The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-12-20
HISTORIC CITIES.
4 Bird's-Eye View of Some of the Cities
Famous in Story and Song.

| \ Birds-Eyc view OF some OF the cities
Famous in story and Song.
Alexandria sits demurely by the sea,
an Oriental maiden attracted TO the
sandy shore of the Mediterranean to
barter her spices, silks, mats, with inf
del, concluding to remain there and
wander no more.
Jaffa lifts up her head from a rocky
cliff, and with one hand salutes the
Mediterranean, and with the other well
comes the caravans from Damascus and
Jerusalem. Jerusalem is still the child
of faith, dwelling where little grows,
where there is naturally little trade, or
commerce, or manufacturing; drawing
her supplies mysteriously from the rocks
and the skies; yet different races, differ
ent religions, different civilizations be-
lieve in her and huddle together about
her, awaiting something that does not
appear.
Jerusalem, sitting alone on the rocky
side of Judea, is the sublime child of
faith, coming of faith in the past, look
ing forward to the future by faith.
Damascus is the fair maid issuing
from the ALBANIA or Baroda, mysterious
" changing its musical waters into olive
groves, tropical luxuriance and teeming
population, and sitting in queenly robes,
with her feet in the sands of the desert
) Of the Hanron, amid mosques and min
arets, and robed men, smoking the mar
} gileh on diyans, or by playing fountains
or cooling streams.
Beirut, standing proudly on PENN
sula-shaped headland on one side of q
beautiful crescent bay, is the CONNER
) cial or moral mistress of Syria, sending
, the currents of life up the French high
I way to Damascus, as the heart sends
, the blood through the artery to the
, head.
= Smyrna is the mistress of two ages
I and civilizations, reposing on quiet
+ plateau by the sea, welcoming the com
t merce of the West, guarding the grave
q of Polycarp and the manners and forms
l. of the East.
= ConstantinOple at a distance is the
T slightest of the cities, but on approach
d ing near you see she wears a mask, anC
II behind that mask you perceive restless
ness, discomfort, perfidy and sullen wait
# ing for revolutionary chaos.
e Athens is the bride of the cities. ShC
IS holds in one hand broken marbl,
T, pointing to the ruins of her art in tn
d heroic ages-the art which has con
Vt quered the woodland in the other tn
d scepter of new springing power.
a Naples, as we approach 1t by steame
: from the south and around the point
e rises up out of the sea as a charming
5, timid apparition shrinking away from
e Vesuvius, who holds smoking bran,
t. in one hand, shaking it over her head
+ and yet afraid to 90 in the other direc
le ton, as he thrusts the other hand in hi
r subterranean pocket, touching the secre
n springs that let off commissions in Ischi
n and the regions beyond her
I'd Rome, the attractive, the interesting
e. the historic, the hider and the reveale
lie of the secrets of her mother, the mis-
is tress of the World" sitting in a roy;
S, way on her seven hills-full as she is {
ID art and history-is nothing else, in form
ld so much as she is a saint. She is tn
IN high priestess in her tent of the cities {
I'd the earth. Religion is scrolled upo
er her buildings. outside and inside, o
ne her streets, on her calendar, on hi
OF garments, on her food and manners.
n. do not know how far this sainthoo
I'd strikes in, or what it is worth. l spea
p only of color.
in Florence, one of the Queens, repose
ID half-asleep, half-awake, in beautifu
l., cradle of the Apeninnes, dreaming owe
ne the splendors of the past, displayin
IN still matchless profus'On of art trea
ne ures, and beguiling those who come III
ne der the influence of her charms throue
ii, labyrinths of plastic and painted beaut,
ey Venice, the daughter of commerce
nd sits with her feet in the Adriatic, smut
,ir ing the breezes of the sea, Drowned an
vn weather-bea and her robes soiled, ;
A she toyed with the gOndolierS and wat'
Ike sprites so long.
ne Paris is the city of sentiment. Not ,
ms much of ideas or principles, or eve
&C. prudence or policy, as sentiment, reign
~ The inspiration of her patriotism is ii
RI love of glory; of her letters and art, IL
eT desire to crafty artificial demands an
u tastes rather than to exalt humanit
G. of her efforts in dress and manners,
or create and maintain bland, imperi
Is goddess, Fashion, and compel others
eS worship at his shrine. Sentiment is Il
he height and depth, length and breadt
RS of the popular feelings. 1t is curious
he note that painters and sculptors in Par
d. do not rely on the expression of soul,
a character, in their works so much as G
lie intrinsic circumstances, sensational att
Is, tudes, combinations, adjuncts. If VIC
ne see statue of Liberty on a column in
r. public square, she is represented 4;
dc standing on tip-toe on one foot, throw
he ing the other far up in the air behin'
to leaning far forward with flaming tore
he in her hand, and her wings spread, ;
p-- if eager to leave the spot and fly awa
ed to the ends of the earth, while yol
whole thought is absorbed in the igur
is and you have no interest in the fac
by You see no character. no truth, no idea
nd You have sensational display. Y
he Paris in her clean robes is attractive an
~ beautiful -AIb1IU ErDreSS