Foreign Correspondence

Geneva, Switzeuland, April 6, '73. Friend Pond: When travelers think they have been long enough at a placo they are anxious to be on the way, no matter if there be many things unseen and undone, and so we t'elt about Eome thongh no doubt we could havu fonnd new object of interest had we remained niuoh longer. It concentrates a world of interest covering two thousand yeara of time, and such bas been the indefatigfible perseveranuo of exploréis and archcQologists, aided by private and public mutiificpnce, that there is niuch of every age, authenticated with such reasonable certainty as to heighten their intrinsic interest and isíy as well as excite curiosity much beyond what one would naturally expeot. Bat our time was up, and so one very rainy moming ve emerged into the early dawn about 3 1-2 o'clook for tho first train north by Civita Vecohia. There is no great interest attending the trip by rail along the coüst other than the more broken natural scenery, not always beautiful especially at first. When, l-f..-.A,.-w -#- í-a -fíc'í viíAM r i mr jT HUW OVll, WO fí '-"- ''I11 ou g uvu "-■" v j. rhe Mediterrauean, and ítftervvard saw its surf beating fiercely on the rocky shores there was a doublé interest to chain our attention. And then, too, running parallel with our route were the ruins of one of those old Roman highways -which like théir temples seem to keep up an almost successi'ul struggle against decay. In the places along the road there is uo attraotion to detain the sight seer. The most beautiful and interesting part of the scenery was when we were passing through that región opposite the island of Elba, which was visible for a long distance. The promontorios were quite lof tv. villajes were seen more f quently, and the country appeared more productivo. Elba seemed to us rnuch litrger than we had auticipated, and we fancied we could soo the irrepreesible prisoner pacing it3 soil and bidiug bis time impatiently. Passing Leghorn our first stop was at the more'quiet but more interesting city of Pisa, where we arrived in the eurly evening. Having uo kuowledge of the place, and the rain descending in torrents at the time, we took an omnibus to our hotel and was drawn in ?n extromely sbort time across the slrcet. Next morning wo had a chance from our windows lo take a eurvey of the unpromising appearance of things out site ííothing is so unwelcome to the traveler stopping over a day to see a place, us rain, but tunately the sky bnghtened aud all was fair by the time we reached the Piazza del Duoiuo, Everytbiiifr of' interest to tbc stranger centers in tliis siuall corner, making Pisa one of the easiest citics to see in all Italy. We tirst líinded at the Cathedral opposite the Campanile, which fortunate'Jy lnans the other way. A very wide and excellent marble pórtico, without roof or column, surrounds the entire cathedral, and standing on this we took our first survey of the splendid tower, as well kuowu to all the world as that of Babel. Lcaning towers we had seen in several places, bui they wore plain, uncomely structures, whose want of perpendicularity was thfiir best feature; this was quite another sort, a pieoe of exquisito architecture, an edifioe of real beauty, with eight distinct stories, each deoorated with its surrounding colonnade, and all of beautiful white marblo. One feit as if it were a sad thing that an object of' such admirable beauty should topple over and be destroyed, and a sort of sympathy heighteiied tbo interest wo lelt, uno soiuething moro tliau siinplj eurious surpriso. Eut there seems little danger of iny speedy fall, as it has buen iu tbis condition from about the time of its ooinpletion, A. D. 1350. Indeed, before it was fmishfcd, it is the opinión of most persons wlio look at it curefully, there was a manifest effort to restore it, in its upper portion, to a vertical position, tugh to counteract the present inolination of twelve feet. entirely would have been juite impossible without destroying all is harmonious proportions. It seeins icarcely crediblo that there should ever have been serious discussion as to whethar tho towcr was accidental ly or by design thus caused to deviate 1'rom a rigid perpendicularity, especially when it is reuiembered that 1 :niiing towers are not at all uncommcn. The view from the top, which is r mdered quite safe by the strong iron balustrades which extend around the outer and inner sides of the circuit formeii by the top of thu walle, is extensivo, aud in the direction of the mountains quita beautiful. Evrry part of the levcl city, and f'or miles tho feotly fiat country could be distiuguished, but was ïnonotonous as well as wet. The six bells are only runj; upon oertuiu festival days, tho largest weighing about 6 tons is placed on the upper 6ide, for the difference is easily peroeivcd when ascending the winding stairway. As we camearound each time to the point whcru it most overhung, tho steps became couiparatively level andjeasy of ascent, and then as we noared the opposite side they hecame correspondingly more steep and futiguing. Tha pictures familiar to all givo a good represe ntation of tbc tovror. The öathedral isas uniqueinitappeurance as tho tower, and though