Hotel Croce di Malta
Lucca, Friday evg
May 22
My Dear Constance
My last was from Pistoja. We came on here this evening. Pistoja is a quiet little town, surrounded by ancient walls (inconvenient surely to the inhabitants, since the gates are far between) – We saw some things there that interested us. It happened to be the feast day of the Patron Saint of the Cathedral & a service of a very extraordinary nature was held in consequence, which lasted all day. In the first part, the Bishop himself officiated in person wearing his mitre, and I was delighted to see it for I don’t think I ever saw a real mitre before, that is, worn by a Bishop during divine service. Whenever he rose to utter a prayer, his mitre was laid aside, but when he sat down again an attendant advanced towards him, made a profound obeisance, and replaced the mitre on his head pressing it down very firmly and carefully, which was evidently necessary, (it would be so absurd were it to fall off while officiating) – It was all gilt, but plain without jewels. Then there was another ceremony which was pleasing. Everybody brought a bouquet of roses &c into the Cathedral, which they had purchased outside. The Bishop gave his blessing to the bouquets & the people carried them off – Most of them, I learnt, would be afterward offered to the Madonna – I saw also the end of the same service, several hours later, the Bishop was then gone, the priests were remarkably agitated one might almost say they seemed half frantic (but I suppose it was all symbolical) they were throwing quantities of holy water on the ground all about, as if the church required a great purification The faithful pressed forward to see, but we did not, as we could not comprehend the Ceremonies – This was today. Last night, the windows of our inn looked into a field, and observing that it was full of fire flies, we descended, and went to watch the beautiful insects which Ela had never seen before. The flash is very bright, like a small electric light. It visibly illuminates the ground and grass around the insect. These did not fly high never more than 4 feet from the ground, but I think the last I saw, which was in June 1861 near Cuneo (Coni) were more active. Perhaps they were older. It is a wonderful phenomenon & not well understood at present, for an electric battery (no bigger than the insect) could not be made to give out such flashes of light, repeated for several hours or half the night, till the creature is tired and goes to sleep.
Your affte
Henry