Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-20

now certain to deposited by the dozen or
| more steamers making daily arrivals, that
the shops of Strada Reale and Grande Rue
have gradually taken on the character OF a
grand bazar Of the more fragile and costly
products of all Mediterranean and Levan-
| tine countries.
Merchants from Tangier, merchants from
Fee, merchants from Cairo, Alexandria
and Constantinople, Persian and Arabian
merchants. Italian merchants and Spanish,
even the thrifty Swiss with their curios
from the mountains, and, the ubiquitous
Japanese, all with their most tempting
genere, are here, living together in mutual
good will; and with tailors from London,
perfumers and modiSteSs from Paris and
cafetiers from Greece, furnish a more be-
wiidering display and variety of costly
wares and Injuries than could be found
save by connoisseur in Paris, London or
New York.
This not only adds greatly TO the charm
and interest of the street scenes and dis
plays, but tends towards luxuriousness in
habit and life on the part of those enjoying
the winter upon the islands. These folks
as rule are drawn from the wealthiest Of
the English, Germans and French. They
live sumptuously at the great hotels, at
clubs or in private villas in the suburbs of
Valetta, the principal Of which is Sliema,
where the elegance and display isunot out
rivaled in the London West End.
The English government of Malta has
provided splendid driveways and greatly
improved the country roads. Indeed in the
costliness of apparel, in the magnifcence of
the shops, in the throngs of flair women of
the northern type, and IN the superb dis
plays in riding and driving that in any
winter afternoon may be seen along upper
Strada Reale and GrandesRue, and from
Porta Reale through Floriana around to
Sliema, and over every white driveway
IL -,
one of the cthrongs of Regent street, and
the morning. procession of stately equi-
pages in London's famous Rotten Row.
Every stranger in Malta will visit the
great church of st. John. 1t stands to-day
as it left the grand masters hands, save in
what it was deprived Of by Bonaparte's
Iooting. If not perfect in architectural
grace, its exterior, which is surmounteC by
the Maltese cross, is massive and stately,
while the interior, with its historic associ-
atoms ever in mind, is wonderfully impress
i've. 1t is gorgeous with every species of
decoration. The high altar is Respondent
wi tn silver, gold and precious gems. 1t oc-
cupies the center of the choir and at either
side are low diasks beneath crimson cano-
pies, with a solitary chair on each; one for
the Catholic bishop of Malta, and the other
dedicated TO the Protestant ruler of Eng
land. Above the latter are royal arms.
Not the least interesting in features of
the Church of ST. John are the chapels of
language and the memorial vaults of de-
parted knights. The nave is long and wide,
and the walls are fretted in curious de-
vices. gilt with seqUin gold. Approaching
the aisles on either side the eye rests, as
through golden arches, upon a range of
small dome-crowned chapels, the altar
pieces of which are curious old paintings.
These were the chapels of the different
languages or nations, as of France, Italy,
Arr~~ afa I'd D1.a nv
traordinarily rich in noble monuments Gin
marble.and bronze.
The virgin chapel, hidden from the body
of the church by the choir, possesses
balustrade of massive silver; and here are
to be seen the keys of three cities of
strength, over which the Knights of ST
John once ruled Jerusalem, Acre and
Rhodes. Standing out from the dark
paneling of the choir Immediately behind
the altar, sCulptured in white marble, is
representation of the Baptism of Christi
1t is the work of Maltese artists of the
Seventeenth century; and have not seen
its superior in any of the famous churches
of Europe. The high boIdly-arched vault
ing of the roof is entirely covered with
paintings representing scenes and incidents
in the life of ST. John, and the tapestries
that hang below, which are SAID to have
cost $780, 600, are of wonderful proportions
and beauty.
Between the pillars separating the nave
and the aisles, are many monuments, some
encrusted with jasper and agate and all of
unrivalled richness and grandeur. 1t is
said that at least every surface square foot
of the vast structure covers the body of a
once valiant knight; the monuments to
grand masters, and architects and painters
engaged in the establishment of the edifce
are bewildering in their frequency and
magnificence; and the entire structure
stands to-day grand, yet pathetic, mauso-
leum and reminder of the power and glory
of those Christian warriors of heroic and
chivalrous past.
This constant mingling of "reminiscences
of medieval heroism with every other
quality and object so strange and unique in
Eastern life aud ways, the whole lightened
by the gayeties and brIlliancies of the
thousands of wealthy strangers of your
own kind and tongue, ::one of the most
fascinating sensations to be experienced in
any city of the Mediterranean.
Wherever you turn you are confronted by
majestic or exquisite relics of a former
grandeur carrying its material splendor into
the present, and weirdly conjuring the
forms, faces and lofty motive of those who
built. Everything you see shows you mod
ern power adapting the sepulchres of the
most lustrous chivalry the word ever
knew to the practical and unpoetic uses of
far-reaching diplomacy and aggressive ac-
QUESTION. And everything you hear illus
trates how the warm, vigorous blood OF to-
day is flowing back upon the East and its
dead past, thrilling a new and better life
into its mummied old frame.
EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.