Tiotiuiposing in size, being only '292 feet long, it is so extremely peifect in symmetry and its style, tbe Norman Tuscan, being so neat and elaborato without ostentatious display cf tastoless dccoratiou that it was .ifciil idly pleusing iu general effect. This effect was doubtless in part occussioned by the use of white marble for tbe edifice and darker color? for the orna1 mentatiou. Tüe facade, eiDgularly enough, seemed to be on the back end of the church and facing the baptistery, Four distinct stories, each formed by a colonuade of beautiful columns set quite near each other, stretched across the front abovo the entrance and extended quite near to the upper point in the gable, forming four loggias or porticoes only 3 or 4 feet deep across the facade. It was consecratad ia 1118, and though tnuch iujured by fire souie 300 year.3 ago does not give any indication of dilapidation. ïhe bronze doors, after designs by Gian da Bologna, are finely exeoutud. The interior has a nave and doublo aisles with galleriea over the latter, and tran septs with single aisles; and tho ancient columns, 68 in nutnber, which mark the aisles are not only fine specimens in themselves but are iuteresting asfruits of Pisan victories in the days i.f past ïenown, when Pisa held sway as the rival of Veuico and Genoa. A vast, dark colored awning was stretched over the'space uear the pulpit, to promote the acoustic properties we supposed, but qui:e dotracting from its pleasing effect. The pulpit is one of those rare works of artistic skill wliich are frequently to be met with in continental churchos.'and which must have been a labor of love by Nicola Pisana for the cathedral of bis native city. It is ornamented with huads of the Evangelista and nrouhets, lions, aud - o ■ arious other figures and designs, and the vbole so perfect as to be fit ïor the most nreful preservation as an object of aduiration; yet here it has been standing íot less than 600 years, with scarcely any race of injury trom time or mischief. luite near this hangs suspended by its ong pendulum the celebrated bronze auip whose oscillations caught the eye f Galileo and suggested to his mind hose important laws which form iioiuonsiderable part of his great renown. [t was entirely quiet while we wene observing it and so we could inake no adlitional discoveries ; but we wero glad to ook upon the famons lamp and glauce jpward along the long iron rail which reached to its fastening in the top of the liigh nave. The ñames of inany others whose faine is assured among the world's great artista are hero recallud by specimens of their work, but we otuit a catalogue. The Baptistery was next in order and only a few steps distant : a circular stvucture of white marble, decorated with an encircling colonnade and a lower story uf half columns, with a dome which nearly aspires to the height of the cathedral domo and is a fine edifice though appearing rather disproportionately high aud somewhat pretentious as a mere Baptistery. As we entered and the door shui to with a slight slam the building was filled for some uioments with the reverberation, so lunch so that we could not fail to observe it, though at first we tlid not rccull the fact tbat tuis is one of tho striking features of the place. The sacristán, who is gifted wlth a fiae voice, sounded several connected notes of the scale with distinctness, and iinmediately the wbole were reproduced with exceeding distinctnoss, running through a whole octave. Centrally in the inner spaod is situated the font, octagomil in forin, about ten feet across and three or tour feet deep or high rather, for it stands upon an elevated platform. It is viry beautifully decora ted with rosettes and other designs. Only a small portion appears to be used for practical purposes, and this is placed between the outer and inper sides of the larger font, ind provisión for warming the water to 3e used was conveniently near. The pulait is hexagonal and is another of the iiue works of Pisana, embellished with reliëfs quite elabórate ia design, of the Annunciation, Nativity, Adoration, Presentation, Crucifixión and Judgment. Notwithstanding it is such a fine structuro and complete in its interior there was a degreo of inuppropriateness in the general impression left upon the mind. There seemed to be too much of it for the purposes intended, and a small chapel in the cathedral would have seemed more consistent. The other object ot interest ïu xuis micleus of attraction was the eclebrated Campo Santo, founded aboufc the year 1,200, having had 53 ship loads of the saored soil from Ut. Calvary deposited witliin its inclosure, and which in the same century was inclosed by Giovanni Pisano by an exterior wall cousi&ting of 43 arcades, and the interior furnished with pointcd tracery windows quite ornamental. The spacious hall thus fornied about the entire Campo is 441 feet long by 145 wide und nearly 50 feet high. The wall space is entirely covered by frescoes, by the early Tuscan artisU-, and forins one of the most uoted treasuries of art and quite celebrated for its conneotion with the history of Italian paintiug. Whatever they may once havo been they do not now partioularly gratify the eye of an unsküled observer, being