Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1872-02-17
LETTERS PROM ABROAD.
FLORENCE, ITALY, Oct

FLORENCE, ITALY, Oct, II.
our last day but one in Venice we spent in
gondola, going to see Tintorettas "Crucifx"
and other old pictures in Gallery, where
they are pretty well smoked up by the incense,
as the room is now used as a church Visiting
also the church of the Jesui,s, which is very
rich one-the walls of marble, inlaid with
pieces forming vines. A visit to the island of
Murano and the Glass Manufactury, again,
and walk on the Rialto, IA very busy bridge,
with its shops filled with all sorts of cheap
goods) The ride down the whole length of
the Grand Canal showed US all the Palaces
once more, among them the one Byron occu-
pied. All but you should have been with us
ness-foaling in gondola in the soft light of
half moon OF course, it is the city of ell
cities TO be romantic in, the place to dream
and enjoy the dolce far niente, and on this night
for the first time really felt its influence, so
dreamy and peaceful. The stretch of the
Grand Canal from the Suspension Bridge
down to the Public Gardens at the end of the
Island lay before us, the water full of the
golden columns of the light along the shore,
down to great depths, trembling slightly by
the faint ripple of the water. As we came up
the Canal the sound of voices led us on till
we reached boat gaily illuminated with Chi
nese lanterns, and green and red lights burn
ing on the shore. The groupe of men in the
gondola were singing most charmingly some
fine operatic chorus, and as our gondolier
poe ctnl hic ha clp
and there in the bright lights from above and
around, with the quiet of the night broken on
ly by the voices singing, as we tloated so
calmly along, the beauty Of it all seemed too
much for expression When you see bright
paintings of Venice do not imagine them
oycrdrawn for life; when seen in the rosy
tint of sunlight or in a bright moonlight, the
old look of the palaces is covered with beau
tiiul veil, and one sees the city as it used to
be, in the days of its true glory The effect
of the numerous bells ringing at every hour,
and especially at sunset, is delightful feature
fthis island city. They ring without regard to
time and seemingly only to give the bell-men
something TO do. After another Sabbath of
rest and half day service, our nine days of
Venitian life was ended, and Monday morning
we were on our way TO Bologna. Passing on
the way through Fcrrara, saw from the cars
the palace of the Este family, who suffered so
greatly in the time of the struggle between
Catholicism and Professionalism in the 10Th
century.
Hotel Brun in Bologna, is one of the best in
Italy, and it seemed good TO get here after our
long ride. We drove to the Cemetery before
table e hote. This is one of the most remarka.
bic cemeteries in Italy, being filled with large
buildings, which contain the monuments in
them splendid Only small piece of ground
is left uncovered for the poor The two lean.
ing towers of Bologna are curious; one 27S
feet high, leans but a little, the other, few
feet from IT, leaned so badly, when no more
than half as high, that the workmen had tc
stop; it leans s feet one way, 1 foot the other
The next day we had time for walk abou
the city and a visit TO the fine picture gal
lery, seeing with satisfaction some of Guide
Beni's pictures. and Raphael's "Ceceia," be-
fore taking the train for Florence, which VIC
reached in five and half hours.
The ride 10 this city was very pretty one
when we were not in one Of the forty. six tun
nelsl Coming over the Apprentices, the colol
of the mountains in the setting sun was ex
quisite. 1t did seem refreshing to get into
this American boarding house of Mrs. Chap
man, with all its hospitality and its excellen
meals. 1t is house generally known and ap
preciated by Americans who haye visited
Florence / was in love with this beautiful
city the first day. Such walk as we took O
two hours the next morning after our arrival
showing me the city lying in the valley of tn,
Arno in wonderful beauty, as we looked from
the hills. One of my companions was 4
sculptor, who could SO well appreciate the
beautiful, and therefore helped me to- The
"Duomo" 0he vast Cathedral of Florence)
saw first by moonlight. A. made me shut my
eyes until we had passed the unfinished fa
cade, and then the full glory of it burst upon
me. Ruskin says II is the finest piece of arch
itecture in the world. We were astonished as
we entered il by its vast proportions though
one does not realize after all, its enormous
size-but the two arms OF the Latin Cross arc
large churches of themselves Opposite the
Duomo is the Baptistry, where we stopped on
our way home from the English church last
Sabbath. Here the poor, wee baby, only q
few days, or even hours, old, is brought for
baptism, and it is dreadful to see the great,
awkward priests pour cold water on its head
and put salt on It's tongue, at which perform
ancc the child screams, and If perchance II
does not, but behaves like dignifed and
amiable baby, II is considered bad omen -
We studied the three great bronze doors OF