Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-05-23
Iron the New York Mirror.l
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF EUROPE.


Journey to the Eternal City--Tseo roads
to Rome--,Sienna-tae public square
an Italian fair--the cathedral--tae
hbrary-the three Grecian Cruces
dandy ofcers--pnbic promenade
landscape rie,c--long glen--a water.
.faA--a cultivated vatley--the torn OF
Acquapendenk--San Lorenzo-Pk.
nys floating islands-MontcEascone
-paerbo--procession Of foicer and
dancing girls to the rintage---ascent of
the Wontecimino--the road of thieves
Lake Vico--Baccano-Mount So.
Tacte--donae Of 81. Peters, etc. etc.
left Florence in company with the
five artists mentioned in my last letter,
one of them an Englishnan, and the
other four pensioners of the royal AGA.
denny at Madrid. The Spaniards had
but just arrived in Italy, and could not
speak syllable of the language. The
Englishman spoke every thing but
D French, which he avoided learning
from principle. He ''hated French
man!'
u There are two roads to Rome. One
goes by Sienna, and is day shorter;
/ the other by Perugia, the Falls of Ter
mi, Lake Thrasymene and the Clitum.
mus. Childe Harold took the latter,
@and his ten or twelve best stanzas de-
SCRIBE it. | was compelled to go by
4Slenna, and shall return, of course, by
1.-THE other road.
j Twas at Sienna on the following day.
AS the second capital OF Tuscany, this
#shouLl be a place oil some interest, but
Ian hour or two is more than enough to
#see all that is attractive. The public
#square was gay scene. 1t is rather
Asingularly situated, lying fifteen or
twenty feet lower than the streets a.
&bove it. | should think there were sew
zeral thousand people in its area-all
buying or selling, and vociterating, as
@usual, at the top of their voices. We
heard the murmur, like the rear of the
#sea, in all the distant streets. There
ARE few sights more picturesque than
IAN Italian fair, and strolled about in
the crowd for an hour, amused with the
fanciful costumes, and endeavoring to
make out with the assistance OF the
EYE what rather distracted my unac-
scustomed ear-the cries of the various
wandering vendors of merchandise.
The women, who were all from the
8country, were coarse, and looked well
lat distance.
The cathedral is the great sight of
Sienna. 1t is a rich exterior, encrust-
cd with curiously wrought marbles,
IAand the front, as far as | can judge, is
i'm beautiful taste. The pavement of
THE interior is very precious, and COW
@ered with q wooden platform, which is
#removed but once year. The servi-
tor raised a part of it, to show us the
& workmanship. 1t was like drawing
10 India ink, quite as fine as ifpencilled,
and representing, as is customary, some
u mi acle of a saint.
81 A massive iron door, made ingeni-
u ously to initiate rope-netting, opens
from one side of the church into the
LIBRARY. 1t contained some twenty
#volumes in black letter, bound with
enormous clasps, and placed upon in
N cLined shelves. 1t would have been a
III task for a man Of moderate strength to
81 lift either of them from the floor. The
d little sacristan found great difficulty in
q only opening one to SHOW us the letter.
In the centre of the chapel, on a
4 high pedestal, stands the original an
tque group so often copied, of the three
Grecian Graces. 1t is shockingly mu-
ated; but it's original beauty is still,
in Il great measure, discernable. Three
naked women are an odd ornament foI
the private chapel Of cathedral.
q One often wonders, however, iii Italian
churches, whether his devotion is most
called upon by the arts or the Deity.
q AS we were leaving the church, toul
d young officers passed us in gay uni
4 form, their long steel scabbards rat
4 ting on the pavement, and their heavy
II tread disturbing visibly every person
4 present. AS | turned to look aftel
8 them, with some remark on their cox
4 eombry, they dropped on their knees
. at the bases ofthe tall pillars about the
altar, and burying their faces in thei
G Gaps, bowed their heads nearly to tn,
foor, in attitudes of the deepest devo
81 ton. Sincere or not, catholic worship
81 pers of all classes seem absorbed il
their religious duties. You can scare
S%
VI remember hearing friend receive sever
teproof from one Of the most enlightened men
our country for offering his daughter an annua
upon the cover Of which was IN engraving Of thes
Ssee 'Gr@ee"