Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1853-02-10
LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
NUMBER V.

and is seen to the greatest advantage from the
entrance to the harbor.--There is really but
one thorolehfare through the city, and but two or
three others claiming to be called streets. The
others are simply passages, where men and wo-
men, mules and handcaris all crowd together
Wood, coal, stone and BRICK are packed about on
mules. The houses are generally very well
built, but being six or seven stories high, with
only narrow alley between them, makes them
very dark. The city is now erecting, on a small
square near the supposed birth place Of Christie
pher Columbus, beautiful marble monument
TO his memory. It is TO be surmounted with a
statue in marble. saw at the Municipal Hall
an autograph letter in Latin written by Colnm-
bus in 1902, and to which he had subscribed his
name in the manner fashionable at the present
day. requiring one to be learned in the arts to
interpret it Manufacturing in the small way is
carried on very extensively here, the lower
story of nearly every house being occupied by a
shop of some kind. The people generally
seemed TO be well of, and the females in pariic-
ular had an air of neatness unusual in a city Of
that size. They wear no bonnets, but long
whit, gauze wells over their heads, giving them
an extremely neat and tidy appearance. From
Genoa voyage Of nine hours by steamer bro't
me TO Leghorn, where, as entered the harbor,
] saw several American ships, which really
seemed like meeting old acquaintance. Al
though this is free port of Tuscany still the
passengers were not allowed TO land until a
health officer had been on board, examined the
list and counted the passengers and found all
well. From the dirty and slovenly appearance
of the Official, | am satisfied the passengers ran
by far the greatest risk from the contact
Leghom is located on plain, with broad and
well paved streets, containing population OF
seyenty.five thousand. The houses are mostly
built Of Il yeowish sand stone, giving them a
bright and cheerful appearance There are but
sew public buildings Of any note in the city -
The most extensive ono | saw was erected as
an lum for the poor, but government wanting
barracks for its troops had turned the poor out
TO beg ana filed il with soldiers. Since the at
tempted revolution in 1913, Austria has filed
Tuscany with her troops, having about forty
thousand quortercd in different places, and the
people are prohibited from keeping arms OF any
kind. Pisa, eight miles in the interior from
Leghorr, is very old and dirty looking town.
but celebrated for its Cathedral and Leaning
Tower. The Cathedral is a very fine old build
ing Of the eleventh century. The interior is
entirely of,marbesand contains many relics of
antiquity: its paintings, statuary and pillars of
porphyry are very rich. The Leaning Tower is
the great wonder of Pisa /, is of a circular
form, about thrty-iye feet in diameter and two
hundred in height, and was built for a bell tower
for the Cathedral. The Tower and everything
around it, denotes that II has acquired its pres
ent declination Of thirteen feet, from the sinking
of the ground, and the only wonder is that it has
stood so long after having once commenced to
fall.
Fifty miles in the interior from Pisa, is Flor
ence, the capital of Tuscany, containing popu-
lation of over one hundred thousand. 1t is To-
Gated on a plain on both sides Of the river Ano
having in the distance slopipg hills and high
mountains, covered with the vine and olive. A
grove Of two or three miles in extent on the
banks Of the river below the city. furnishes the
most delightful drive imaginable, and the hun
dreds Of carriages seen there every pleasant at
tcrnoon proves that the people duly appreciate
it. The buildings are generally well built cf
kutt al, ....l. l.
walks; the people and carriages all passing a
long together. Among the public buildings
worthy of note is the Cathedral, commenced in
the thirteenth century, built of black and white
marble, in the form of Latin cross. 1t is $50
fee, in length by 800 in breadth, having a sepa-
rate bell tower forty feet square and three hun
dred high, ornamented with many statues and
much fine carving, and as whole, much more
beautiful than the Leaning Tower. The Pitt
Palace, the residence of the Grand Duke. has
an imposing appearance: still there is nothing
very beautiful in the architecture but the grounds
in the rear are laid out with much taste, and
from high point in the garden is obtained one
of the best views Of the city. The show rooms
of the Palace contain little worthy of note. ex.
cept the gallery of paintings, but that is consid-
cred one Of the choicest in Europe. There are
a great number of galleries in Florence, but to
me, there seems but little variety. They are
nearly all copies from each other. Hundreds Of
artists 60 10 Florence every year, to copy from
the old mastersi they originate nothing new
they follow in the beaten track, painting Madon-
mas and the Virgin and Child-for did not see
IN all Florence dozen paintings ON any other
than sacred subjects. For myself confess I
was tired of going from gallery TO gallery and
finding nothing new. An American artist frank
~ ssld-we are mere coPyists here There are
better portrait and landscape painters in Amer.
ca than in Florence. The same remarks are an.
plicable to statuary. There are certain old mas.
tiers whose works were considered perfect IN
their day, and modern artists must copy them.-
They dare not trust their own skill 10 model nc
cording TO the fashions of the age they want Il
represent Thus ii was with Greenoueh. wher
he placed the head of Washington on bod,
wrapped IN blanket, with sandals on the fee
and scimetar 10 the hand. To this remark
wan, TO make an honorable exception, in refer
ence To Mr.. Powers. the sculptor. lie is az A.
meTican in heart and soul, and relies upon Ia,
own talents and ability to delneate character il
conformity TO the era lac would represent h,
is at present engaged on three works expressl,