The native American., 1838-12-29


world; but which, at present, deprived Of the re-
sources which it had without, and abandoned to
It's own, is drowned few steps from land, and
will be nothing more than nest oil owls III hlty
years, IT 1t be not permitted her to lean upon the
continent and take foothold.
1t must be observed, 10 the praise OF the Aus
rian administration, that there is serious lnten-
ton OF establishing railroad, which starting
from Milan, will extend even to the very centre
OF Venice by means ofa causeway carried through
the marshes. The plans have been matured and
the subscriptions filled up; and it is thought that
the works will soon be commenced. Neverthe-
less, (who would believe t) this event, so impor-
tant III itself, does not seem TO excite much JeX-
pectation. 1t is said that the railroad from Mi
Ian will bring to this place greater number of
travellers; that when in six or eight hours space
can be thus gone over which now occupies four
teen, more strangers will arrive, and this is a
subject OF congratuaton, for strangers are the
life of Venice. 1t is the stranger who supports
all the industrious classes of Venice, TO wit: the
innkeepers, guides, gondoiers and guardians of
the pablic monuments; the more there are OF them,
the better Tor the city; as to the future prosperity
OF Venice, all the world may hope for it, except
the Venitians. They assert, and with reason,
that when the railroad is finished, in order that
commerce should return to Venice, the ports
should be restored; supposing these works 10 be
concluded they admit as a possibility that stran-
gers might come thither to enter into business;
but they do not seem to believe that they will
ever be tempted to such step. A ethargy so
profound is hardly to be credited. But what else
must we expect! This people have been for
ages kept aloof from public concerns by an ars-
tocracy jealous OF lis power; the immense riches
scattered about among the population, tire facility
of life, and the cheapness of every thing, and,
from times long past to indulge the habits OF
they fell, for too brief a PERIOD into the hands OF
an energetic and creative government but whose
projects were paralyzed by malatme war,
and the preoccupations Of an existence completely
military. 10 Napoleon, to France succeeded
Austria, conservative government, fond Of ira
dtion, but little favorable to brilliant efforts, to
every thing which tends to be elevated, to every
thing which passes the ordinary standard. Con-
formally to the spirit of Austrian policy, this old
agonizing city, exhausted, to which life only
could be restored by heroic remedies, has been
subjected to decisive regimen of warm wafer
The young men might have been collected to-
gether, spurred onwards, stimulated to study to
apply themselves to the useful sciences, their
expiring patriotism reaumed by making them
understand that their efforts would concur with
those Of their government to the resurrection Of
their country. Instead of this system which
would have made men, it has been deemed sufi-
clent to apply to this State the common process,
that process of which spoke lately, and which,
at Milan, fixes upon Austria, in spite of its ad
perfection, the aversion and hostility
of all thinking people. Commerce at Venice is
not possible as at Milan.
What, then, is left to the young men of that
city? They may enter into the administration.
and if they have the patience TO pass through the
endless gauntlet of the hierarchy, they may ex-
pect, between fifty and sixty years, to arrive at
some modest post which is scarcely sufficient for
the support of their families. Or perhaps they
may cultivate the sciences. But for what pur-
pose! 1t is trade in which one perishes with
hunger, III country where the government does
not affect the learned. What, then, is to be done?
Well, then, they must be resigned to their lot,
and, for the moment, go to the Lido and dance
on the green turf with the Young girls, with the
certainty tomorrow of doing like so many others.
and asking aims of strangers, or Of receiving from
government if of good family, {. pension of
seventeen sous by day. This is what is done,
and is the reason why population decreases,
palaces fall into ruin, and why the creation of a
railroad, and the digging of port will not suf-
flee to the re-establishmen of Venice, if means be
not discovered at the same time of stimulating the
intelligence and ambition of the rising generation.
q