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The
American
On a brilliant
day in May, in the year 1868, a gentleman was
reclining at his ease on the great circular
divan which at that period occupied the centre
of the Salon Carré, in the Museum of the Louvre.
This commodious ottoman has since been removed,
to the extreme regret of all weak-kneed lovers
of the fine arts, but the gentleman in question
had taken serene possession of its softest spot,
and, with his head thrown back and his legs
outstretched, was staring at Murillo’s beautiful
moon-borne Madonna in profound enjoyment of his
posture. He had removed his hat, and flung down
beside him a little red guide-book and an opera-glass.
The day was warm; he was heated with walking,
and he repeatedly passed his handkerchief over
his forehead, with a somewhat wearied gesture.
Italian
Hours
It is a great pleasure to write the word;
but I am not sure there is not a certain
impudence in pretending to add anything to it.
Venice has been painted and described many
thousands of times, and of all the cities of the
world is the easiest to visit without going
there. Open the first book and you will find a
rhapsody about it; step into the first picture-dealer’s
and you will find three or four high-coloured
“views” of it. There is notoriously nothing more
to be said on the subject. Every one has been
there, and every one has brought back a
collection of photographs. There is as little
mystery about the Grand Canal as about our local
thoroughfare, and the name of St. Mark is as
familiar as the postman’s ring. It is not
forbidden, however, to speak of familiar things,
and I hold that for the true Venice-lover Venice
is always in order. There is nothing new to be
said about her certainly, but the old is better
than any novelty. It would be a sad day indeed
when there should be something new to say.
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