Natchitoches populist., 1898-06-17
LEANING TOWER OF PISA.
One Cannot Help Being Nervous In Look.
ing From Its Top.

One Cannot Hrelp BEING Nervous in Look.
ing From Its Top.
In S.. Nicholas, john Ward writes
Of 1.-THE Bell-Towers of Italy" Mr..
Ward says OF the most famous of them
all:
Pisa seems like a sleeping city, as
she lies 30 quietly and silently along
the two borders of the river Arno.
She fell asleep several hundred years
ago, after she had struggled valiantly
for her Independence and had won re-
nown during the fierce contests be-
tween the GrLelphs (partisans of the
Pope) and the Ghibellines (partisans
Of the Emperor). Though Pisa has
long since forgotten the days of her
greatness, the world cannot forget
them when it looks upon that Won
dfously beautiful group of four mar
ble-white buildings standing apart" in
the sacred corner; the Cathedral, the
Baptistery, the Campo Santo Tor Burial
ground), and what interests us most OF
all, the remarkable Campanile, SO well
known as the Leaning Tower" This
famous tower was built in 1174. Its
construction is peculiar; there is in the
center hollow brick tube or cylinder;
around this plain round tower the
architects built eight stories of open
galleries, with beautiful, slender col
umns of white marble supporting semi
circular arches. The general effect is
one of great del''acy and lightness,
fairy-like tower of wonderful grace.
The summit is 179 feet from the
ground. As you all know, the tower
leans thirteen feet out of the perpen-
dicular, and looks as if it would surely
fall over at any moment; but, as the
center of gravity is still within its
base, it is as safe as if were erect.
The foundations were probably imper-
fectly built st the start, for the tower
began to lean before itwa half finished;
and we can see where at one point
the builders tried to bring it back
as much as possible to the vertical line
by making the columns on the low
side higher than the others. The walls,
too, are strengthened with irons bars.
Fancy the CONSERVATION OF the archi-
tects when they saw their beautiful
tower leaving over, and its foundations
sinking in the ground! 1t requires
very steady nerves to carry us to the
top, and we find ourselves clinging to
the wall when We are on the leaning
side.
This is what Charles Dickens says
about the tower in his Pictures from
Italy" I'm the course of the ascent
to the top the inclination is not very
apparent; but at the summit it be-
comes SO, and gives. one the sensation
of being in ship, that has heeled over
through the action of an ebb-tide. The
effect upon the low side, SO to speak,
looking over from the gallery, and
seeing the shaft recede to its base, is
very startling; and saw nervous
traveller hold on to the Tower inyol
unfairly, after glancing down, as if
he had some idea of propping it up"
When we reach the summit we must
not forget that this was where the
great astronomer Galileo watched the
stars, experimental on the fall of
bodies, and studied the law of grayi-
tation. Here, too, in the upper story,
hang the six bells, the largest of which
weighs more than $4,000 pounds. The
bell-founders of Pisa had wide repu-
tation for casting bells Of beautiful
tone, sonorols and harmonious. They
lavished on them all their art and their
talent.
The Pasquareocia (the Paschal belly,
the most famous of the Pisan bells,
the one which was tolled when crimi-
nails were taken to execution, is orna.
mented with figure of the Virgin
and the devices of Pisa, and has a rich,
full tone.