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necessarily cultivates the taste of a family circle； a public
edifice educates the minds of millions。 Even the Moses of Michael
Angelo is a mere object of interest to those who visit the church
of San Pietro in Vincoli； but St。 Peter's is a monument to be seen
by large populations from generation to generation。 All London
contemplates St。 Paul's Church or the Palace of Westminster； but
the National Gallery may be visited by a small fraction of the
people only once a year。 Of the thousands who stand before the
Tuileries or the Madeleine not one in a hundred has visited the
gallery of the Louvre。 What material works of man so grand as
those hoary monuments of piety or pride erected three thousand
years ago； and still magnificent in their very ruins！ How imposing
are the pyramids； the Coliseum； and the Gothic cathedrals of the
Middle Ages！ And even when architecture does not rear vaulted
roofs and arches and pinnacles； or tower to dazzling heights； or
inspire reverential awe from the associations which cluster around
it； how interesting are even its minor triumphs！ Who does not stop
to admire a beautiful window； or porch； or portico？ Who does not
criticise his neighbor's house； its proportions； its general
effect； its adaptation to the uses designed？ Architecture appeal
to the common eye； and have reference to the necessities of man；
and sometimes express the consecrated sentiments of an age or a
nation。 Nor can it be prostituted； like painting and sculpture； it
never corrupts the mind； and sometimes inspires it； and if it makes
an appeal to the senses or the imagination； it is to kindle
perceptions of the severe beauty of geometrical forms。
Whoever； then； has done anything in architecture has contributed to
the necessities of man； and stimulated an admiration for what is
venerable and magnificent。 Now Michael Angelo was not only the
architect of numerous palaces and churches； but also one of the
principal architects of that great edifice which is； on the whole；
the noblest church in Christendom；a perpetual marvel and study；
not faultless； but so imposing that it will long remain； like the
old temple of Ephesus； one of the wonders of the world。 He
completed the church without great deviation from the plan of the
first architect； Bramante； whom he regarded as the greatest
architect that had lived；altering Bramante's plans from a Latin
to a Greek cross； the former of which was retained after Michael
Angelo's death。 But it is the interior； rather than the exterior
of St。 Peter's； which shows its vast superiority over all other
churches for splendor and effect； and surprises all who are even
fresh from Cologne and Milan and Westminster。 It impresses us like
a wonder of nature rather than as the work of man；a great work of
engineering as well as a marvel of majesty and beauty。 We are
surprised to see so vast a structure； covering nearly five acres；
so elaborately finished； nothing neglected； the lofty walls covered
with precious marbles； the side chapels filled with statues and
monuments； the altars ornamented with pictures；and those pictures
not painted in oil； but copied in mosaic； so that they will neither
decay nor fade； but last till destroyed by violence。 What feelings
overpower the poetic mind when the glories of that interior first
blaze upon the brain； what a world of brightness； softness； and
richness； what grandeur； solidity； and strength； what unnumbered
treasures around the altars； what grand mosaics relieve the height
of the wondrous dome；larger than the Pantheon； rising two hundred
feet from the intersection of those lofty and massive piers which
divide transept from choir and nave； what effect of magnitude after
the eye gets accustomed to the vast proportions！ Oh； what silence
reigns around！ How difficult； even for the sonorous chants of
choristers and priests to disturb that silence；to be more than
echoes of a distant music which seems to come from the very courts
of heaven itself： to some a holy sanctuary； where one may meditate
among crowds and feel alone； where one breathes an atmosphere which
changes not with heat or cold； and where the ever…burning lamps and
clouds of incense diffusing the fragrance of the East； and the rich
dresses of the mitred priests； and the unnumbered symbols； suggest
the ritualism of that imposing worship when Solomon dedicated to
Jehovah the grandest temple of antiquity！
Truly was St。 Peter's Church the last great achievement of the
popes； the crowning demonstration of their temporal dominion；
suggestive of their wealth and power； a marble history of pride and
pomp； a fitting emblem of that worship which appeals to sense
rather than to God。 And singular it was； when the great artist
reared that gigantic pile； even though it symbolized the cross； he
really gave a vital wound to that cause to which he consecrated his
noblest energies； for its lofty dome could not be completed without
the contributions of Christendom； and those contributions could not
be made without an appeal to perversions which grew out of
Mediaeval Catholicism；even penance and self…expiation； which
stirred the holy indignation of a man who knew and declared on what
different ground justification should be based。 Thus was Luther；
in one sense； called into action by the labors of Michael Angelo；
thus was the erection of St。 Peter's Church overruled in the
preaching of reformers； who would show that the money obtained by
misinterpreted 〃indulgences〃 could never purchase an acceptable
offering to God； even though the monument were filled with
Christian emblems； and consecrated by those prayers and anthems
which had been the life of blessed saints and martyrs for more than
a thousand years。
St。 Peter's is not Gothic； it is a restoration of the Greek； it
belongs to what artists call the Renaissance；a style of
architecture marked by a return to the classical models of
antiquity。 Michael Angelo brought back to civilization the old
ideas of Grecian grace and Roman majesty；typical of the original
inspirations of the men who lived in the quiet admiration of
eternal beauty and grace； the men who built the Parthenon； and who
shaped pillars and capitals and entablatures in the severest
proportions； and fitted them with ornaments drawn from the living
world；plants and animals； especially images of God's highest
work； even of man； and of man not worn and macerated and dismal and
monstrous； but of man when most resplendent in the perfections of
the primeval strength and beauty。 He returned to a style which
classical antiquity carried to great perfection； but which had been
neglected by the new Teutonic nations。
Nor is there evidence that Michael Angelo disdained the creations
especially seen in those Gothic monuments which are still the
objects of our admiration。 Who does not admire the church
architecture of the Middle Ages？ Of its kind it has never been
surpassed。 Geometry and artthe true and the beautifulmeet。
Nothing ever erected by the hand of man surpasses the more famous
cathedrals of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries； in the richness
and variety of their symbolic decorations。 They typify the great
ideas of Christianity； they inspire feelings of awe and reverence；
they are astonishing structures； in their magnitude and in their
effect。 Monuments are they of religious zeal and poetical
inspiration；the creations of great artists； although we scarcely
know their names； adapted to the uses designed； the expression of
consecrated sentiments； the marble history of the ages in which
they were erected；now heavy and sombre when society was enslaved
and mournful； and then cheerful and lofty when Christianity was
joyful and triumphant。 Who ever was satisfied in contemplating the
diversified wonders of those venerable structures？ Who would lose
the impression which almost overwhelmed the mind when York minster；
or Cologne； or Milan； or Amiens was first beheld； with their lofty
spires and towers； their sculptured pinnacles； their flying
buttresses； their vaulted roofs； their long arcades； their purple
windows； their holy altars； their symbolic carvings； their majestic
outlines； their grand proportions！
But beautiful； imposing； poetical； and venerable as are these hoary
piles； they are not the all in all of art。 Suppose all the
buildings of Europe the last four hundred years had been modelled
from these churches； how gloomy would be our streets； how dark and
dingy our shops； how dismal our dwellings； how inconvenient our
hotels！ A new style was needed； at least as a supplement of the
old；as lances and shields were giving place to fire…arms； and the
line and the plummet for the mariner's compass； as a new
civilization was creating new wants and developing the material
necessities of man。
So Michael Angelo arose； and revived the imperishable models of the
classical ages；to be applied not me