Foreign Correspondence

Venioe, Nov. 7, 1872. Friend Posd: Though we have been threo weeks in this strange city its novelty is not yet worn off. The sight of the age-begriniod old palacea and churches has beoonie familiar from their incessant appearance everywhere. The canals and góndolas, howover, are just asfresh in interest as ever, for thoy present an everehanging panorama of life and motion. The wholo trausportation of passengers and freight is done in the boats of various kinds, there being no vehicle on wheels in the wliole city - not even a hand or dog-oart, or thoso convenient nuisancc?, baby-carriages. Perscns for short distances can walk, for, notwithstanding our provioivs impressions to the contrary, we find streets runningr in every direction, and though oxceedingly narrow in general, and tho unskiliful geo grapher is often brought to a stand by linding himself oonfronted by a caual without a bridge, yet a little axperience soon teaches one how to manage so that he can go from one end of the city to the other without any serious inconvenience, except tho inevitable crookedness af the wtiy. There are about one hundred and ïity small canals besides tho Grand üanal, which everywherc connecting together constituto an unbroken nut-work of ■water transit to evcy important juilding or block of buildings in the city. The streets and lanes are still more numerous, and to facilitate crossing the oanals there are over three hundrod jridgoss besides the three which span the Grand Canal. In going from our rooms so St. Mark, one half mile, we pass over seven of these bridges, besides the one over the Grand Canal. They are of the most graoeful and durable construction, wholly of stone or marble and iron aud cement, and each is raised about six feot above the street, so that a person must ascend and descend at eaoh bridge. - Che oanals being on an average only about four foot below the streets, tho jridges are raisod to allow the passage underneath of the various craft, some of which requiro it all. The peculiar and characteristic feature of Yenice is its góndola. Nothiug can bo more graceful in shape, or skiin over the water with an easier, swan-like motion. 3ome of thom are fa'nely ornamented with carviugs ujjon the deck or awning, but all are of the same inevitable black, as equired by a law of tho 15th century - only one of the many sumptuary laws of ;Lmt period, intonded to check the evil)oding extravagance of the people. The góndolas appear to bo all about the saiue ength - about Sö feet - and ilong the entral portion, which is that covered by ;he canopy, are ttbout four feet wide henee runing to a perfeotly sharp pointd termination at either end, the prow laving a brightly polished and doeply errated pieoo of irou exteuding a foot or more above tho deck, which has boen compared to a halberd in shape. The ceel and doek are beautifully ourved so as to riso at either end olear of the water br four or five foet, evon when loaded, making it appoar as if it soarcely sank at all into the water, but simply glided over t. Thoy are genorally fitted up for four jerBons, Bonie of them for six, with upjolstery of black inorocco, and seats and acks softly stuft'od. The canopies in very pleasaut days are often taken off, aud a square liuen top with a narrow urtain substituted, or none at all. Whon he weather is not too sunny and bright nothing can exceed the lazy luxury of ailing about on the Grand Canal or on he Ginducca in an open góndola. The )ack seat for two, when the canopy is on, s very nice, but the position of those who ccupy the seat on either side is somewhat craniped by tho frames of the canpy, which contracta a little toward the iop. The charges are very small - ono ranc only for each hour (about 20 cents n gold), and fifty centimes or half a rauc for each subsequent hour ; or, for 11 day, five franos. Another boat somewhat rosembling the góndola, but rather wider and stronger, without awning or anopy, called "barca," is often used in leasaut weathcr, espccially if tho party 8 largo. In case of hurry, or if more style" is desired, two gondoliers are tacen, which doubles the expense. And it hould bo remembered, also, that invariblo custom here requires a gratuity of a 'ew centimes to the gondolior, accordiug o the time or distance, and generally bere is some one standing by who asunies that it is nocessary to steady the 'ondola as you get in nnd also to assist when you land, for which service a sum arying from two to five oeiitinios is thauk'ully received. In speaking of tlie stroots it. sliould lave been mentioned that all squares and :reets are invariably paved throughout n the best possible inanner, with oblong )locks of dressed stone, often made ornamental by the use of white rnarble to onstruct patterns of more or less beauty, o it ia plain there never can be any mud r dust in Vönice - an exemption of conïderable value. But we