The Princeton union., 1900-08-02
EUROPEAN SIGHTS.
A Letter from the Old World ,
MONS SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.


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VENICE, July 15.-The approach to
Venice, "Pearl of the Sea- over the
long railway bridge is full realiza-
tion of the city in all it's pictured love-
illness. It was nearing sunset when we
got our first view and the palaces with
sculptured balconies, the churches with
dome and outstanding companile lying
along the blue waters whose surface
reflected the crimson glow Of many
red-sailed boat, the outlying islands
with fortifca tion or light-tower, all
blended to produce an exquisite pic
ture.
Passing through the station, we
came out at once upon the Grand
Canal, swarming with gondolas, some
of which were waiting to convey our
party to the hotel, Milan, where we
were to be quartered. The black,
graceful boats, as fast as they were
filed, darted out like things of life and
it was amazing to see the skill
with which they were handled, never
colliding, never even an unfriendly
rub though they were sometimes so
closely packed as to seem almost mex
tricable.
Various short cuts were made
through side canals, the gondoliers
announcing our approach by a pecu-
liar, warning cry and we finally came
out again upon the Grand canal at the
door of our hotel which is very pleas
antly located near the mouth and oppo-
site one of the handsomest of the
churches, the Santa Maria dele Salute.
A good dinner of which macaroni,
of course, formed the inevitable ad-
junct, was awaiting US and at its close
all were glad to retire with scarcely
so much as peep out at the waters.
Our first taste of warm weather had
been experienced at. Trent that morn
ing and after a long rail way ride from
there rs Verona where we stopped to
visit some places Of interest which
will again mention, and from that
point to Venice, all members of the
party were very tired.
At 8 o'clock the next morning, how.
ever, all were ready for work again
starting out with Prof. Powers to the
Academy of Fine Arts where, among
other works by masters Of the Vene'
tian school is Titian's masterpiece
The Assumption 1t would be i'm
possible to continue long in the com
pany of man like Prof. Powers with
out absorbing something of his en-
thuslastic love for art and to have his
help in the interpretation of such 9
picture means more than it is easy t(
express.
There are others of Titian's, one O
them his very last, done after he wa
80 years of age and nearly blind. The
walls of some Of the rooms are decor
ated with pictures of early Venice b!
Carpaccio and there are famous paint
ings by Tintoretto, Bellini and others
The morning was spent very profit
ably, we felt, at this place and the af
ternoon was made free to do as We
liked. Some went shopping but th'
greater number rested and made read,
for lecture given by Prof. Power
just before the dinner hour.
After dinner, gondolas we're ordered
for row down the canal to the islan'
of Lido to watch the sunset and moon
rise. Our party, small through Eng
land, has numbered forty-eight sine
we Joined Prof. Powers at Munich an
as it is a rule of the gondoliers to tax
but four persons with one oarsman,
was necessary TO have twelve gondola
to accommodate US all.
We were "the observed of all OF
Servers" crowds of all ages and cond
! tions watching US curiously from ba
comics, windows, roof-gardens an
bridges and we returned the gaze a
, curiously. 1t was all so like dream
the olden palaces with their tracerie
T. and gothic balconies, ''Romeo an
! Juliet' in an upper window waHin
I only more affectionate as they realize
\ we were looking at them, curiousl
:, attired men and women, swarms {
, children, dirty but with softest voice
, and languishing eyes, gondolas dartin
through the water their oarsmen shou
y ing, gesticulating, sunset tints r'
y hected in the canal.-"Oh! Lun;
y Luna" shouted our gondolier as "
rounded point and we looked to sc
. the full moon rising majestically b.
: fore US.
. 1t was one of Prof. Powers immune
: able happy thoughts to have his pa
ties meet here at full moon for Venic