Show CURRENT TOPICS IN EUROPE the archives of venico venice have just been published in fifty magnificent volumes no city in the world was ever so rich in public documents as venice vedice and they are almost coeval with its reputed birth on the seventy two small islands that formed the original cit city the student of history frequents frequently after a brief glance at ancient history turns to the record of his own country anti the great events of modem V times while the thrilling narrative of medieval history from the downfall of the roman empire to the time when the nations of europe assumed their modern form and america attracted the attention of the world remains to him a blank or nearly so when the barbarians fully aroused wreaked wrecked their vengeance on the cadatal of the when attila ind and alaric with their hordes overran the eternal city it was but natural that thousands of the wealthy should seek a refuge on the islands of the adriatic here they settled in peace and security and laid the foundation of an empire destined in after years to achieve a foremost place amongst the nations of the world A lovelier home they could not have found than that furnished by these sandy islands where every day the blue waters of the adriatic rose about them giving unfailing security in time of war it is indeed well that the records of venice have been given to the world for thereby we can see the gradual change from the ancient civilization to that of modern times and the influence sometimes beneficial that the saracens saracena Sara cens exercised over apostate christianity the briefest catalogue of events which have rendered celebrated the name of venice would demand a volume the defeat of barbarossa the conquest of constantinople the alsi acquisition of cyprus candia and the morea and hundreds of other prominent events to a mind familiar with the chronicles of venice cannot fall to call up a throng of like associations here galileo in 1609 invented the telescope here hereley ajoy ola in 1536 1586 organized zed the inquisition here lived titian and Tin and vittoria and canova here the beautiful italian language first received embodiment in the immortal works of tasso dante and petrarca Petr arch and from his bis home in venice the famous traveler marco polo made his journeys to far away india and catbay and awakened an interest in geographical research which led to the discovery of america the first printed editions of the bible and the classics were published at venice and more books in the hebrew language have been printed there than in all the world besides at the opening of the seventeenth century the first newspaper in the world appeared at venice being sold for a little coin called a bazetta Oa zetta a it thence took that name which in many countries the public journals still bew here too was established the first bank and here were issued the first bills of exchange even before the time when the normans reigned in england on the place of st mark the heart of venice Js is still revealed to modern eyes the faie busy scenes and customs of the ancient roman forum here it was that the blind old doge dandolo received as guests the crusader chiefs a thousand years ago from this port sailed richard bichard the lionhearted lion hearted king of england montfort montferrat montmorency and godfrey de bouillon on their way to the conquest of the holy land here it was that barbar ossa bowed his neck to the sandal of the roman pontiff and here the conspiracies of tiepolo and fallero faliero were crushed upon the only two occasions in the long period of fourteen hundred years when venetian fought venetian on the place st mark here also at the base of the tree of liberty were burned the ingi insignia gnia of the ancient re republic bublic tg june fth 1797 by order of the e fl first napoleon it seems that in the government of venice everything is written down and copied and recopied from the price paid for repairing a lock to the most important treaty forgive for five centuries venice was the wonder of the world nowhere on earth was there so beautiful a city it seems surprising that venice did not like ancient rome absorb all italy and perform the work of count cavour and victor emmanuel in modern times for hundreds of years venice had the monopoly of the worlds wealth it alone possessed capital commerce colonies and the only y powerful navy in the world and yet its territorial domains at home never exceeded a city of three hundred thousand inhabitants and a narrow strip of north eastern italy ital Y the statue to giordono Ui bruno which is to be unveiled in tho biaza za campo di florl fiori at rome june ath 1889 deserves deser es more than than a passing notice as it plainly indicates the drift of public thought in italy it will be remembered that bruno aroused the ire of the papal authorities by three distinct acts first he d declared e that it was absurd to say that the father son and holy spirit were one and the same person secondly he partially discovered the circulation of the blood in the human system and thirdly he declared that the earth was a vast globe or r ball for these terrible atrocities he was condemned by the holy inquisition to be burned to death for the good of his soul this sentence was executed february 1st ast 1600 when bruno received his sentence it is said he replied to the judges ye fear more to give this sentence than I 1 to receive it now after nearly three hundred years of obloquy his name is to be perpetuated in enduring marble as one of the great benefactors of f his hia race and cherished in nations nation memory nay more the very names of those who are expected acted to deliver orations at the medication dedication of brunos monument indicate that his fame is worldwide world wide the heretic then is the hero now the anniversary of the french revolution naturally leads mens menis mind s back to the regime that existed in france prior to 1789 at that time france presented an ex tra ordinary spectacle which to some extent has its influence at the present ent day and if rightly understood enables us to better comprehend the religious social and political position of france nearly all the great positions in the church were in the hands bands of the nobles who in reality were the temporal rulers of the lands as well as the spiritual leaders of the people of the one hundred and thirty bishops in france there chere were only two who were not the temporal as well as spiritual rulers of their people this alliance between the state and church was not caused by the kings but was a vestige of ancient tribal independence I 1 in n other words the bishops ind and archbishops arch bishops were likewise the barons and dukes of the provinces in which they officiated ficia ted for example the bishop of cahors is likio likewise wise baron and count of cahors when he officiates at the mass he has the right to alar e on the altar his helmet his cuirass his gauntlets gauntlett gaunt lets and sword the archbishop of besancon is likewise a prince of the holy roman empire and has a right aright to sit in the german diet the bishop of angiers has the right of being carried into the church by four barons and the archbishop of paris has the right on his induction into office to be borne on a litter to the cathedral one of the bearers being the king of france A moments glance is sufficient to show the intimate relation which once existed between church and state and which still exercises a vast influence on french politics if the emperor william visits paris during the exhibition time he will run considerable risk it is said that he is looking forward with pleasure to roving over paris in an effective disguise at all events event he will preserve the strictest incognito find and the abe profoundest secrecy will w III be observed as to his movements some rome day we may expect to hear that the emperor has been to paris and then wont the flood gates of journalistic imagination be let loose the tales of his prowls through parisian purlieus purlie us will rival eugene sues mysteries of paris among the strangers who attract considerable attention in paris may be mentioned some tall brawny scotsmen who have come here clad in native highland costume the wine wide sippers on the avenues gaze in wonderment when they catch a glimpse of the caledonians Caledonia ns passing along the tartan kilt and jaunty little cap with its eagle feather elicit both commendation and criticism but the bare knees of the children of ultima thule are regarded with amazement J H WARD JEUR EUROPE opu june 3 1889 |