596 WONDERS OF ARi; ^ 
llic proportions are so accurately observed, that 
the parts are seen to an equal advantage, without d'*‘'r, 
guishing itself above the rest. It appears neither e.’ctre'^^', 
high, nor long, nor broad, because a just equality i-'* 
served throughout. Although every object in this 
admirable, the roost astonishing part of it is the cop®' 
On ascending to it, the spectator is suq)rised to find. % 
the dome which he sees in the church, is not the same 
the one he had examined without doors, the latter be’» 6 |j 
kind of case to the other, and the stairs by which he 
into the ball, lying between the two. Had there been 
outward dome only, it would not have been seen to 
vantage by those who are within the church 5 or had tb'j. 
been the inward one only, it would scarcely have been 
by those who are without ; and had both been one 
dome of so great a thickness, the pillars would have 
too weak to liave supported it. 1 
It is not easy to conceive a more glorious architeot't^^ 
display tlian the one which presents itself to the spe^t^ ■■ 
who stands beneath the dome. If he looks upward, j 
astsnished at the spacious hollow of the cupola, and h*”‘, 
vault on every side of him, wiiich makes one of the 
beautiful vistas the eye can possibly have to nenetinte. ^ 
convey an idea of its magnitude, it ivill suffice to say, 
Ae height ot the body ot the church, from the gronp 
the upper p.art of its ceiling, is four hundred and 
t\vo feet, and that sixteen persons may place tlienisnb 
witliout inconvenience, in the globular top over tlie dn{" f 
which IS annn.vlly lighted, on the 'ipih of June, by 
thousand lamps and two thousand tire-pots, iiresent'’'^ 
most delightful spectacle. _ ,(.r 
Ihe vestibule ot St. Peter's is grand and beautifnk .j,! 
die second entrance is a fine mosaic from Giotto, 
■n the year 1303 j and at the corners, to tlic right and 
are llic equestri.m statues of Constantine and Chai'len’^^it.a 
Ot tlie live doors leading to the church itself; one. i; 
the holy door, is generally shut up by brick-work. •' .,[6 
only opened at tlie 'time of the Jubilee. Hie niidJl*^ 
is ol bronze, witii bas-reliefs. jja'* 
Of the one hundred and thirty statues with LiS = 
Church is adorned, that of St. Peter is the most conspic^^nef 
It ts said toliave been re-cast from a bronze statue ofJ^**^ 
