,the ,mentor1 ,no4 #bg1 ,venice1 the ,island ,city ,,the ,,mentor 8,a ,wise and ,faithful ,guide and ,friend0 ,,vol4 #a ,,no4 #bg ,,venice1 ,,the ,,island ,,city ,,st4 ,,mark',s ,,cathedral ,,doge',s ,,palace ,,and ,,campanile ,,bridge ,,of ,,sighs ,,grand ,,canal ,,typical ,,venetian ,,canal ,,rialto ,,bridge ,illustration ,a ,trip ,around the ,world with ,,dwight ,l4 ,,elmendorf1 ,lecturer and ,traveler4 8,the ,pearl of the ,adriatic10 she has been called4 8,queen of the ,sea0 is another of the poetic terms applied to her4 ,if all the expressions that have been used by admirers to pay tribute to the beauty of ,venice were gathered together1 they would make a glossary of eulogy of considerable size4 ,it was inevitable from the beginning that ,venice should receive such homage2 for she has a beauty that distinguishes her from all other cities4 ,she is absolutely unique in picturesque attraction and in romantic interest4 ,there are many cities that draw the admiration of the traveler3 there is but one ,venice1 and anyone who has been there and felt her spell cannot wonder at the worshipful admiration that she has received from the time of her birth in the sea4 ,the fascination of ,venice for the traveler is such that ordinary terms of appreciation are insufficient4 ,the city takes complete possession of one1 and visitors who have surrendered to her charms are referred to as having the 8,venice fever40 ,all who love beauty have had more or less violent attacks--the artist is most susceptible to it4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,grand ,,canal ,,during ,a ,f,,te ,this is the main artery of traffic in ,venice4 ,it is nearly two miles long1 and varies from #ajj to #bjj feet in width4 ,it is adorned with about two hundred magnificent old patrician palaces4 ,,how ,,it ,,came ,,to ,,be ,venice is built on a group of little islands4 ,at a depth of from ten to fifteen feet there is a firm bed of clay2 below that a bed of sand or gravel1 and then a layer of peat4 ,artesian wells dug to the depth of sixteen hundred feet have shown a regular succession of these beds4 ,on this base1 piles1 where they have been used for the foundation1 have become petrified4 ,so the city may be described actually as having been built up from the bed of the sea4 ,in its physical aspect it may be summed up by saying that ,venice stands on #aag small islands formed by something like #aej canals and joined together by #cgh bridges4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,grand ,,canal ,,by ,,moonlight ,there is but little in the way of sidewalks4 ,occasional narrow paths of stone skirt the canals2 but in many places the water laps the very walls of the buildings1 and transportation is to be had only by boat4 ,of course there are many lanes and passages among the houses2 but the general effect is such as would make an impression on the traveler of a city set in the sea1 and the people live1 move1 and have their being on either stone or water4 ,they are strangers to groves1 shady lanes1 and country places4 ,some of the inhabitants of ,venice have never seen a horse or a cow4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,gondola ,these black-painted craft take the place of cabs in ,venice4 ,they are propelled by a gondolier1 who stands at the rear4 ,the city is divided into two parts by the ,grand ,canal1 which is nearly two miles in length and varies from #ajj to #bjj feet in width4 ,it makes a fine curve like the letter ,s1 and by this it displays to advantage the magnificent residences that line it4 ,there on its gleaming surface are to be seen the brilliant pageants of the city1--gondolas and autoboats in great number1 gay parties1 chatting and laughing and tossing flowers1 and the whole stretch a blaze of intoxicating color4 ,some of the most attractive views of ,venice are to be had not from within the canal1 but from some point out in the lagoon4 ,your map of ,venice will show you the city not literally situated in the ,adriatic ,sea1 but located within the lagoon and protected from the outer sea by long sand hills strengthened by bulwarks of masonry4 ,from the strip to the mainland1 across the lagoon1 where ,venice is situated1 the distance is about five miles1 and in this stretch of water you will see many striped posts called 8pali40 ,these mark the navigable channels about the city4 ,illustration3 ,,venice ,,and ,,the ,,adriatic ,,sea ,a panorama of the beautiful 8,island ,city40 ,,st4 ,,mark',s ,it is not the physical conditions alone that make ,venice unique4 ,in the beauty and interest of its domestic architecture it ranks before any city in the world4 ,the mosaics of ,venice have been famous for centuries1 and are today the marvel of all who see them4 ,the