Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-10-20

dows. THE thing is at least becoming
mn uruus, and it makes a heathen-
ish Niu-tIcau almost wish he had new
er beru born. Although he Is supposed
to have been born on the 18th of sept,
the festival began On the 9th. with an
exhibition Of horticulture in the Pal
ace of the Cascine,n followed on the
succeeding days by various other eX-
hibitiuns and meetings OF numerous
societies and organizations.
On the llth the remains of the IL
lustrous historian Carlo Botta were
brought to Florence and inferred with
great pomp in the Church of the Santa
Croce. Your readers will d ubtless
call TO mind that this Carlo BOita
wrote history of our war oi iude-
pendence, which takes high rank
among historical writings. Then came
concerts, and various amusements, to
which only the Representatives"
whatever that indefinite expression
may mean, were admitted. On the
18th the inscription on the monument
erected In his honor on the "Piazzale
Michael Angelo was inscribed.
This hill is named In his
honor, because ii was here
that he planned those defenses of
Florence which gave him his reputa-
tiou as nm engineer. | can notrecOunt
all the Fetis which took place during
the time, from the 9th to the 18th, but
every day and every night there was
something to be seen or heard, which
had some connection with Michael
Angelo. That which was to be heard
was lost TO me as to all those unfamil-
lar with the language, but all that was
to be seen l tried to see, though some
times, it must be said the pleasure was
materially marred by the discomfort
attendant upon the crowd and the un-
cleanliness of the people and the bad
ventilation of the buildings. That
which was most interesting To see was
the collection of all of Michael An
gelo's works, either in originals or
copies, that could be procured, in the
Academy of Fine Arts. His celebrated
David held the post OF honor, be-
ing in the center of the
tribune erected for the purpose
of holdiugit. This statue is regarded
by many as his best and most finished
work. 1t may be go, hut To mind in
formed as to the tricks aud manners of
art, it certainly does not call to mind
the STRIPPING, who went out TO meet
tue Eldul. IL lpOhS
the giant. The most life-like Tepresen-
tatlon by far, of any of his works 1
have seen is his statue of Lorenzo in
the chapel of the Medeci. II il the
most natural carving in marble ] ever
looked upon--you almost expect to see
it move. 1t represents a man seated
with his feet crossed, the left hand up.
on knee and the right supporting the
face, the fortfinger resting lightly on
the upper lip AS fin deep meditation.
You can see in the slightly turned face
that he is deeply thinking. This is
above the tomb of this "Loren2o it
magnified - and Oh either side are
the figures day and might y
which have attracted so much
attention on account of their name.
No one has yet been able to discover
why they should be called day" and
might" or why their companions on
the tomb opposite should be called
evening" and dawn There is
nothing about either of them to sug-
gest any division of the "a hours.
The festivities closed on the night OF
the l4th, by grand illumination of
the city, the "PiaZZale Michael An
gelo," and all the mountains which
encircle the city like belt. 1t was
the most beautiful sight of its kind |
ever beheld. We had a splendid view
of it from the tower of our hotel. The
Piazzale," on the left bank of the
Arno, was covered with brilliant lights
of all the hues of the rainbow, and the
tower at its base was IA column of
bright, twinkling stars. Immediately
in front of US the steeple of the " Pa
| lazzo Vecchio," covered with hun
dreds of little lamps, shown like
translucent alabaster monument
against the blue starlit sky beyond ;
while from the hills in the rear ana
to the right the lights from
the vielas covering their sides glittered
| like camp~tires on mountains. All
| the while, the chimes were playing,
and the bells were ringing, aud an air
of general gaiety and festivity rested
over the city.
! A complete and full account of that
was to be seen would occupy three
! times the space at my disposal, The
crowd that came 10 witness the celebra-
ton has now mostly dispersed, and
! the customary quiet is assuming sway.
! Shop keepers have come down in their
prices, and one begins again to hear
of something,besides Michael Angelo.
The winter residents of Florence are
now beginning to return from their
summer tours, and are also each day
an increasing number of English and
American faces in the streets, and the
rough English accent greets his ears
more frequently. BY the middle oI
October the "Season" will have begun
and Florence can only then be seen at
her best. S. NJ. b.