The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-05-09
deepened our conviction that Mohammed-
anism is making rapid inroads among the
surrounding pagans, while Christianity
seems to linger paralyzed on the Coast.
Liberia Re0ister.
About Venice.
By HENRY JAMES, JR.

VENICE AT SUNSET.
There is no Venice like the Venice of
that magical hour. For that brief pc.
riod her ancient glory returns. The sky
arches over her like vast imperial can
opy crowded with its clustering mysteries
Of light. Her whole aspect is one of un.
spotted splendor. No other city takes
the crimson evanescence of day with such
magnificent effect. The lagoon is sheet
ed with carpet of fire. All torpid,
pallid hues of marble are transmitted to a
golden glow. The dead Venetian tone
brightens aud quickens into life and lus-
tre, and the spectators enchanted vision
seems to rest on an embodied dream of
the great painter who wrought his immor-
tai reveries into the ceilings of the Ducal
Palace.
THE LIDO.
The secret of the Lido is simply your
sense of adjacent Venice. 1t is the salt.
sown garden of the city of the sea. Hith.
er came short-paced Venetians for mea.
gre taste of terra Jfrma, or for a wider
glimpse Of their parent ocean. Along q
narrow line in the middle of the island
are market-gardens and brceze-twisted
orchards, and hint of hedges and lane,
and inland greenery. AT one end is 6
series Of low Notifications duly embarked
and moated and scntinclled Still beyont
these, half over-drifted with sand ant
over-clambercd with rank grasses ant
coarse thick shrubbery, are certain quaint
ly lettercd funeral slabs, tombs of forme
Jews of Venice. Toward these we slow
ly wandered and sat down on the grass
Between the sand heaps, which shut ou
the beach, we saw in dozen places tn,
blue agitation Of the sea. Over all tn,
scene there brooded the deep bright sad
ness of earl autumn. l lay at my com
panion's feet and wondered whether wa
in love. 1t seemed to me l had neveI
been so happy in my life.
TINToRETTo's CRUcIFIxIoN.
This great picture is one of the great
est Of the Venetian school. Tintoretto
the travelled reader will remember, has
painted two masterpieces on this tremend
GUS theme. The larger and more com.
plex work is at the Scuola di San Rocco
the one Of which speak is small, simple
and sublime. 1t occupies the left side oi
he narrow choir Of the shabby little
church which we had entered, and is re.
markablc as being, with two or three OK.
ceptions, the best preserved work of it,
Incompatible author. Never, in tht
whole range of art, | imagine, has sc
powerful an effect been produced by mean.
so simple and select; never has the intel
ligent choice of means to an effect beer
pursued with such refinement of per
ception. The picture offers to our sigh
the very central essence of the great TRACE
dy which it depicts There is no swoon
ing Madonna, no consoling Magdelen, n
mockery Of contrast, no cruelty of an as
sembed host. We behold the silent sum
nit of Calvary. To the right are tn
three crosses, that of the Savior foremos,
A ladder pitched against it supports
turbaned executioner, who bends down
ward to receive the sponge offered hir
by comrade. Above the crest of tn
hill the helmets and spears of line c
soldiery complete the grimness of tn
scene. The reality of the picture is be
yond all words: it is hard to say whic
is more impressive, the naked horror G
the fact represented, or the sensible pow
er of the artist. You breathe siler
prayer of thanks that you, for our par
are without the terrible clarivoyance {
genius.