Untitled - Electric Scotland

1842-50] VISIT TO ITALY 125
of the peasantry, poor, tired, ragged, having come, some of
them, hundreds of miles. One end of the church was filled with
them. As soon as the relic was brought down to be exhibited
to the authorities of the town who were present, these poor
creatures, who were wrought to the highest pitch of excitement,
shouted out their Vivat Maria. The senators retired, and then
began a scene which baffles all description. We at last succeeded
in getting into a gallery, immediately above the chapel where
the relic was displayed. The people were admitted by an iron
gate in the railing. The dense mass was crushed together in
such a way as seemed to threaten that many would be stifled.
As the gate was opened they shrieked and rushed, and those
who got in only did so with their lives. The soldiers who shut
the gates had hard work.
"One man naked, beating himself with iron chains, on his
knees. The crowd treated him with the respect paid to a dervish.
One woman crawled like a worm up the aisle, and received similar
respect. The rest were nearly squeezed to death. Each party
as they entered fell on their knees, kissed the floor, rushed
to the relic, had their heads rubbed against it by the two
priests, and made (most of them) some very small offering.
Our friend the dervish of the iron chains we afterwards met
in the streets, in a great state of excitement, though it was more
of terrestrial kind than that of which he had at least assumed the
appearance in church, when, in the midst of admiring groups,
he clasped his hands and assumed a beatific look. Now he was
very like a sturdy beggar, and his tones were anything but saintly
when we passed without giving him anything.
"It is from such scenes as these, not from the elegant Mon-
signori of Rome, that we must judge of the evils of Rome. The
scene was indeed like the worship of some heathen deity. This
surely is Anti-Christ. And this is the city of an archbishop, and
within the Pope s own territory."
In the opening months of this same year, 1845, he had
been again in the thick of ecclesiastical strife, though
rather as a moderator than as a combatant.
It is always difficult for a Head-master to interfere
prominently in public affairs unconnected with his school.
Dr. Arnold s position had been unique, but some of his