. St. Nicholas [serial] . sadlyin need of repair, it is true,but majestic still, though theplaster is falling from theirweather-beaten walls. Per-haps Venice is even morebeautiful now in its decaythan it was in the days of itsgreatest glory, for age hasa beauty of its own, softerand more delicate than that of youth. Thebright colors which once shone with dazzlingbrilliancy under the Italian sky are now sub-dued and mellowed like those of an old tap-estry. So, though wealth and commerce aredeserting the city in the sea, its loveliness in-creases from year to year and attracts to itthousands of
. St. Nicholas [serial] . sadlyin need of repair, it is true,but majestic still, though theplaster is falling from theirweather-beaten walls. Per-haps Venice is even morebeautiful now in its decaythan it was in the days of itsgreatest glory, for age hasa beauty of its own, softerand more delicate than that of youth. Thebright colors which once shone with dazzlingbrilliancy under the Italian sky are now sub-dued and mellowed like those of an old tap-estry. So, though wealth and commerce aredeserting the city in the sea, its loveliness in-creases from year to year and attracts to itthousands of visitors from all parts of the earth;from Germany and England and America, andeven from far-away China and Japan. Thesevisitors come in the greatest numbers in theearly springtime, for then the weather is best;the days are clear and fine, and the brightsouthern sun makes Italy warm and delightfulwhen people in more northern countries arestill shivering with the cold. So during thepleasant spring days the old square of San. moonlight nightthat Venice ismost the lightsalong the quayadjoining theDoges Palaceshow throngs oflaughing peo-ple; the ancientmansions thatline the GrandCanal seem tobe gazing calm-ly down at theirbroken reflec-tions in the darkwater, and themoon rides highin the heavensabove the whitedome of thechurch of OurLady of Salva-tion. Sudden-ly the soft strainsof sweet musicfill the air. Theycome from alarge boat, allaglow with gaycolors and lan-terns. It floatsalong the center of the Grand Canal. The crowdon the quay cease chattering and laughing for aninstant, the balconies of the hotels fill with eager AN ANTIQUE STAIRWAY IN A PRIVATEPALACE. 622 VENICE. 623 3S§ffSw J fill i-^^
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Keywords: ., bookauthordodgemar, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookyear1873
