Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-04-25
IFrom the New York Mirror
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF EUROPE.

irtenue.
TFrom the New York Mirror.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF EUROPE.
By n. p. WILLIS.
Vcnice-Church of the Jesmits---d ma :.
bic curtai,t--original of 7ytian's Mar
tyrdom of St. Lavrencc--a summer
morning-Armenian island--risit to
a cloister---a celebrated monk--the po-
cts study-illuminated copies of the
Bible-tte strangers book---a clean
printing .oGce--the hospital for The in
sane--innocent and happy looking
maniacs-the cells for ungorerna5le
funatics--6arbarity of the keeper
miserable prorisions--aaother glance
at the prisons under the dueal pal.
ace--the office Of erecutioner--tte ar
senal--tte state gallery--the armour
of Henry the fourth--a curious key
machines for fortune, etc.
In first visit to great European
city it is difficult not to let many things
escape notice. Among several church.
es, which | did not see when | was
here before, is that of the Jesuits. 1t
is temple worthy of the celebrity of
this splendid order. The proportions
are finer than those of most of the Ve-
nitian churches, and the interior is one
tissue of curious marbles and gold. As
we entered, we were first struck with
the grace and magnifcence of a large
heavy curtain, hanging over the pull
pit. the folds of which, and the figures
wrought upon it, struck us as unusual
ly elegant and ingenious.-Our aston.
ishment was not lessened when we
found it was one solid mass of verd an
tique marble. Its sweep over the side
and front of the pulpit is as careless as
if it we're done by the wind. The
whole ceiling of the church is covered
with sequin gold: the finest that is coin
ed. In one of the side chapels is the
famous "Martyrdom of st. Lawrence"
by Titan. A fine copy Of it (said in
the catalogue to be the Originally was
exhibited in the Boston Athenaum a
year or two since.
1t is Sunday, and the morning has
been of heavenly, summer, sunny
calmness, such as is seen often in italy,
and once in year, perhaps, in New
England. 1t is kind of atmosphere
that to breathe is to be grateful and
happy. We have been to the Arme-
MAN island-a little gem on the bosom
of the Lagune, mile from Venice,
where stands the monastery, to which
place Lord Byron went daily to study
and translate with the fathers. There
is just room upon it for church, a
convent, and a little garden. 1t looks
afioat on the water. Our gondola gil
ded up to the clean stone stairs, and we
were received by one of the order,
hale but venerable looking monk, in
the Armenian dress, the long black
cassock and small round cap, his beard
long and scattered with gray, and his
complexion and eyes of cheerful
child-like clearness, such as regular
and simple habits alone can give. |
inquired, as we walked through the
cloister, for the father with whom Lord
Byron studied, and of whom the poet
speaks SO often and so highly n his
letters. The monk smiled and bowed
modestly, and related a little incident
that had happened to him at Padua,
where he had met two American trav-
ellers, who had asked him Of himself
in the same manner. He had forgot
ten their names, but from his descrip-
ton presumed one to have been Pro-
lessor Longfellow, of Bowdoin univer-
sity.
The stiffness and cleanliness about
the convent, as we passed through the
cloisters and halls, rendered the i'm
preston upon stranger delightful
We passed the small garden, in
which grew a stately oleander in full
blossom, and thousands of smaller flow
ers, in neat beds and vases, and after
walking through the church, plain
and pretty one, we came to the libra
ry, where,the monk had studied with
the poet. 1t is proper place for stu.
dy-disturbed by nothing but the dash
of oars from a passing gondola, or the
scream of a sea-bird, and well furnish.
ed with books in every language, and
very luxurious chairs. The monk
showed US an encyclopaedia, presented
to himself by an English lady of rank,
who had visited the convent often. His
handsome eyes flashed as he pointed tc
it on the shelves. We went next into
a smaller room, where the most preci
Gus manuscripts are deposited, and he
showed US curious illuminated copies
Of the Bible, and gave US the stranger
| hnnly 40 snorriha aur ,,,raaa puro,