havo been busy when the weather would admit in the ravoler's great labor - sight seeing - and 'ew citios offer more attractions in this ine. Nearly overy strangor takes an arly opportunity to look into that wonerful repository of interesting objects nd associations, St. Mark's church, tho athodral. Selocting a bright day for ie purposc, we sallied forth, guido-book n hand. As we ucarod the churoh, cvossng tho entire length of the Fiazza, it ras impossiblo not to wish it had been omewhat more elovatcd, but the atten;iou is soon absorbed in the contompla-ion of thoso singular docorations so conpicuously placed direetly in tho very enter of thefacado - those four matchless teeds of bron.e, of life size and incomparable beauty. Who has not heard of these famous hordes? We f'orget thoii anoinalous position in churoh architecturoTh%ft wo read their history. Broughi from Alexandria by the Emperor Augustus and placed by hiin upon a triumphal arch ; al'torwards used to docorate arches ereeted by Nero, Domitian, and Trajan, respsctivoly, they worc finally taken by Constantino to graco his capital ot' the Eastorn Empire. In 1204, whon the Crusaders, led by the Venetian Doge Dándolo, coaquered Constan tinople,thüse horses were brought by the Venetians to this city and placed in their present posion St. Mark's, wHcro thoy stood for alniost six centuries, . "their gilded collars gliítering in the sun." But in 1797 the great despoiler of nations, Napoleonovcrcaine Vonice, and among other treasuios in art bore away these horses and the brazen, winged liou which stands now above them, and while in Paris they wore mounted upon the triumpb&l arch in the placo Carousel. Again a day of roekoning oamo, and the great Einporor's sun set in darkness, and in the reuil justinent of European politics in 1815 Yenice was allowod to take back the much 'prized horses and lion, and they were once more restorod to their present position. What an eventful history in itself, and what ■'moving events" have they looked down upon from their inany arches of triumph! Each is computed to weigh 1932 pounds, and in syinmetvy of form, striking position and general fldelity of executiou iu every portion, have never been excollod, but have forinéd model for all later artista. Below the horses.the eye reats upon tho beautiful pictuies in mosaic upon a ground of gold, whioh completely line the concave spaces above tho five noble portals. The central arch is filled with a representaron of the last Judguient, by an artist of the present century. In the nrche8 at the rijjht tho embarcatiou of the body of Ht. Mark at Alexandria and its arrival at Vonioo ; the left hand arches contain acts of veneration of the saint, and the churoh of St. Mark into which tho reics woro conveyed. These pictures are intended to be historical. In the 9th century the Venetian Doge of that time thought it would confer great honor upon his reign if he could secure possession of tho reniains of St. Mark, who had been buried at Alexandria, and by some artífice the much prized relies were secured, and the church of St. Mark was founded in 828 toreceive them, and they wero received amid general rejoicings. It may here be addedthat subsequontly the first church was burned, togethor with tho precio us relies, as somo think ; but, strange to say, upon the reuroct'on of the edifico as it now stande, in 1041, the remains of the saint wero found, pesorved from burning by miraculous intorvention, and with great pomp and ceromony wero placed where they now are said to lie, beneath the grand altar. At least an inscription in Latin upon a mnrblö slab back of the alfar so statcs. There is great clearness of exprossion and brilliancy of color in these inosaics, some of whioh are from the 13th century. Below these are the two tiors of columns of fivery shade of color and of various kinds - marble, porphyry, and verde antique, which instead of standing several feet apart, as is ordinarily seen, are put up as closely a s the podostals will allow along the entire irregular front. - Upon various parts of the facado tho eye rosta upon statues and statuettes and bas reliëfs, but we pass on and onter the fine bronze doors with tho rings in lions' heads for handlos, made in 1300. We find ourselves standing upon three red marble slabs set in the mosaic pavement, forming a squaro of about five foet by five. That is tho spot on which Frederic Barbarossa prostrated himself before Pope Alexander III., July 23, 1177. History has been Bomewhat embollished by tradition in its preservation of tho facts , of this singular incident. Tho Pope had been driven from his dominions by Frederic and had wandored an outcast to Venice, whore he arrivod in tho nighttime and remained all night upon the porch to the church San Salvadore.a f act duly recorded in a tablet in the wall. - Beiug found in this humble plight he was taken at once to tho palace and