Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1858-11-16
Venice Her .PecuIiarities ard Faded
sP1endoF--A Pageant in Honor ofthe
Halriarch, 6 G.,
HE1pIEpuRe, June Is, Isss.

ian dream has ended q day of sober reai;ties
| is now before me-. OuF collentlon OF pictures
| ia by no means complete Venice, the most
beautiful OF all, ia wanting. This bright morn
ing viii leave my study aud, accompany
ing you, will visit the Bride of the Sea. We
wiilsf1 her, as in the ellen times, dressed
in her gayest garments but, Ike q beauty
! who has outiiyed her charms, with . sad,
care-worn smile upon her face Many year
las passed away sinGasher annual marriage
festival. mean lille, her spouse has become q
incons stsnt. has Sought other faYoEtcs and
heaHed his giils sSon thenl,
Venice is in every respect sThique, and pro.
-duaes 4 peculiar impression. The unending
/ noise al atriagos Is never heard no beast OF
| burden, except man, is seen. From morning
till night you sit in gondo!a. and pass suc-
GEES on OF beautiful airy~like buildings, most-
| " cLurcies and palaces, which you afterwards
| recall 10 mind AS dreams as creations OF im>
| aqioatiOu. The spirit of romance tlweiis here,
and gives reality tc the most boyisa dreams
of fairy land. In the first place, you tind the
gondoiss exactly as you cxpected-long, black.
and as graceful as swan. When rowed l,y
| skfuI 9ondoats they seem 10 rest upon air
rather than water. so free, so nnconstralned
are the movements. Then the palaces, built
not after the modern rules with sharp angles
| and ptecise mathematical lines, but as one
would think according TO the most eXtrava"
giant poets Csucy, more than satisfy precon-
ceived idea OF Venetian architecture. DiveTe
sity II given to the scene by iHnumerahie
churches, With towers, domcs, and minasets
like those of a mosqre. Wa'eris every where
You cannot move without seeing 1t and; aalt
is almost impossible to find your way through
the few narrow streets or alleys, you are
,l,,i. ~ nd
the most luxurious AS we'll as romantic con-
veyance. Venice rests in her largoons like
bripht level in an emerald ground.
We direc1 orr gon!oo towards the port,
and the Lion of ST. Mark, upon his lofty col-
umu. welcomes us, as be did OF old the VIC
to,icus sailors returning with eastern spoils.-
On the right and left are beautiful buildings
among which tho Dodge's Palace, with its
long rows of graceful arches. its treasures of
art, its renowned prisons, and Bridge OF Signs,
of which the po Is sing is most conspicuous.
Here might we remain long, entirely satisfied,
not even hoping to find structure, built by
human hands, of su5mer or more pleasing
aspect. But we are attsac'ed, drawn on by
new wonders, until tue entire city possesses
to our eyes and imagination and charm,
which we thought could exist only in fairy
Iaad. St Marks Palace before us. Three
sides are occupied by long, pa'ace-liGe build
inns. Beneath the arches may be seen rePre>
sentations OF nearly every nation. The Greek
and Turk, With their Oriental costumes, are
smoking their long pipes; Europeans, tore'gn-
er, and Venitian, are lounging before the cafes
the Frenchman with his wine, the German
with his beer, aud the Englishman with bis
sout-laughing. chatting, and enjoying the
music. Smalls bands of musicians are Plhys
ing and singing to admiring crowds, and now
and then fair songstress gathers rich har>
vest Of cestessimi and kreuzers-uot for her
singing, which is by no means Objectionable,
but for her pretty face, the stranger opens h's
purse. Children are playing on the broad
pavepent: ladies gaily dressed and fasana-
ting, enliveh the crowd by smiles and pleas
ant words. We may remain here until mid
night, dreaming happy dreams and gratifying
every sense. St. Marks Place IS the heart
of Venice, the centre OF lie. AT every pnisa,
ton living streams are sent TO every part ot
the great body It's chief attraction is st.
Marks church, which on account OF its treas
nras its curiosities, and its peculiar style of
architecture, is the most interesting building
in Venice. 1t is ornamcutcd with sPoils from
the Fast rich mOsacs cover its walls, and
various coIored marble from the pavement
Externally it resembles mosque more than
Christian churcb-a PoeLical creation more
than pace of worship for this PLAN, nnr"~
mani iic age. Gilded domcs and small m:Dn>
refs are crowded together, covering the entire
church short columS Of every color and Vas
rIety of marble sdorn TIE facade. Tie colors
of the rainbow seem to have been suddenly
scattered, and each to have found nn acciden.
tai place here. A capricious o'ild would
choose such a model Cor cy-house. poet
must find it in accordance with his fancy, an
architect must admire IL against bis VIII aud
call beautiful that of which his mathematical
cannot approve:
St. Marks has ou;Iived its age; it carries
ones thoughts back to the times when larry
tales were not deemed unworthy of belief
1t seems 70 be an attempt to reconcile the po>
l;,ical idea couhe cted with the Mohomnedan
relioion with the stern Christian faith. One
morning Venice arose from the arms OF her
bridegroom 10 enjoy q holiday. She drew on
her fpest robe. Of pure ether, variegated by
tho colors of the rainbow. and fairly sparkled
with gems In the morning light 1t was an
nonnced that a p. triarch of the Church /
would arrive from Milan at noon, aud grand
preparations were made to receive hln 1be
bells rang nerrily, and the gay Nenltian
world appeared on the Grand Canal. Gays
eolored haDginss of every hue we're waving
from the palace windows, balconies crowded
with fair spectators, and gondolas huTrying
10 and fro with lhier precious freight. Every
landing place from St. Marks to Ponto Rl>
alto and the railway station was crowded.-
Al 10 o'clock the Patriarch arrived, aud, ac.
companied by several dignataries, was con-
Quoted with much ceremony to his gondoia
which was richly oruamented with figures and
haugincs. The boaimen were unable to move
! for some time on account of the crowd that
pressed forward to see so important person
age. The gondolas were wedged together,
forming bridge of boats across the Grand
| Canal. After III had satisfied their curiosity,
the entire mass moved slowly and solemnly
on. This patriarch stood with tineoteted r head
upon tie PROV of his goudola, and shouts OF
/ .ssss.,se fesounded from palace to palace.
| A Agtss,er rejoicing. louder ringing OF bells
wonld not have aceonpanied trinmphal