194 LIBRARY AND GARDEN. to him, and at once making all those minute inquiries which sincere affection dictates. After a conversation of some time on various topics, he expressed a regret that he had no refreshments-not even fruit, of which at most times he has an abundance from his own grounds-to offer us, and proposed a walk in the garden, from a supposition probably that it would gratify me to view the whole establishment. A short passage, opening on either side into small dormitories, led from the room in which we were to a library—a large and fine apartment, containing many hundred volumes and some philosophical and scientific apparatus. Several folios in Latin open on different stands gave evidence to habits of study, while glass globes containing beautiful silver and gold fish, and vases of fragrant and splendid flowers, manifested a refinement of taste. From the library we entered a rude piazza, or veranda, embowered with the vine and foliage of the muscadel grape, in which were several neat cages containing various birds, whose songs, he remarked, were a source of much innocent enjoyment in the retirement of his life. The garden, which he cultivates himself, is small, but well stored with fine fruit abundant in its season. He very kindly proposed furnishing me with any seeds of fruits or slips of the vine, &c., I might wish to carry with me to the Islands -an offer which I thankfully accepted. From the garden we returned through the library and sitting-room to the vestibule, and from it entered the chapel, to view the paintings it contains. This is a neat and elegant apartment, sixty feet in length PAINTINGS IN THE CHAPEL. 195 and thirty wide, with a lofty arched ceiling. The architecture is simple, and the altar at the farther end rich and beautiful-surmounted by a crucifix, on which the body is large as life, with rays of heavy gilding passing in all directions from it, so as to fill the whole arch under which it stands in front of the sacristy. up So many genuflections-multiplied no doubt from having two heretics in company-were required from the padre, in making his way from the entrance to the chancel after us, that we had full time for this coup d'œil, before he came up to point out the pieces of particular merit lining the walls on both sides. All the paintings are illustrative of the closing scenes in the history of Him who died that "whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The entrance to Jerusalem, amid the hosannas of the multitude-then, in strong contrast, the smiting, spitting upon, and buffeting, before the high priest-the passion of Gethsemane, and the angels strengthening him while his disciples slept-the scourging and nailing to the cross, and the yielding up of the ghost-all vividly and affectingly portrayed, and tending, in the silence and sanctity of the place, as viewed in a chastened and sober light partially let in from above, powerfully to excite the natural sympathy of the heart, and melt to tenderness the sensibilities of the soul. And here, in my view, lies the grand objection to the introduction of such exhibitions in a place of devotion; not that the sympathy of our nature may not justly and advantageously be made the hand 196 A HOUSE OF PENANCE. maid of piety-but from the danger that exists, when it is thus excited, that "the deceitful and deceiving heart" within us, will substitute it with a fatal self-complacency, for the high and heavenly graces of genuine penitence and love. Some of the representations of the suffering and ignominy of the Savior of sinners in the churches of this city, both in painting and statuary, are such that I have myself at the sight-with the associations rushing on the mind in connection with them-been irresistibly affected, when in a meditative mood, almost to tears; and can readily imagine how the ignorant and superstitious might interpret the excitement of a feeling thus purely natural, and neither morally good nor evil, into an exercise of piety recommendatory and acceptable to God. From the exhibitions of this kind which I have witnessed in seeming penitents weeping at a shrine, and after observation on the fruits of their devotion, I am persuaded that, independent of every error in belief or practice in the religion of the people, a deadly delusion on this point most extensively prevails among the common if not higher classes here. The piece representing the scourging after condemnation, is the best in the number, and an admirable painting-worth at Lima, the padre says, a thousand dollars, and it would in Europe probably be valued at a much greater sum. "A house of penance" is one to which those desirous, or under an obligation from the church of doing penance resort during its performance, and where they remain so many days or weeks in the practice of various CONVENTS AND MONKS. 197 austerities--in listening to the exhortations of the father, and joining in the repetition of prayers and the celebration of mass. At the close of the appointed time they make confession, and, being absolved by the breath of man, return to the world,-too often, from all I can learn, only again to become the victims of its sins and its guilt. So great is the reputation of the Padre Arrieta for sanctity, that his house often contains not less than fifty or more penitents at the same time, all eating and sleeping, for the period, within its walls. The ⚫ whole establishment has been erected, and is supported, at his own expense, or by funds collected by him for the purpose. Though the convent of St. Francisco is deserted, and in comparative ruins, still it is in better repair than any other foundation of a similar kind in the city. Churches, convents, and nunneries may be seen in every direction, shattered and peeled without by earthquakes, and stripped of much of their riches within by the hand of the marauder and revolutionist; while the impoverished monks are scattered abroad in the country for subsistence, or still linger in ragged and dirty garb around their ruinous and deserted cloisters in the city: in many instances bearing in every look marks of low dissipation, seen in America and in England only in the most inveterate frequenters of the tippling shop and tap room. Still the devotion of the population to Catholicism is manifested in almost daily processions, in which are exhibited a most incongruous mixture of splendor and beggary--in the number of the priesthood yet in ap 198 IMAGE OF ONE IN PURGATORY. parent affluence and power-in the numerous shrines in the streets-and in public appeals at the corners for money to deliver souls from purgatory. I passed a priest this morning standing in the street with a plate extended for this charity. Beside him, fixed to the angle of a building, was an image representing a beautiful young female, enveloped to the waist, in raging flames; while with disheveled hair, eyes streaming with tears, and arms extended in a supplicating attitude, the commiseration and mercy of all were invoked, by the following inscription in Spanish on a tablet beneath : "Fathers, brothers, friends, sons, treat us not with impiety have you no charity? Are we your enemies? Like beggars we beseech alms to appease an offended Deity. Passing us, without regard, what souls can you have not to wish to relieve us !" LETTER VI. RETURN FROM LIMA AND FAREWELL VISIT ON SHORE. U. S. ship Guerriere, at Callao, In this you have my last date, dear H, on board the Guerriere: it is now 10 o'clock at night: and the Vincennes sails to-morrow. I returned from Lima two days since quite ill, after having been so much indisposed for three days preceding, as to take little enjoyment in the scenes around me. |