spot where ,venice has massed the gems of her beauty is ,st4 ,mark's ,place4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,venetian ,,canal ,one of the smaller and narrower canals of ,venice4 ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,mark',s ,,cathedral ,the remains of ,st4 ,mark1 the tutelary saint of ,venice1 are said to have been brought from ,alexandria in #hbi1 and to have been buried here4 ,the view of ,venice most familiar to stay-at-home bodies is the one to be had from across the water looking at ,st4 ,mark's ,place1 and including1 besides the cathedral of ,st4 ,mark1 the ,doge's 7doje7 ,palace and ,campanile 7cam-pa-nee-le7 ,tower1 and in some cases a glimpse of the ,bridge of ,sighs4 ,the ,piazza of ,st4 ,mark is called the 8,heart of ,venice40 ,all the life of the city surges there at certain times1 then sweeps from there through its various channels4 ,it is gayest on summer evenings1 when the population turns out to enjoy the fresh air and listen to the military band4 ,at that time the piazza is brilliant with fashionable people4 ,go there on a moonlight night1 and you will find it a dream of beauty4 ,you must see1 of course1 the pigeons of ,st4 ,mark's4 ,flocks of them circle about the square or gather in groups on the pavement1 wherever food is to be found4 ,the pigeons of ,st4 ,mark's used to be fed at public expense4 ,it is not necessary now3 there are always plenty of travelers that will pay them this pleasant toll for the sake of being photographed in their company4 ,st4 ,mark's ,place is #aia yards in length1 and in width #fa yards on one side and #ij on the other4 ,the beautiful effect of it can hardly be expressed4 ,it is paved with trachyte and marble1 and surrounded by buildings that are not only important historically but most interesting architecturally4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,reconstructed ,,campanile ,,of ,,st4 ,,mark',s ,the ,church of ,st4 ,mark1 now a cathedral1 was begun in #hcj4 ,the year before that the bones of ,st4 ,mark1 the saint of ,venice1 were brought from ,alexandria1 and they now lie buried in the church4 ,this marvelous building is ,romanesque in style4 ,during the eleventh and twelfth centuries it was remodeled and decorated with most lavish magnificence4 ,in the fifteenth century it received some ,gothic additions which enhanced its effect4 ,in such short space as this it is impossible to do justice to the beauty of ,st4 ,mark's4 ,it is best by far to rest on what ,ruskin has said in his 8,stones of ,venice03 8,the effects of ,st4 ,mark's depend not only upon the most delicate sculpture in every part1 but eminently on its color also1 and that the most subtle1 variable1 inexpressible color in the world1--the color of glass1 of transparent alabaster1 of polished marble1 and lustrous gold40 ,illustration3 ,,americans ,,feeding ,,the ,,doves ,,of ,,st4 ,,mark',s ,the building is in the form of a ,greek cross1 with mosaics covering more than #d1ejj square feet4 ,over the upper entrance are four horses in gilded bronze1 counted among the finest of ancient bronzes4 ,they may have adorned the triumphal arch of ,nero or that of ,trajan in ,rome4 ,the ,emperor ,constantine sent them to ,constantinople1 and from there they were brought by the ,doge ,dandolo to ,venice in #abjd4 ,these horses were taken to ,paris by ,napoleon in #agig1 and for awhile crowned a triumphal arch in that city4 ,after ,napoleon's downfall1 in #ahae1 the bronzes were restored to their original place at ,venice4 ,,palace ,,and ,,campanile ,close beside the cathedral of ,st4 ,mark stands the square ,campanile1 the most prominent feature in all ,venetian views4 ,standing #cbe feet high1 the ,campanile always dominated the picturesque low stretch of ,venice's skyline and gave a peculiar distinction to the whole scene4 ,it seemed indeed to many ,venetians and to lovers of ,venice all over the world that the city had lost its crowning feature when1 in #aijb1 the ,campanile collapsed4 ,it was originally erected in #ijj and rebuilt in #acbi4 ,after it had fallen ,venice seemed maimed1 and the hearts of thousands felt the depression until the tower was rebuilt and the city could once again hold up its beautiful head4 ,a new tower was built by ,piacentini 7pee-ah-chen-tee-nee7 during the years #aije to #aiaa1 and on completion it was consecrated with most impressive ceremonies4 ,illustration3 ,,lion ,,of ,,st4 ,,mark',s ,the ,doge's ,palace was originally founded about #hjj2 but was destroyed by fire five times1 and each time rebuilt on a grander scale4 ,the older part of the present edifice was built in #acji2 while the west wing1 facing on the piazzetta1 was built between #adbd and #adch by the celebrated architects ,buon1 