The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-16

with many regrets that we bid adeu to
the city of the Caesars To have stood
longer among its broken columns, deserted
halls and travelled over its famous apia
and sacra Was would have awakened
many vision and dream. No other city
has so much history and so valuable anti
quities as the Imperial City. Time was
up and on the express we glide rapidly
over valleys and hills, and soon get among
the mountains The country is one of in
creaslng beauty. Her valleys with trees
testooned with vines covered with divers
crops IN richest luxuriance encircled by
mountains, in a continuous panorama OF
beauty. AT sunset we reach the Arvo
winding like a yellow thread among the
hills and through the mountains. At 8
p. IN. the city is reached and we tarry at
the Minerva till morning gives a view of
THE Beautiful City'-the fairest city of
Italy. Florence is a city of palaces, OF
churches, of gardens, OF plazzas and OF
broad streets. Her stores with dainty
fabrics and costly wares are magnificent.
Florence is pre-eminently IA city of art.
The poets words aptly describe it:
"Where'er our charmed and wondering
gaze we turn
Art, History and Tradition wait to claim
Our deepest thought; statues and marble
groups
Adorn the streets; the very stones have
tongues
The holy forms, the towers are eloquent"
" -
The old walls and castles tell OF olden
times while the gilt of gold, and snow
white towers declare that she still lives
in sDlendor
One is amazed and bewildered at walk
ing miles through halls and corridors lined
on both sides with pictures and statues
from the finest artists III the world Every
conceivable variety of art is abundant
here. In this respect | believe Florence
leads the world. If every piece of art in
every other city were destroyed this city
could give fair illustration of what was
great in ancient and modern times
The Duonis planned and projected by
Giotto, but brought to its present perfect
proportions at recent date is an architec
tural wonder. 1t is $50 feet long, 352 feet
high, and $40 feet across the transept. The
dome Is like that of st. Peters, and is
the first double done ever built. This
furnished a model to NJ Angelo for ST.
Peters. There is legend that when
Angelo was told he had an opportunity
of surprising the dome of Florence" he
replied: Il will make her sister dome
larger; yes, but not more beautiful" This
cathedral is made of marbles of many col
Th0 of IF
ture was celebrated the 18th of May, 1887,
with fetes and general rejoicings, with the
King and Queen of Italy in the leading
role. It is said that when the great cur
tain was lowered from the spire and dome
and the great temple suddenly broke upon
the gaze of the royalty, the nobility, the
culture. the chivalry, and the beauty of
Italy, that it took for moment the breath
OF the vast audience, and the Queen burst
into tears-it was like celectial temple
coming out of a cloud Then shout from
ten thousand Threats rent the air. The
interior with mosaic floors, frescoed cell
ings, painted windows says Hawthorne,
the art OF man has never contrived any
other beauty and glory at all to be com
pared TO this.
Longfellow gives this beautiful passage
of Goetto's life and work:
"In the old Tuscan town stands Giottos
tower,
The city of Florence poisoning in stone
A vision. delight and desire,
The builders perfect and centennial
flower
TIa Do
ate building. Here the whole CITY in
former times received tbs Christian rite
1t was dedicated to st. John and Florence
has always been distinguished as the city
of that saint.
Dante says:
Tell me about the sheepfold of st. John"
George Eliot has done much to perpetu-
ate and popularize the glory of Florence in
"Romola."
The three bronze doors of the Baptstery
are its chief curiosity and charm There
was an open competition for the honor of
making the two latter gates The honor
came to Ghiberti then only twenty years
of age.
The gates are covered in bas relief
figures taken almost entirely from Bible
characters. Near the center is the artists
own figure and that of his fathers, who
aided in the stupendous task. Michael
Angelo pronounced these gates worthy
to be the gates of Paradise
The church of Santa Croce or Holy
cross-the Westminster Abbey of Flor
ence," no traveller shout fail to visit.
This quotation will give the reader an
idea of its Importance:
'In Santa Croce's holy precincts lie
Ashes which make it holier dust which is
Even in itself, an Immortality
Though there were nothing save the past
and this
The particle of those sublimities
Which have relapsed to chaos: here re-
pose
Angeles, Alfiesi's bones, and his
The starry Calico, with his woes;
Here Machiavelle's earth returned to
whence it rose