New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-07-15
THE TRIIsU N E.

Church of Santa Croce, in which their ashes are
preserved, the Mecca of Italy, TO which pilgrims
from all nations resort 70 unite IN the v"rship OF
Genius. It's the Westminster Abbey Of Florence;
nagpfcent monuments 20 Tie iilustrious dead Inc
lis walls. alternating with affairs and paintings
and It's pavement is covered with sepuchral slabs
with inscriptions, shields Of AIMS and swelling
cffgies OF the departed whose memory they strive
TO pcrpctratc For five hundred years this Chu'cii
has been the burial place of the Fiorcntine Patric-
i,Ds. and one stone announces that It's INSCRIPTION
was reaelced IA 1850, having been worn out by
age two centuries ago. On another, the owner
of the vault pompously announces that ne has
prepared it for himself, and all his descendants
fox ever Already his race IS extinct-sueh are
here the " sermons in stones"
The sumptuous monument Of Michael -dngeto
is the first on your right you enter the vast and
almost deserted Church. The female figures OF
Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, support a
marble sarcophagns, above which is the bus; OF
tho wonder oil his age. The universally OF his
genius was as remarkable as its greatness lie
was at once the Architect Of Saint Fcter's; the
whose statues all but live; the Engineer, who
defended his native city from her besicgcrs; the
Poet. whose sonncts Wordsworth has been proud
10 Translates and the Wit, whose happy sayings
have immortaizcd whatever they touched. and
seem to echo from even this tomb, which he is
said to have chosen in this spot, that from it he
might look through the great door at the Cathe-
drai's beautiful dvme for which he created "a
sister at Rome.
Opposite to him is the tomb of "tho starry
Calico with bis woes" His Country has given
tie tardy Justice OF monument to the great
Philosopher whom it once punished for his dis
coveros He stands between Astronomy and
Mathematics, with his hand upon the Globe,
whose motion he had announced TO the aston
isSed world.
MachiarelE-thc profound Statesman, against
whom Pcsterity, ms!ed by his enemies, seems to
have conspncd 20 condemn as the pandcr o.
tyIants in spite OF his hold exhortations TO the
people of Ituty to free their country from the rule
Of the barbarians-inslead Of lab"rcd epltaPh
has the simple inscription, 4" For 50 great name
there is no fit eulogium!"
Next to him female figure weeps over the
tomb Of Alf,ri, the enthusiastic Poet Of Liberty.
VIC gave the latest proof that Italy's decay is
still mpregnate with divinity and who is the
fourth of the elements OF creation" here
assembled
"Dante sleeps afar," but marble cenotaph,
on which nc sits sternly thoughtful above SAT-
cophagus with Virgil and Beatrice at his feet,
preserves his memory to Florence, though his
body is at Ravcnna. The fcklc Republic, in
1902, sentenced him to 5000 livrcs fine and two
years prescription. His property was confs-
Gated his house razed 20 the ground, the plough
passed over and salt soH'n upon it, while he Inn
self was burned in eiiiry in The Piazza del Gran
Duca, where Savonarola was burned in reality
two centuries later His great Poem became
then the work of his vcngeancc-hc sharpencd
his pen with his sword In 1896 Florence de-
MED HIM any public monuments in 1919 she
begged in vain TO receive his remains from RAJ
VIENNA, and Michael Angelo offered TO soul pturt
his tomb. What could have been grander than
monument to the Poet OF the invisible world by
the painter of the Last Judgment But the
commemoration was unhappily deferred to cur
own days, when It was effected by Ricei, al the
expense Of an Association.
Venerable All IS the Church of Santa Croce, and
great as are so many OF its silent inhabitants, it
could not content the Me9ici, the proud merchant
princes of Florence. Behind the Church Of San
Lorenzo they have erected for themselves the most
Gorgeous Mausoleum in existence. An inscription
IN its ycstibulc haughtly forbdS servants 20 enter
for the Princes would wish to be even more mac
cessble to the ow-born in dcath than in life. The
Chapel is eighty feet in diameter and a hundred
hiyh, and is walls arc incrus.ed with perfect
treasury of precious stones Around it are ranged
the granite and porPhry surcopiagi Of the Princes,
surmouatcd BY their statues. Pllasters of rose
colored marble, lowered with white branching
veins, support the cornce, and in the spaces be-
tween them the prmorsl bearings Of the States
subject to the Mcdici are inlaid in the famous
Mosaic of Florence, with alabas,er, chalccdony,
Jasper, agate, topazes, turquoses and molhcr.of.
pearl in the most delicate shades OF splcndor
Blu, the general effect Of this famous Mcdcean
Chapel is not commensurate with the expense Sc
lavishly bestowed, and IS cqaally injured by Tho
unfinished pavement of rude bricks and by th'
brightly, painted cupola.
Far more interesting is the adjoining Sacristy
enriched with the works of Michael Angelo
Lorenzo and Jclian are here inferred, and SIT en-
throned above their cenotaShs, upon which re
cline the statues of Morn, half awakened o
vigorous Dcy, fully aroused, Of Eeening, about
to drop asleep, and of Night, sunk in swee
slumbel. A group of the Virgin and Child occu
pies third side of the Chapel opposite to TIC
Altar. 1t is among the most delicaiely beautiful
Of the Sculptor works, and when you approach
it to examine more nearly the tender feeling 81
happily expressed in Their countcpances, you arc
astonished to find that they are only half finished
and rudely blocked cut from the marble; mere
sketches IN stone, with the expression only hin,cc