father and son4 ,in gazing at the ,doge's ,palace the eye is first caught by the upper arcade4 ,from there the sentences of the 8,council of ,ten0 were pronounced--listened to by the assembled people in silence and in awe4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,bronze ,,horses ,,of ,,st4 ,,mark',s ,these horses are among the finest of ancient bronzes4 ,they probably once adorned the triumphal arch of ,nero1 emperor of ,rome4 ,the columns of this arcade are most beautiful1 and have been pointed to with pride for years4 ,ruskin describes the detail of the sculptured columns1 and declares that they are the finest of their kind in ,europe4 ,the interior of the ,doge's ,palace is wonderful4 ,tintoretto's painting of 8,paradise0 is there1 a marvel in size and in detail4 ,the residence of the ,doges and the apartment in which the authorities held their meetings are there1 revealing still much of their ancient glory4 ,the palace is virtually a museum1 and it shows a great display of fine paintings1 containing1 among others1 notably works of ,tintoretto1 ,paul ,veronese1 7vay-ro-nay-seh7 and ,palma ,giovane 7jo-vah-neh74 ,days could be spent profitably wandering through these halls1 studying the treasures of art and history to be found there4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,palace ,,of ,,the ,,doges ,the ,doge's ,palace is said to have been founded beside the church of ,st4 ,theodore about #hjj for the first ,doge of ,venice4 ,it has been rebuilt and altered many times4 ,illustration3 ,,scala ,,dei ,,giganti1 ,,doge',s ,,palace ,the ,stairway of the ,giants1 so called from the colossal statues of ,mars and ,neptune at the top1 leads to the ,palace of the ,doges4 ,on the highest landing of these steps1 in the later days of the ,republic1 the ,doges were crowned4 ,,bridge ,,of ,,sighs ,illustration3 ,,hall ,,of ,,the ,,grand ,,council1 ,,doge',s ,,palace ,this was the assembly hall of the great council1 which consisted of all members of the nobility over twenty4 ,in one room you will find yourself gazing from a window at a sight that will be familiar to you2 though you may never have traveled before4 ,you will exclaim when you see it1 8,the ,bridge of ,sighs60 ,a corridor nearby leads you to the bridge4 ,you will take it1 and find that it conducts you across from the ,palace of the ,doges to the prison1 where are to be seen the gloomy walls as well as the torture chamber and the place of execution of former days4 ,the ,bridge of ,sighs is best known in ,venice1 and the reason for it is chiefly sentimental4 ,the ,council of ,ten of the ,middle ,ages is supposed to have sent doomed state prisoners across this bridge to their execution4 ,we gather that these unfortunates saw the light of day for the last time when crossing the bridge4 ,the thought is enough to seize upon the imagination of visitors1 and many of them indulge themselves in sympathetic reveries when there4 ,the interior of the ,bridge of ,sighs is gloomy enough to start creepy feelings2 but there is no need of wasting too much sentiment on it4 ,w4 ,d4 ,howells calls it a 8pathetic swindle40 ,as a matter of fact1 there is no evidence that any great number of prisoners1 or any prisoner of importance1 ever crossed there4 ,illustration3 ,,bronze ,,well1 ,,doge',s ,,palace ,aside from any sentimental reason1 however1 the ,bridge of ,sighs is most interesting architecturally4 ,it was built in #afjj4 ,it is attractive in design1 and it makes a good picture1 connecting with fine lines the two grim buildings on each side and bridging over the long1 narrow canal beneath4 ,,picturesque ,,waterways ,the canals of ,venice are of varying width1 and as they wind through the city they offer picturesque nooks and corners that have from the earliest times captivated the eye of the artist4 ,f4 ,hopkinson ,smith1 a long-time devotee of ,venice1 has painted several hundred pictures1 and at that has drawn but lightly on the possibilities of the subject4 ,little canals in deep shadows1 wider canals in sunlight1 some straight1 some curved1 and at various points picturesquely bridged1 supply effects in light and color that the eye greets with delight4 ,,the ,,grand ,,canal ,illustration3 ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,santa ,,maria ,,della ,,salute ,erected in #afda-ef in commemoration of the removal of the plague in #afcj4 ,the interior contains excellent paintings by ,titian4 ,it is trite and ineffective simply to say that the ,grand ,canal is the great artery and thoroughfare of ,venice4 ,it is so much more than that3 it is a magnificent show course adorned with two hundred or more magnificent palaces dating from the fourteenth to the eighteenth centuries1 and beautiful churches and interesting