The Douglasses in Venice, 18-19 May 1887

Douglass's glide past the "house where Desdemoni resided when wooed by Othelo," came amid a two days, and a quick passage in his travel diary, of Venetian splendors. He visited the city on May 18-19, 1887, and wrote on May 21st, while in Milan.:

"The ride from Florence to Venice was delightful. The weather was neither too hot nor too cold, and bright sunshine gave a lustre to the snow crowned Appenines and set them off attractively and imposingly."

"As to Venice itself I can only say it surpassed all the ideas I had formed of it."

"It is a city by itself."

"I had read of its canals,..."

"...its Gondolas,..."

"...its Rialtos,..."

"...its palaces,..."

"...and its wonders of art,..."

"...and its churches,..."

"...and was prepared to look upon all with admiration,..."

"...but had after small comprehension of its charms..."

"The Square in front of St. Mark..."

"...that monarch..."

"...of churches..."

"...flancked by the Doge's Palace..."

"...and arcades on the other..."

"...once seen will never be forgotten, and will always fill the mind with peculiar pleasure."

"In looking at Venice as it is, with the marks of decay upon it,..."

"...though still in many respects the most beautiful of cities..."

"....but we easily think of what it must have been in the days of its [glory]...."

"...when it was the city of Merchant Princes,..."

"...and had control of the rich commerce of all the East,..."

"...when it was a free Republic."

"I saw its Biblotyc containing acres of volumes, and precious manuscripts. Among these I saw letters from three great Americans, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamen Franklin." 

"On the great canal, I saw the house where Desdemoni resided when wooed by Othelo." 

"No where else than in Venice is glass manufactured into more perfect forms of beauty."

"Where climate, sea and sky are so beautiful..."

...it is not strange...

"…that they should suggest beauty to the artificers..."

...in all kinds of works."

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Source: Frederick Douglass, Travel Diary, Frederick Douglass Papers, Library of Congress.