much defaced and injured by time and weather and often quite obliterated. The entire pavoment is formed of slabs of memorial to those interred beueath, and along the wall are various ancient and some more recent monuments which are interesting from their associations or on account ot tbeir beautiful workuianship. ïhat to the great singer Catalina, by CostoU, is very excellent. Oae to Count Masliani Biumouiited by u statue, saicl to De intn of bis inconsolable widow. might pass without critiüism if placed in some gallory aa a work of art, just as we look with CuriouB and almost incredulous surprise at the half reolining figure of Pauline Bonaparte. But to Üe representad half nude, upon a monument, in a posture of gilji', combéis oiie to hesitate in hia beiief that any inoonsolablo widow actually sntas the model tót such a statue. But among the niany ourioua thiugs distributed üoug thü walls, tho luost interesting, perhaps, werü soveral portions of the ■ great harbor chains of Pisa, which were ■ i captured by the Genoese in 1632 and were kept in part at Florence till 1848 md other pieces at Genoa until 1800. Elaving beon restoreil by the courtesy of modern times, when the rivalry of these ities had given placo to a coinmou interest in the general welfare, these venerable and massive chains of considerable ongth aro now hung upon these walls with i, brief historioal statement of thoir listory. There are a great many reliéis, austs, sarcophagi, urus and inscriptions listributed umung the proper nionuinents, somewhat alter the manner of the museum and reminding one of au old cuiiosity shop aswell as n cemetery. As oue of the must ancient of this style of burial place, as well as from its tation and contents, the place is decidedly interesting, but does not appear as well ordered and as strictly consistent with its uurpose as we anticipated. Not oftea are so many really great objects of attraction concentrated in such a uarrow coinpass, and having beon the rounds of these therais little else to see' at Pisa, though we had a very pleasant walk along the Arno which is conlined to its banks by very fine walls of uiasoury, and itlong both sides is a beautiful street, giving it a far more agreeable appearance than the Lung d'Arno at Florence, where tbe street occupied only ona Bide of the river. "We tooli occasion to enter the TTniversity here, La Supienza, nearly 500 yeara old - part of the buildings being nearly 400. About its oourts and various arcades are the busts or statues, with suitable insciiptions, to those of its professors who have died here or elsewhere. Of this number is Galileo, who in 1610 was professor of mathematica here, and his statue adorns the court. Among the interesting sights of Pisa we fuund one of the most singular and striking in the church of the Knights of Bt. Stephen. It is one of the largest ohurches of the place, and the high wall spaee of its lofty unobstructed nave was devoted to the display and preservation of hundreds of llags and other trophies captured from the Turks at the great naval fight of Lepanto, wben the Venitians and their allies, the Pisans, gained their celebrated victory. These aro very tastefully arranged, being abut half displaye d, showiug the bright colors and designs, and from their great varity of size, shapo and dt-corations form quito a study. On either sidu of the main entrance is attached to the wali the figure, heads and gaudy embellisbments of two of the Turkish vessels. Somo of the larger flags were apparently twenty feet loug and their singularly good prescrvatiou seenied to be due to some preparation with vvhich they had been saturated without affuOtiaa their colors or fabric. With these wcre alternated pictorial representutions of battle scènes by distinguished artists. The wholo fiStined a strange yet not uncoRiely decoration for a church, and must often have aö'orded great relief to drowsy and over wearied worshipers during the 300 years since they were thero displayed. Though containing a population of 50,000 Pisa is a very dull place, but on account of its mild climate and cheapness of living is a favorito one for winter residence. Taking the cars at 5 P. M. we started for Spezia ou the Mediterranean, nearly halt' way to Genoa, so that we might be sure of seats in diligence over the mountains to Sestri next day. ïhe road skirts along tho coast sometimos with üne views of the sea, but is at first rathur uninteresting oti account of the lfevel and uiarshy character of the country. The first place we reaohed of any iraportance was Fietrassanta, situated upon the hills and of considerable age. surrounded by its ancient walls. It was dark when we itopped at the station Serravezza, but the depot grounds ftnd ladeu cars all showed that this was a rival of Carrara, as is also the next and inoro important station of Massa, in the production of fine marble. At tho latter place onco resided Eliza, duchess of Massa Carrara, sister of 3tapoleon I, and the numerous lighted streets extending for long distances indioated a place of some importance. A venza is but a railway station bet ween Carrara, which is renowned for its beautiful marlilo, and the small haibor on the cuast whore it is shipped. It was 9 