public buildings4 ,a sightseeing trip in a gondola affords the visitor an object of architectural beauty and historic interest at every rod4 ,the historic interest of some of these houses is double1--the interest attached to them by virtue of the original patrician owners1 and a new interest acquired through the residence in them of notable men of later time4 ,drift slowly along this splendid waterway4 ,marble steps lead down from the noble residences to the water's edge4 ,tall posts bearing the colors of the family serve as hitching posts for the boats4 ,your guide will tell you the stories1 poetic and dramatic1 of the families whose names are set down in the great roll of the nobility of ,venice entitled 8,the ,book of ,gold40 ,then you will be told of the later associations that enhance the interest of some of the palaces4 ,that handsome mansion over there is where ,desdemona lived4 ,nearby it is the ,palazzo ,vendramin-,calergi1 7ven-drah-min cahl-ehr-gee7 in which ,richard ,wagner 7vahg-ner7 died in #ahhc4 ,that stately palace over there was for a time the home of ,robert ,browning2 he died there in #ahhi1 and there is a memorial tablet on the wall4 ,look at those three palaces close together4 ,the one in the center was occupied by ,lord ,byron in #ahah4 ,nearby is the ,browning home1 a ,gothic building1 in which ,w4 ,d4 ,howells wrote his 8,venetian ,life40 ,in another palace ,george ,sand had residence for a time4 ,the great painter ,titian 7tish-an7 lived in one of these buildings4 ,illustration3 ,,palazzo ,,vendramin-,,calergi ,richard ,wagner1 the composer1 died in this house in #ahhc4 ,each structure has its interest4 ,each bend of the canal reveals new beauties4 ,across the beautiful waterway are three bridges--the name of one is familiar the world over4 ,,the ,,bridge ,,of ,,the ,,rialto ,for many years this was the only bridge across the ,grand ,canal1 and it stands for much of the past glory of ,venice4 ,it is made of marble1 and is over #aej feet long4 ,it was built between the years #aehh and #aeib1 and is today1 as it was in early times1 a place of shops4 ,here ,shylocks have bargained and ,bassanios have met their friends these many years4 ,more literally speaking1 it was not the ,bridge of the ,rialto that ,shylock refers to in ,shakespeare's 8,merchant of ,venice10 but the district nearby4 ,it is difficult for anyone who has visited ,venice to select single points for comment or description4 ,the city appeals to him as a whole1 and each object of beauty in it is a part of the wonderful whole4 ,the essence of ,venice is a dreamy1 poetic charm1--a charm of light1 color1 and form1 not of sound4 ,mrs4 ,oliphant writes3 8,venice has long borne in the imagination of the world a distinctive position1 something of the character of a great enchantress1 a magician of the seas4''' ,she is all wonder1 enchantment1 the brightness and glory of a dream40 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,grand ,,canal ,looking across the canal we see here an example of the beautiful palaces which line this famous thoroughfare4 ,,supplementary ,,reading ,illustration ,studies in the ,history of ,venice ,h4 ,r4 ,f4 ,brown ,venice ,h4 ,r4 ,f4 ,brown ,makers of ,venice ,mrs4 ,oliphant ,the ,venetian ,republic 7two volumes7 ,w4 ,c4 ,hazlitt ,venetian ,life ,w4 ,d4 ,howells ,st4 ,mark's ,rest ,john ,ruskin ,the ,stones of ,venice ,john ,ruskin ,gondola ,days ,f4 ,hopkinson ,smith ,literary ,landmarks of ,venice ,laurence ,hutton ,pen ,sketches ,finley ,archer ,illustration ,,questions ,,answered ,subscribers desiring further information concerning this subject can obtain it by writing to ,the ,mentor ,association #cha ,fourth ,avenue1 ,new ,york ,city ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,mark',s ,,cathedral1 ,,venice ,,venice ,st4 ,mark's ,cathedral ,,one ,the ,church of ,st4 ,mark's is unequaled in the whole world for richness of material and construction4 ,it was originally the private chapel of the ,doge or ruler of ,venice4 ,one reason for its being so richly adorned is that there was a law in ,venice which required every merchant trading with the ,east to bring back some material for the decoration of the church4 ,thus it became the final resting place of the adornments from countless other buildings1 both in the ,east and in ,italy4 ,the building has been compared to the treasure den of a band of pirates4 ,it forms a museum of sculpture of the most varied kind1 from the fourth century down to the latest ,renaissance4 ,in #hbh a little wooden church was built to receive the relics of the ,apostle ,mark4 ,the ,moslems had pulled down the church where he was buried in ,alexandria2 so his remains were brought to ,venice1 and ,saint ,mark became the