The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-06-02
A Glimpse Of Lisbon.

We hoated this morning down the
Tagus, the glittering panorama OF the
city unfolding before us. Its houses,
built of creamy marble-like stone, ter
raced the hill-sides, forming stately
staircase, down which Lisbon stepped
as queen to the waters edge. We
could not dispute her claim; whatever
city may be ranked first for beauty OF
situation, Lisbon can be classed no
lower than second among all
the cities of the globe. Its
wonderful atmosphere bathed all
with golden glamour. The tiled
fronts of the houses, which, seen nearer,
suggest patchwork bedquilt hung out
to air, flashed back the sunshine from
their glazed surfaces like so many gems;
dome and cupola, church tower and
palace facade, outlined themselves in
graceful profile against the sky, as ex-
quisite as q poets dream, and as un-
real as some prehistoric legend. We
did not wonder that Camoens attributed
its foundation to the first Greek explorer
who rounded the pillars of Hercules:
ULYSSES, he, though fatcd to destroy,
On Asian ground the hoaven-built towers of
Troy,
On Europe's strand, moro grateful to the
skies,
He bade the eternal walls of Lisbon rise."
Anearer view of Lisbon's streets, while
1t dlspels in certain degree the vision
like enchantment of the distant picture,
brings out details of never-ceasing in
terest. We spend our days in long
1r,.
famous streets, that wind and climb,
criss-cross, angle, and lose themselves
in labyrinthine tangles, blind alleys OF
pleasant squares. We wonder alike at
the bizarre costumes of the lower classes,
and the similarity to Americans -
or rather Parisian-styles displayed
by the more well-to-do. We
saunter along the quays, and
study fishermen and Gallegos. We
look up at the balconies draped with a
bright rug or gay shawl, at the parti-
colored awnings and windows, where a
beautiful face shows against dark
background like Rembrantesque pOr-
trait. We scan the attractive windows
of the goldsmiths' shops in the Rua
Aurea, or jingle along in the Americana,
as they christen the open street-car,
through the Broadway of the city, which
leads to the Belem suburb. The peo.
pie live much upon the street, and
it is here that they are to be studied
to the best advantage. The houses
of the poor open to it, and we have
full view of the home life from the
narrow sidewalk. In the more elegant
quarter the wistaria droops in purple
festoons over the ballstrades which
edge the roof, while spots of rosy pinb
or vivid scarlet tell of blossoming olean
ders OF cacti, for the roof of one row ol
houses often forms its own garden, OF
that of the houses upon the next ter
race. These hanging gardens reminded
the eccentric Beckford of places of in
terment, "as if the deceased inhabi
tants of the palace were sprouting up il
the shape of prickly-pears, Indian figs
gaudy hollyhocks, and peppery capsi
Gums"
Here and there roofs of red semi
cylindrical tiles projected over the
house-fronts, suggesting the futed
frill of an old lady's cap. Everywhere
there were sparkling color and dazzling
light. Sometimes the tiles on the
fronts Of the houses formed mosaics O.
gigantic figures, vases of flowers and
baskets of fruits; now and then, above
some rusty lantern, which in Southey'l
time served the double purpose of illu
minating the streets and burning in homo
of the sacred pictures above them, tht
tiles shaped themselves into Madonnas
martyrs in flames, and saints in glory
circumstance which called from tn,
merry poet the bon mot, "These saints
are the most enlightened personages il
Lisbon" If the streets of Lisbon wer,
dark in Southey's time they have blazet
with light since the advent of gas; th'
poor saints alone remain in the obscurit,
of the Dark Ages.-Hnper'S Magazine.