins wearing copes and mitres, the easterns in their proper costumes.-(Cuts 2-8.) in dalmatics and mitres, each accompanied by his chamberlain carrying his square CARDINAL DEACON, second assistant at the throne, Fan borne by a private chamberlain. in vestures ornamented with cloth of gold. PRINCE ASSISTANT AT THE THRONE, in rochet and cappa. Two auditors of the Rota, to serve as train bearers. Two principal masters of ceremony. CARDINAL DEACON, for the latin gospel and mass THE POPE (Cut 13.) wearing a white cope and tiara, Guard of Nobles.(Cut 18.) CARDINAL DEACON, Swiss guard.--(Cut 16.) Swiss guard. Mace bearers.-(Cut 19.) first assistant at the throne Fan borne by a private chamberlain.-(Cut 14.) borne in his chair by twelve supporters-(Cut 15-Pope's chair bearer in livery)—in His holiness is surrounded by his household. Six of the Swiss guards, representing Private chamberlain. MAJORDOMO. Dean of the Rota, in rochet and cappa. Private chamberlain AUDITOR OF THE APOSTOLIC CAMERA. in rochets and cappas. Prothonotaries apostolic, Regent of the chancery and auditor of contradictions, |