St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-07-09
IN STORED WALKS.
Rev. Or. Conway Takes His
Readers in a Delightful
Ramble
Through Fascinating Parts OF
Florence and Other
Cities.
a Glimpse at the "Vaulted
Book" Of Critical John
RuSkin.
Genoa, Birthplace Of Column
bus, Pictured as Today 1t
Appears.

1t IS not because the Adriatic has be-
come spouseless, and Venice is no
longer annually welded TO the sea, that
1t claims for Florence an equality with,
and IN some respects superiority over,
the city of Byron's love and "Childe
Harold'S" pilgrimage. Venice had its
Tasso, it is true, but the name of Dante,
whom Florence disgraced. is inseparably
entwined with that charming city; and
in spite of its ungraciouS treatment of
him, the majority of people will only re-
member that here the immortal poet
first saw the light; here his soul eX-
banded under the influence of beautiful
environments; here through many a
golden Year lived one who is the chief
ornament of a nation ever conspicuous
for its song.
1t is no wonder that the tourist fingers
lovingly in the City of Flowers. Nat
ure and naturaliSts, art and artists, lit
eratHre and literateurS continuously
press for recognition in this city OF
sweet song. Nor is the intensely dra-
matte absent from its history. The
mind easily reyerlS to the time when a
member of the famour Medici family
magnificent cathedral, and without eff
fort does one recall how a Greek en-
perOr here begged of pope to aid in
fighting the unspeakabe Turk. prOmis-
ing i'll return that his people should
join Rome. To us it is difficult to real
IZe how any ruler. whether temporal or
spiritual, could hand over the con-
sciences OF whole people to another's
keeping. But that was time OF schisms
and despOts. an age when rulers
thought they had as much right to
fashion peoples religion as they have
10 Insist on good citizenship.
Pictorial Education.
Italy is called the land Of the vine and
the olive, the home Of literature and
art, the native heath Of poetry and
song. The majority of mOdeTns do not
recognize as did the late Mathew Ar
mold the excellence OF some of its edu-
cational lessons. In order to learn
something of the education which OBJ
tanned in Florence in medieval times |
must ask my readers to accompany
ne back again 10 the Old cathedral,
into what is known as the Span
iSh chapel, the pilgrims progress of
Florence. Here is what RuSkin calls
the "Vaulted Book, a pictorial repre-
sentation OF the system OF manly educa-
ton obtained in Old Florence 1t is the
work OF two palnters-Gaddi and Mem
mi. As there were TWO artist brothers
Memm, and two Gaddi-tather and SON
i leave TO the FlorentineS and the
guidehOOk makers which Memmi and
which Gaddi represented the education
OF that age through the undying touch
OF The artists brush. Florence begins
its educational chart, as shown in this
world-faned painting, by a representa-
ton of the three theological virtues
Love, Faith ami Hope.
Ii says, in 50 fan as the eloquent
tongue of highest art can give express
sion 10 an idea, that without these vir
tues there is practically no Intelligence.
The figure OF Love has flames Issuing
from her head, Faith holds a cross and
shield and Charity a bunch of lilies.
Next to these and under them are the
cardinal virtues of Temperance bridliug
q black fish, Prudence meeklv holding
a book. Justice with crown and baton,
FOrtitude having tower and sword.
a chief prophet or an apostle, preSum-
ably its exponent. IS painted under each
virtue. EhOm3S Aqulnas, the nobleSt
Italian Of them ali, though Siciliau,
and in youth called the dumb OK. holds
position of honor i'll this "Vaulted
Book" After all, the world owes a
great deal to the great men of Italy.
Where would Christianity be today were
it not for the silent Sicilian who Chris
tanned the philosophy OF Aristotle,
and brought 1t to the defense of Chris
tian science?
Take another glance at this famous
educational chart and you will see seven
figures representing the seven thcolog-
ical sciences. Further down still and
under the feet of each mystic figure of
science Is 4 representation of him whom
Florence supposed to be the chief teach
rof that particular science to the whole
world. Thus under civil law is the
Emperor JuStinian; under canon law,
Pope Clement; under practical theology,
Peter Lombard; under COMMEMORATIVE
theology, Dionysius the Areopagita
Thus; under mystic theology, st.
John Damascene, and under DO.
lemic theology, 81. August inc
More interesting still are the mystic
figures of the natural sciences. Gram
mar, rhetoric, logic, music. astronomy,
geometry, arithmetic are all represent.
ed here. aud i'll the order given. This
order Is by no means made at random
but seems to be well reasoned out, and
would be useful study for city school
boards and high school professors. The
order supposeS that young people should
begin their education by being taught
to read, then to speak we'll. Logic fol
lows, teaching the youth how to reason
Music is put in the next place. not be
cause the right of reason conduces tC
pessimism, but because there is so much
cause for singing i'll the sweet world
when one thinks rightly of it.
Geometry comes after astronomy, fol-
the reason, says Bushren, that the
students are at the beginning of the
end of their student days, and must
learn to measure the earth, OF a portion
thereof, so as to build home thereon
Finally there is arithmetic put down as
a conclusive science, because the young