The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-12-26
10.

the city Is suffering. Noticing the gon-
dolier seemed to never be at loss to
name any building which was pointed
out, one of our party innocently asked
for the palace of Mark Twain. After a
moments hesitation he pointed his long
dirty finger toward a tumble-down old
palace, aud was greeted with a perfect
shout Of laughter. doubtif to this day
he sees the point to the game played on
him.
The grand canal, the aristocratic
street, if we may call it a street, winds
through the city in the form OF a gigan-
tic 5, and near the center is crossed by
the celebrated bridge called the Ridho.
The name was first applied to the main
island on which the city was COM
menced, aud this island has always been
the center Of the city. This is probably
the sense in which Shakespeare uses it
in the Merchant of Venice" when
Shyloek says,
Signor Antonio, many a time and Oft
In the Rialto you have rated me-"
The bridge to which the name is now
applied is single arch across the canal,
and consists Of a foot passage with row
of cheap shops on each side Of it.
Our visit to the city was fortunately
at the time when the young king and
queen were making their tour Of the
Italian cities, at the expiration Of the
ceremonial time Of mourning for their
father, Victor Emanuel. At night the
city was Illuminated, while thousands
of people were crOwding the piazza in
front of the palace aud cheering heartily
whenever the king aud queen came in
sight. One of those ideal Italian nights,
when the moon was full and the ladies
could be in the open air until midnight
without extra wrapping, there was
serenade on the grand canal, the singers
coming slowly up the Rialto to the pal
ace, accompanied by, it seemed to me,
every one of the four thousand passen-
ger gondolas ia the city, each filled with
happy pleasure-seekers. The sweet
voice of the singers, the soft air, the
wonderfully bright moon, and the
strange surroundings combined to form
a memory picture which can never be
forgotten. One day there was a grand
procession Of all the beautiful boats in
the city, surrounding the modest little
barge in which the king andqueen were
sailing The king wore dress suit and
I ,,f,,fr hot mi tho ou.af, ,,rao aTaoouff.-
dressed and had crown on her head and
I a scepter in her hand, as the traditional
queen always does. The gOndsliers were
"A constantly increasing source Of Won
der and admiration To me. They are
wonderfully dexterOus with the single
oar which they use, and which they do
not remove from the water. Standing
in the stern of the boat, with this single
oar they propel the gondola, aud at the
same time have such command over IL
that when going at rapid speed they can
turn q square corner within an inch Of
grazing it, and can stop almost in
stsUntly. The gOndOlas are thirty-twO
feet long, aud have steel elevated PROV,
which is gauge to tell whether the
boat will pass urder the numerous low
bridges which cross the small canals
! throughout the city. a good goudola
costs about $500 BY an edict of the
DOges, four hundred years ago, they
were all painted black, and all private
gondolas have ever since had that color
Venice has been "A remarkable city, in
events, arts and literature, as well as
notable men. Here the illustrious Gal
ileo, at that time a professor in the Uni
versity IF Padua, invented the telescope.
The order of Jesuits was organized here
in 1886. With Venice are associated
Titan, Tiutoretto, CarnOva, TassO,
Marco Polo, and hundreds Of others not
unknown To fame. In 1869 a Venetian
printed the first book ever issued from
the press in Italy, while here lived the
celebrated Aldiui, Of classical fame.
More books in the Hebrew language are
supposed to have been printed here than
in all Christendom combined. In the
sixteenth century the first newspaper in
in the world was printed in Venice and
sold for a coin called gazetta, aud from
this came our name Gazette. as applied
to a paper. She issued the first bill Of
exchange, aud had the first bank of de-
, pOsit and discount. Artillery was first
. used by the Nenelians against the Gen.
oese. and before this they had machines
which would hurl with crushing force q
stone weighing ton and half
As We glide through the noiseless
streets Of this city, which seems as if II
might have sprung from the depths oI
the sea, as we pass miles Of half empty
palaces which are scarcely kept from
sinking back into the blue Adriatie, as
We see on every side Of US evidences of a
civilization earlier aud different from
, anything we have known in America
we feel how small part we as a nation
, have thus far taken in the worlds his.
J tory, aud that among nations like the
ones whose remains are around US every.
where in Italy, we are hardly yet out o
! our swaddling clothes.
80, Venice Venice when tlry marble walls
Are leveled with the waters, there shall be
a cry Of nations o'er thy sunken halls.
, loud lament along the sweeping sea.r
o. r. BURcHARD.
p -----------------
The art of pleasing is more based n,