New-York daily tribune., 1844-03-16
WHOLE NO. 9l3.

YOU approach, till it at last expands into the gate
way OF the city, the gay capital of Maria Louisa.
Our passports here received their twentieth rise,
or endorsement, and then we drove to the mn,
where the landlord showed US very bad rooms at
the top of the house. and declared upon his honor
that he had no others knowing the ways of the
people by dearly y-bought experience, we ordered
the vettuyino to put to his horses and drive 10 the
other inn. though an inferior one. The landlord
Immediately begged us to wait a moment, and
soon found very good rooms on the first floor.
This was another proof of what may be LAID
down as an AXIOM that traveller must never be-
lieve word that an Italian says. II they are
half so truthless to one another. 1t must utterly
DESTROY all confidence and trust between man
and man.
The great paintings OF Correggio, which are
the treasures OF Parma, being allotted for the en-
ployment OF the next day, the evening was pass
ed in rambling about the city at random, way
Of sightseeing which gives you more accurate
and Impressive idea of place, than more sys
tcmatic course We soon happened upon the
Grand Place, or Piac.a, a word which Americans
so strangely misapply to portico, or coionnade.
The Piazza was surrounded with the various
public buildings and in its middle a crowd was
gathered around single candle. Approaching
this beacon, we found beside it charatan very
earnestly recommending his wares TO the audi
cncc, and particularly his 6lac6ing. tie har-
angued with great fuency and emphasis, and
with precision and elegance of accent which no
one can appreciate so well as a foreigner, who
ONLY imperiecty understands the language. AZ
Ter finishing his speech, which was perfect
model of its kind, he descended from his platform,
armed himself with a backing brush, and after
looking sharply at the feet instead of the faces,
of his listeners, he seized on ragged fellow,
whose shoes were almost white with age. Ia
kno one in his hand, foot and alD he astonlshed
it with his backing, and soon produced really
brilliant polish upon it, ludcrously contrasting
with the shabbncss of the adjoining apparel
"I,ook there - said he, with the pride of
hero; and when the buzz Of admiration had sub
sided he added, 1T will not dirty the whitest
Hnen," and to prove his words he asked his sub
ect for his handkerchief He did not happen to
have any. and as substitute his operator seized
on the victims shirt sleeve, and rubbing 1t over
the polished shoe, showed it to the crowd, GER
tainlv no dirtier than it was before though that
is not SAYING much for it. The people were,
however. convinced by the irresistible eloquence
Of the charlatan with its practical illustrations,
and pressed forward in crowds to buy this magic
backing.
The next dav was devoted to CoRREGGIo, who
NAV almost be called the tutelar saint OF Parma
The productions of his genius are prolusely seat
tered over the city, and are the chief attractions
of the many strangers who visit the place with
this inducemcnt alone. Those narrow-mnded
economists, who depreciatc art, and demand
| What's the worth Of any thing, -
But Just much as 1t VIII bring Z!
m;rbt here learn that a country profits even IN
dollars and cents, by liberal and discriminating
natronage of the fine arts The most important
of these paintings cover the cupola of the cathe-
dral. Their subject is the Assumptlon, which
manv Protestant readers may need to be INFORM
ed. means the Taking up to Heaven OF the
Mother of Christ. The lapse OF three hundred
years has so damaged the frescoes, that from! the
pavement of the church their beauty cannot be
appreciated, and it il necessary to ascend by a
winding staircase within the walls, to platform
at the base of the cupola. There you may won
der and admire for hours, without becoming sa-
tiated with the magic beauties OF the paintings,
which give the strongest proof of their SURPRISING
merit. bv developing new charms the longer they
are studied The Virgin is borne up by angels
IN triumph and her swaying body, with It's
drooping head, hanging with all the !Istessness
Of death, but all the beauty OF life, Is the Periec-
tion of prace Around her are various saints,
and among them very lovely Magdaen at her
feet. Near the top of the cupola is seen the Won
derfuly forcshortened figure of Christ descending
TO meet the Madonna, while around the bottom
of the dome, the Apostles, standing sngy and IN
groups, are looking upward in rapt reverence to
the dazzling beatihcatlon. Among the whole are
n,erspersed those angelic cherubs IN which the
genius of Coreggio so delighted, and which COM
b;re the innocence of childhood with the beauty
Of woman and the thoughtfulness of man. They
hover around, filing every vacancy with their
loyeiness, and imparting tone and feeling of
devotional rapture to the whole composition.
The Cathedral is one of group OF three
buildings, which form the usual eccleslas'ic THO
Of this country. Beside it, but entirely detached
is the Companile, or Belfry, an ancient BRICK
tower, two hundred and fifty feet hlgn 1t an
svers the purpose of our customary steepIes, but
being separate building, constructed iof use aho
not for ornament, its absence from the church
leaves the architect free to apply all hls resources
To the main structure without beng hnally com