becamo the guest of the Doge, and his cause was espoused by tho Venotians. - Ere long fickle fortuno desertod Froderic, and thro'jgli the mstrumentality of Dogo Ziani be appeared at Venico to complete the reconciliation in porson. The scène of the meeting was to bo tho entranco hall of St. Mark. It is easy to understand that it was a proud day for the Pope, and as the Eraporor bowed himself before hira it is said ho could not resist placing his foot upon the neck of the humbled sovoreign and quoting a littlo scripture about treading upon the lion and addor. Whereupon Frederic murmured, "non tibi sed Petro." But the Pope's hour of triumph had come, and as ho rocallod thó indignities ho had sustained at the hands of tho uow proslrato enemy ho instinctively presses his foot down with greater weight, and momentaiily yielding to the human impulse of asserting liis advantago replies with emphatic definiteness, "et mild et Pelro" - "to myself and to Petor also." The whole sceno is not improbable, though it is fair to believe that it is in somo of its details somswhat exaggerated. But the faot of the reconciliation on this spot is historioally certain, and the successes of the Venetians oyer Barbarossa form a favorito subject for their arlists. Overhead, tho entrance hall, which exteuds the wholo broadth and two sides of the cathodral, is finely vaulted, and the eutiro surfaco covored with beautiful designs in inosaio of scriptural scones from tho oíd and ncw testamenta - Thoso from tho old represent tho creation and woro oxecuted in tho 12th century. We were a little curious to seo how tho making of the woman would bc dejiictcd, and found that the artist had taken tho scripture literally, and from the side ot the sleeping Adam the rib ia being carved. Over the concave archway of of the principal entrance iito the nave is a Very fina niosaic painting of St. Mark, after a design by Titian, Tyhich, though but a singlo figure, very stroftgly recals tho figure ot' the Virgin in his Assuni])tion. The interior of the vestibule is also richly fiuished with noblo inarble columna with rich capitals, which aro said to have once belonged to tho Templo at Jerusalem. In Lome cases we should be inclined to take such statements with great increduliiy, büt in regard to St. Mark nothing st-ems incrediblo. During the progresa of tho main building and for centuriea after as idditionswere made to its adornment, Veniee was mistress of the seas, and her ahips wero to be found in every port of the then known world, under instructions and with a national am bition to return with somsthing to enrich tho cathedral church of thoir patrón St. Mark and their nativo city. The consequences that rosulted are everywhere manifest in the exterior and interior of the edifice, as Well as eleewhere in the city. Two striking examples have been already noticed- tho granito columns on the Molo, and the bronze steeds on the church. Besides these tuero are columns and slabs of marblo with bas rehefs and quaint inscriptions used in the exterior walls and elsewhere, which clearly indícate their foreign use before their present appropriatioii. Entering the boautiful door opening beneath the picturo of St. Mark, and pushing aside the heavy curtain, we stand in the presence of a scène of oriental riohness and magnifioence without oriental oxtravagance, all toned down and modifled by tho "dim, religious light r' Everywhore below, along the nave, spreading out iuto the aisles and' transepta, ascending into the choir and filling the altar3,Í8 one expanse of polished marble pavement of the most exquisito and constantly varying desigua and of remarkable dolicaey in detail. This floor, except in the choir, seoms to have searcely any common level, but undulates like the surface of the sea, now rising, now doprossed, often in quito rapid variations of not more than ten or twelvo int hes apparontly, requiring great caro to be crossed without slipping. " It is left in this condition because of the impossibility of taking up the complicated mosaic work, sorne of which is also much worn, and replacing it again. Looking upward a whole firmament of beautiful mosaios expands over arches and domes, leaving not an inch tmcovered by the pictorial designs or golden background. Over 40,000 sqnare feot of thesu mosaica, some as old as the lOth century, adorn tho various parts of this cathedral. Two square pillars, cased in polished marble and of immenso proporlions, sustain the central domo, and othera the inner galliiiies and domes. On every hand rare oriental marbles, bronzes, statues and reliëfs meet tho eye. But notwithstanding all this, St. Mark's does not awo tho spectator with any profoundly reverent improssion. Nor yet doe.s one feel any sense of iuappropriateuess in all this lavïsh profusión of rich adornmant, for ïothing is offensively trifliug or tawdry, each portion appearing rather rich and simple