Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-02-21
NEVy ssfittas!gE5S Vol. 1N-MQ. 1854.

across the water. and with the moon riding over
it, the bay between as still as the sky above, and
brighter, il looked like long cloud penciled like
landscape IN the heavens. To the right lay the
Armenian island, which Lord Byron visited so
often, to study with the fathers at the convent;
and little nearer the island of the insane-spite
Of its misery, asleep, with most heavenly calm.
ness, on the sea. You remember the touching
stor, of the crazed girl, who was sent here with
b. k'n heart, described as putting her hand
through the grating at the dash Of every passing
gondoa. with her upvarying aud affecting - pe-
mite per me! Te,,ie per me!r'
At a corner OF the harbor, some three quarters
Of a mile from San Marc. lies an island once &C.
cupied by convent. Napoleon razed the build
ings, and connecting it with the town b. a new
handsome street and bridge, laid out the ground
as public garden. We debarked at the stairs,
and passed an hour in strolIing through shaded
walks, filled with the CAV Venitians. who come
to enjoy here what they finh no where else. the
smell of grass and green leaves There IS pa
vilion upon an artificial hill in the centre. where
the best Iemonades and ices Of Venice are TO be
found; and II was surrounded to night by merry
groups, amusing themselves with all the heart.
cheering gaety of this delightful people. The
very sight Of them is an antidote 10 sadness.
In returning to San Marc, large gondoia
crossed us, filled with ladies and gentlemen, and
followed By another with band of music. This
is common mode Of making party on the ca
nails, and more agreeable one never was ina.
gined. We ordered the gondolier to follow at a
certain distance, and spent an hour or two just
keeping within the softened sound of the instru.
ments. How romantic are the veriest every day
occurrences Of this enchanting city!
We have strolied to-day through most of the
narrow streets between the RiaIto and the San
Marc. They are. more property, alleys. You
wind through them al sharp angles, turning con.
stan,ly, from the interruption Of the canals, and
crossing the small bridges at every twenty yards.
They are dark and cool; and, no hoof Of any de-
scription ever passed through them. the marble
flags are always smooth and clean-and with the
singular silence, only broke by the shuffl,ng Of
feet. they pleasant places to loiter in at noon
day, when the canals are sunny
We spent halt an hour ON the Riaiio. This is
the only bridge across the grand canal, and con.
meets the two main parts Of the city. Ii is. as
you see by engraviDgs. noble span Of a single
arch. built of pure white marble. You pass 1t,
ascending the arch by long flight of steps to the
apex, and descending again to the opposite side.
Ii is very broad the centre forming q street, with
shops on each side, with alleys outside these,
next the parapet, usually occupied by idlers or
merchants, probably very much as in the time Of
Shyiock. Here are exposed the cases o. shell
work and jewelry for which Venice is famous:-
The variety and chcapness of these articles are
surprising. The Ralto has always been to me,
as it is probably to most others, quite the of
romantic locality. stopped on the upper stair
Of the arch, and passed my hand across my eyes
to recall my idea of it, and realize that was
I'm 10 int oil IN of all tho n
mon sense in the world, MOTTO meet Shyock aud
An!o 10 and Pierre.
Shyiock and the Moor
And Pierre cannot be swept and worn away"
says Childe Harold; and that. indeed, is the feel.
ing every where in these romantic Countries
You cannot sepera,e them from the characters
with which poetry or history once peoped them.
At sunset we mounted into the tower Of San
Marc, TO get general view Of the city. The
gold dust atmosphere, so common IN Italy ut
this hour, was all over the broad lagunes and The
r.stretching city; and she lay beneath US. in
the midst Of sea Of light. an island far out into
the ocean. crowned with towers and churches.
and heaped up with all the splendour Of architec
ture. The Friuli mountains rose in the north
with the deep blue dyes Of distance. breaking up
the else level horizon; the shore Of Italy lay like
low line. cloud in the west; the spot where the
Brruta empties into the sea glowing in the blaze
Of the sunset. About US lay the smaller islands,
the suburbs Of the sea.clty. and all among them.
and up and dawn the Glnderca, and away
off in the lagunes were sprinkled the hou-
sand gondolas, meeting and crossing in one
continued and silent panorama. The Lido, with
its long wall hemmed in the bay, aud beyond
this lay the wide Adriatic. The floor OF San
Mares vast square was beneath. dotted over its
many .colored marbles with promenaders, Its
cafes swar,ned by the stters outside, and its
long arcades throngej. One Of my pleasantest
hours in Venice passed here.