The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16

70 have been in possession no less of the
critical than the constructive faculty.
In one delightful discussion on matters
literary he terms words "dociIe and faith
full servants of thought" and states their
duty TO be to f'lead one to the summit
without rude shock-mysterious guides,
who conceal both themselves and their
methods" Words served him thus. His
dominating genius attuned thought to
phrase as sweetly as it wove melody and
harmony into musical expression.
In Gounod's young manhood, the auto
biography dIscloses, his skill as painter
was even more highly thought of than his
musical ability. II fact Monsieur Ingres,
an authority on both arts and director'of
the French Academy, Desought Gounod to
discard the study of music and transfer
his energies to the development of color
and form. In the memoirs is brilliant
dissertation on the art OF Michael Angelo,
Raphael and others Of a value to the world
far greater than vast majority OF accom-
plished art works.
His comments on the compositions of
Mozart and Mendelssohn are of intense
interest, and his meeting and subsequent
friendship with the latter musician are
touched upon with engaging freedom and
delicacy. One of the chief charms OF the
autobiography lies, however, IN the
glimpses Gounod gives one now and again
of his own sweet and noble soul.
The pictures of Rome, Florence, Naples
and Venice are word paintings OF genius,
and the whole work will rank as classic.
Let Us reproduce few sentences from his
chauter with reference to that city which
holds great and glorious place in the his
tory of the arts, and tn whose natural fea-
lures her geogra phical situation has given
a character unique and exceptional in the
world.
e. "Venice, Joyous and sad, light and SOM
Der, rosy and livid, coquettlsh and slnis-
Ter. a constant contrast, strange COM
bination of the most opposite impressions,
q pearl in a cesspool.
itVerice is an enchantress; she is the
home of painters OF radiance; she has IN
vested art with sunlight. Contrary 10
Rome, which waits for you, solicits you
slowly and conquers you invincibly and
forever Venice seizes you by the senses
and ia scinates you instantly. Rome
is serene and pacifying, Venice is exhilar-
ating and disquieting; but the exhiiaration
that she induces Is mixed tat least III was
for mel with an indefinite melancholy-a
standing waters. washing in gloomy silence
the foundations of the old palaces; that
dark, shadowy surface, from the depths
under which one thinks he hears the
groans of some illustrious victim, make OF
Venice kind of capital of terror; she has
retained the IMPRESSION VI WY DAhtssS..
And yet, under fine sunlight, what magic
in the grand canall What reflections from
those lagoons when the wave transforms
itself into lightl What power OF brllliancy
in those old remains OF ancient splendor,
which seem to contend among themselves
for the favors of the sky and to ask Its ald
against the abyss into which they are fall
ing day by day, finally to disappear for
ever.
Rome invites to meditation. Venice to
dissipation. Rome is the grand Latin an
cestor who. through the channel OF con-
quest, will spread over the world the
catholicity of language prelude and
means to a catholicity vaster and of deeper
meaning. Venice is an oriental, not OF
the Greek, but of the Byzantine type;
more suggestive of satraps than OF pom
tiffs, and of Asiatic luxury than OF the
solemnities of Athens or Rome.
Venice is passion, not a love. | was
seduced upon entering, but when ] left it