The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-05-30
FLORENCE.


The early history Of Floreace is in
volved ia doubt aud obscuriry. Ae-
eording to some authorities. the city
was founded by the Romans aecor-
ding to Others, by the Etraseans
The most probable conjecture is thar
it owes its origin to colony from
Fiesole, whose ancient ruins are still
visible on the neighboring heights.
What vicissitudes has she not ex-
perienced, What experiments in
government has she not triedI For
eign invasion followed by internal
strife and dissension-Frank, Lom.
bard and 0strogoth, Guelph and Chi
beliue, Blanche and Nert, white
Lily and Red Nov a 6ef Of the
German Emperor, now an appanage
Of the Pope; then dependency Of the
King of Naples, or province Of the
Austrian kaiser duehy, grand dueby,
republic; at one time aristocratic.
then democratic, afterwards theoretic,
while running through al the polite
al phases Of civil liberty, republican
license, anarchy. and ehaos; then
ending in military despotism, until at
length she has found repose beneath
the standard of constitutional mon
archy.
Aud yet with her dakes, grand
dukes, cOnsuls, priors, gonfaloniers,
aud the rest, as il human experience
did not furnish a sufficiently wide
range for her political experiments,
she elects the Marzoeco, braze1 IL
on, as gonfalonier; and then by a
strange freak of religious fanaticism,
casts her ballots for Jesus Christ as
king, who, having been declared duly
elected, was strangely enough depos-
ed BY bis yicegerent, Pope.
IL is scarcely possible to photo
graph with pen and ink the physiog-
nomy of great city, or if you could.
il would only be photograph after
all, lacking warmth of color and
depth Of tone. We must content our
selves with silhouette Let US take
brief survey of Florence from the
heifihts of San Ministo or the Boboli
Gardens. 1t is Ike locking at per-
son ia profile. You get clearer out
line o. the more prominent features,
though il may be at the expense OF
the minuter details of form and ex-
preston.
The city lies mapped out before US
in the form of an irregular polygOn
unequally divided by the Arno,
which with its broad and handsome
quays and It's numerous btidges with
their graceful arches, constitutes one
of The most striking features in the
landscape. To the extreme right,
CONSPICUOUS with its lofty tower and
ornate facade of yariegated marbles,
is the dark, gloomy mass Of Santa
Crcee. the Pantheon" of Florence.
Beyond are the fuseral expresses of
the Protestant cemetery, where sleep
the remains of Mrs. Browning and
Theodore Parker. Farther on are
the heights of Fiesole, the ancient ri
val of Florence, with its Franciscan
convent and hoary crown of Cyclic
pane walls. Between Flesole and
Carreggi, once the seat of Lorenzo
the Magnificent's Platonie Academy,
is the famous Villa Palmieri, where
Boccaccio, the father of Italian prose,
laid the scene of bis ''Decsmeron,"
which inspired the Canterbury
Tales" of our own Chaueer, the Faith.
er Of English poetry.
Directly in front Of us Is the enoF-
nous rectangular mass of the Palazzo
Vecehio, with its madiaval tower
and frowning battlements. To the
right the tapering spire OF the Badia
shoots heavenward. Beyond, loom
ing up in imposing grandeur, is the
wondroas dome OF Brunelleshf, flank
ed by the marvellous CamPanile OF
Giotto, solid as fortress, and yet
light and ethereal as an air. castle
Immediately to the left Of the Cathe-
dral you can just see the octagonal
dome Of the Baptistery, the "bet San
Orannie" Of Dante, whose magnificent
bronze doors transported Michael
Angelo to the seventh heaven Of ar
tistic enthusiasm. Beyond the Bap-
tistery, San Lorenzo, the Westmin-
ster Abbey of Florence, proudly liits
its crest, as if in ambitious rivalry OF
the Duomo, while farther to the lett
Santa Maria NoveIla, with its grace
ful campanile, beautiful facade, and
spacious cloist,rs, rejOices as the mys
tic bride Of the great Buonarotti.
Crossing the Arno aud sweeping
westward, the eye is arrested Tor
moment by the dome Of Santa SpirI-
to, and then finds repose upon the
the beautiful heights of Bellosguardo.
Nearer by is the Pitt Palace, with
It's famous gallery. From this you
caa trace the covered corridor that
connects it with the Ufiizi, uniting
the two Ike Sinese Twins Of art, as
they are, and constructed, it is said,
upon the model of that which, accord {
ing to Homer, ouce connected the
palaces Of Hector and Priam. As
for the rest, Florence resembles most
Italian cities viewed from an emil
nence-a heterogeneous jumble Of red
tiled roofs, chimney-tops, dormer-
windows, sky-lights, terraces, belfries,
crosses and aag-sIalfs, without the
faintest hint Of the crowded squares
and thoroughfares below. w.-HdTPer's
IPeekly.
A Lie without words.