New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-02
NOTES FROM ITALY.
AIT. LITERARY AND PERSONAL TOPICS.

csed for charging an entrance fee to all Its pubic
museums and galleries of art, after they had been
for centuries free to visitors. 1t is still an open
question whether such course Is polite or not In
country depending for its prosperity so largely as
does Italy on the influx of foreigners. The chief
attraction of Italian cities Is their collections Oh
art. To family of several persons drawn to city
ike Florence, it is an economical question OF some
interest whether its members shall make few
hurried visits at q franc head TO dozen museums
and then depart, or stay for months visiting tho
galleries at leisure without fee OF entrance In
the latter the galleries would loo, perhaps.
fifty francs. but the city would gain thousands IN
MANY WAYS distributed among its tradespecpe,
artists and general bread winners. One practIcai
effect of the entrance fees is to shorten the visits OF
the thousands who como chiefly to be instructed in
art. Consequently there is a strong local motive
for each city TO the old system of free en-
trance.
On the other hand the present system works ia
vorably for the museums General Core. Project
Of Florence informs me that about 800, 900 francs
are now realized from entrance fees all over the
kingdom. As there are many museums to when
admittance costs only half franc, one may cacu-
late the actual paying visits at about 7OOOOO Al
lowing for repeated visits, one may also compute
the number of foreigners who visit the museums,
and Italians who travel in their country for this
purpose, at one-half tho above number say
$50 600. thousand francs apiece would be
moderate allowance of expenditure for these visit
ors while coming to and travelling in Italy,
amounting TO the gross sum of $50, 100000 francs,
OF $40 600, coo. This would represent, at per
cent capital of ST. 400 OO0, OOG which Italy has
accumulated through the efforts in times past OF
her deceased artists That is II say, class. by
their works of genius they have contributed TO thc
general prosperity and means of livelihood OF the
population Of Italy gross amount oil property 'hat
produces a revenue to the whole country from year
to year IN one shape and another of this large sum-
without estimating the amount expended yearly by
foreigners in modern works Of art br!ca-brac and
| old art which form nc0nsderablc portion OF
her annual exports.
| Pompeii. the Joint legacy OF Vcsuvus and the
Romans. yields the greatest amount OF entrance
| fees. and the Ducal Palace at Venice comes next In
| productive revenue. None of the money received
from this source il applied to current expenses but
is kent as fund for the purchase OF new objects OF
art for the museums. have given these statistics
| 10 show that the italian Government, having de-
| cIded to obtain revenue from its museums. sue
ceels in Obtaining a considerable annually for
| their increase The statistics also serve TO show
that the indigenous art OF a country when properly
| cared for and nurured, besides IFS civihzing ana
refining qualities is of an incaculabo material adj
| vantage.
| Isaw recently in the studio OF Larkin q. Nsai.
portraits of Mr. w. d. Howels and Mr. John Hay
| in profile in clay admirably modelled; which might
be truly called speaking likenesses.' Mr.. How
oss is TO be engraved for the Tauchnitz edition Of
his complete works now i'll preparation at Leirslc.
Mr. Mead intends to prepare series of portraits in
this fashion of American authors, to be aferwari
put into terra. Gotta, bronze marble, as may be
desired.
Ihave copied below letter from Byron, which
recently by mere chance came into my possession
| in the original manuscript. The owner did not
| know enough English to read it, but supposed it
| TO be a precious documen, of some sort. 1t was
| sent from Venice on April 27. 1910. TO Monsieur
Gaslian IS Rue Viycnne. Payigi Paris" and
here 1t Isl
SIR In yarou. numbers Of your journal have seen
menlionel worS eaued ne S 'aPpg wisn me ill.,
euhOr and never heard OF the work egiblel IN ques-
n torma TI annnn Of Ihe vampire win ihe add
lion OF arcOnt OF ny res de zee IN tue Island OF
| Mityeme" an leland when have occasionally sailed by
III the OF travelling some years ago through ne
Levant-and whore shou have no objection 10 reside
but have never yet resided. Neither OF these
performances mine. AMI presume that u neiiher
inls nor ungraolous request a yon WIZ favor me
II The book clever w0nld be base 10 depfy me eal
writer he may he-oi bis h0n0rs: aud stupid.
desire the responsibility OF n0bodys dulness Dat my
own. go -, .--,, q, - - it, ,,,,a,,
is OF no great oTtIIc ami long it conf ned
to armses aud rcports. should have received II as
have received many other IN silence Hni tJe formally
of public advertisement OF book never wrJie-and
a resdeuce where never rosidec-s litle TO- muci,
particularly "a have DO no'ioE o the contents OF hc
one the incidents OF the 0thc:. nave beslics q
personal dislike TO Vampires" and tenfced the lille
| acquaintance nave with thrm you'd ny no means IN
dlce TO iivuge Their secrets You lef1ced dlh me
much less injury by lirgtble Your paragraphs D'us
my devotion a1d abandonment OF societ. for the
sake OF religion" which appeared In your messenger
during last Lent all OF which ara hot founded o. 1act
ia line aud half caaced and egJlel uut yOn SEQ 90
not cnuttad then-bcca tsc they mercy pcrSOnal
whereas the others dcgree concern tho reader:
| You will Oblige by complying Win my request OF
| contradiction assure you that know nothing OF the
work OF works question, ana have tie honor b. b. fas
| the correspondence magazines sayl "y0ur constant
| reader" ana very obedirnt humble servant, BYEoS
| Venice, April Z7th 1919.
To t.e Editor GaiigHais Messenger etc, etc. etc.
All the world is familiar with the fame Of the late
| Mr. Marsh. United States Minister, at Rome for 50
! many years as n man of science and diplomat.
But few persons know how much he did as man
and Christian to raise the standard Of the American
| name abroad IN a quiet bencvolenco that did not
| let his right land know what lis left was doing.
| and of which the world cYei now knows nothing.
| While he was accredited 10 the Court at Turin, ho
| renewed the beds and linen of Catholic hospital
near his county residence and won snGh an enyi-
able famo among lis poor 3clghp0rs Tor ms large,
| hearted charity that the hospital now Is called
"Ospedale Marsh" and the street where ho lived,
os well as the Castello he inhabited, called also
, by his name My informant, a PiedmOntcss anu II
| uegnbor who was accustomed TO dIne WIN MN
every Sunday, tells almost with tears III NJ eyes
| how much lie WIS beloved by every one. adding IN
his enthusiasm: " lie is worsipped even uOw ike
| GOD This Is more grateful record 81 a. chlclal
! countrym an abroad 10 an American ear than That
of high inks" generally and ntemperance, when
"a offen arc the only souvenirs OF too many AmerI-
cans who have Eeld distinguished positions IN for
| eipn lands JAMES JACKSON JARvES.