Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-02-26
Marked Influence of the Sea on Venetian
Ar

The Venetians differed from the Pisans,
says John Ruskin, in having no Maremma
between them and the sea; from the Romans,
in continually quarreling with the Pope;
and from the Florentines in having no gar
dens.
They had another kind of garden, deep,
furrowed with blossom in white wreaths--
fruitless. Perpetual May therein, and sing
ing of wild, nestless birds. And they had
no Maremma to separate them from this
garden of theirs. The destiny of Pisa was
changed in all probability, by the ten miles
of marsh land and poisonous air between it
and the beach. The Genoese energy was
feverish; too much heat reflected from their
torrid Apennine. But the Venetian had his
free horizon, his salt breeze, and sandy Lido
shore; sloped far and fiat-ridged sometimes
under the Trsmontane winds with half a
mle's breadth of rullers-sea and sand
| shIiTeled up together in one yellow career
ing field Of fall and roar.
| They were, also, we said, always quarrel
ing with the Pope. Their religious liberty
came, like their bodily health, from that
waye.training; for it is one notable effect of
| life passed on shipboard to destroy weak
beliefs in appointed forms of religion. A
sailor may be neutrality-suspicious. but his
superstitions will be connected with amulets
and omens, not cast in systems. He must
accustom himself ifhe prays at all, to pray
anywhere and any how. Candlesticks and
incense not being portable into the maintop,
he perceives those decorations to be, on the
whole, inessential to a maintop mass. Sails
must be set and cables bent, be it ever so
strict saints day, and it is found that no
harm comes of it, Absolution on lee-shore
must be had of the breakers, it appears, if at
all, and they give it pleuary and brief, with
out listening to confession.
Whereupon our religious opinions became
vogue, but our religious condolences strong
aud the end Of it all is that we perceive the
Pope to be on the other side of the Apen-
mines, and able indeed, to sell indulgences
but not winds, for any money. Whereas, God
and the sea are with us, and we must even
trust them both, and take what they shall
send.
Then, farther. This ocean. work is wholly
adverse to any morbid conditions of senti-
ment. Reverie, above all things, is forbidden
by Scylla and Charybdis. By the dogs and
the DEPTHS, no dreaming The first thing
required of us is presence of mind. Neithe
love, nor poetry, nor piety, must ever taxi
up our thoughts as to make us slow or un
ready. In sweet Val d'Arno it is permissible
enough to dream among the orange blossoms
and forget the day in twilight of lick. Bu
along the avenues of the Adrian waves Their
can be no careless walking. Vigilance, nigh
and day, is required of us, besides learning
|
humble dexterities. 1t is enough for thu
Florentine TO know how to use his swort
and to ride. We, Venetians also, must b
able to use our swords, aRd on ground whic
is none of the steadiest; but besides, we mus
be able to do nearly every thing that hand
can turn to--rudders and yards, and cables
all needing workmanly handling and work
manly knowledge, from captain as well g
|, from men. To drive a nail, lash a spar, rec
! a sail-rude work this for noble hands; bu
to be done sometimes, and done well, on pal
, of death. All which not only takes mea
pride out of us, and puts nobler pride {
power in its stead but it tends partly [
! soothe, partly to chasten, partly to emplo
! and direct the hot Italian temper, and max
us every way greater, ealmer and happier.
Moreover, it tends to induce in us grei
. respect for the whole human body for i
limbs, as much as for its tongue or its wi
! Policy and eloquence are well and indee
}, we Venetians can be polite enough, and ca
q speak melodiously when we choose but
q put the helm up at the right moment is Il
! beginning of all cunning-and for that v
= need arm and eye; not tongue. And vii
this respect for the body as such comes ali
. the sailors preference of massive beau
= in bodily form The landsmen, among the
roses and orange-blossoms, and chequer
shadows of twisted vine, may we'll plea
y themselves with pale faces, and finely y-draV
y eyebrows, ard fantastic braiding of ha
~ But from the sweeping glory Of the sea
learn to love another Kind of beauty broa
breasted level browed like the horizo
Is | thighed and shouldered like the billow
of footed like their stealing foam bathed
v, cloud of golden hair like their sunset.