The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-23

the order of Jesus This was the birth
place or home of many artists. Canoya
among them. OF him Byron says:
''Europe-the world-has but one
Canova'
In this city in 1449 the first book was
printed in Italy" Familiar Epistles of
Cicero. The first editions of the Bible
and the classics came from Venice and
more Hebrew books, it is said, were
published here than in all the rest of
Christendom together. Venice gave the
world the first newspaper-sold for a
coin called fGazetta, and hence its
name. The palladium OF liberty orr
ginated under the most despotic of cities.
At Venice Bills of Exchange and Banks
of Deposit first appeared. The Vene-
tans have the honor of inventing artil
lery.
Venice is now city of seven miles in
circumference, on III islands, connected
by 400 bridges, with 100000 people.
The Piazza San Marco is the largest
open space in Venice. 500 feet long and
$50 feet wide-and is paved with stones.
This is the grand resort for all condi
tions and ranks of people-the great
promenade of Venice. Here one hears
the best music from fine bands, here
tn, best refreshments are served from
the most famous restaurants, here one
meets his friends and hopes to meet
whom he loves.'' 1t was on this spot
eleven centuries ago that the blind old
Dandolo received the crusader chiefs of
France-MontIort, Montferrat, Mont
morenoy and Bandoin. Here Barbarossa
bowed his neck to the sandal of the
aged Pontiff, here the nuptials of
Francesca Foscari were celebrated by
tournament witnessed by 10000 people;
and here Petrlah assisted at the gorgeous
fetes for the conquest of Gambia and ex-
claimed, Il know not that the world
hath the equal of this place. 1t was at
the base of the Tree of Liberty, planted
in the centre of this square, that the
insignia of the ancient Republic were
consumed on the 4th of June, 1897; and
here fifty years later on March 22nd.
1S4S. that the ancient Republic was de-
declared anew.
Two Monolith Pillars of oriental granite
red and gray stand on one side of the
Piazza. They were brought to Venice in
18th century by Doye Domenicho Nj.
chieli from his conquests in Syria. The
red column bears on its summit the marble
statue of st. Theodore. the protector of
the Republic and earliest patron of
Venice. Singularly enough he holds the
sword in his left hand and a shield in
his right. On the gray column is the
winged lion of ST. Mark in bronze. Ma
poleon took the winged lion to France in
1907.
SAN MARCO.
"In the year 500 the body of ST. Mark
the Evangelist, which had long lain in the
temple founded by himself at Alexandria,
II we may credit the prevalent tradition,
vas transferred to Venice by two mer-
chants OF the latter city, and his remains
lepose, 1T is believed, under the high al
tar OF this church. The present magni-
fcent edifice owes it's origin to the ad-
vent of the sacred relics. 1t is built in
the shape of a Greek cross, and occupies
all the eastern side of the Piazza. In
no other building perhaps in the world
has there been lavished so much costly
material Domes, columns $500 of mar
Dle) statues, mosaics Covering an area
oil $4,000 square feet, wondrous arches
altogether make up building that might
be taken for a Mohammedan mosque
over the principal entrance are four
bronze horses, supposed by some to be
the work OF Lysippus, a Greek of Chic,
by others they were considered of Ro-
man origin, and that they surmounted the
trlumphal arches of Augustus Nero.
IraJan and others. Constantine sent them
to Constantinople and Doge Dandolo
brought them to Venice with other spoils