The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-12-15

constitutional monarchy.
And yet, with her dukes, grand dukes,
consuls, priors, gonfaloniers, and the rest,
as If human experience did not furnish
sufficiently wide range for her political ex-
periments, she elects the Marzocco, bra
zen lion, as gonfalOnicr; and then, by a
strange freak Of religious fanaticism, casts
her ballots for Jesus Christ as king.
1T is scarcely possible to photograph with
pen and ink the physiognomy Of a great
city, or If you could, it would only be a
photograph after all, lacking warmth of
color and depth of tone. We must con-
tent ourselves with silhouette. Let US
take brief survey Of Florence from the
heights Of San Miniato or TIE Boboli
Gardens. It is like looking at person
in profile You get a clearer outline of
the more prominent features, though il
may be at the expense of the minuter
details Of form and expression.
The city lies mapped out before US in
the form Of an irregular polygon uneaually
divided by the Arno, which, with its Seoad
and handsome quays and its numerous
bridges with their graceful arches, consti-
tutes one Of the most striking features in
the landscape. To the extreme right,
conspicuous with its lofty tower and ornate
facade Of variegated marbles, is the dark,
gloomy mass Of ta-Croce, the "Panthe-
on" of Florence. Beyond are the funeral
expresses Of the Protestant cemetery,
where sleep the remains of Mrs. Browning
and Theodore Parker Farther on are the
heights Of Fiesole, the ancient rival of
Florence, with its Franciscan convent and
hoary crown Of Cyclopean walls. Between
Fiescole and Careggi once the seat of Lo-
renzo the Magni6cent's Platonic Acade-
my, is the famous Villa Palmieri, where
Boceaccio, the father Of Italian prose, laid
the scene of his "Decameron," which in
spired the Canterbury Tales" of our own
Chaucer, the father Of English poetry.
Directly in front of us is the enormous
rectangular mass Of the Palazzo Vecchio,
with its medieval tower and frowning
battlements. To the right the tapering
spire Of the Badia shoots heavenward.
Beyond, looming up in imposing grandeur
is the wondrous dome of Brunelleschi,
fanked by the marvellous Campanile Of
Giotto, solid as fortress, and yet light
and ethereal as an air castle. Immedi.
ately TO the left Of the Cathedral you can
just see the octagonal dome Of the Baptis.
try, the "beL San Giopdnni' Of Dante
whose magnificent bronze doors transported
Michael Angelo to the seventh heaven Of
artistic enthusiasm. Beyond the Baptis
try, San Lorenzo, the Westminster Abbey
of Florence, proudly lifts its crest, as if it
ambitious rivalry Of the Duomo, while
farther to the left Santa Maria Noyella
with its graceful campanile, beautiful "a
cade, aud spacious cloisters, rejoices as tn,
mystic bride Of the great Buonarotti.
Crossing the Arno aud sweeping west
ward, the eye is arrested for moment b,
the dome Of Santo Spirito, and then find
respose upon the beautiful heights of Be-
losguardo. Nearer by is the Pitti Palace
with its famous gallery. From this yo
can trace the covered corridor that con
meets it with the Ufizi, uniting the tw
like Siamese Twins Of art, as they are
and constructed, it is said, upon the mode
Of that which, according to Homer, ono
connected the palaces Of Hector and Priau
As for the rest, Florence resembles mol
Italian cities viewed from an eminence-.
heterogeneous tumble of red-tiled roof
chimney tops, dormer-windows, sky-light,
terraces, belfries, crosses, and flagstaff
without the faintest hint Of the crowde
squares and thOroughfares below.-Ha,
nsr's M10oz;;os