ST. SOPHIA. 267 



in looking at it the heavy weight of the roof, which 

 spans the wide square below, and receives an im- 

 pression as if the dome, floating weightless over the 

 large open space, were a gently curved lace veil, which 

 only touches the rounding with the fine points of the 

 edging. This illusion is produced by the dome resting 

 on a number of short and narrow pillars, between which 

 the dazzling light enters, causing the base of the pillars 

 to appear like lace. I could only with difficulty free 

 myself from the magic, which this floating roof exerted 

 on me. and must confess that thereafter the high vaulted 

 dome of St. Peter's with its heavy superstructure and 

 massive symmetry made no particular impression on me. 

 In St. Peter's one wonders that it is so much greater 

 than it seems, whilst St. Sophia on the contrary appears 

 greater than it is in reality, and thus carries the be- 

 holder himself away with admiration of this sublime 

 and by no means oppressive grandeur. 



I was pleased during my stay in Constantinople 

 to meet several of the officers, who had already been 

 sent there by Frederick William III. to re -organise 

 the Turkish army, and to find among them some 

 with whom I was acquainted in my military period. 

 These officers had without exception remained Christians 

 and true Germans, whilst the non-commissioned officers 

 who had gone with them to Constantinople had in 

 part become Mohammedans, and in consequence had 

 already risen to higher grades in the army. One such 

 renegade I met in Trebizond, whither I proceeded in 

 the steamer goino 1 to Poti, after tarrying a few days 



O O J O i/ 



