GRAY'S APPROACH TO ROME. 375 waft their sighs from the two Universities of Cambridge and Oxford. They, however, soon quitted these seats of the Muses. West, destined to the law, entered the Temple, and GRAY accompanied Mr. HORACE WALPOLE in his TOUR throughout EuROPE This gave rise to a series of interesting Epistles, either to his parents or to his friends, describing the cities and countries he visited, with the glow of heart-felt satisfaction. Even JOHNSON is pleased to say, that "he that reads his epistolary narration wishes that to travel, and to tell his travels had been more of his employment." A few extracts from these CLASSIC EPISTLES cannot fail of proving to you, my young Friend, a source of rational amuse ment. "Approaching ROME," Mr. Gray says, " in descending Mount Viterbo we first discovered (though near thirty miles distant) the cupola of St. PETER'S, and a little after began to enter on an old Roman pavement, with now and then a RUINED TOWER OF a SEPULCHRE on each hand. We now had a clear view of the city, though not to the best advantage, as coming along a plain quite upon a level with it; however, it appeared very vast, and surrounded with magnificent villas and gardens. The first entrance of ROME is prodigiously striking. It is by a noble gate, designed by Michael Angelo, and adorned with statues; this brings you into a large square, in the midst of which is a vast obelisk of granite, and in front you have, at one view, two churches of a hand 376 some architecture, and so much alike, that they are called the Twins-with three streets; the middlemost is the longest in Rome. As high as my expectation was raised, I confess the magnificence of this city infinitely surpasses it."* ST. PETER'S ILLUMINATED. I shall indulge in another extract which, from the singularity of its contents, will repay the trouble of transcription." Rome, April 15th, 1740, Good Friday.-ST. PETER'S I saw the day after we arrived, and was struck with wonder. To-day I am just come from paying my adoration at ST. PETER'S, to three extraordinary relics which are exposed to public view only on these two days in the year, at which time all the confraternities in the city come in procession to see them. It was something extremely novel to see that VAST CHURCH, and the most magnificent in the world undoubtedly, illuminated (for it was by night) by thousands of little crystal lamps, disposed in the figure of a HUGE CROSS, at the high altar, and seeming to hang alone in the air! All the light proceeded from this, and had the most singular effect imaginable as one entered the great door. Soon after came, I believe, thirty processions, all dressed in linen frocks and girt with a cord, their heads covered * In GALT's Life of West, will be found an interesting account of Mr. West's approach to Rome, many years afterwards; there is a similarity of feeling, worthy of observation. A modern description of ROME will be found in EUSTACE's truly Classical Tour through Italy. with a cowl all over, only two holes to see through left. Some of them were all black, others red, others white, others party-coloured; these were continually coming and going with their tapers and crucifixes before them; and to each company, as they arrived and knelt before the great altar, were shewn, from a balcony at a great height, THE THREE WONDERS, which are, you must know, the head of THE SPEAR that wounded Christ; St. Veronica's handkerchief, with the miraculous impression of Christ's face upon it; and a piece of the true cross, on the sight of which the people thump their breasts and kiss the pavement with vast devotion !" In these travels of Mr. Gray, we meet with a compliment paid to his own country. He had been pourtraying the beauties of an Italian prospect."Mr. Walpole says our memory sees more than our eyes in this country. This is extremely true, since, for realities, WINDSOR or RICHMOND-HILL is infinitely preferable to Albano or Frescati." It is impossible not to be pleased when we meet with comparisons made with so much advantage to our little Island. And to me it is the more gratifying, when those very spots are eulogised which I have pointed out as being so delightful, in the course of these letters. After the above flattering manner in which Mr. G. notices them, I shall not be accused of laudatory exaggeration. MR. GRAY describes the delight and astonishment with which he beheld the ruins of ANCIENT ROME. 378 MOON-LIGHT CONTEMPLATION. We have no room, however, for the insertion of so copious an account, especially as LORD BYRON (with a genius not dissimilar to Gray's,) has epitomized the whole by his recent Moon-light Contemplation of them; past greatness is here associated with existing desolation, by a fine blending of pathos and sublimity. The stars are forth, THE MOON above the tops Of dim and solitary loveliness, I learn'd the language of another world! 'Midst the chief relics of ALMIGHTY ROME; THE PRETENDER. But THE GLADIATOR's bloody circus stands While Caesar's chambers and the Augustan halls And thou didst shine, thou rolling Moon, upon With silent worship of the great of OLD, The dead but SCEPTER'D SOVEREIGNS who still rule 379 MANFRED. We now turn to a curious circumstance in these Travels of Mr. Gray; he met with at Rome, a personage, at that time much spoken of throughout Europe, and greatly dreaded in his own country. I mean the Pretender, as he was commonly called, the Son of JAMES the Second, he that had raised the Rebellion of 1715 in Scotland, which was quelled at Preston, in Lancashire. He afterwards became a resident at Rome, and here Mr. G. found HIM and his Family. Writing to his father he says-" The PRETENDER (whom you desire an account of) I have had frequent opportunities of seeing at church, at the Corso, and at other places, but more particularly, and that for a whole night, at a great ball given by Count Patrizii to the Prince and Princess of Caon, |