The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-02-12


in which some literary "OId Mortality"
might read for life time. Under the Pal
ace is the prison, with its deep, dark dun
geons, where in ages past, under the gov
ernment of the "Ten," hundreds of prison
ers pined away their miserable lives without
trial, simply on the information of Him"
who penetrated into the private affairs of
every family. We stood on the Bridge of
Sighs, rendered famous by Hoods POEM
Whether the story on which it is founded is
true or false, [ do not know. We visited
also the ingenious glass factory, where the
Venetian glass is manufactured, and wit
messed the operation of blowing glass beads,
and ornamenting them by touching them
lightly with small style, as they were
rapidly turned before hot blaze that was
continually blown on them through small
tube. We saw them too spinning and wind
ing glass wire, as small, and much smoother
than thread. The bridge of the Ralto is
wide arch over the grand canal, so vide that
there are stores on one side all the way
across, leaving room enough for passengers.
1t seems to me striking proof Of the Gu
pidity and enterprise of men, that city
should have been built here at all, and that
people should come here not only to make
fortunes to supply the wants of their fami-
lies, but to spend their whole lives that they
may add to their accumulated store of
wealth. Except about the Plaza of st.
Marks whence one can walk more than a
mile through narrow and intricate streets,
men can rarely step from their own doors
on the ground. No place for even small
patch of herbs.
19th.-Bologne. This is an old city of
hundred thousand inhabitants. 1t is a
city of cOlonades which are to be found in
all parts of it. On one street through which
we passed, these colonades extend for mile
bordering the side pavements. They are COM
posed of arches supported by columns about
ten or twelve feet apart, the whole very sub
stantially built. We visited several churches,
the principal of which is St. Peters. This is
the largest temple of worship we have seen
since the temple of Cologne. The interior
is very handsome and spacious, though with
out ornament, except about the numerous
affairs. The roof is high, consisting of three
arches, over the centre and side aisles, the
middle being much higher than the sides.
The old university of Bologna, was once
with its ten thousand students, the leading
university of Europe. The school was
founded in the twelfth century, but the pre-
sent building was erected three hundred
years later. Passing through room where
some students and an old man we're busily
engaged in copying old manuscripts or vol
umes, we were conducted through rooms
filed with curious Egyptian and other an
tquites. Another room was more remark
able. 1t was filled with upright tombstones
and skeletons, dug from excavations under
the floor of the Cemetery chapel on the out
skirts of the city. These were at the depth
of twenty-five feet, only two years ago, and
were placed in the university just in the po-
stion in which they were found; the tombS
standing at the head of the several Skele-
tons. The inscription on the stones indi-
Gated that they were buried, some thous-
and, and some three hundred years before
the birth of CHRIST These skeletons we're
almost entire, the skull, the vertebrae, the
large ribs, the bones of the legs and arms
and feet, except the toes, were well pre-
served How do these facts accord with the
theory of geologsts that no human bones
we're found in their pre- adamite world, be.
cause human bones were soon dissolved in
the earth? 1t may be said that the inscrip-
tions may have been misinterpreted, so may
those relied upon by geologists The one
is as probable as the other The excava-
tions still remain in the chapel. The large
cemetery itself is one of the rare objects of
this old city 1t was built more than three
hundred years ago. The tombs are all in
colonades, under the floor and in the walls.
There are some beautiful pieces Of statuary
of the purest white marble. 0ne is of
student sitting in his study, who died few
days before he was expected to graduate
with distinguished honors. One is fine
statue of Murat in full uniform. There are
others not less perfect, but l select those on
account of the subjects.
Very truly yours,
PEYToN HARRISON.