The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-01-04
The ORIGINAL PoRTlA.

/ Record Herald. For a long tire II vas
i a mystery. but the discovery some years
| ago OF a copy OF this neglected and for
gotten author disclosed a striking SINH
larity 10 four or I'VE Of Shakespeare
/ plots. All tire tales are more or less
founded upon historical facts. like that
OF Hamlet Romeo and Juliet. for ex
ample. actually lived and died in the
manner described, because feud be-
( tween their families would not permit
them TO marry. The Comedy of Err
rors'' is based upon incidents OF actual
rious money lender. whose house in
Venice is still pointed out &c tourists.
II stands in the old market place. near
| the RialtO, where there is z tribune
from which was proclaimed the ecicts
ard the announcements OF the govern
ment. and opposite IS the oldest church in
Venice. which is said to have been built
as early as the year $50.
Back of il is the famous Rislto bridge,
which has conspicuous part in Nene-
tian history, as well as romance. tt was
built in 155S The Ponte di Rialto, as
they call IL IN italian. is marble arch
OF seventy-four feet. with "A radius Of
thirtS-two feet. resting upon 12.ot9 piles.
II is the main highway across the Grand
Canal and nearly every man of business
crosses il at lease once during the day.
The bridge itself is given UP 10 the jew
elers, whose shops line each side OF the
pathway, but the piazza at one end is
the FISH, fruit and vegetable market, aud
at the other is sort Of mercantile,
stock and produce exchange. II is the
center Of Venetian business activity, and
when Shakespeare makes Shylock say.
IN the Rialto you have rated me- he
means that his credit or liabilities had
been quoted on change
The ghetto. or old Jewish quarter. is
near by, where a colony Of eNiles from
Spain have been living ever since their
expulsion from that country BY the in
QUESTION. The streets are the narrowest
the buildings are the highest. and the
teuements are the most crowded of all
Venice. and at one time all persons Of
Jewish birth were compelled to live with
IN certain limits and wear certain
dress. They were never prosecuted. but
have been allowed TO worship in their
own way ana transact any line of busi-
ness. The same quarter is still occu-
pied by Jewish families. although the
descendants OF the contemporaries Of
Shylock now own and occupy some Of
the richest and most beautiful palaces
upon the Grand Canal.
The story OF Shylock and the pound
of flesh is found in the book Of tales /
have referred 20, and Portia is a pen
portrait OF Lucretia Cornaro. the first
woman lawyer in the world the Myra
Bradwell of the Fifteenth century. who
received a degree OF doctor of laws from
the University of Padua. where she was
educated and afterward lectured on Law.
Her biography has been published. Her
family was famous, and produced three
cardinals, who are buried at the church
of San Salvador She was a native OF
Venice and a relative OF Katrina Cor
naro, the Venetian belle who married
King James Of Cyprus somewhere about
l4l0, and when. by his death, IN 1883. she
inherited the throne. she annexed her
kingdom To the Venetian republic.
Lucreua Cornaro was one OF the most
learned of women and her biography
gives remarkable accounts OF her eio-
quence, ertIdition and influence. She was
so much admired and respected that the
doges and the council of ten used u
consult her upon legal questions. and her
fellow citizens submitted their differences
TO her for decision instead Of going a.
court. it was natural. Therefore. that
she should be mixed up in the Shylock
case.
Her father, Luigi Cornaro. born in
li53, was queer old chap. and the
author of the starvation theory Of pro-
longing life. He argued that the less one
ate the longer one would live He was
a Venetian nObleman and enjoyed both
luxury and dissipation up TO the age OF
80, when he lost his property and was
compelled 10 economic. At first he re-
duced his diet to twelve ounces OF food
and fourteen ounces Of wine z day. and
gradually tapered of UNTIL when ne was
about 60. he omitted his breakfast and
lunch entirely, and for dinner ate only
one egg and drank six ounces of vine
He kept up this diet until he died OF q
disease Of the lungs In his one hun
dredth year.
His biographer says that he had "a
spirit Of cheerfulness. sovriety and good
sense" and was able TO conduct his
business with hearty pleasure and clear
mind to the very last lie wrote book
called. The Sure and Certain Method
of Attaining a Long and Healthfui
Life, which was published at Padua in
1858 and translated into all the European
languages. The English translation Gre
ated quite a sensation and passed 4
through thirty editions during the two
centuries that followed. The COrnaro the
DRY found many believers. His disciples
We're numerous IN every European CITY
and the fad lasted much longer than
such things usually do. Three of his in
innate friends ia Venice. who adopted
the same diet and lived on one egg and
a glass of wine a day. reached the ages
of 81, g and e6, respectively.
But Lucretia CoruarO was not the only
famous woman of her age I'm Italy. No
veila Andrea, who graduated from the /
University Of Bologna IN 122S. more than !
$50 years before. was also famous for her /
legal learning. although she never rrac- I
ticed law. She lectured in the law schools 4
at Padua. Pavia and Pisa. where her 4
father was r professor. and there was 4
so little differences in the learning ~ the (
daughter and the old man that she used /
10 take his place n the lecture-room /
frequently. but she was 80 beautiful that I
the faculty required her 10 sit behind a 4
screen or wear a heavy veil 70 conceal I
her features for fear OF distracting the 4
minds OF the students
Giovanni Andrea. the father was th
most learned authority on legal questions
IN all Italy ia the Fourteenth century
aRd wrote several treatlses. 81 which Do
was assisted by his daughter Her work
was 50 mixed ND with his that Il could
not be distinguished. and he enjoyed the
benefit of both. because their Joint writ /
ings were published 81 his name The
only printed volume which bears her !
name IS ION the Responsibility ~ Mat
rim0ny. the subject being treated from /
legal. moral and philosophical stand
points. she seemed q kHow 81 about (
Il. although she w1s never married hut
had the good sense not 70 write 0n the
proper training ~ children.
DR.. Andrea was a dEarf ard extremely
sensitive about his stature Pope Beul-
face VII sent fcr him - GENE - Rome
ard received him With great honor il
the presence a. the college - cardinals
and Dc was 50 short that she pope sTfn-
posed BE- was kHeeliaE ard asked flu
three times 80 rise before He discovered
he mistake. Ire eardi nails were 80
mused that they laughed 0ut Iu meet
ng. and AEdrea VAS - mortified that
b. immediately letr the vatican and rr.er
returned again FI- dfed in Izss after