The Litchfield County post., 1827-05-17

uuuHr tHe ClOtneS. lnlo Wnlcn l jumped, but was very well content to find it noth- ing worse.
 ,Yonrs, &c. ANOLD JOKER.
 DESCRIPTION OF MALTA. Ertract cf q letter from the Rev. EInatha,s
 Grtdtey, Missionary to the EGst, to one of the
 Editors cf the Ne,o- York ObserUer, dated SMYRNA, Jan. l6, 1927.
 MY DEAR SIR,-Rey. Mir. Brewer and mv- self, on our way to this place, were delayed month at Malta. Thatislaud appears to have. been, originally, barren rock |; but the in- dustry of man has transformed into highly cultivated garden; so that now, it supports. and has long supported, denser population than any other country.
 When viewed from the water, it appears to be sterile indeed. Scarcely any green thing, save here and there the deep shaded olive, is seen; but walls of stone rise one above an- other as far as the eye can extend. But when viewed from the interior, the scene is reversed. The most beautiful little fields then present themselves. falling one below another as thew recede, like the successive beds of slopinr garden, and all thckly clothed with clover wheat and barley. Many of thse fields areir 1rgated by means ofreseryOirs, aqueducts, and wheels for raising water. The others during the heat of the summer, hecome'a pgrched desert.
 In preparing these fields, the Maltese use a plough, like that which Virgil describes. It is drawn by heifers, with the yoke tied to their horns, s,---sometimes by horses, or bv mules, and not unfrequently by an OK and an ass yoked together. So
 In the less highly cultivated spots, sheep. and goats are seen grazing. The one is valued only for its hesh,-the other is prized for it's milk, and so highly, that cue of the largest size IS numbered among the inmates of most of the poorer families. - The donkey is chiefly used as the beast of burden ;--an animal SO small, and vet of such strength, as 10 diyest of all ahsurdity, that fa- ble of Esop, in which hs makes the miller and his son dismount, and carry upon their shoulders the animal on which they had been riding.
 Tbe caleshe, a heavy, two-wheeled vehicle, with single seat and closed top, is the car riage chiefly used. It is drawn by one horse, ' and the driver paces along by its side.--. Brides and stirraps are scarcely known in ' Malta. v.esa.a
 Thc buildings are all of hewn stone, ofa light yellow. and so soft asfo De easily shaped by edged stp0ls The roofs are flat, and fias- tered ose rith hard, firm, water proof cement. A"uoCS M tHe cIty dfc ScleFdity lafke anu ei- egant, Ornamented with much carved work, in which the Maltese excel, and have bal- comics in the upper stories, extending into the street.
 Valetta is the principal city, It is built up- on narrow peninsula, having an excellent harhor on each side. Its walls are high and strong, and it's foss@ deep. It is probably the strongest fortified city in ali the world. 1t is laid out with much regularity; the streets are wide, and we'll paved, and the sidewalks good. As there are no wells here, rain water IS carefully preserved in tanks dug deep in the rock. and it is scarcely inferior to water ftom the purest spring. There are also many pub lic reseEsoirs, into which streams are constant ly p01ring from the mouths of lions, eagles. swans, geese, and various other animals, beau tIfuily carved from stone. This is from an a. qyeduct, IS miles in length, onthe ancient Roman plan. It is covered canal, Ri of stone. carried upon level. and supported, ever val Ieys, by heavy stone arches. This stupendous work was the private munifcence Ofan individ- ual,--a Grand Master of the Knights of St. John. "
 The most magnificent edifce in Valetta, is St. Johns Church. It is @8O feet in front {; it's wings extend back 60 feet; and the main body Ofthe building 98O feet. 1t covers about IO6 square rods of ground, or twoAthirds of an acre. It has two spires, and eight or ten bells, some of which are very heayy. The pavement consists of about 800 sepulchral stones, of inlaid marble. of divers colors, each one of which must have been the work of ma. ny years. A number of these sepulchral mar bies are encrusted with Jasper, Agate, and other precious stones. and at an expense of no less than 5000 each. Six massive col ulns on each side support the arched roof- The columns extend back I7 feet, dividing both sides into alcoves. which communicate with each other by arched pathways. The walls are one entire piece of sculpture. From them stand out, in bold relief, military stand ards, lions, birds, deaths heads. angels and cherubims and over the whole is thrown gliding. The arched roof is covered with paintings, representing different events in the life of St. John. These are executed upon stucco,a ,and some of them have been pronoun- ced incomparably fine. Along each eide. from the top of the columns supporting this arch. are suspended pieces of tapestry, of great size. They are representations of various portions of ScnptUre history, and the execu- ton is almost to the life. They were wrought at an expenseo S9OO,O00 In the receasesOf the alcoyes, are paintings of the virgin. auhof saints, exqnisitely beautiful pieces of statu4Fy