American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1825-12-27


succeeding morning, Of unc hanging lovely weather.
IS peculiarly striking to those who have been accns-
lomeufo the turbulence OF northern sky. You
lie down and rise to the same glorious light, and
meet again, as evening comes, the same soothing
feelings.
A traveller thinks he has seen city, when he
has rolled through her Streets and looked UPON her
fine edi6ces and noble palaces. And We, would
not give one solitary midnight hour in Florence,
IN which can wander through her deserted streets,
see the long perspective and wonder at each angle.
how the narrow arches, and opposing bu,,resses,
fare TO open up into other succeeding lines Tor
whole weeks Of idle sights.
/ My FIRST impressions of Florence have all been
by moonlight, in solitary evening walks. The heats
Of the day are excessive and there is no twilight.
II is in the serene and silent midnight hour that
you love TO wander lortb and enhae the cool breeze
and freshened air.-How beautiful IL is 10 gaze OH
the splendor Of the moou-beams, reflected on the
Atno showing its bridges ID grand perspective, the
city. and its huge Of ancient buildings. ~,
ing IN deep full shadow before you, the rays hardly
reaching to the centre Of the narrow streets, while
they glitter on the tops of towers and buildings,
whose projecting square roofs, almos, touching
each other, rear their ponderous bulk against the
Clear blue sky.
In such night as this, (the calm night Of sul-
try day. sallying forth my custom, and pas
sing through narrow alleys, CHANGED to enter
habitants Of the city.
It was crowded with bers OF this class, who
with famished haste seemed eager to buy their
little stores OF provisions, battling and bargaining
with clanorous, but good-humored vocilerston all
complaining loudly that the vendors demanded too
much Tor their goods but yet seasoning their re-
proaches with much drolery and repsrtee, which,
IN spite OF the sorry, meagre, half naked figures
that were presented to the eye, gave pae,y in
conceivable to the whole scene Among those
composing the different groups, tall finely formed
women, with dshcvelled hair, pale faces and care
worn countenances, made a conspicuous part.
These. with the vendors Of meat, their boys, dogs
and men, stalking with bare and grisly visa.
ges, filed up the picture; while dim infreouent
lamps darkly showed all the dismalness Of the
place and the wietchedness Of the food they were
purchasing.
Among the crowd distinguished woman who,
with her little daughter, sat apart, at q distance
from the busy, bois,erous crew, waiting while her
husband bargained for what their ssies required
She seemed poor as the others but she was beau
iul, and presented one Of those feeling hing,
countenances, which the eye of painter would
have dwelt on with delight one which Ds Vinci
might have followed, and such as Carlo Dolce would
have copied for one OF his Madonnas. The crowd
began gradually 10 disperse, and walked along I'd
the mo'e distant precincts, among public buildings,
gloomy palaces and dark walls.
AfdSeESiHB inc great centre OF the CITY, dIOnpS
streets darkened from the height Of the buildings,
passed along these immense ed6res with strange
feelings OF solitude, as if in dream, If The gay
and peopled world had vanished, and these gloomy
OF the past alone remained. II was night,
and IN this distant spot not soul stirring, not
loot was heard, when, on crossing narrow alley,
the prospect suddenly opened, and the slsntDg rays
Of the full moon, failing with softened light among
the magnificent monuments ofhancient times, dis
played splendid scene.
AT that moment the tower bell OF the prison
struck loud and long, tol}ing with slow and swing
ing motion, seeming, from the effect Of reverbera-
ion, to cover and fill the whole city even in day
his bell is distinguished from any ever heard
,ut in The dead silence of the night it sounded full
md solemn. Impressed by the feelings excited by
he grandeur OF the scene, still prolonged my
walk, and insensibly wandered on. The silence Of
he night was unbroken, save by an occasional dis
ant sound arising from the busiest quarter Of the
:ity or from time to time by the song Of the night.
ngale, which reached me from the rich and beau
iful gardens that skirt the walls Of Florence, recall
ng to my mind the voice of that sweet bird as
,eard it when detained in the narrow valley Of the
gloomy Arco. remember how its little song thrill
ed through the long melancholy OF the night.
of repeated note, which still came fost
ng on the air like light sleep. Involved in these
musings Of lnlled and idle thought. suddenly be-
leld in the distance issuing fromthe portals OF Z
aRe eoinCes iorms 1hvedteo IN oiack gearing torcn.
IS, which, casting deepened shadow around, rch-
Tered their dark figures only dmiy visible. Sill
Increasing in numbers they emerged from the
uilding, they advanced with almost inaudibe steps.
,lding along with slow and equal pace. like beings
II another land recalling mind all that we had
eard or read Of Italy in the dark ages Of mystery
nd superstition. As they approached, low and
enlightened tones fell upon the ear when the
nournul chasn,ing Of the service of the dead told
heir melancholy and sacred office. The fame Of
he torches, scarcely Tanned by the still air. Aunga
teady lie h on the bier which they bore, cleaning.