patron saint of the city in place of ,saint ,theodore4 ,in #igf this wooden church was burned1 along with the ducal palace1 in the insurrection against ,doge ,canadiano ,,iv4 ,the church was rebuilt on a larger scale by ,pietro ,orseolo and his successors4 ,it was a very simple church1 in the form of a ,greek cross1 built of brick in the ,romanesque style4 ,it was adorned with lines of colored brick1 and brick set in patterns here and there4 ,on it were five low cupolas4 ,st4 ,mark's grew in wealth as ,venice became rich and important4 ,doge ,contarini remodeled the cathedral in #ajfc4 ,byzantine and ,lombard workmen were employed1 and the two styles of architecture were joined4 ,the low brick cupolas were covered by high domes of wood roofed with metal4 ,parts of the walls were sheathed with slabs of alabaster4 ,incrusted marbles and mosaics were used further to decorate the outside4 ,then in the fifteenth century the ,gothic pinnacles and other florid adornments of the exterior were added4 ,the final result is the finest piece of many-colored architecture in ,europe4 ,the ,cathedral of ,st4 ,mark is in its present form a ,greek cross1 surmounted by a dome at each end and one in the center4 ,the west front has five great porches opening upon the ,piazza di ,san ,marco4 ,the church contains five hundred columns1 mostly in oriental style1 with richly ornamented capitals4 ,the top of the narthex 7that part of the church nearest the main entrance7 forms a wide gallery1 in the center of which stand the four great bronze horses which are said to have belonged to some ,greco-,roman triumphal quadriga1 and to have been brought to ,venice by ,doge ,enrico ,dandolo after the fall of ,constantinople in #abjd4 ,in #agig ,napoleon carried them to ,paris2 but they were restored by ,francis of ,austria in #ahae4 ,the pala d'oro1 or retable of the high altar1 is one of the chief glories of ,st4 ,mark's1 and is one of the most magnificent specimens of goldsmiths' and jewelers' work in existence4 ,the famous treasury of ,st4 ,mark's contains a precious collection of church plate1 jeweled book bindings1 and other artistic treasures of the early ,middle ,ages4 ,,prepared ,,by ,,the ,,editorial ,,staff ,,of ,,the ,,mentor ,,association ,,illustration ,,for ,,the ,,mentor1 ,,vol4 #a1 ,no4 #bg1 ,,serial ,no4 #bg ,illustration3 ,,the ,,campanile ,,and ,,doge',s ,,palace1 ,,venice ,,venice ,the ,campanile and ,doge's ,palace ,,two ,on ,july #ad1 #aijb1 the ,campanile or bell tower of ,st4 ,mark's ,cathedral fell to earth with a crash4 ,earthquakes and a rotting foundation at length worked its ruin4 ,but its reconstruction was begun in #aije1 and the new tower was completed in #aiaa1 nine years after the fall4 ,the ,campanile stands1 as is usually the case in ,italy1 detached from the church4 ,the first bell tower on this site was built in #ijj4 ,the one that fell in #aiib was probably erected in #acbi4 ,the ,campanile signified to the ,venetians the greatness of ,venice4 ,it was used as a watch tower before the year #ajjj4 ,then in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries it became a bell tower also4 ,its bells rang out at the first hint of danger to warn the citizens of the republic4 ,during later times these bells announced the taking of ,constantinople by ,dandolo to a waiting and expectant crowd2 the victory of ,lepanto1 which made ,venice master of the ,east2 the establishment of her fights of sovereignty against ,rome4 ,they clanged when ,martin ,paliero1 the traitor ,doge1 was beheaded4 ,they tolled a dirge when the peace of ,campoformio ended the ,venetian republic forever4 ,when the lagoons were united to the ,italian mainland they rang out in announcement4 ,when the ,campanile fell the ,venetians were shocked and broken-hearted4 ,there was some question as to whether it could be reconstructed2 but the ,italians were determined that it should be4 ,in its fall the bell tower inclined toward the north and open piazza4 ,if it had fallen in any other direction1 either the ,library of ,sansovino1 or the ,doge's ,palace and ,st4 ,mark's ,cathedral1 or the royal palace would have been destroyed4 ,in fact1 some of the debris fell very near ,st4 ,mark's2 but did not disfigure it in the least4 ,the old foundations of the ,campanile were used as a nucleus for the new4 ,the shaft outside is a perfect model of the old bell tower2 but by modifying the inside the weight has been reduced #bj1jjj tons4 ,the nucleus of the first ,venice1 before it was made the seat of government of the republic1 is said to have been the little district about the great bridge over the ,grand ,canal1 which still retains the name ,rialto4 ,but as soon as the island group of ,rivo ,alto became the capital of the ,venetian republic a palace for the ,doge was erected near the open mouth1 on the site that its successor still occupies4 ,this earliest palace was probably built about the year #hjj4 ,it was burned down in #igf and again in #aajf4 ,the present magnificent building was a slow growth over three centuries4 ,as a whole1 the ,doge's ,palace as it now stands may be regarded externally as the characteristic typical example of fully developed ,venetian ,gothic4 ,it is built of brick1 and is lined or incrusted with small lozenge-like slabs of variously colored marble4 ,the interior of the ,doge's ,palace is of much later date than is the exterior4 ,on the walls of the chief council chambers are oil paintings by many ,venetians1 among them ,tintoretto's masterpiece 8,bacchus and ,ariadne10 and the huge picture of ,paradise1 the largest oil painting in the world4 ,,prepared ,,by ,,the ,,editorial ,,staff ,,of ,,the ,,mentor ,,association ,,illustration ,,for ,,the ,,mentor1 ,,vol4 #a1 ,no4 #bg1 ,,serial ,no4 #bg ,illustration3 ,,the ,,bridge ,,of ,,sighs1 ,,venice ,,venice ,the ,bridge of ,sighs ,,three ,everyone probably has heard of the ,ponte de ,sospiri or ,bridge of ,sighs4 ,it is said that over this bridge walked political prisoners in the days of ,venice's greatness1 and these men were never seen again4 ,this bridge1 however1 is1 as ,w4 ,d4 ,howells says1 8,a pathetic swindle40 ,the ,bridge of ,sighs dates only from the sixteenth century1 and since that time there has been only a single instance 7,antonio ,foscarini7 of political imprisonment4 ,the bridge led from the criminal courts in the palace to the criminal prisons on the other side of the ,rio ,canal4 ,the prisons really used for political offenders were the ,pozzi1 often wrongly described as being beneath the level of the canal4 ,a thick wooden casing to the walls protected the inmates from damp1 and the romantic accounts of the horrors of these prisons are probably all imaginary4 ,the best known is that of ,charles ,dickens3 8,i descended from the cheerful day into two ranges1 one below another1 of dismal1 awful1 horrible stone cells4 ,they were quite dark4 ,each had a loophole in its massive wall1 where1 in the old time1 every day a torch was placed1 to light the prisoners within1 for half an hour4 ,the captives1 by the glimmering of these brief rays1 had cut and scratched inscriptions in the blackened vaults4 ,i saw them2 for their labor with the rusty nail's point had outlived their agony and them through many generations4 ,one cell ,i saw in which no man remained for more than twenty-four hours2 being marked for dead before he entered it4 ,hard by1 another1 and a dismal one1 whereto at midnight the confessor came1--a monk brown-robed and hooded1--ghastly in the day and free1 bright air1 but in the midnight of the murky prison ,hope's extinguisher and ,murder's herald4 ,i had my foot upon the spot where at the same dread hour the shriven prisoner was strangled2 and struck my hand upon the guilty door--low-browed and stealthy--through which the lumpish sack was carried out into a boat and rowed away1 and drowned where it was death to cast a net40 ,the ,council of ,ten which ruled ,venice for many years had its place of assembly during the sixteenth century in one of the smaller apartments of the ducal palace on the second floor1 a circular room with large windows1 looking on the canal spanned by the ,bridge of ,sighs4 ,this council had absolute power in administering justice and in governing the ,venetian ,state4 ,,prepared ,,by ,,the ,,editorial ,,staff ,,of ,,the ,,mentor ,,association ,,illustration ,,for ,,the ,,mentor1 ,,vol4 #a1 ,no4 #bg1 ,,serial ,no4 #bg ,illustration3 ,,the ,,grand ,,canal1 ,,venice ,,venice ,the ,grand ,canal ,,four ,the ,grand ,canal1 or ,canalazzo1 the street of the nobles in ,venice1 is one of the deeper channels in the lagoon4 ,it is the original ,rivo ,alto1 or deep stream1 that created ,venice1 and up which the commerce of all countries was able to reach the city in the days of her splendor4 ,let us step into a gondola1 and1 telling our gondolier to keep to the left side till we reach the railway station1 ascend the canal4 ,that long1 low building flanking the exact end of the canal1 looking seaward1 is the ,dogana di ,mare4 ,it was erected in #afgf by ,benoni4 ,there on the summit are two ,atlases bearing a gilded globe4 ,a bronze ,fortuna surmounts this1 serving as a weather vane4 ,and over there stands the ,church of ,santa ,maria della ,salute4 ,during the plague of #afcj the republic vowed to give a church to ,our ,lady of ,deliverance if the pestilence was removed1 and the building was begun in #afca4 ,passing along the canal we now come to a large1 new palace1 the ,palazza ,genovese1 