The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-09-30
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SIZE NAPLES AND DIE
was the atterance OF some chronic, would.
be suicide or the past; but we suy, See
Florence and Hoe 2, Live In all the glorious
realities Of the beauties OF art aud nature
around you, and the gathered memorials OF
the past, In which you reyei as you roam
through her gorgeous palaces, her unriyalled
galleries, and her magnificent cathedrals.
Z "0f all the fa.rcst cities Of the earth
None Il so fair as Florence. 'Tls gem
or purest ray. Search within,
Without-ail Is enchaniment. 'Tls the past
Contending with the present, and, III turn,
Each has the mastery"
The heat in Italy has been quite ho4ne-tite
In character, and in order to avoid little
of it we made q night ride from Rome
hiiherward. and about A. M.we were
comfortably located at the Hotel de Suisse.
Our bathing-roo was foored with pure
marble, the walls too were marble, and the
bathipg-tub carved ont OF solid block OF
the same precious material, and though our
visit here greatly refreshed us, yet we al
most trembied least some alcbemic art of the
past should also transform us into statues
OF stone. But the result was happy, and
we walked forth renewed and fresh, with
sharpened appetites for an Italian breakfast.
We first directed our steps 10 the Palazzo
vecchio, the old capitol of the republic.
1t is 4, quaint and massive building, begun
In 1898, resembling an embattled fortress
rather than 4 palace, and is considered
striking example OF the Fiorentine castles
Of the Middle Ages. At the entrance are
seen Michael Angeles "David." and " Her.
cules and Cacus," by Bandinelli, while the
court is adorned with scufptared columns
and magnificent fountain. We made no
note OF time az we fingered in these
FAR-FAAED PALACES,
and amid the treasures Of the Pitt aud Ufizi
galleries. We roamed through miles Of the
choicest paintings, sculptures. and memen-
toes Of antiquity in the world. We ieasted
among the gems and masterpieces OF the
past in brush and chIsel Raphael, Angelo,
Paul Veronese, Titan. Martinelli Whose
{" Feast OF Belshazzar" is grand), Carrigio,
Van Dyck, Murillo, Rubens, &c. No de-
scription can do this remarkable visit JUS
tce, for as we rested in the Tribune, the IN
ner sanctuary Of this temple OF art, we felt
the force OF Hawthorne's words when ne
named it s.the richest room in all the
world-a heart that draws all hearts to it,"
and around us were arrayed 1.-The Wres-
tlers,'' 90 The Dancing Fawn." "The Apo
linio, - "The Venus de Medici," and other
maryels Of ancient sculpture. We also Wis
tied the wondrous Ducal Library, contain
ing about 100000 volumes and 5000 rare
manuscripts. The unique and
EXQUISITE TABLES
| in mosaic and varied marbles were lovely.
One OF the largest is statuary marble, and
| it's centre is formed OF Spanish emerald,
adorned with sca-shells, Egyptian pophry,
pearls, Galley donv, &c, and is iDcrusted with
amethySts and jasper, the whole being en-
circled bv black marble. The small group
pictured in these precious stones on this
table represents columbus Discovering
America There is, also, in the UffiZ
gallery, lovely room called the cabinet
| OF Gems" built in octagonai form, and
decorated with four columns OF oriental
aiabaster, and four in verde antico. The
six cases in this room contain upwards OF
four hundred specimens Of workmanship
in rock crystal, pearls, diamonds, and other
precious stones, while in the centre OF the
room is table in mosaic, on which Is
represented the ancient Port OF Leghorn.
Descending from these .palatial galleries,
we passed through long avenues draped
and adorned with choice Flemish tapestries,
wrought more than three hundred years
ago, and emerged on the grand marble steps
overlooking the great square. Here we
quickly realized how great had been our
|
things terrestrial and real, for upon those
very marble steps we discovered
TWO INTERRUPTED AMERICANS,
whom we had met with before, coolly de-
vourIng q watermelon with as much gusto
"a though seated in the Old Market at Rich
mond, while all around them were gathered
a host of the unwashed, unkempt, and half
clad street Arabs acditing for the rinds.
kt>sv - md hor in
some way, and no sooner does cigar-end
leave smokers hands than dozen urchins
1 spring for it rs an article of merchandise,
and HE away to sell it to the snutf-maker.
After a comfortable SiestG, we strolled
through the markets and streets, and luXu-
rated in luscious figs. This fruit aboundS
here, and grows much larger, and is far
richer than with us in Virginia, while for
ten confines (about two cents) you get all
one can eat.
Next we visited the fine Cathedral Santa
Marie del Fiore, erected in 1898. 1t is mas
sive and wonderful, being 500 feet long, and
the tower some 375 feet high. Thence to
the Campanie. or Bell Tower, near blythe
unrivaled work OF GiottO-containing six
bells. The top is reached by 4l3 steps, and
here we have an extensive view OF the city
aud surroundings. Our next visit was to
tue basiica OF st. John, or the BGttistero,
built in octagon shape, OF black and white
marble, with its three wonderful bronze
doors, which
=. MICHAEL ANGELO
declared "worthy to be the doors OF Para
disc" One contains, in bdS-relief, Il pic
tured history OF st. John the Baptist; the
other two the Creation, the Curse of Labor,
Noah After the Deluge. the Promise to
Abraham, ESau Selling his Birthright, Jo-
seph and his Brethren, the Law from Sinai,
the Fall of Jericho, the Battle OF the Am
monites, and the Queen OF Sheba Visiting
Solomon. Some 5000 baptisms are per-
formed in this baptistery annually, and
while we tarried there we had the opportu-
nity OF witnessing one Of these ''periorm-
ances." From here we went to the Church
OF Santa Marie Novella, with its famous
frescoes by Ghirlandaio, the master Of An
geIo, and thence to the Piazza del Signoria,
with its fine groups Of statuary and the
fountain OF Neptune. We drank from its
cooling waters and then walked across the
Ponto Yecchio over the classic Arno. This
bridge is lined on either side with dealers
in iewelry, who seem to do thriving busl-
ness.
Wednesday morning was little cloudy,
with fine breeze. These were the hrs1
clouds we had seen in Italy, as we have
had not the charming
ITALIAN SKIES,
but brazen, burning ones, with not drop
OF rain here for long weeks. After break
fast we took an omnibus for Porto Nlcco'
:klini, and from there we walked up the
heights laid out and adorned by Angelo,