New-York daily tribune., 1844-04-16


IS otherwise very commonplace, and has no
poetry Of conception except the harmony of the
wild landscape, seen in the distance through the
wood, with the horrors of the subject.
The church Of the JeSuits is even more gor-
gcous than is usual among the churches OF that
order, though they are always remarkably mag
ni6ccnt. The cause of this | learned from
Jesuit, with whom l subsequently became &C
quanted, and who informed me that, of all the
revenues of the order, the legacics, donations
and other properties which render them The most
richly endowed in Chrstcndom, they are not
allowed to spend more than ten dollars month
on themselves, for all their expenses Of food,
clothing, Sc. All the rest goes to their church,
and as the shrewI priests arc we'll aware of the
effect of splendid shows on the vulgar mnd
their churches arc always gorgeously decorated,
at the same time that their finished education
prevents their transgrcssing the bounds Of good
taste. The walls and columns of their church
in Venice are of white marble inlaid with flowers
and vines of precious cerde antique. Even the
front Of the pulpit and its mock -hangings, fringe
tasses, &c. are of the same materials, and all
glitter like glass. The roof is covered with bril-
liant paintings. divided into compartments with
carved frames OF gold, and the pavement is of
variously colored marbles. The effect is very
striking on entering the church, and is increased
by an examination Of the details. Over one of
the side altars hangs Titian's Martyrdom of
Saint Lorenzo" horribly beautiful The pic.
ture is very dark and the chief ligh; from
the fire On which the saint is stretched. One
eyecutioner is heating knife in the fire a second
is thrusting spear in the side of the martyr !;
a third at his head is holding him down, and
turning with fendish gce to a fourth, who Is
bringing fresh srmlul of wood to keep up the
fire. The upper part Of the picture is quite dark,
except from an opening in the sky, throug Ii which
divine light streams down upon the murdcrers
Santa Maria della Salute is very conspicuous
in birds eye view of the city from the hight of
its principal cupou. 1t is said TO have greatly
assisted Sir Christopher Wren in his designs for
the dome of ST. Paul's The church was erected
by the Senate in 1852, as offering of gratitude
for the cessation of the great pestencc in which
10000 of the inhabitants perished The same
custom of votire offerings still exists, and
splendid bronze lamp, which cost $4,000, has
lately been suspended in this same church III
commemoration Of the ravages OF the cholera.
Among the many fine paintings here, one of the
most remarkable is Tintoretto's marriage feast
at Cana, in which you seem to sec far into the
painting and along the length of the table, at
which the guests are drinking the miraculous
wine. The picture was originally at the end of
the monks refectory, and continued their table
into the depths of its perspective.
All the churches of Venice have some inter-
esting peculiaritics, but we will now leave them,
and take goadolG to visit some Of the Palaces.
Every one is familiar with the appearance of the
gondoa, with its high steel beak, and its covered
cabin, hung with funcreal black, so that it looks
like spectre bark, as it gldcs silently along.
The gondolier stands erect with his face to the
Prov, and impcs the boat with his single long
oar, without ever taking it out of the water, and
therefore without any splash or noise. To effect
this is quite an art for when he pushes his SIM
gle oar, the boat is driven forward, but at the
same time has a tendency to turn round; TO cor
rect this, in bringing back the oar, still in the
water, the blade is pushed outwards, which throws
in the stern of the boat, and thus keeps it in a
direct line. This is the theory of lesson which
/ took from gondoler, and it seems simple
enough, but the practice is quite another matter.
Around the little cabins are cushions on which
you recline, and are carried along almost insen-
sibly, and noiselessly, except from the harsh
warning cry of the boatman, when he is about 10
turn corner of the canal.
The principal PALACES of Venice are upon the
Canal Grandc, and many can be approached only
bv water, though some have also land-door' u
Nearly all are built in that bizarre but picturesque
style, which seems a union of the Gothic and
Saracenic their portals and windows are en-
riched with fanciful circular tracery, and theI
fronts are often nlaid with precious marbles,
"as if the wealth within them had run over. -
Among the finest cxterors are those OF the Palazzl
Contarini, Grimani, Vcndramin Caergo, Pesaro,
and the Ca 'd'Oro, or House of Gold.
The Palasso Maafrini is a modern building,
but is famous for its pictures, tho best private
collection in Venice. Ten rooms are filled with
them and twice week they are open 10 stran-
gers. The catalogue in each room is book
with four pages, which arc miniature copies OF
tho walls OF rouIn, with tho outlines OF
the picture frames drawn on them in proportioal
size, and the names Of their subjects and painters
written within This contIivance at the same
time frees the pictures from the disigurcmens Of
numbers and the visitors from the bore of a
Cicerone. Among the many fine paintings are
Magdalen and st. Cecilia by Carlo Dolce; a
portrait OF Ariosto by Titan, full Of life, soul
and poetry; Guido's Lucrelia Giorgone's triple
halflength portraits, with unsurpassed deep warm
shadows; portrait by Rembrandt; Portia swal-
lowing the burning Goals, by GMido C0ghGcci