Foreign Correspondence

Bad Sodejï, Pkussia, July 2d, 1872. Ou Monday, Juno lOth, -we reachod Cologne, or, as the Gerinans have it, Coln, and hero, for the first ti:no, lmd an oppoitunity to see oie of the celebrated eaihodrals of Europe. The balcony of our rooms at the Hotel du Dom gavo us a fino view of its outh t'rout and beautiful entrauce upon that side, and we never tirfid of gnziug upon its wondert ully aborata uud complioated architecture - its triyle network uf flying buitreases, piimaclcs and towtTB - its numb&rless statuos of RniTil aiul -ahit - its gri&ning griffiuB, and, more iue.ii all, upou tho wondrous harmuiiy iu the effect of üiis vast wildernes of sculpturecl ctonc. When tho two jnaiu towers ovur ih west end ot' the catlindral aro coinplcted (one of whioh is Ö07 fect in height), and thu whüie stands forth as originally phmned five centurias ao, it may well challenge tho world's admiration. No pictorial iliustmtion, in print or photograph, coa veys any adequate impression of the greut magnitude or beauliiul proportious of tbis exterior. To uur uueducated eyes the interior was not less iinpressive in its niajestic proportions and the ïuultifurm interest of its details. To stand at the western extrainity of tho interior, 448 feet l'rom tho oxquisiiuly-stained windows which uoarly surround the ehaneel end, looking into the wide-sjweadfflg tiansept 249 faut ïon, gazinji upward at the ceiling of the choir, 149 feet high, tho windows of the tlear-story, fifty feet in height, being of beiiutiiuUy-eolored glass, - to seo a long aroade of cluster columns, ix feet in diameter, 24 on either hand, rUing maJMtioallj 80 feet in haight, - inspíred a feeling of one's own littlene. S and of awe at the ïnagniiicont dimensions of every part o' the noble edifico. The beauty of the ii vo iininunse stuined glas windows, exicat.nl 119 early as 1308, and the rival beauty of thost; in the opposite side, presenleA in 1M4S, furnish mi uneqiutUed opportunity to ïuake ic coiuparison botwoen theso fine gpeoimens of ancient an modern art'. Of the statues of iho Apostlos, soulptored in thü 14th century - ol the fiuely-carvod wooden stalls ot' equal untiqnity - of the colubrated Douibild - of tlio sovon chapola m the choir, uich huviug a peculiar interest by ïeasou of thuir ancient and labórate tombstones or thuir paintings, gorgeous shrines, altars, relies or altar pieues I WÍ11 uot attempt a description. Of course we gazed witli especial curiosity, not to say credulity, upon tho shrino blazing with Soma imitated in place of real ones confisuatod by tho l'ronüh), whioh we MM told, with erroat gravity, containud tliu bones of the Threo Magi. In tho troasury we wore shown laany very valuable presenta Bet with precious stones, givon at different times by noble or wealthy donors and by the present Pope, the aggregato of which was said to be Beveral inillions ofrtoriiis. But it seeins an idlo task to uiiuuierate ko many nnuiga objects which can only appreciated whun seen. ïhe lion of Cologne is the cathedral, but thero are vory ïuany objects of intrest, and the day we spbllt thero was not idly spent. We had the pteuliar gratifleation of seuiny, arrangod iu a long series of cases with glass front büiiio four feet squaro, in the church of St. Úrsula, the skulla and other bones of tliy li,uuü virgiiis who, with tho Saint, wero said to havo boen barbarously miirderod at Cologne, ïhere was a vast quantity of boues and no mistake, and that they aro believed by sume to bo tho veritable remaiuB oí the Saiutand Viigins Ihaeno doubt. Go where you may about tho old ei tic a and the evideuoua of au uutiquity diflicult to realize are evorywhere prosont. A large proportion of tho really oiil castles and churches are l'roiu live to eight Uuudred years ancient and iu some cases the very sloues soom to bo eaten into holes by tho coriosive influenoo of tho centu . ries. Tho poet's query " Who ehall wash the Iihine 'i " here at Cologne we feel bound to admit was justitiable and even applicablo to inore recent times. Luítving ( h tho BÏbrning boat of June 12th w Legan a trip whieh we, with all others wlio aro uot ashamcd to own tlie weird spoll of legend romance, when associated with boautiful seeuory, have auticipated with almost fuveribh curiosity - a voyago up the Ithiue. The day was uot the most favuiablo, for it thieatened rain at times, but tho atmosphere was olear, nnd tho objeots of interest on either bank aud io.r bauk infco i hfl valleys, plainly visible. 'lo say tbát the trip was eme oí' constant njoymunt is the statement of a uiore in&ttcr of fact. As one after anothor of tho world-iuiued castled orags, islaiuls, towors aud mountain peaks wero rapidly gliding by, und the romantic viiitigus, uestling at the fuet of contiuuous miles of viue-clad liills, or nauiaa of ütruama and places familiar aa bousehold words to thu reader and scholar, were ever and unou beforeoureyei. ïherecould be uu lull in our atiefaction. Bonn, thu Suvuïi jlountaius, Diachenfels, liolaudeeck, Nonnenwoerth, Bheiuouk, Cobloutz, tho Mosoll, KhrenbioiUteiii, Ktolzenfelg, Sterrenberg, Leibonstoiu, Boi-nhafen,Bheinfela, Tho Loxelei, Ehrenfels, Jlaensa Thurui, Hingin, Büdeabeim, aud Johanuiüberg, aud many other localilies uot loss noted, suggest the eujoyinont which makos tbls ono .hundrd miles of the Bhiue bo iuteusely iuteresting. Ouo may admire the Hudson, but to me it lacks the variety of sceuery, and still uure the uuccusing charuis whieh thosu old castles and towers, legend and history, bavo for so many centuries beon weaving around every crag nd valley along the lihiue. We arrived at BCayenoe bout 7 P. il., where I mustcloso uiy hascy sketch. Yours aa ever, J. M, W. - U1UCK POMEEOY SUPPORTS 'GRAKT. GOOD!