1-2 o'clock before we reached our destination, Snczia and the Hotel Villa de Milan, whicu boasts oí navmg uuun m= u. Garibaldi af ter the battle uf Aspromonte. Spezia is very chanuingly situated upon ho best barbor of the Mediterranean and ono of the best in Europe. Our own quadron had left but two days before, having had a good timo during ita stay as it does wheu at Nice, Naples or elsewhere in this sea. When a choice of positions is offaied auy of our patty, under the present or any other aduiinistratiüi!, we shall not hesitate to choose a post on our squadron cruising (that is enjoying itselt) in these waters. We had time in the morning to cliinb the hills which rise abruptïy back of the city and Bt a splendid view of the harbor and 'ho encircling coast, y,th the far spreadng sea beyond, and it seenied as if a uouth theru in mid-summer could be nost dBÜghtfully spent ainong the hills md on the bay. It has a population of 10,000 or 12,000, a genial climate, and is juite well built. The day was fortunately of the very best, suüiciently warm without any hot sunshine and the roads capital, and as we left; the city, by diligence, and began to aacend the niountain range, whicli at onoe interposed'itsuif acror.s our way, it would havo been quite impossible not to enjoy the expancuug aim öiunuu . speet, üur ;,rogro3s at eiuih angle in tho zigzag ascent was ia distanoe upward about as many fcet as in ndvance, yet the loss üf speed made tUo ascent quite easy and also enabled all to enjoy the splendid scenory and the soa view, for now we were going south, cow north, and we were too high for iutervenmg obstructions. When at last wo had gained the suiiimit and had taken a good drnught of inspiration fruui tho noble view we were leaving be'uind, we wero prepared to make acquaintanco with tho far different scenery tliat for about thirty miles now surrounded us upon ovory side. Although so high amung the bilis wo were yet of ten in the valluys iuto which our postillion would plnngo with breakneck speed, and then agaia wo slowly climbed up to pass thougb. soma gorgo whicli offered us a narro vv way to tho sauio succession of hills and secluded dales. Small and not inodorous dirty villagcs furuished us with frequent . relay ( of horses, though at a distantie thoso same villagea looked quite charming basking against tho suirounding slopee. The tuonasteries crowning tho loftiest heights were often extreniely pioturesque and visible for miles. Sometimos for miles our road preserved its uniform grade, i'ullowing around one mouutain bide at'ter aaother, and wo could look across the vale botween and see the niuleteers with their clumsy vehicles plodding aloug upon their journey to or froiu sumo distant market. The mountaiu streams gave evidenoe of their Btreugth When swollen, and at tho same time the cunning devicbs and real engineering of tho peasants to protect their liinited possess:ons were equally manifest. Por a long iistance we had the coinpany of the Vara, a considerable stream of pure water httstening iu au opposito direction. In the valloys the green grain aud vineyards were cultivated, but tho black upper regioas were productive of littlo exoept the hardy chestnut. Several times it seemed a8 if when we should turn Eome high point ahead the sea would come into view but were as often disappointed, UU at last we ascended for a long time to a louely mountain Osteria. Baracca 2,250 feet above the sea, and there flooded with glowing light from the descen'ling sun, unruillud. by any breeze. lav the blue Mediterranean, ted heio and there with whito sails of fishing boats ; but all elsa like one burnished surface of smootkest glass. ÈSeldom have we seen a more glorious sigh1 and for most of the remaining distanco to Sestri a Levanti we had the sea in viow, and between the high promontories could peep down into the small villages scattered along at their bases. The ride down iuto the plaiu was made with a rush, nor diil the sharp turns about the rounded verges of some oL the hills, wbere the sheer descent would have been hundreds of feet, seem to disturb the nerves of our driver. After a really most enjoyablo ride, f uil of the wildest and grandest inountain scenery, without mishaps of any kind, wo landed safely and in good time at the door of tho railroad depot, 45 miles in a lUtle ruoiö than 7 hours. Our 15 passengers had coine froin Spezia without eating anything upon the road, aud we soon made havoo with tho limited supplies at the raihoad restaurant, our only chanco till we got to Genoa late in the evening. The trip by rail from tliis place was principally remarkable for its rnany short tunnels and numerou3 small villajes. Lavagua is somc what noted as tho biith place of Innoeent IV., the opponent of Emperor Frederick II., in the 13th century, and Chiavari, a city of 1Ü.ÜU0 iuhabitants, for its silk manufactories. The .thonsand gloaming lights which seenied, to come froni all tho hills and concentrating, stretched in long lincs down the streets as we drew ncar the station, was anuouncement enough that we had arrived at Genoa la Superba. But this letter, aheady too long, cannot embrace a sketch of this delightful place, so once more good-by. Yours ever, J. M. WHEELEE.