The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-08-11
Summer Tour in Europe.

"June 10th, visited the amphithea-
.rs, built about A. D. 100, very large
and well preserved, the tombs Of the Seal
Tigers aud the house of Juliet, and left
Verona about 8 A. NJ. by rail for Venice,
a distance of 70 miles through fine we'll
cultivated country, with various matters
of interest by the way. We found good
quarters at the Hotel do Ia Vile at II
NJ. by taking an omnibus, that is a gon-
dola on tho Grand Caual. Venice con-
tains about 10000 inhabitants, and is
quite an active business place, it all being
done by water"
1--WE approached Venice with our sense
Of enjoyment in full exercise, with a mid
day sun above US, indeed, but that only
bri ghtened the lovely views. We were in
the best mood for receiving impressions,
and though our first gondola ride was in
what is called an omnibus, still it was
agreeable for a first experience. We
alighted upon marble steps, and that all
might be sufficiently romantic, our hotel,
as the coat Of arms of some noble family
of passed days still attests, proved to be
palace" 1--WE stayed that night, rose
the next morning at five, visited the
amphitheatre and several other places, took
fha ot and arrival Ok
We forgot all our troubles as we felt the
fresh sea air of Venice, and oh how
much we have enjoyed here At first
every thing seemed SO very strange: only
the more delightful for that these light
fantastic gondolas-how we have longed
TO transport one to our own river or lake!"
The grand canal appears to be an inlet,
penetrating formerly among the seventy
islands upon which Venice was built, con-
Meeting in the centre the channels by
Which it is enclosed, and dividing it into
two unequal portions as its thoroughfars.
Inferior canals permeate everywhere. cor
responding to narrow streets site, it is
said, chosen at first by flying people for
security from the main land, afterwards
built into splendor and peopled with tai
ent and luxury as enterprise was rewarded
with power and wealth. The principle of
its society was pleasure, the more refined
the more perfect; that Of its government
Jealousy, the more exclusive the more pat
riotic, The aristocratic tyranny ruled as
senate for the pleasure as the glery of
the State, science wrought for it, every
talent was INDUCED that could minister to
delight, and every virtue measured by its
usefulness to the sense. Not talent, nor
a virtue was lacking or vice or folly to
partake their fruit AS a tree planted by
still waters, poetry grew from the Vene-
tian mind in every form in which its
leaves, branches or tendrils can shelter or
embellish society, or breathe upon its spir-
it in its bloom. 1t is her past which stran-
gers seek, mingled with the snjoyments
and tempering the sense of the scene, the
fame in which the city is reflected and
made softer and stiller, as they recognize
its images floating over or looking up
ward to them. The parti-colored splendsrs
of St. Marks are spoils of the past, the
glow OF Titian's cooring reveals the sun
light Of his day, the music which falls vo-
luptuously upon the senses wakens sym.
pathy with the old luxury even Cano-
vas new memorial is conservation to
the past. Romance is never old indeed,
and ever revives a sympathy of youth.
There is the wand, made telling with hu-
man sensibility, of the halfmourning
Queen of the Sea- A higher, purer sen
timent has privilege in contrast with
this, beside some western island of the
blessed, whose past is all unbroken and
itself is calm; where the visitors boat
rests upon its shadow, and the verdant
bank is repeated in the same deep mirror,
on the bosom of an inlet which history
hath never rutiled, where music we're not
want but an intrusion, and Nature una
shamed as the mother of all the living.
"Wefailed to see Ttians 81. Peter, which
was turned to the wall for the repair of
church, but we saw his tomb aud that of
Canova just completed. | have seen moth
ing monumental so beautiful. 1t is mas
sive, built of the purest marble with sx-
quisits 6as .relisfs, illustrating his life,
and fine bust of himself surmouDting
the structure"
| Every hour of our stay in this city
OF the sea was like an enchantment, and
long, long shall l remember the evening
return from St. Marks, and the sail
through the grand canal in the most won
derful Of all Southern twilights, lengthsn-