The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-07-24
VENICE AND THE BEAUTIES OF THE
CITY

Though so soon al Bologns, | did not leave Ven
ice without seeing all there that could interest
stranger BY moonlight and sunlight, al early morn
ns and at night enjoyed sail upon The canals, and
a there is other conveyance there 10 carry one
rom place TO place, aud horse Ia the city would be
much a eurioslty 10 Venetian as boats would DC
in the streets Of New York, The vislter is borne
about with the least possible fatigue. The Grand
Canal which is the great thoroughiare Of the city,
winds ito way Ia the form OF the letter $. IL IS the
sayest and hyeliest place III Venice scene OF
he most business and the greatest amusement--
Most Of the palaces and public buildings upon It's
banks aud almost all there was or is Of the trade,
may be seen along the shores. The small canals
hundred ways aud you meet them in all directions
They have all the conyeniences OF our streets and
lanes and al every large house there is free ngress
and egress to and from your sondola by walter
There is enough Of land conveyance TO satisfy The
pedestrian but in Venice no one thinks OF walking
much beyond the little island wherein rests his
and h- neghbor's habitaton. The little canals are
four hundred and more IN number, and these are
crossed by as many bridges Sevfniy-two Islands
form the groundwork OF the city, but most OF the
houses rest upon the Two Islands that are separated
by the Grand Canal This last is crossed by the far
famed Ralto bridge which is composed of single
arch, spanning eighty mine feet and adorned upon
each side by rows OF shops. Here was the great
mart OF trade IN the p lmy days Of Venice. Here,
indeed, more than thousand years gone by was
Rip0 alto was for hundreds OF years alone known
the city, and as such inHll official documents, and
| in common parlance, II was distinguished from The
State of Venice. Here the merchants most did con-
gregate, and here the spot where the Shylocks
net TO loan out their moneys and where the Antonios
were 10 borrow il. Here, too the of political
mischief, where the Plerres and Jafiers 10 meet
every night at twelve O'Clock " to talk of precious
mischief against their hated Doge. There is some
life left upon the Rialto, but oh how changed the
scene from the time when, from early morning till
| night came, the piazza was crowded with The mer-
chants Of great metropolis, doing business with all
OF the then known world. From the marble bridge
where once was seen city Of beautiful palaces
stretching out into the sea, you behold now nothing
but the contrast of decaying grandeur,-palaces be.
coming ruins, with the marble tumbling from It's
foundation, and the grass wall flower forcing It's
way through the crevices of what remains of the ed
fce The white marble of istria the materia
of many of the largest buildings, and some Of the
palaces, even they remain retain all the beauty Of
Grecian architecture few only are kept IN re
pair, while the many suffering all the decay Of
long neglect and desertion. &c. too, with some o.
the ancient factories erected, like the docks IN Lon
don, TO receive the ships and products OF ditiercn
and distant nations. Not remains trading
house, and some splendid and costly buildings
are as complete ruins as the walls in the city OF an
cient Rome. They say that trade is reyving here
and, under the Austrian rule, Venice is doubtless
more HOuTlsnlnS city nan IL was, out IL Is ulcuit u
Imagine more decay IN city, or greater contras
IN every thing that gave it life and character
Go where you will, you this change, and though
it be true that Nature doth not die, and that none
"--forget how Venice once was dear
The pleasant place of all festivlty,
The revel of the earth the masque Of Italy, -
And truer yet that the remembrance multiplies tn
immortal "beings of the mindn into a beloved exis
tence, soon, in the continued delay of time will We
nice be what old Rome is-a city Of Ruins-wtf
perhaps the ruins themselves laid waste. The grea
Arsenal Of Venice, of which Dante sang, and which
he peopled with most industrious ship builders ye
covers lis old circuit of nearly two miles, but there
hardly life and occupation enough there TO give sign
of any thing but vacancy and change. It's Museum
only TELLS, IN trophies there preserved, of what We
nice was in her best estate and what skill the worlc
then had in its devices for torturing and numbering
mankind. found here a model of the Bucentoro
tie vessel from which the Dodges in oden time, an'
even until 1897, annually welded the AdrlaIic oil
each Ascension day by dropping ring into the sea
For many centuries, six at least in all the pomp o
state attended by the nobility and people, th,
Adriatic was married by the Dodge and the marTisg
ceremony designed as an annual testimony o
the power of the Republic the waters of lhe
sea. But one can but remember again that sucl
things were,
1.-The spouseless Adriatic mourns her lord;
And annual marriage now no more renewd,
] The Bucentaur lies rottiug unrestored,
Neglected garment on her widowhoodV'
c. Brooks Letters.