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was sung. Then, having thus visited San Josef, Santa Dolores, and 

 Santa Geltrudes, she was carried back at sunset to her own altar, and 

 the Ave Maria Stella was sung. The paltry decoration of the saints 

 here discovers, by daylight, the hideousness of the superstition : the 

 looking glasses and the toys are coarse and inelegant. Now, night 

 had come on, all this was hid, " Ave Maria Stella" brought back 

 Italy and that magic power, which even in her decrepitude throws 

 lustre over her, to my mind. How many a balmy evening I have 

 listened with delight to the voices singing Ave Maria in the modu- 

 lated tones of Italy, while Rome herself was hushed at the mo- 

 ment into religious, awful silence : all save the chaunt mingled with 

 the noise of the fountains. Of all the characters of the Virgin I love 

 this best : — 



" Star of the dark and stormy sea, 



Where wrecking tempests round us rave, 

 Thy gentle virgin form we see 



Bright rising o'er the hoary wave. 

 The howling storms that seemed to crave 



Their victims, sink in music sweet; 

 And surging seas retreat to pave 



The path beneath thy glistering feet." 



Ave Maria Stella. * 



July 1st. — Late last-night His Majesty's ship Alacrity came in 

 from Lima, and brought me letters from my friends of the Doris. 

 She also brought intelligence concerning Lima, which confirms all 

 that we have heard of the hateful though plausible San Martin. It is 

 well known that the merchant Don Pedro Abadia, besides being one 

 of the richest merchants in South America, was also one of the most 

 enlightened, liberal, and respectable men. For this excellent person 

 San Martin had always professed the greatest friendship, and made 

 use of his knowledge and talents in the regulation of his custom- 

 houses and his taxes. But having obtained his end thus far, the 

 riches of Abadia excited his cupidity, and he proceeded by the basest 



« From the beautiful translation of a Portuguese hymn, by my lamented friend Dr. 

 Leyden. 



