1846.] Description of the Girandola. 101 



them and the exhibition. Toward evening the immense crowd 

 begin to move in the direction of St. Angelo, and soon the whole 

 area and every window and house top is Hlled with human beings. 

 About eight the exhibition commences. The first scene in the 

 drama represents a vast Gothic Cathedral. How this is accom- 

 plished I cannot telL Every thing is buried in darkness, when 

 suddenly, as if by the touch of an enchanters hand, a noble gothic 

 cathedral of the size of an immense castle, stands in light and 

 beauty before you. The arrangement of the silver-like lights is 

 perfect, and as it shines on silent and still in the surrounding 

 darkness, you can hardly believe it is not a beautiful vision. It 

 disappears as suddenly as it came, and for a moment utter dark- 

 ness settles over the gloomy castle. Yet it is but for a moment. 

 The next instant a sheet of flame bursts from the summit with a 

 fury perfectly appalling; white clouds of sulphurious smoke roll 

 up the sky, accompanied with molten fragments and detonations 

 that shake the very earth beneath you. It is the representation 

 of a volcano in full eruption, and a most vivid one too. 



Amid the spouting fire and murky smoke, and rising fragments, 

 the cannon of the castle are discharged, out of sight, almost every 

 second. Report follows report with stunning rapidity, and it 

 seems for a moment as if the solid structure would shake to 

 pieces. At length the last throb of the volcano is heard and sud- 

 denly from the base and sides and summit of the castle start in- 

 numerable rockets and serpents, and roman candles, while revolv- 

 ing wheels are blazing on every side. The heavens are one arch 

 of blazing meteors — the very Tiber flows in fire, while the light 

 falling- on ten thousand upturned faces, presents a scene indescriba- 

 bly strange and bewildering. For a whole hour it is a constant 

 blaze, the flashing meteors are crossing and recrossing in every 

 direction — fiery messengers are traversing the sky overhead, and 

 amid the incessant whizzing, and crackling, and bursting, that is 

 perfectly deafening, come at intervals the booming of cannon. 



At length the pageant is over and the gaping crowd surge back 

 into the city. Lent is over — the last honors are done to God by 

 the revealed representative on earth, and the church stands acquit- 

 ted of all neglect of proper observances. 



An excellent water-proof polish for leather, &c. — Take 3 

 oz. of spermaceti, and melt it in a pipkin, or other earthen vessel, 

 over a slow fire; add thereto 6 drachms of Indian rubber, cut into 

 slices, and these will presently dissolve. Then add tallow S oz., 

 lard 2 oz., amber varnish 4 oz. Mix, and it will be fit for use im- 

 mediately. The boots or other material to be treated, are to re- 

 ceive two or three coats with a common blacking brush, and a 

 fine polish is the result. 



