The New York herald., 1851-10-30
Venice.
VENICE, October l, 1851.

unique and gorgeous spectacle ever witnessed.
His arrival was somewhat sudden and unex-
pected. The 18th and 30th, according to pro-
gramme, were to have been devoted to field
man@uvres, at Somma, and his return was to have
commenced to- day. But the almost incessan. rain
of the past week. while it has sadly nterfered with
the bivouacs and cavalry reviews appointed for the
18th and 2oth, 9th, and 2Sth, has so utterly de-
luged the earth, that artillery, and even cavalry
mar@uvres, were quite out of the question on the
destined days
Now, on the 4th instant, his Sacred Majesty
must be at Ischel, in the Tyrol, to help to CO.
lebrate the festa of his saint and name sake,
as well as his fathers, st. Francesca d'Assis,
There was no altern alive, therefore, but to aban-
don the field man@uvres; and so, yesterday morn
ing, posters at the street corners announced his
anticipated arrival, by special train, at about
eleven o'clock, p. M.
The whole day was delightful and preparations
we're in busy progress for the reception. AS night
set in, however, the clouds gathered, and the sky
was soon as dark as Erebus, and some warning
drops began to fall At ten, the sprinkling ceased;
musi, began to move up the Grand Canal to the
Strada Fenata; and host of grenaders began TO
follow. Lights, too, began to appear at the win
dows of the palaces, and hangings to be suspended
from the bale onies. Next the lamps Of the Rialto
were lighted; and truly more gorgeous, splendid
fairy-hke spectacle never witnessed than tina
exhibited by that ancient structure, all in blaze
with its myriad lights. bridge of FIRE seemed
hung across the water, and every buttress angle
'coin of vantage" inequality Of architecture
arch, key stone, pinnacle, balustrade, pillar, en-
tabature, cornice, and capital were clearly out
lined, and distinctly defined agains. the back
d.f tba tnEx Uk,v in Enna nantG
green, yellow, pink more like creation of oriental
fancy than any possible reality.
Passing this, soon appeared the railroad station
in blaze of light, and the whole canal was bridged
by gondolas The neighborng edfces were deco
rated with flags, and in the gondolas foated the
consular ensigns of all the European po wers-those
Of England and America waving side by side in
the fresh breeze, SIN ominous contiguty," as was
remarked by Gorskogski, the Military Governor,
to Ioggenbury, the Civil Governor, as they passed
in their gondola.
faint shout, rush, a display of fireworks; the
! bands began the national anthem; the Emperor
was in his gondola, and the whole mass began
slowly moving down the grand canal, distance Of
and dripping of oars keeping time to the N usc.
The Emperor was alone in an ordinary gondoa,
l:, closely wrapped in 2 gray military overooat,
He looked fatigued, dissatisfied, and disappointed.
And surely from beginning to end of this recep.
ton, although as splendid as his servants and the
IT,,
there was yerylttle to inspire him by the demon,
strations Of the people. Exactly as at Milan,
Verona, and everywhere else, only few venal
shouts, and faint and spasmodi, clapping of
hands, from time to time, welcomed him. But
the scene now presented as the procession ap-
proacked the magnificent Rialto, hanging from
shore to shore, like that bridge Of fre-Al Swat
that spans the flaming gulf between Mahomet's
heaven and hell was strange and sple add beyond
detcription. Thousands Of gondolas, with their
flashing steel beaks, the waving consular ensgns,
the glttering costumes of the military and naval
officers, and all the beauty and rank of Venice,
moved slowly along upon the gliding waves, to the
music of the floating bands. On either side, hang
ings Of damask, velvet, and tapestry, Of every hue
huns from the windows and baco MES; while they
as well as terraces and quays, to the waters edge,
literally swarmed with curious and eager specta-
tors.
AS the pageant moved along, it was illuminated
by the burning Of Bengal lights, Roman candles,
and all the other brilliant specimens Of modern py
rotechnic art, which. with the illuminated windows
and the blazing fambeaux and torches, rendered
the scene as lis ht as day, while heavy masses Of
shade hung on the skirts Of the spectacle and
hemmed it in. The Rialto presented a singular as
| well as splendid aspect, beheld through the
haze Of the smoke Of torches ard powder Tue
| palaces most splendidy lighted were those of the
| Duchess Of Berri, Count of Chambord. Admiral
NimpPen, Gen Gorskowski, Counties, Moricenigo,
and the British Consul.
The passage from tie Strada Feuata to the
Moo, az the Eiceroy palace, at the Piasetta, oc-
cupied more than an hour and just as the process
IN.
rsin so long threatening, began to fall in serious
earnest. The multitude repaired to the vast ar.
cades Of the Piazza, however, to witness the umi-
nation there. and perhaps to get glimpse of the
weary and disappointed boy, who is, per force, their
ruler.
The narrow front square of St. Mark presented
gorgeous aspect, Illuminated by twenty vast
branches Of gas light up and down the centre, in
addition TO it's hundreds Of ordinary and extraord-
rary burners. The bard played an hour-the En-.
peror appeared for an instant the balcony greet
ed by feeble clapping Of hands, and then the rain
becoming quite a serious affair, slowly the multi
tude dispersed, the lights were extingulshed and
all was still and deserted.
The next morning was sunny and brilliant, and
the sky as clear as II it had never known cloud.
The Corvette, the steam frigate Mariana, the gun
bost, batteries and all the mercbant vessels in the
harbor were gaily decorated with flags and strea n
ers; and more imposing scene can hardly be ina
giDed than that presented by this old famous port
which has witnessed SO many world renowned pa
gesnis.
lhe PIa,e St. Mark was decorated by haugings
from the balconies Of its palaces and the Austrian
ebsgns rolled out their heavy folds of black red,
and gold in the morning breeze, from the three ag
stafs Of Gambia, Cyprus, and Morea, as we'll as
from the Dasts Of the church itself aud its eInpr
nte. At o'clock, an imperial salate Of one hun.
dred and one guns roared from the ships aud bat
teres and at ten review Of the troops took place
at Campo Martis, al the WESTERN extremity OF
the western island of the city On his return he
heard mass at 81. Marks. Just before that return,
enc Of those events 20 common in Catholic coun-
tries, but strange to Protestans eyes, was wit
refsed in procession Of priests with =" BELL book
and candle" from the church around the Piazza
bearing the Madonna OF St Luke, a very poor
painting and very DID, with the hope Of securing
continuance Of fine weather, and the consequent
sslvatio ofthe vintage.
At O'Clock, the discharge Of cannon announced
thai the Emperor was about taking leave OF Neaice;
and, amid a tremendous caunonading from all the
batteries In the harbor, he embarked on the steam
CT, surrounded by host Of eihcials The scene
was very splendid. The bright sur--the CLASSY |
wattrs-thc immense multitudes throngiDg the |
Moio-the fitting gondalss, With their gay in
mstes-the roar Of artiilery-the smoke and smell
CT gunpovder-the innumerable s.reamers of the |
shpriDg- the yards Of the vessels Of war manned
BY soamen, who gave the only cheers which we're |
heard on the occasion-the tional anthem played
by the bandS-all tLese circumstances concuTred 10
presebt spectacle which, when connected with the