Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-02-24
TFr0m tue New Eork DlspGicb ]
THE VENETIAN CONSPIRATORs.
y cHARLEs SYLVAN gHrRIDAN.
% % troHy-that centuries shsuld reap
No meli0ver harvest Thirteen huudrs a

90 or arouy-thaf centuries sheuld reap
No meli0ver harvest Thirteen hundred year.
OF Eezlth and glory turu'd 70 Gust and tssrs."
-IByron.
The name Of Venice alone swskes sc many
restrictions, 50 many visions Of magnifcsnca
and splendor, civilization Of purple and oi
marble, centuries Of opulence and domination
50 much blood and 60 much love, that it Is DO
surprising that an irresistsble fascination has
always penetrate and stili penetratss thi
charming poetry Of the enchanted Queen oi
the Adristie. Despite Of bis stoiesl tempers-
ment, Goethe was completely subdued By bis
FIRST view Of the Hirresistihle citV''-uawidsr-
slsklig sf09i-ss it was called BY the dis,in.
guished suthor Of Faust. Byron dweIt thtr,
three years, and left the beautiful city with
the deepest sorrew, lSrPetusliy pursued BY its
image
Beautiful, voluptious ana onpulent, Venice
was for many centuries the garden OF Italy,
the emporium Of riches, the model Of Rurop.,
the barrier against the horrors Of Islamits iD-
vasion, the focus Of the arts, The mistress Of
the seas, the Bserefricc IL refusls coronGfa, as
an Talisn poet has well said. The widely
extended monsrchies Of France aud Spain did
not think if ill-sdvised to copy the progressive
march Of this smaller power, which struggled
against Ottoman pride with no less vsl0r aud
discrimination than the Hungarians. The
dous works Of art and manufactures Of silk
and jewelry Issuing from The Italian Tyrol.
They saw also the NEST splendid architecture
half Gothic, half Arabic light as a heeting
cloud and Va porous as a dream; and painting,
whic, II less gorgeous and IDEAL than those Of
the Roman and Florentine school, were never
thelsss more voluptuOus and seductive.
But smpires Wither Ike the flowers Of the
field, and the rough wind seatters their tender
- -
or beauty, only preserve their perfume in the
poetic memories Of heroic times long past.
After a wonderful prosperity and lsscivious
deczdenee, Venice died like an Ottoman Sui
tans on the yielding carpet, without defense,
vita q smile upon her lips, the syelids half
closed, with beaving breasts, and her hands
voluptuouBly pressed upon hsr head. Shs who
81 her life had prostituted herself to the gold
Of nations, looked sersnely and smiiingly upon
The approach Of the ssssssln's dagger, and
like CLEOPATRA, fouad a pleasure in death after
having drained the last drop OF Der Hfe-blood.
The city VII eh was the bastion and bulwark
Of Atils, yielded to the advent Of another Alta
without the slightest defense, and bought and
sold, came 10 be an imperial province under
slzvish domination, Withoat the miserable con
ISOLATION Of mingling her bitter tears with The
nurmuring waters Of the Adriatie
1he hlstsrv OF Xenice-noW epic and now
matic-ofers at the same time the curious
interest OF a novel. Surrounded By the mag
nifcence Of the metropolis, enwrapped IN the
perspective Of preceding centuries Of violent
passions, it's slightest fortnes impsrt 70 its his
tory the mysterious Effects Of dreams. Such
was the conspiracy Of Msrino Fsliero against
the oligzrchal tyranny Of bis country, and The
fnosisstorfal despotism OF the trlumVirate.
This historical episode afforded special priv
nsge t. Lord Byron, and inspired bin With the
s.
ideH OF q drama, which, IL II be destitute OF
energy, contains beautiful lyrical touches OF
The first order, exquisite tenderness and great
sublimity.
In The middle OF he fourteenth century, the
venerable Andres Dandolo-a man distin-
guisaed By bis birth, bis knowledge, and his
political standing occupied The dignihed
ofscs Of doge OF Venice. By the death o.
Dsndolo, IN 1854, Msrino FalierO-an octo-
gsasrian, which great riches and prev Gus
hoaors pointed 20 as one OF The FIRST eiti-
zens Of the most serene republc-was unani-
moaslv elected to the rank Of doge. At the
tine Of bis election, Faliero was absent at
Arinon. az plsnipotentlsry 10 the court Of
Pope lnnocenee tbe Sixth. Twelve pstricians
We :, therefore, sent TO the uew doge, TO in
form, bin Of bis election, and TO accompany
him on bis return bone.
Fslisro begun bic homsWsrd journey with
out delay, and, on arriving At the island Of San
CIemente, be found the Ruceut9ur-or great
Venetian ship Of state-and an immense mum
her Of vessels, which bad come 10 meet hin
and 10 conduct bin 10 Venice In triumph On
lbe following CAY, be took possession Of bic
new once and dignity in the church Of San
Marcos, and Was sfterwsrd crowned in the
palace in TIE midst Of the enthusiastic ap-
plsuse and joyful demonstrations Of the bsb-
me negotiations which followed the disss-
srous maritime war Wsged against the republic
of Genoa, the implacabie rival Of Nenetia, oe-
cuplsd the first moments of the Administration
of the new chief, who signed treaty With
Genoa il 1885. Tbs was the oniJ political act
Of his reign, which lasted only eight months.
He soon after became involved In fatal un-
deriaking, which misersbiy failed, drawing
The aged doge into bottsmless vortex, and
leaving bis name and memory to be an object
Of horTar IN future centuries 70 the proud ana
rascor0us Venetian oiigarcby.
Msrino Faliero was naturally cholerie, ex-
tremely Jealous Of bis irerogatiFes, and inca
psbls Of noderstlng The impetus Of bis anger
vhen be considered himreR insulted. Icthis
blind disposition Of mind, no less than the
bfiS fspaeity Of bis age, is to be attri5uted the
celebrsted conspiracy which threatened the
despised sristoerscy Of the adTiatie.
Il was the custom IN Venice that on Thurs
sav OF the Carnival, The doge should give grand
fest 10 al the sristocracy. This season Of re-
ioicFng having arrived, Faliero spared no
trouble nor expense 10 celebrate the festival
wiz the utn0st PonP and ceremony. His