Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-02-26
Correspondence Of the Free Press.
LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
NO XII


!
Florence has been for many centuries on,
of tho most celebrated cities in Europe, anc
one Of the most distinguished in learning
and art, as everybody knows There com.
menccd the revival of learning, and the es
tablshmcnt Of Academies and literary soci
eties, now go universal and 80 useful through.
out the civilized world She is rich in libra
lies but 7 did not visit amy Of them Thi,
little city has given six Popes to the Roman
Church. and to letters and art and science
their most eminent names-Dantc, Machia.
velli, Calico Michael Angelo, and America.
Nespucius, (whose name our continent ant
our country will bear forever, Columbia and
Alleghania to the contrary, notwithstanding
the Medici family, So long 90 eminent--ey.
cry man OF these in the practical manifcstn
ton Of his genius and forecast said, as Cali
leo muttored in words, while he signed his
recantation Of the earths revolution, land
yet it moves" although out of respect to q
tyrannical and bigoted conservatism, they
truths of progress. Cnnumbcred others o.
less note might be named. \ genuine and
well considered progress has here been con
sidered, as it shonld be everywhere the true
conservatism, and hence it is that while she
yields to none in the glory Of her art. she
e1cels every other city in Italy. if not in
Europe, in her great tablishcd in tho
most enduring history all along through the
ages of the last seven hundred years. She
was oncof the first Italian cities to adopt the
republican form Of government. which. un-
der the influence Of the same causes that
built up the family of Italian republics,
passed from an oristocratic to democratic
republicanism-which, under the influences
OF extensive and prosperous commerce,
brought luxury, corruption, and crime, and
these the royal government, which now OK
lists under the dominion and title Of n Grand
Duke Of Tuscany. More modern Republics
may learn from her destiny It is now a
walled city with seven gates, but neither it's
gates nor its walls built originally for war
like defence, would furnish an hours protcc-
ton against well directed attacks OF modern
warfare, They, nevertheless, add to the in
| terest of the city. The towers, which were
formerly numerous, have mostly passed away
and it has the appearance of n city dcyot-
cd to the arts and enjoyment of peace. Some
Of its public places are very fne--and some
few of its streets spacious and light and
cheerful as well as beautiful, in their archi-
lecture
The external appearance Of many Of its
most remarkable churches is unattractivo
from not being finished. They usually give
their names to the public places upon which
they are erected, and if their extoriors were
finished in the same style of perfection as the
interiors, they would add greatly to the
beauty of the city, which, even in its present
condition, well merits the title of"La bella ."
The Cathedral, and Saint Mark, and Santa
Croco and Santa Maria Novella and Santa
Trinita, with their interior architecture and
ornament-thoir paintings and sculptures
and monuments and graves Of the immortal
dead, as well as their public places, soma
more and some less spacious, deserve all the
praise that has been bestowed upon them
They cannot be described so as to present any
adequate idea Of them without long details
illustrated by the pencil or the grave.
The Cathedral acknowledges no superior
except St Peters. | think its exterior, like
that Of San Lorenzo in Genoa, i, less
striking in architectural effect, from
being built Of alternate blocks Of black and
white marble. 1t is, however, exceedingly
striking and noble, and is seen to most ad
vantage from some little distant elevation,
where the eye can tako in more Of its proper
tions, and appreciate the unique effect Of
smaller domcs clustering around the base Of
that majestic central dome, which, as mere
dome is both larger and higher than that Of
St Peters The interior is too dark for the
best effect of its architecture and ornament.
1t has monumental memorials but Santa
Croce is the Westminster Abbey Of Florence
for the famous dead-the tombs Of Michael
Angelo, Dante, Calico, Alferi, Machayelli,
Lanzi, L. Aretino &c, &c, &c, are in Santa
Croce. On the same " Place" and near the
Cathedral, is the Campanile or bcll-towor--
an elaborate, slender and square tower stand
ing erect, but inferior in effect to that Of
of Pisa, Notwithstanding its leaning The
d, g ,ba al ro1 e oil l,,r
steps from it, and is an exceedingly fine and
elaborate building. Two of its bronze doors,
by Ghberti, representing on one the princi
pal events in the life of the Savior and on the
other the most striking events Of the Old
Testament, are the most wonderful specimens
Of that kind of sculpture in existence They
were said by Michael Angelo to be
ft for the gates of Paradise. They
cost more than 3 GEO forms The other door
was made by Psano 100 years before, and its
completion was honorad by festivities through
out Tuscany. Tho walls Of the Baptstry are
more than 100 years old, and are suppos-
ed to have been heather temple. They are
now faced with black and white marble like
the cathedral, which was done about COO
years ago All the Florentine babies are bap-
tised a, the font Of this baptistry and tLoy
amount 70 about twelve day-of course You
need not wait long to see the ceremony, if
you desire to do So | saw one perhars the
little thing was very easy to baptize, for the
performance was hurried, rerfunctory and
unsolcmn enough for one deemed TO be so
important. They have not, suppose, much
time to waste on everyday babics-for,
doubtless they have more ceremony and de-
lay with nobler and richer blood. Dante