sible to describe the shrieks, and cries, and clamours of grief, that burst from the people. At the unloosening of every nail, they were renewed with fresh vehemence, and the sobs and tears of the men were almost as copious as those of the women.

Five prayers, separately addressed to the five wounds of Christ-first, the wound in the left foot, then that of the right foot, and so of the two hands, and, lastly, of the side, were next repeated. They were nearly the same, and all began, " Vi adoro, piaga Santissima―(I adore you, most holy wound.")

The body of Christ being laid on a bier, decked with artificial flowers, and covered with a transparent veil, was brought down Mount Calvary by the holy men,—as the preacher called them,-who deposited it on the front of the stage, where all the people thronged to kiss the toe through the veil, and weep over it. I was conducted round to it, along with some Italian ladies of my acquaintance, through a private passage, by one of the civil priests, and so escaped the crowd. Upon close inspection, I found that the body was made of pasteboard, extremely well painted for effect; it had real hair on the head, and it was so well executed, that even when closely viewed, it was marked with the agony of nature, and seemed to have recently expired.

The congregation consisted of all ranks, from the prince to the beggar, but there was a preponderance of the higher classes. Some ladies, of the

first rank in Rome were beside me, and they were in agitation the most excessive.

You may depend upon the accuracy of the quotations I have given you from the sermons; and they may enable you to form some idea of the strain of pulpit oratory here. I took them down from the preacher's mouth, while I seemed to be deeply occupied with the book of the service, and I believe my employment was undiscovered, except by the soldier at my back.

After the last Miserere of the week at the Sistine Chapel this evening, which I thought scarcely equal to that of yesterday, we stopped in St Peter's only to give a last glance to the cross of fire; and without waiting for its second adoration by the Pope and Cardinals, we drove to the Hospital of the Trinità de Pellegrini, where poor pilgrims of all nations are gratuitously lodged and fed during three days at this period-in order to see some of the Cardinals and Roman Princes washing the feet of the male pilgrims, and Italian ladies of the highest rank doing the same office to the female pilgrims, and afterwards serving them at supper.

This is a voluntary act-but it is always publicly done by a great number of noble Romans of both sexes in Rome, on the evenings of Holy Thursday and Good Friday.

They did not, like the Pope, merely go through the form of it with one foot, but really and truly washed and scrubbed both feet, and afterwards waited upon them, like servants, at supper. Females are not allowed to enter the apartments,

where the male pilgrims lodge; but we wanted to see what the old Cardinals were about, and got permission from Cardinal R- to enter, and found them all on their knees, scrubbing away in good earnest, as were the Roman Principesse above stairs.

A friend of ours this evening attended an exercise of a different sort, at a small church or oratorio, the name of which I have forgot, but belonging, I think, to the P. P. Caravita. Almost all present were clad as penitents, their whole figures-even their heads and faces-completely covered with coarse dark cloth, and holes cut for their eyes. The doors of the church were shut, and after a suitable exhortation from a friar, scourges were distributed, the lights were extinguished, and in total darkness the flagellation began, which continued for twenty minutes,-while a dismal sort of chanted music, like the wailings of suffering souls, was sung. The candles were then relighted, and all departed in peace.

The shops of all the cheese-mongers, sausagedealers, &c., are to-night most brilliantly illuminated. It is the general custom they say, but I cannot learn the reason. Good-night.

LETTER LXXV.

SATURDAY-BAPTISM OF THE JEWS-AN ORDINATION THE RESURRECTION-BLESSING THE HOUSES CONFESSION AND COMMUNION.

WE were silly enough to get up this morning before six o'clock, to see some Jews baptized at St John's Lateran. A couple of these unfortunate Israelites, and sometimes more, are always procured on this day, every year, for this purpose. Turks are preferred when they are to be had, but they are rare. The Jews, I understand, are at present very dear,-no less weighty arguments than eighty Roman crowns each, I heard, were necessary to convince these new proselytes of the truth of Christianity. Besides these golden reasons, a Jew no sooner sees the error of his ways, than his debts towards his brother Jews are cancelled; so that, as soon as he becomes a Christian, he is at liberty to be a rogue. Considering this, it really says a great deal for them that there are so few converts.

The two devoted Israelites prepared for this occasion, attired in dirty yellow silk gowns, were seated on a bench within the marble font of the Baptistry, which resembles a large bath, both in form and shape, conning their prayers out of a book, with most rueful visages. Fast to their sides stuck their destined godfathers, two black-robed doctors of divinity, as if to guard and secure their spiritual captives. The ancient vase at the bottom of the font, in which, according to an absurd legend, Constantine was healed of his leprosy by St Sylvester, stood before them filled with water, and its margin adorned with flowers.

The Cardinal Bishop, who had been employed ever since six o'clock in the benediction of fire, water, oil, wax, and flowers; now appeared, followed by a long procession of priests and crucifixes. He descended into the font, repeated a great many prayers in Latin over the water, occasionally dipping his hand into it. Then a huge flaming wax taper, about six feet high, and of proportionate thickness, painted with images of the Virgin and Christ, which had previously been blessed, was set upright in the vase; more Latin prayers were mumbled-one of the Jews was brought, the Bishop cut the sign of the cross in the hair, at the crown of his head, then, with a silver ladle, poured some of the water upon the part, baptizing him in the usual forms, both the godfathers and he having agreed to all that was required of them. The second Jew was brought, upon whom the same ceremonies were performed; this poor little fellow wore