Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-06-11
Correspondence Of the FREQ Press.
LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
NO. XIV.
Ladie, Of Boiogna.-The University. San Michel

Ladie, Of Bo,ognd.-7he University. San Michele
BOLOGNA, - ,
The higher classes of ladies in Bolognese
society are said to possess great intelligence,
and masculine vigor and terseness of thought
and expression-more ease than grace, and
more art than humor-more of the gems Of
literature than the flowers of fancy--more of
tho persuasivenes ofintellectual ability than of
the genter influences of delcacy, dependence
and sympathy. Beautiful cultivated, taste
full and artistic in body and mind, they seem
to have all the substantials of female excel
lence from principle and choice and habit
rather than from impulse and instinct; and
they enjoy and deserve more freedom, and
more of the confidence and less of the survei-
ance of their husbands than any where else
in Italy The society of Bologna is not,
believe, like that of Florence, the refuge and
asylum of the damaged representatives of high |
life. This, perhaps, might be expected, where
the sex enjoyed such honors, and were so
cultivated and utilized in literature, science
and art
did not neglect to look at the University
of Bologna, where these distinguished ladies
figured as professors. 1t is the oldest in Italy
600 years ago it was the largest that had
ever existed then, and was larger than any
, which has since existed, numbering at that
! time ten thousand students-from all parts
of Europe-whose studies were principally
| confined to civil and canon law and it was
by this great array of students, going out
from the lectures of old Irnesius (called
q {" Lucerna juris, y that the Roman law was
: carried forward in its triumph over the ma
u tions. 1t was here, too, on his suggestion,
: that the academica degrees, Bachelor Master,
V and Doctor were invented and conferred, as
the first place the degrees in the civil law and
in the canon law, subsequently those of med
y. icne next, and finally, those of theology and
the arts Here the taliacotian operation
was invented, and the operation for the cata-
J ract also, and here galvanism took its name
It from Gavani, the philosopher who discov-
cred it. Here, also, in its Medical School,
II anatomical dissection, which had been confin-
ed to the bodies of animals, was first practiscd
e upon the human body. 1t must now be a
6 fine place to study Surgery, as it is said there
are 500 cases of stabbing brought to the
u hospital annually. The University has now
" only some 500 students. These, however, do
not include the medical students, who are,
81 n11o,,t
ID also, many of them, quite small-only room
rs enough for some Is or 90 students to sit
le around table and be instructed by pro-
10 fessor at the same table-a mode of study
I'd which seems to me exceedingly confidential,
at familiar, coaching and thorough. Some are
I'd somewhat larger, and the anatomical theatre
I'd will seat about 900. This is great falling
" off from the 10 900 students six hundred years
of ago There is an exceedingly interesting and
re useful practice here, long in use, of painting
r. the arms or names of the most distinguished
ID graduates on small escutcheons, and placing
ne them up on the walls and on the lofty and
I'd spacious corridors AMI stair-cases of the Uni
in vcrsity, as memorials of honor. They are
re covered with them. They seemed to me al
- most innumcrablc This cannot fail to be a
:" powerful incentive to emulation and industry.
m The University has fine libraries and colec-
ct tions for the study of the science and Natu-
n. raj History, and its bodies of professors in
is the great faculties of instruction, all along
through the ages of 700 years, have been
among the most able and distinguished men
of their generations.
IN The Bolognese school OF art is as unsur-
~ passed for its scale of merit as for the great
" number OF its native artists of the highest
y, class. A list Of the greatest names anon
her juris-consults, her philosophers, her men
y of letters and science, her scholars, her dis
- covercrs and inventors, would not be interest.
= ing but cannot omit to say that the three
Carracci, Guido, Dominicino, Albani, Guer
cino, Tiarini, Cignani, and the most eminent
y of their immortal pupils, were natives of this
little city. Eight Popes-IIonorius II, Luz
n. cius II, Alexander V, Plus V, Gregory XIII
ty Innocent TX, Gregory XIV Benedict XIV
he sprang from Bologna, and Cardinals without
~ number Her meritoripus distinction as the
to Mother of Studies, was, at the same time the
cause and the effect of her bearing proudly on
u her arms and on the banners of her glory and
g. of her triumphs, " BoNoNIA DocEr," Bologna
I'd teaches These words are embroidered in the
gs waving borders Of the flag, while in the CEN
"a - tire, in golden letters and radiant with glory
er is blazoned the sing e word LIBERTAs-liberty.
US These are the hiding of her power, and these
eS are the glory that she emulates-" Bologna
= teaches" and it will always be true that
a Bologna teaches. She will never cease to
r teach-her University may cease to exist her
le long line of learned men may end-her
"a temples and institutions may have no name
or life, still she will teach-her present
ID schoolmasters of art and science and letters
III in their works and their pupils will teach
- for ever, the highest and most useful lessons,
to Instruction and Liberty-theso have given her
her solid prosperlty-that elastic life which
" in her destruction wars with her neighbors /;
ii and the sackings and massacres Of civil strife
have given her self-reliance and internal re-
d sources sufficient for the day of her distress
NJ and deserton, as we'll as the day of her depen-
to dence Faithful to her sacerdotal King of
1t Rome, yet always with differencc-with
consent and not Notwithstanding has
!, been able to prevent her men or her women
d from studying and teaching and doing as they
N Lila "a, o., tkn u