than showy. The oathedral has the form of a Greek cross with equal arms, and ia covered with five domes, one in the center, somewhat larger than the others, and one at :he end of eaoh arm. Thia gives groat beauty to the interior as well as elevation, and the arches of considerable width whieh spring between and unite them all complete the fino effeot. It is impossible to do much elso than enumérate some of tho objoots of interest hpro io be seen. As we enter, at our right hand is a fine porphyry basin for holy water, resting upon an old Greek Altar, an apt symbolism of tho triumph of Christianity over Ileathenism. Passing to the furthor right wo reaoh the en;ranco to the Baptistry, which is exceedmglyrich in marble - mosaics and reliëfs. [n the center stands a large bronzo font, richly ornamonted and surmounted by a statue of John the Baptist. On the'wall s the monument to the Doge Andre Dándolo, of 1354, the friend of Petrarch, his recumbent figuro lying beneath the canopy. The ceiling is ornamoctod with two circles of figures radiating froín a central Christ. But it is tho altar which ïas most interest. Tho altar table is a slab of Syenite brought from Tyre, 8 nches thick and about six feet by four n size, and a legend narrates thnt our Savior once stood upon it whon in that anciont city. A hoad of John the Bap;ist, carved in the löth century, stands at ,he left of the altar - of tho vcry stone it is claimed) on which he was decapitatod. Adjoining the Baptistry is tho small chayel 'Aou, containing tho monument in mmze of Cardinal Zeno. The altar and canopy and groups in bronzo all cómaino to üiirioh this chapel; but tho close enclosuro of the soaffolding around tho southwest exterior of the cathodral shuts off tho light so completely from this portion of the interior that tho enjoyment is very much diminishod. A little furthor on we cross tho west ;ransept and stand before the Capella del Sagramento, near two candelabra nearly ix feet high, of bronze, wrought in most exquisito perfecfion - one tier after another of figwros of children, birds and animals, to .the top. Anothor pair, equally beautiful, stand in tho east transept. Io tlio left of this altar and next the choir is the raiscd and recessed Chapol of St. Clement. The columns next the wall represent a series _ of finely sculptured arches or canopieg, one abovo tho other, each containing tha statnetto of eome saint. The altar-pieco is a finely oxecutod bas relief in white marble, with figures of Iife-si2ie. Along tho balustrado crossng tho front of the ohapel aruiivc bronze statues of full size. Adjoiuing this and eparated only by a marble railing is the ijhoir aii'l grand altar. A graceful parapot of brown colored niarblc is thrown ucross the front of tho choir, supportod by small pil] ars of similar color, but forming no obstruction to tlie view. In easy attitudes along tho top Stand lifosize bronze figures of tlte twolvo Apostles, St. Mark, and tho Virgin, by the Dallo MosSgue in 1393, and in the center, rising abovo them all, stands a larga bronzo crucifix, the Christ figure being comparativcly (juito small and said to be of silver. !Six fine bronze reliëfs by Sansovino, illustratiug incidents in tho life of St. Mark, are inlaid into the walls at each sido of tlie choir. The rail in front of the stalls supports itafttes of the four Evangelista and of föur óf the church fathors,' about two-thirds size, by Caglie,ri. Tho thro-ne of tho Patriarch standar next the wall beneath a liglit canopy, and is nirfc especiall rcinnrkable. The" high altar Btaaös sentrally ra the choir, and though of the most Cofctly workmanship and matorials, feas no tinsïl Showinesa. lts Baldachino and semi-circular arches are of verde antique, and the fuur supporting pillars are rare specimens of elabórate cavving, and are of Greek nrarble. Each of these columns is encircled by nine bands coverod with Latin inscriptions. Betwoen thosc "bands afó deep-graved ton beautifully foríned niches or arches surrounding the column, irt eacli of wMcls in high relief, almost dctached, stands a psrfect figure in somo w.ay illustrating the Gospel history. - They are attributed to the llth ccrRtury, and iuvolvo an amount of skill and persaverance rjtiite incredible. The bronza candelabra at th8 altar are very beautif al in design and execution. The celebrated palo d'oro, or Í3 only to be soen on high festival days, but on? All Saints' day we were present and saw this wonderful pieco of workinanship. It iippears like one fnass of vrought gold, with enamolings of silver-gilt, descriptive of the lüe of our Savior, and pictures of the saints stirdded with jewela and pearls of great valuc. It was made at Constantinople in 976, by order' of tho Dogo Orseola, and is said to be tho tinest in tho world. It is hung as a background to tLe grand altar, and at other times is kept in a casket which forias thcr back-ground. Ever yours,