, 1877-02-03
Life of the Earl of Shclburne...
The Miseric0rdia of
Florence.
Congress- Of Librarians--Swiss GYM
uasiums--0strioh Farming
--Art-Pro6ts.
Blood Identification 80. Ancient
Maps Of the World...
Ocean.Currents.
LITERATURE.
TIE CITY OF LILIES. !.

AAtA - N4tAt
THE CITY OF LILIES.
1aE aforf6 SAk 4ND Fi.r!R R1kFFff cFf
uSst Portrss. ef = sayons9e,s nsas!s Z!
Engraved By 9. u. JuNsi and Illustrations
!,o n pFnTinss nDsson7 By r.ef So ,s,o
Hansen. AcC1ufg 4 Co. Price, S8.
Tho oyes OF the genuine bIblloph1c arc gratl-
fed by the contemplation Of this fair volume,
which has an airof artistic elegance and luxury
that distinguishes 1t nmong a crowd OF su.np-
tuous associates. Every thought connected
with Florence is tiugcd with tho splendor Of
her past history, borrowing loneliness and
grace from tho memories Of her wealth, and
power. and magntaccncc; from her treas,ircs Of
poetry, art. and romance; and 1t ap.1y fits witt,
these habftual conceptions to sec book which
treats Of her life In tho centuries OF her great
est grandeur, exhibiting in It's material form
some appropriate reflections Of tho opulcucc Of
Its thcmcs
Tbs cngraVings adorning tho work arc very
0nc, and, whether reproducing tho scenery nnd
architecture Of Florence, tho sculptures Of
Michel Angelo, tho paintings Of Fra Angelica,
or tho portraits Of tho eminent Flornntincs who
strovc most nightly to mako nlustrtous tho
proud city OF their birth or adoption, they do
1ustltC w LAGA 6AAlEEt* r Ut kuElF 6AlV uluuU
the volumo is 10 be coyctcd. >.
Mrs. Ollphant has not undertaken tho task Of
producing complete history Of Florence, or Of
Including fn her sketches Of tho "Makcrsn Of
the old city ill who BY right could bo embraced
under TINT elastic title. shc has attempted
merely what sho describes as "'sllort, swallow
flights Of biographical cssay"-allowing
herself 10 DO guided IN these efforts
by the direction Of her untrammeled
fancy. Thus she has given Dante tho chief dis
ttnct!on In position mud spaco; aud next aftcr
him In prominence hns PLACED Sayouarola,
Michel Angelo, Fra Angelica, tho Archbishop
sant' Antonio. Arno1fo, 0iotsoy Ghlbcrtt, Dona-
tcllo, Drunclleschi, the Plagnoni painters, and
tho mcrchant-citixcn, Aguolo Pandolllni. Oniy
incidentally Is tho towering figure Of Lorenzo
the Magnificent sketched in, as It happens 10 bc
essential to tho delineatlon Of other characters,
Nor do nnv Of the powerful family OF tho Ned
lei rcrcfrc greater attention; neither the cun-
ming worker In tho metals, Cclllni, nor tho FIRST
Of tho grcat school Of tho Florcntina painters,
Cimabuc. Tho list Of noteworthy omissions
eluQcd complaint By frankly acknowledging tho
boundaries Of her plan.
Tho biographies sre tnore interesting as tho
expression Of bright woman's Impressions
tcal nnd art records Of tho rich medieval cfty,
than for any new facts presented. Tho author
hns talked to her rcac1s IA to those nsrcatly as
wcll-infof1ncd "a hcrselt upon tho matters dis
eussca. and hae, therefore. not held herself 70
detailed recital In chronological ord4r Of The
events That entered Into tho fcll Of her re-.
mnrk. But sho has put in frebh light son,o
important points Of observation, and brought
forward tho entertaining concc.ts and suggcs.
tIons TINT occur to On nctlvo ard cultivated
mind. Sho has taken Ynsaft as her princtnai
authority In tue lives Of tho painters. and in.
Esnato,asly reasoned upon the plaustbllity Of hls
'savonarola Is the hero to whom she gives the
most sympathetic admiration, over, in
her rcrogntson Of bis lofty ind uncornpron,is-
Tx virtues. a! cons!dcratlon Of tho Weaknesses
and Of tho possible effect upon It's outgrowtii
had bis ascet!c rulo been prolonged. ucr
descrlption 81 tho preaching Of tho llcry monk
sest wi.eta how travelling from city to eity y, and
sTho Florcntincs," sho % ssys, "wero IsIf; toasIfv
unit UNUSED to n tue fctyent natural eloqueneo ot
preacher who rejected ~ traditions Of orstory,
poured forth what WIS ~ him in foods Of der;
words, carried away By ILLS own carnestncss and
warmth Of feeling. To see isnll thus inspired
10 much IN earnest 10 eioosc his phrases &c FL q
think Of anythlnE,-tastc, literature, Style, or
Erputatlon,- n,-cxrept that truth whtc! liz Is
bound 70 ten hIs auditors, and which to them
HNu 81 10 UAkhSE "a 4Htt uE4{kIs tE16 Ia
at al! tln,cs . wonderful and impressive srocta-
Gle. No emulation can attain tho sntno effect;
the fervor may bc vulgar, It may DO associated
with narrow Views and q limited mind but,
or unicarned, Tho man possessed Gy Ii iias
can eqlal.''
:, al,.. ol.pl,ent's prose y generally homcly In
to decorate polish 1t, being intent solely on
giving clear uttera,sc Of her meaning; but, In
her essay upon Michel Angelo sho rAcs
T moro than once to tho height Of cloQucure.
sufficient to ktndle into enthusasm ovcry spirit
capable Of ardent feeling, cspccaally when rnn.
templating In tho City OF Florence tho works
produced at tho elimination Of his power.
writes hrs. O,Iphant, "sonfrontng Us in tho
punc plaza, at tho ycEy doors Of the old palace,
andtn tho deepest gloom Of the dark Cathedral,
peh!na ehe altar, suspElsing Us evou In thu dim
tsaTn tsa gI ~ xT pfnse,y 10 y eveTywhere
.nIotnl0g .I else to DO dong, and, even by means OF
s.s great works Of others, leaving a certain
Trace ol proud nagnltfcence to show where he
ahen % ssy " A'ss e rSsS ss sst sats t
Giovanni, OF him who said they were 1t
lo be the gatcs Ut Heaven, than Of
am Who mado them; and, when We
q eomminand and bade him "AIarch!" IL a.
most moro present with ue than the older
seII' senII,n5os ASd fron his carly youth when ho
v, vsl!a, oil sxcet aud shining IN those frcsooed
Elor!cs which hls own boylsh hand helped to dress
Me1 u, W. Bride, to that mome,.t ln which he
1a s1oae als sesttng.piaca in Santa crocc, at tho
he coull SEQ the Cathedral iron, bis grave, anI
xateh The giorlous dome, through all tho ccntu-
nes rising stcaltaet ugalust the Itallan SKI, hts
sly aaytngs 1surp tho sovereignty Of tho clty