erected in #ahih1 an imitation of the earlier ,gothic buildings4 ,after this we float by many houses and palaces until we finally reach the mouth of the ,rio ,san ,barnaba1 where we see the huge and lofty ,rezzonico1 which was formerly the home of the poet ,robert ,browning4 ,we float on and on by many more palaces and canals until we reach the ,rialto ,bridge 7,ponte di ,rialto74 ,we go under this strikingly picturesque bridge1 past the fish market1 and finally reach the ,fondaco dei ,turchi 7,warehouse of the ,turks74 ,this is a large palace1 and got its name in the seventeenth century1 when it was let out to the ,turkish merchants in ,venice4 ,it is representative of the ,byzantine period4 ,here we are at the railway station4 ,now we turn and go down the other bank4 ,we pass the broad mouth of the ,cannaregio1 and come to the gigantic ,palazzo ,vendramin-,calergi4 ,wagner1 the great composer1 died here4 ,at the entrance to the ,rio della ,maddalena the canal makes an angle1 and after passing many buildings and the mouth of the ,rio di ,noale we come to the ,ca' d',oro4 ,this is a very ornate building4 ,its name1 the ,house of ,gold1 came from the fact that it was once gilded4 ,then we go by many palaces1 and come to the ,fondaco dei ,tedeschi1 or ,guild of the ,german ,merchants in ,venice4 ,an earlier ,teutonic guild hall existed here from the thirteenth century4 ,venice imported oriental goods and passed them on to ,germany4 ,all the quarter round the ,rialto ,bridge was the business district1 the ,wall ,street of ,venice4 ,we pass under the ,ponte di ,rialto again1 and after a little while arrive at the ,palazzo ,loredan1 the most beautiful house on the ,grand ,canal4 ,it is a ,byzantine-,romanesque ,venetian palace1 with a distinct oriental feeling4 ,finally we come to a dainty little house1 which the gondolier tells us is ,desdemona's ,palace4 ,this palace is named the ,contarini-,fasan4 ,the rest of the canal is mainly occupied by hotels4 ,beyond the ,hotel de l',europe we come to the gardens of the ,royal ,palace4 ,our trip ends at the ,bridge of ,sighs4 ,the palaces on the ,grand ,canal bear witness to the early peace and civilization of ,venice4 ,her houses were built for beauty and pleasure1 when the nations of the earth were still building castles for defense4 ,,prepared ,,by ,,the ,,editorial ,,staff ,,of ,,the ,,mentor ,,association ,,illustration ,,for ,,the ,,mentor1 ,,vol4 #a1 ,no4 #bg1 ,,serial ,no4 #bg ,illustration3 ,,the ,,rialto ,,bridge1 ,,venice ,,venice ,the ,rialto ,bridge ,,five ,the ,ponte di ,rialto1 or ,rialto ,bridge1 gets its name from the part of ,venice it is in4 ,this locality was the ancient city of ,venice1 and derives its name1 ,rialto1 from ,rivo ,alto1 as the land on the left of the canal was called4 ,even after the city expanded it continued to be the center of commerce and trade1 the business heart of ,venice4 ,in this quarter were the ,fabriche1 or warehouses and custom houses1 and many of the handsomest buildings1 such as the ,fondaco dei ,turchi 7,warehouse of the ,turks7 and the ,fondaco dei ,tedeschi 7,warehouse of the ,germans74 ,it is this part of the city that ,shakespeare means1 when ,shylock says3 8,signor ,antonio1 many a time and oft ,in the ,rialto you have rated me ,about my moneys40 ,the first ,bridge of ,rialto was built by an engineer named ,barattieri in #aahj4 ,up to this time a bridge of boats had been used4 ,barattieri's bridge may be seen in the great picture of ,carpaccio in the ,accademia4 ,in the sixteenth century there was a great competition for the honor of designing the new bridge4 ,fra ,giocondo1 ,sansovino1 ,palladio1 ,vignola1 and even ,michelangelo himself contended4 ,antonio da ,ponte obtained the coveted prize1 and he began the present ,ponte di ,rialto in #aehh under ,doge ,pasquale ,cicogna4 ,at its completion it was very much criticized4 ,soon1 however1 this criticism was silenced1 and on the engravings of the time it is called 8,il ,famoso ,ponte0 7,the ,famous ,bridge74 ,the span of the ,rialto ,bridge is #ia feet2 its height is #bd feet2 its width1 #gb feet4 ,the ,annunciation on the bridge is by ,girolamo ,campagna4 ,the angel is at one end of the span1 and the ,madonna is at the other end4 ,the dove1 flying toward the ,madonna1 forms the keystone of the bridge4 ,along the footway of the bridge is a long line of shops4 ,close to the ,rialto ,bridge is the ,church of ,st4 ,giacomo di ,rialto4 ,this church is said to date from the foundation of the town4 ,it possesses no remains of its antiquity4 ,the campanile of the ,church of ,st4 ,giacomo is a fine example4 ,built almost altogether of brick1 the long lines of its arcades give an effect of great height4 ,the details are good4 ,their