The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-05-29
NOTES FROM EUROPE.
NUMBER TWELVE.

We continue his notes from that city:
The morning after my arrival | met at
breakfast three officers of the U. s. Steam
frsate Ticondsrog., lying Al Trieste, who had
come over to see Venice, and also two Russian
gentlemen and, as we found We oil expected
to remain about the same length Of time,
we made up party Of six, appointed a Di-
rector and Cashier, hired a guide and Con-
dola, and . did " Venice pretty thoroughly.
For description of Gondola refer you to
Lord Byron's "Beppo," and to "Childe Har-
DID," /" Marine Faliero,n and "the two
Foscari,' for many other good things con-
corning Venice. We saw the palace where
Byron dwelt, as also those of many Of the
characters in his dramas and going . little
farther back in the scale Of time, the Polazzo
Moro, Othello's residence, and Shylock's
house, now q Government pawn-broking es-
tablishment. We visited the glass works,
which With some little work in coral, consti-
tute almost the only manufactures Of the
city and, as at Naples, was troubled to
know how the people all succeeded in max
ing living. Venice has picture gallery,
palaces, churches, and public garden, but
nothingof absorbing interest after the finer
ones of more southern Italy have been seen.
The Ducal palace is fine and the church Of
st. Marc also, and they are both singular, be-
| ing of oriental architecture and the Panora
ma, the stout ensemble y of the Ducal pal
ace, church, tower. square and winged lion
of ST. Mares royal palace, grand canal, and
the church of s'Santa Maria della Salute, y
forms the most beautiful view | ever have
seen Of the works of man. 1t Is {. perfect pic
ture in itself. To me, who have ever been fond
of the water, Venice was fascinating, and !
i know of no other place which so completely
fills my idea OF the ''dolce far niente 7 OF
the Italians The absence Of the noise and
racket and hustle Of carriages and horses,
the black swift gliding gondolas, the little
narrow streets and canals, branching off from
the larger ones, and the magnificent but de-
cayed looking houses, all combine to give 10
the city an air OF romance and mystery which
makes very strong impression on the feelings
! Of the visitors. could not shake il OF while
there, and confess 10 more romantic feeling
| in Venice than in all the rest of Italy. The
lays were delightful, with that soft hazy Mt
f,nasphere peculiar to Italy and our own In
dian summer. and as we went quietly sailing
around under the quick strokes OF our two
] gaily dressed gondoliers, even our usually
noisy sailor party were impressed by the sar-
rolndmgs, and would become qaiet'until we
again stepped ashore. One little circum-
! stance which interested me very much and
3 Il ,i,ar bon
described, was the feeding of the pigeons.
- Many hundred years ago great General
/ of Venice, whose name | do not remember,
went out to meet the enemies of the State In
battle great WAYS off. and as much appre-
I hension was felt in the city as TO the result,
i and the railroad and telegraph lines were not
then constructed, he took with him pigeon
from the church of St. Marc, and having
gained great victory he dispatched the
pigeon with the news, and It was brought
safety to Venice 'aad' the church Of St. Marc
many days in advance Of any other COM
mander. Wherefore the great Council Of
Venice said that the pigeons of St. Marc
should be fed every day, and at two o clock
each day tronghs OF food are placed at . win
dow of the Royal palace, about two hundred
yards from the church Of st. Marc. Now
the pigeons are billing and cooling around the
church in their accustomed haunts, In their
accustomed manner, but when the wooden
man with the iron hammer strikes the first
stroke of two on the great bell Of st. Mare,
there is a great noise of huttering of wings
and away 20 sevenl hundred pigeons to their
daily meal. Not one is there before the time,
and none are left moment after.
But fsrewellto Y enice. left there on the
cars over long stone bridge of two hundred
and twenty arches, and BY Verona, where fail
Juliet lies, and the beautiful lake OF Garda,
with the Alps to the right of me and the Ap-
pennies on my left. had delightful ride to
Milan, where | arrived the same evening.
Milan appears to be q very pleasant and thriv.
) ing city with q wide street extending all around
it, shaded with trees, on the top OF the well
elegant public gardens, q magnificent wow 0
the Alps, and a beautiful cathedral. The lat
ter is the great object of attraction TO the
tourist and vel! does it repay him for visit
for it is very beautiful. All things of man.
construction are open to criticism believe
doubt if he ever yet has made anything
which all unite in pronounclng perfect, ant
SO with the Milan cathedral. 1t has beer
criticised and severely, but still | think il i
generally regarded as the most beautiia
church il, the world, and do not think an,
one without some knowledge of architecture
could tell how to improve it. Built of white
marble and covered with gothic arches ant
, buttresses aud pinnacles and statutes, it give
to the mind the impression not oil grandeur
vastness or sublimity. as is the case with mos
churches but rather of extreme del'rats eis
gance, grace and beauty. The roof especial,
: Is covered with a forest Of pinnaces, railing
: and carved ornaments. Accounts OF TIL
L number OF statutes on the church vary from
1900 to 10000. and there are said to be pa
Ices for as many more. Within the same gen
eral character is pres ervea. ne iong gothr
windows aud arches, and extremely ssende
pillars give tof an airy appearance which
4 have seen III no other church. Que grea
4 beauty Of lis interior Is that YOU can see II
, various directions between It's slender col
, lunns, as ia forest. and are not confined t
d !, few long vistas The picture gallery dix
not interest me q great deal. There is a mag
4 niiicent triufnpilaf arch at one of the gate
!. called the ..asca dele pace tof peace. iron
which commences the celebrated Simplol
road over the Alps. 1t is surmounted BY
J, statue of Fame III chariot drawn by six hor
: ses. all in bronze. | did not ascend the arcl
!. but the figures appear, from the ground, to b.
d of life size and well executed. From Milal
!. l went to Turin, which is another prosperous
:, looking city. and rectangular.v laid out lik
our American cities. The great attraction Q
q Turin is the picture gallery, with which va
very much pleased, and where spent nearl
he en,ire day. A description of the picture
= which pleased me would. think. be tediou
to YOU and will not therefore undertake i
: give it; suffice it to say that they were nearl
e all as usual, simply faces Turin like Nilal
e has boulevard running entirely around II
d and undertook to walk it towards evening
{ but, having been in the picture gallery al