Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-07

in dreams and designs, placed in marble to
look forever on his Cathedral, forever un-
finished; and one could wish that United
Italy might do for this temple what United
Germany did for the Cathedral at Cologne.
Within, the Florence Duomo is surprisingly
bare. 1t is huge, but not splendid, save as
the contrast with st. Peters is obvious and
remarkable. There is nothing without st.
Peters to dull the eye for the enchantment
within; nothing within the Cathedral Of
the Flowers to make one forgetful of that
without.
Full OF Historic Associations.
Yonder rude and lonely tower is where
Galileo was held a prisoner. Et is, as is be-
coming, q ruin. square and grim and tall, q
perfect advertisement of a sinister history.
Behind it, and away beyond it on the
horizon, is q mountain from which the Bona
parties emigrated to Corsica This broad
square, overshadowed by rock-built tort
ress, with tower that is prodigy, clus-
ter of hacks in the center of the broad
paved space, with q group of bronze satyrs
for fountain, is where Savonarola was sac
rif1ced, and there, in the frowning wall, are
the windows OF the council hall where he
was condemned. 1t is in the City Hall,
whose battlements are through photo
graphs, familiar the world over. 1t is a
castle, once the seat of the Government OF
the Republic. am not sure but this edif1ce
surpssses the cathedrals in architectural
effect. short ride and there is small,
low hill used as burial ground and covered
with trees and tombs.
There is buried, on the central walk
Elizabeth Barrett Browning, with only the
initials of her name to identify the stone;
and far away in Venice the green sea waters
wash silently the marble steps of the palace
where her husband lately died, and their
a n arti hos h tr,ds md n
womanly letters about the poet, recently
given to the world, are the most fragrant
tribute to his memory. Walter Savage Ian
dor reposeS in the bosom of the green hill or
sacred soil, and there are many English in
scriptions, with names and titles hon horable
rather than llustrious. There is shaft to
the memory of Frederick of Germany, for
Wnom Italians have an earnest tenderness
and an American name that all men once
knew-Theodore Parker, who hurled his
Javelins at Daniel Webster, implacable
was dead, upon the theory that Web
ster was a traitor to liberty because he COM
promised with slavery-a theory l took the
liberty of disbelieving at the time, and to
which never consented, for Webster did
more III his speeches on constitutional law
to conquer the rebellion and abolish slavery
than all the orations of the professional
Abolitionists from the beginning to the end;
but the simple stone in Florence with the
name and medallion of Parker on it, show
ing his noble brow and bearing words of af
The Wealth of Small Room.
shall not attempt to describe the CALLER
les of Florence, for the task is far beyond
me. There are vast areas, miles and leagues
of pictures. One fingers before a few names
that are well known; indulges for minute
an impression that a painting says some
thing to your soul; seeks, perhaps, to see
what it is in one cluster of forms that is in
effable, while the higher tints and broader
suggestions another tlsfaCtOrV. I
not insignificant 1t is not my purpose to
follow the guides or the guidebooks through
the palaces and over the long bridge lined
with portraits that crosses the Arno and
conducts you into another hemisphere, al
most, it may be altogether as glorious as
that from which you have emerged. We
the "Tribuna." Here is a broken satyr by
some matchless old Greek, restored by
Michael Angelo, and, 10! the Venus Medici!''
and RAphaers Madonna and Child, with
the grey bird and red crest; Raphaers por-
trait of his sweetheart, buxom anL benign;
two wondrous Titians, golden haired, ,yolupt-
nous and celestial; Van Dyke, a Correggio,
a Durer, Holy Family by Michael Angelo,
and another by Paulo Veronese.
All this wealth is in one small octagonal
room of one of the enormous palaces! Sup
the United States shown at Chicago and
made a part of the New York Museuml
Who can estimate the riches the country
would gain? Could Congress, perhaps, or
Illinois, or the city of New York, or the city
of Chicago, be persuaded to make an appro-
priation for such purpose! When Ben
Butterworth limited that the Italians might
sell few Madonnas and find their advan-
tage in it, he may have uttered words o. wis
dom, provided he was serious and reverent
in the utterance. Italy has more art than
she can fully enjoy. She might part with
enough to make others opulent and still
possess 'riches beyond the dreams of ay-
arice, an abundance exceeding the capacity
of assimilation.
Mndonnas for Chicaeo's Fair.
1t has been said with a sneer that Italy has
a most profitable industry in the entertain
ment Of those who visit her to see what she
was; but she has that to be seen that no
other land displays, and If she should part
with few specimen treasures, seeing them
would only stimulate the desire to see more.
The Madonna and Child of cherubs OF
Raphael in the Dresden Gallery do not deter
visitors in Florence and Rome, but animate
them. What would not one of the splendid
Raphaels to Florence be worth to the Chi
cago Fair? Or, say, what an attraction a
group of Madonnas, one each of ten of the
truly great artists. would be! If 1t were not
practicable TO buy, it should be possible to
borrow them for year, with ample security
for safety and return.
Does some one say this would be an en-
couragement of superstition? Is there a
eneer for the story? Is there the common
place offered by ignorance as infallible and
conclusive, that it is pity art had not
found some other theme than the Child
Christ and the Holy Mother? What do we
know that is higher than humanity?
Through what types shall we learn to see
with clearer eyes that which is fairer,
loftier, lovelier? What is holier than pure
young motherhood? Where is the divinity
of innocence and the inspiration of love so
impersonated as in the babe in its mothers
arms? Why. Chicago might well afford to
finish the Cathedral at Florence for the loan
oil few Madonnas for the Fair to which the
q &c ,a1 C1,a se sN 1.
offered the gathered treasury of 8 thousand
years bv Genoa, if she will give her aid in
the Columbian celebration in the city of
Columbus. MURAr HALsTEAD,