The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-04-22
VENICE.
A CITY IN THE SEA.
IMcGse's illustrated Weekly. |

| "i'n uumcb aGU SOIuSn crosses
beautiful as q gem repospg on the bosor
7 of the sea Its port was the emporium of
worlds commerce., it's hardy and gaian
sons, were lnvincibie in war as in peace
, its fleet swept the seas as in after year
was the proud boast of Eogland, and as +,
sign OF It's supremacy it was welded TO til,
sea with elaborate ceremonies and extraor
binary ponp. The same city rears it,
head abo7e the blue sea to day as of yoIe
out lie pristine glory Is departed, its uDrl
| vailed harbor is deserted; its courageous
palaces no longer echo to the y, und of re
| very and enjoy ment, and is now retains nc
| trace OF its former naval supremacy but q
Tiny model Of the giided barge, ia which
the ceremony OF "wedd'ng Veuico to the
sea" was yearly soomnized.
| Tnere ia no European Kingdom that can
| compare IN antiquity with Venice. 1t sprang
| up on the ruins of the ancient Roman Em
| pre-, aud was destined In after years to
rival the glory OF "the rea IN of the 20 savs -
In the middle ages when a pail seems to
have weighed upon the energies of nations,
the power and glory of Venice was at it's
height; the treasures OF the world were
brought to its port. and it gained the pro nd
distinction of being the greatest maritime
city in the world. And when the savage
nordes OF Frederick arbarossa swept
down from the northern regions upon the
fair plains of Italy, aud menaced the TEN
poral sovereignty of the Roman Pontlff,
they found their most stu bborn opponent III
the Venetian republicans, who Kept up a
contest for more than twenty years, until
they helped to force the naughty German
to bend his knee to Alexander III.
A fews years later the fierce Nj STEMS in
vadedEnrope; when prnudest kings Quailed
before their s~arming masses, the Vene
tiaus, under " blind old DaDdolo," kept
them at bay until finally, under Don Juau,
of Anstria, at the famous battle of Lepanto,
in
hot cs forever.
lt is "a more pleasing task to trace the
wonderful rise of Venice to the dazzling
eminence which it at one time reached, than
to follow it in its gradual decline. Its
destlnies were entrusted to rash and un-
sk'llfui minds; discord--that fell DESTROYER |
-crept into its councils, and the once !
proud Venice, the mistress of the land and |
sea, became mere dependenceof foreign |
power.u Recent travellers assure US that thew |
can detect signs of returning commercial |
in Venice, but 1T would be Wis,
onsry to expect that she will ever WELD |
her ancient supremacy.
A recent visitor to the city in the sea"
1iscourses of Venice in this wise: "Every-
hing is strange and unreal. We are in a
great city, and yet we cannot put our feet
10 the ground, for when we emerge from
he railway station, the steps descend to the
water, and instead of stepping into a car
isge we step into gondoia. There is no
ound of carriages rafting over the streets,
or there is not horse in Venice We
annOt realize where and what we are The
IN preston ia greatly heightened in arriving I
c night, for the canals are but dimIy light
d, ana dark ness adds to the mystery of this l
ity Of silence" I
Venice ia indeed q fairy picture. What Z
18th the glorious sun sparkling on streets t
water; islands crowned with gorgeous
ONES and resplendent turrets; gilded
osses glittering IN the sunlight, and
tshing back to the eye tue bright beanie q
g the orb of day" it makes mp scene. in
Ie remembrance of which can never fade M
ON the mind. &c
The Cathedral of st. Mark, in Venice. ia in
10 of the Oldest churches 10 the world. IL
eneath it's altar are the relics OF ST. Mark. co
10 apostle, and near at hand are to he 10
en- the alabaster columns that once stood re
the Temple of Solomon. 1t is respIepd 81
It and golden with ancient mosa'cs; the "
DIGEST masterpieces of come of the worlds Ri
ea'es5 painters are hung around it's en- G AZ,
olded walls with a lavish profusion. 1t Of
o uscure in lts vast heights and inreruin "a
le proportions; shining with silver lamps,
lose piDus donors have passed away lonr
DturIes ago; and over it's time honured
rial are still to DO seen the four bronze -
rses that are said to have been the work L
q sculptor who tlourished before the L
ristian era. 81
III thS HISibbtS Va Iuo S3Iu0uT6l "a LnS
jestic palace of the Dages, with It's Ia 81
ring cloIsters, so light and airy as to ap- for
ri the work OF fairy hands, an d yet SO
Ong aud enduring that cen turSes have Mo
tered item in vain; with its gorgeous OK
lie and res pendent council chambe s, il Go
itch 80 many Doble projecta, go many IN IN
n resolves were plsnued, aud its bril- MI
Mt reception rooms, in which the pomp IN
glory Of Venice were wont to re gath in
d IN the day of yOre. can that 10 mag. of
cent in architecture" says the writer n ns
have quoted above, and all that ia 30
eudid in decoration, carvipg aud gHdinC ney
cad with lavish baud over wals, ana in
,TS, and ceiling, with every open space s.p
panel Illuminated by paintings by Titan so
some other of tire old Venetian masters Ma
IRE combined to Ieuder this more than a
yal honsr,' since 1t IS rlchor than the
&C of kings" p
Io5 she least interesting feature con. Coz
ted with Venice is the COmpU S4nto
lch 10 the buIyluggrouud o. TINS strange
Y. As you emerge from the Grand Canal
be Broadway of VenIce-your attention
attracted by a cluster Of email isla, DIS
i seem to sleep on the bosom of the ses.
% OF them, more distant than the resi-