Journal of a Tour in Italy, and also in part of France and Switzerland

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

133-134

text excerpt

[25th March 1829] This a great holyday, Lady-day. High mass was performed with great pomp, this morning, at the church of Santa Annunziata. The royal family all went there and returned in full procession. While they were in church, the royal family sat under a canopy, or tent rather, open on the side facing the altar. The four corners of the tent were guarded by four officers in regimentals, with broad-swords drawn and plumed cocked-hats on their heads. There were a good many soldiers in the church, who kept their heads covered all the while. The ceremony was a mixture of the sacred and the military. It was what is called a military mass. There were the priests chanting at the altar; and the soldiers, who bore their arms, grounded them when they knelt, the butts of their muskets making a great rattle against the stone floor of the church. It did not look well to see the soldiers all keeping their heads covered. They could not, in such a place, be said to be on duty; unless, indeed, the church had been besieged. Among the musicians there were several red-coated performers, and these blew trumpets and beat drums, which took the loudest parts in the concert. The blasts of war prevailed over the seraphic sounds of peace; it seemed as if the musical sons of Mars were putting the choir of St. Cecilia to a complete rout.

excerpt from 'Journal of a Tour in Italy, and also in part of France and Switzerland' pp. 133-134 (237 words)

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