Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-01-16

bcesl dynsn .teJ. Bcsiies this unaccui-
toned ,4uisqrqc. il was so slippery with
mut that we bnd TO give yigilant heed
for fear Of falling. With these COM
Jinsd disadvantages we had no leisure
on, Of doors for anything but care for
or peYscnal safety. aud go Did not mini
,l,p inyisib.lity Of tbs city. We nave
aud carriages, and eau Accessibility we
with old florcntincs IN this respect.
Florence Is beautifully situated In
Wiley amid spu-s ~ fhs Auennin"s,
and Is sheltered on I'll SIDES 10y those
mountains. which. however, OCCASION
ally withdraw their usual protection
and send down bitterly cold winds from
their snow-clad tips.
THE ARNo, A PLACID STREAM
at this spot as rule, is just now swol-
len by the recent rains and is rushing
along like a torrent through the city.
Pinks, lilies Of the valley. roses, mar
cissus, and many other flowers, are for
sale in profusion in the streets, and have
that delicious. crisp, fresh look that is
one Of their great beauties, and which
comes from growing in the soft open
air.
Since our arrival we have been exclu-
siyely occupied in visiting the churches.
picture-galleries. and palaces Of this
famous city. and in seeing the wonder
full artistic creations we have so often
read Of and longed to see. Whatever
doubt as to the value of the old mas
tiers" may be in the minds of those
who have only seen the caricatures of
them which travel round the world I'M
der the name of copies must instantly
disappear after visiting Florence. Giot-
to's Campanile, or bell-tower, the Bap-
tistery, and the Cathedral arc very near
together, and form a group of most in
teresting buildings. The enormous
dome of the Cathedral, one of the
largest in the world, is a cul-
minating spot round which the
half-domes of the choir-apse and
transepts are disposed on a lower level.
This arrangement gives to the views Of
the Cathedral, on walking round it, an
ever-varying outline Of fine architectu-
raj proportions and exquisite artistic
ornamentation. The outside of the
Cathedral is mainly of black and white
marble, with an inlaying of colored
sufficient to give it an animated look
the doors have reliefs over them Of
pure-whte marble, and the facade, long
undecorated, is now rapidly approach
ing completion.
The Campanile stands at the south
ern side of the west end, and rises up,
adorned with sculpture and
FAIRY-LIKE TRACERY,
to the height of 800 feet. Three bronze
doors are the chief ornaments of tie
Baptistery, praised. but not OVER
praised, by many celebrated writers.
They are divided into compartments,
the principal of which depict biblical
scenes and the rest allegorical. They
were originally covered with gliding,
now nearly all worn off by 400 years
of sunshine, rain, and dust.
The Florentines love their city in
tensely and the memory of the great
men who have especially helped to beau
tify it or increase the prosperity and
glory Of its citizens, and they have
placed tablets commemorating their
deeds on many of the houses where
these men lived. This is very interest
ing to foreigners, and helps them to I'M
derstand and appreciate the history of
Florence, and by the variety of the char
acters so honored shows that the citi-
Zens have will of their own and a ca
pability of approaching all orders and
degrees Of men. We soon detected
how facetiOus and satirical the
Florentines are, from the celc-
brated preacher at the Cathedral
down TO the uneducated classes.
A workman brought us some things
which had to be paid for, and was
thoughtlessly asked if he could give
change for hundred-frank bill, and he
answered, II haven't a centeSimo,"
with burst of laughter and look of
keen appreciation of the satire of the
question. On the day of FEDERICO Cam
panella's funeral had curiosity enough
to go and see the house where the cele-
brated old republican lived. and found
crowd collected. Thinking it would
soon dispense. took refuge under
doorway opposite, but from the moment
| arrived the people
FLoCKED TO THE SPOT.
and | began to be uneasy. fearing there
might be crush. After waiting for
nearly an hour. the coffin was put into
the hearse, mass ofsbeautiful flowers
was laid upon it, over thirty wreaths
in oak and laurel were hung around,
and the procession brought into order.
Populations from more than hundred
societies. with many handsomely-em
broidered banners, joined in. The town
of Lcghorn sent plain black flag with |
Campanella's name and the date of his
death upon it, and the Mazzini Brother
hood sent the corresponding one borne
at Mszzini's funeral. The procession, |
in which there were four bands OF mu-
sic, passed through all the principal |
streets of the city before going to the |
railway stations, and the whole of demo- |
cratic and republican Florence turned |
out to pay last tribute to one of their
heroes. The affair passed off so quietly |
that, as a stranger, | did not under
stand there was any probability of a
real disturbance, though from the char
acter of the banners and the absence of |
anything betokening sympathy on the
side Of the Government or religious
bodies, and the appearance of the
crowd, it was easy to see there was an
undercurrent Of excited feeling against
The powers that rule. | heard after
wards the authorities were rather anx-
ous, and that at Genoa, where Cam
PAMELA was buried the next day, the
police seized some of the banners with
republican sentiments on them, which
we're too defiant to be submitted to by
/ monarchical government.
just after it was dark last night
!.