character is ,gothic4 ,facing the church a statue of a hunchback1 8,il ,gobbo di ,rialto10 supports a pillar4 ,from the back of this statue the laws of the republic were proclaimed1 and this was the center of business life in ,venice4 ,and as we gaze upon all these relics of the past we agree with ,lawrence ,hutton3 8,so strange and so strong is the power of fiction over truth1 in ,venice1 as everywhere else1 that ,portia and ,emilia1 ,cassio1 ,antonio1 and ,iago appear to have been more real here than are the women and men in real life4 ,we see1 on the ,rialto1 ,shylock first1 and then its history and associations2 and the ,council ,chamber of the ,palace of the ,doges is chiefly interesting as being the scene of ,othello's eloquent defense of himself40 ,,prepared ,,by ,,the ,,editorial ,,staff ,,of ,,the ,,mentor ,,association ,,illustration ,,for ,,the ,,mentor1 ,,vol4 #a1 ,no4 #bg1 ,,serial ,no4 #bg ,illustration3 ,a ,,typical ,,venetian ,,canal1 ,,venice ,,venice ,a ,typical ,venetian ,canal ,,six ,in ,venice one takes a gondola as in ,america he takes a taxicab3 with one difference1--after the gondola ride he still has some money left4 ,a gondola is a long black skiff1 with graceful lines and a swanlike prow sweeping up from the water4 ,it is typically ,venetian4 ,it is admirably adapted to the work it has to do4 ,there are only two points in all ,venice where a gondola may not go even at low water1--one near the great theater of the ,fenice1 and the other near the ,palazza ,mocenigo at ,san ,stae4 ,two is the best number of passengers for a gondola4 ,the rower is out of sight1 behind4 ,all is ideal4 ,there is no noise1 no dust1 not even the feeling of motion1 except the ripple of water past the bow4 ,the wood of which a gondola is built must be well seasoned and without knots4 ,all gondolas turned out of one workshop are the same length4 ,a new gondola is left unpainted for the first year4 ,this is to prove its newness to any possible buyer4 ,an unpainted gondola can easily be examined for knots4 ,as soon as it is painted its value decreases4 ,the gondoliers become very attached to their own boats4 ,they learn their peculiarities2 for a gondola1 like a person1 has a character of its own4 ,since the earliest days of ,venice gondolas have been in use4 ,their present form has resulted from gradual development4 ,the earliest authentic document relating to ,venice mentions the light boats that were to the ,venetians 8as horses tied to the doors of their houses40 ,at first these boats were simple in construction2 but in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the gondolas became very sumptuous4 ,finally1 so luxurious did they become that they had to be regulated by law4 ,now they are longer and speedier1 and are usually painted black4 ,there are about twenty ferries operating across the ,grand ,canal and the ,giudecca4 ,they resemble our cab service4 ,the gondoliers also have guilds or unions4 ,the police license the gondolas2 but the real laws of the gondolier are those of his guild4 ,each guild has its own meeting place1 where all questions of hours of work and choice of station are settled4 ,if one member of the union becomes sick1 he is cared for out of the public purse1 and if he dies he is carried to the grave by his fellow members4 ,these guilds are probably the last survivors of the old medieval crafts of ,venice4 ,the skill of the average ,venetian gondolier is marvelous4 ,rare indeed are collisions4 ,these gondoliers are not the romantic heroes one may imagine them to be4 ,they do not float in the moonlight singing serenades beneath their sweethearts' windows4 ,they are hardy fellows1 thrifty1 sober1 and laborious1 good husbands and fathers1 matter-of-fact money makers4 ,one dollar and forty cents a day is the charge for a gondola and its gondolier in the season2 at other times the price is forty cents less4 ,a gondolier earns on an average sixty cents a day4 ,this does not seem very much2 but the gondoliers live fairly well1 and even put money into the bank4 ,all the gondoliers of ,venice are divided into two factions1 the ,nicolotti and the ,castellani4 ,the rivalry between these two is intense1 and the question of supremacy was formerly settled by the knife4 ,nowadays1 however1 more peaceable but exciting races are the means4 ,the ,nicolotti wear a black sash and cap1 and the ,castellani wear red4 ,there are four principal races a year4 ,the first is rowed in ,may for a banner of red and gold2 in ,august two pennons are rowed for1 the white and gold1 and the green2 the blue banner is the prize in ,october4 ,,prepared ,,by ,,the ,,editorial ,,staff ,,of ,,the ,,mentor ,,association ,,illustration ,,for ,,the ,,mentor1 ,,vol4 #a1 ,no4 #bg1 ,,serial ,no4 #bg