"Vale Pontifex Maxime!"

Hark ! the appealing hymn sounds in faint strains along the lofty aisle ! They are going to carryithe Pontiff to his sepulchre ; to hide him from the eyes of men . " Miserere 1 " They raise him on the bier on Avhich he has lain in state , and begin a SIOAV procession;—perhaps the strangest , most impressive , and most solemn , Avhich has ever Avound itself around the curving spaces of St . Peter ' s . The last 1 The last Those Avords keep humming in our ears . There will be other Popes , and they will die , and priests AVEI bury them . But Avith the death of Pius the Ninth a chapter of the Avorlcl' s story is closed ; the leaf is turned ; History has Avritten " Finis " on that page . On the next —Avhat will be Avritten ?

The iron gates Avhich divide the Chapel of the Sacrament from the body of the basilica are stEl closed . Within the chapel sloAvly gathers an assemblage of the Princes of the Church . The Cardinals have descended by a private staircase from the Hall of the Consistory Avithin the Vatican to the chapel , Avhere they aAvait the reverend Chapter of St . Peter ' s . As each Cardinal passes before the bier , he stoops to kiss the foot of the dead Pope . Outside the iron , gates are croAA'ded the guests admitted by special

permission to Avitness the ceremony . These are the Avhole of the Diplomatic Body accredited to the Holy See , many members of the Eoman aristocracy , bearing such historic names as Orsini , Colonna , Gaetani , and some strangers , many of them ladies . They are , for the most part , kneeling ; . ancl from time to time a crucifix , a rosary , or a medal , is passed to the attendant priests , Avith the prayer that it may touch for a moment the corpse of Pius the Ninth , and thus become a relic precious to the devout . , ,

At length from the opposite chapel—that called the Chapel of the Choir , or Canons ' Chapel—arrive the clergy of the Basilica of St . Peter , Monsignore Folicaldi , Bishop of Ephesus ancl Canon . of the Basilica Yaticana , at its head , AA'earing a Avhite mitre and black cope . Assisted by the inferior clergy , he sprinkles the corpse Avith holy Avater , reciting the accustomed prayers the AA ' hile ; ancl now the bier is raised upon the shoulders of the Noble Guard , and the procession begins . First Avalk the Mace-bearers of the Chapter ; and the Great Crucifix is borne aloft .

iheii a croAvd of Church dignitaries , amongst Avhom certain of the Cardinals are eagerly observed . Which of those old men is to be the UCAV Keeper of the Keys ? What stirring ambitions , zealous bigotry , sincere devotion , pious faith , and angry arrogance , dAvell beneath those reverend gray hairs ? Cardinals Bilio , Pecci , and Di Pietro are amongst the most closely noted . But Avhat avails the keenest scrutiny ? These are not men to wear " their heart upon their sleeve . " Ancl IIOAV the haughtiest spirit is for

aAvhile subdued by the solemnity of the moment . The dim light , the aAvful vastness of the edifice , the pathetic sounds of the Psalm " Miserere , " chanted in a subdued tone , the associations of the time and place , the aspect of the dead Pope ' s face immoveably serene and smilin g in its AA'hite calm , as he passes for the last time through the great basilica , Avhich has so often Avitnessed his triumphs and his pomp , —all this makes up an over-Avhelming impression , never to be forgotten by those AVIIO Avitnessed it . Chanting still the

procession moves along the aisle , passes close beneath the sitting statue of St . Peter , Avith the keys in its bronze hand , Avhich seems to move in the flicker of the torches ; reaches the apse , Avith its huge barocco altar , ancl so called Chair of St . Peter : turns , and goes back churn the church on the north side until it arrives at the Chapel of the Choir ,. AA'here the final funeral ceremonies are performed . Here the bier is reversed , so that the corpse is carried into the chapel AA'ith its head towards the altar , iu accordance Avith ancient custom . It is set CIOAVII in the midst , ancl surrounded by the members of the hierarchy and the Noble Guard .

And then the choir ( called the Capella Giulia , or Julian Choir ) begin to sing the anti phone , " Ln paradisum deducaut te angeli , " and the psalm , " Sicut cervus ad fonles aqtiarum . " Whilst the grave and majestic music , executed by voices alone , thrills through the lighted chapel and out into the dark nave , three coffins are brought in , and placed before the nltar . One is of cyprus Avood , the second of lead , the third and largest of chestnut Avood . When the singing and the muttered prayers , and the solemn aspersion Ayith holy water , and ihe incensing are over , there is a moment's pause . Every eye is nxed upon the dead face so soon to be hidden for ever from human eyes . The moment