u by lifting our traveling-bags. We had our hotel to ourselves, and
wished that anybody else had it. The rival house was quite aware of
our advent, and watched us with jealous eyes; and we, in turn, looked
wistfully at it, for our own food was so scarce that, as an old traveler
says, we feared that we shouldn't have enough, until we saw it on the
table, when its quality made it appear too much. The next morning, when
I sallied out to hire a conveyance, I was an object of interest to the
entire population, who seemed to think it very odd that any one should
walk about and explore the quiet streets. If I were to describe Ravenna,
I should say that it is as flat as Holland and as lively as New London.
There are broad streets, with high houses, that once were handsome,
palaces that were once the abode of luxury, gardens that still bloom,
and churches by the score. It is an open gate through which one walks
unchallenged into the past, with little to break the association with
the early Christian ages, their monuments undimmed by time, untouched by
restoration and innovation, the whole struck with ecclesiastical death.
With all that we saw that day,--churches, basilicas, mosaics, statues,
mausoleums,--I will not burden these pages; but I will set down is
enough to give you the local color, and to recall some of the most
interesting passages in Christian history in this out-of-the-way city on
the Adriatic.

Our first pilgrimage was to the Church of St. Apollinare Nuova; but
why it is called new I do not know, as Theodoric built it for an
Arian cathedral in about the year 500. It is a noble interior,
having twenty-four marble columns of gray Cippolino, brought from
Constantinople, with composite capitals, on each of which is an impost
with Latin crosses sculptured on it. These columns support round arches,
which divide the nave from the aisles, and on the whole length of the
wall of the nave so supported are superb mosaics, full-length figures,
in colors as fresh as if done yesterday, though they were executed
thirteen hundred years ago. The mosaic on the left side--which is,
perhaps, the finest one of the period in existence--is interesting on
another account. It represents the city of Classis, with sea and ships,
and a long procession of twenty-two virgins presenting offerings to
the Virgin and Child, seated on a throne. The Virgin is surrounded by
angels, and has a glory round her head, which shows that homage is being
paid