slightly cut, to record their visits. Thus we find in one place, a few words denoting that a Bishop of Pisa and his companions had been there at the beginning of the fourteenth century; and in another place are traced the names of six individuals-German names, Latinized-with the sign of the cross after each name, and the date, A. D., 1397, underneath them all. On one of the early Christian tombs, too, were found a palm-leaf worked in sil ver, and a small coronet of silver, gilded and inscribed with a name, and the date 1340. They had been concealed and preserved by the pozzolano and earth falling upon them and burying them. In another crypt was found this inscription, with the date 1321 above it, and the names of three visiters beneath it: "Gather together, O Christians, in these caverns, to read the holy books, to sing hymns to the honor of martyrs and the saints that here lie buried, having died in the Lord; to sing psalms for those who are now dying in the faith. There is light in this darkness. There is music in these tombs."* It is evident that, during these ages, these sanctuaries of the ancient Church were gradually forgotten. The mouths of most of the Catacombs were blocked up by the accumulation of rubbish, by the falling in of the tufa and earth over the arches, or by the rapid growth of gigantic weeds, dense bushes, and trees. It required constant use to preserve a knowledge of their intricate windings, and therefore a few only of the principal entrances were *For many of these facts with regard to the Middle Ages we are indebted to Macfarlane, p. 36. kept open. Even these gradually became neglected, until the Church scarcely remembered her ancient home. It was not until the sixteenth century that, through the labors of Bosio, the entire range of the Catacombs was reopened, after being untouched for more than a thousand years. They were found to be a vast treasury, rich in memorials of saints and martyrs—an enduring testimony, every page of which bore witness to the truth of Christian history, and recorded in letters "graven on the rock," the trials and persecutions of the early Church. Then, when the revival of letters enabled the learned to profit by the discovery, investigations commenced, which have been prosecuted to the present day, as the question has been agitated, whether Rome shall be permitted to claim identity in discipline and doctrine with these ancient disciples, who have thus bequeathed to us the memorials of their faith and sufferings. Such is the history of the Catacombs. These dark and gloomy passages once formed the cradle of the Christian faith in Europe. As one age of persecution after another drew its dark pall over the Church, it was here that the true-hearted found their place of refuge-their impregnable fortress. against the might of pagan Rome. These narrow passages "rang with their hymns of lofty cheer"here, they were trained for those victories which. 66 'wrote their names among the stars;" and when the conflict was over, here their brethren laid them to their rest, in the very spot which had been so often hallowed by their prayers. "And their sepulchres are with us unto this day." III. DESCRIPTION OF THE CATACOMBS. In the account of our visit to the Catacombs, we have somewhat anticipated the general features of these retreats. We will endeavor, however, to give a more particular description, to enable our readers. to understand their connection with primitive times, and the nature of the testimony they bear to early faith. We have mentioned the manner in which these winding passages are excavated from the rock. They are stated by D'Agincourt, to follow the direction of the veins of pozzolano; but this is a point which it would be difficult to prove. Nor can we at this day tell their extent; as the very intricacy of their crossings and recrossings, together with the danger of passages caving in so as to render a return impossible, would be sufficient to prevent their thorough exploration. In the sacristy of St. Sebastian hangs a map of the passages for a few miles, the very sight of whose complicated turnings would be sufficient to extinguish any such wish in one who had a regard for his life. Arringhi, in his |