Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-06-16
THE GAZETTE.
THURSDAY MORNING, JUNE Ii, 1859
NENICE.-nY MADAME LIE yrKT


1t was past ten o'clock. Still We inSereo
on the balcony. thinking. IN truth. wa
wronging such night 10 sleep. At 'ehe'i
we called Antonio. our launty gohoui'er' "nu
told him to bring out the g"nooia ir"n' IL,
haven. where it lay beneath the shau"" VI
the Dncal Palace. la a few moments IL Siiu'
cd u the steps; the black cabin was removed
so there was no covering between us ana the
skv We were soon floating along the laguna
leaning back upon the soft cushions ana
lpxuriating in the matchess beauty 81 the
scene. Three wonderful pictures have l
beheld in Italy, which will hang forever on
the walls of memory one was Inc '""m"
nation of 81. Peters; another, the Ma CARA
like cataract of fire pouring from the cr"erCf
Vesurias: and the third is. moonf,yM az en-
ace. There is glory about the moonlight
here never attending 1t elsewhere; the s91aytn
sheets of water receive its beams as thu Ign
they were inverse mirrors, and thence retiec-
mo them upwards fill the atmosphere with
q iiabt of such dazzling brightness, we con-
stantly exclaimed, this cannot be night
II seemed mingling of the soft tints OF the
early morning aud the tender radiance OF
the twilight. The air was warm and deli
cious. imparting gentle languor To the
senses. and lulling all troubles and cares
TO perfect oblivion. 1t was like beautl-
full dream, where we seemed borne up by
invisible wings and waited from Joy to
JOY. l.,
Along the piazza of San Marc were multi,
sudes Of lamps, their rays piercing the stiil
waters rs though they were arrows OF light
Every object was sottened and rounded by
tina moon-beams, and its shadow snguiarly
distinct in the water below it, Thus there
appeared two cities, one above and another
below the Grand Canal each with their
winged lion. From the open window OF a
palace came the sound of merry dancing
music, while beneath another was gondola
with serenaders. We made an entire voy-
age through the streets of Venice. passing
under the Bridge of Sighs,' which tor
moment shut out the moonlight completely;
then we glided by the palace Of the Foseari,
and did not wonder the sad Jacopo was will
ing to endure even torture that he might look
upon it again; we fingered for while beneath
the marble-cased arch of the Rialto, and saw
the house of Shylock and the home of Othello
thus SLOWLY gliding over" we passed all
the landmarks of historic and poetic inter-
est.
Tomorrow we part with Italy," | MUIR
INJURED, rs we looked for the last time upon the
radiant and moonlighted city, and deep re-
cret welled up from the fountain of my heart.
Ilove this beautiful country: it contains so
much to enrapture the fancy and delight the
mind. All! such happy days we have spent
in its grand old cities, by the classic shores
of its memory-haunted Mediterranean and
along its picturesque lakes. One must be
insensible to the glories of the past and to
the charms of the present, not to love Italy.
As the home of the greatest statesmen, the
noblest poets and bravest heroes fantiquity,
it is invested with soul-thrilling interest
As the land where the early Christian planted
the holy Cross. emblem of our Saviour's love,
it truly sacred. Earth, sky and air possess
here beauty unknown in other climes.
Every city has some treasure Of painting,
sculpture or science Each river vale and
mountain has its poetic or historic Legend
In the forms ofits poorest inhabitants we Of
ten see the loveliness and manly grace which
gave to Phdias and to Praxiteles the models
ofthe peerless statues of the Venus de Medici
and the Apollo Belvidere. A mournful feel
ing of compassion for her present wrongs
must endear Italy to the American heart,
since from the skeleton form of her once glo-
rious republic we have seized the outline of
the noble fabric of our own tiee and mdepen-
dent government
In all our wanderings through this lovely
land, we have never encountered one dis
agreeable incident, or met with look or word
of rudeness or unkindness. The people have
everywhere been cordial and thoughtful Of
our happiness and pleasure. There may
have been times when we were uncomforta-
bic and wearied-when We were vastly trou
bled by beggars and annoyed by overcharg-
ing inn keepers; but these were trities, like
notes seen for a moment in the sunlight.
then vanishing away. billiard, whose adj
mirable book on Italy have read since my
return to America, says most truly: Tits
only the hours Of sunshine that are marked
upon the dial of memory" Thus shall l
ever cherish the pleasure we have eAperien-
ced here and the remembrance Of the dear
friends who have gladdened our sojourn in
beautiful Italy.