Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-03-21

fields and on a road lined with the coun-
try houses of the V enetian mobiles,
brought us to Vicensd. 1t was past
midnight, and not a soul stirring in the
bright moonlight streets. remember
it is kind of city of the dead. AS we
passed out ofthe opposite gate, we de-
tanned carriage, with servants in
splendid liveries, and lady inside re-
turning from party in full dress. l
rarely have seen so beautiful head.
The lamps shone strongly on broad
pearl fillit on her forehead, and lighted
up features such as we do not often meet,
even in Italy. A gentleman leaned
back in the corner OF the carriage, fast
asleep-probably her husband!
breakiasted at Verona at seven.
A hump backed cicerone took me to
"Juliet's tomb" A very high wall,
green with age, surrounds what was
once cemetry, just outside the city.
An old woman answered the bell at the
delapidated gate, and, without saying
a word, pointed to an empty granite
sarcophagus, raised upon rude pile
of stones. "Questa!' asked |, with a
doubtful look. "Questa," said the old
woman" "Questa!" said the hunch-
back. And here, was to believe, lay
the gentle Juliet! There was raised
place in the sarcophagus, with a hol-
lowed socket for the head, and it was
about the measure for woman! | ran
my fingers through the cavity, and tried
to imagine the dark curls that covered
the hand of Father Lawrence as he laid
her down IN the trance, and fitted her
beautiful head softly to the place.
But where was 'the tomb of the Capu-
letsl" The beldame took me through
cabbage garden, and drove off a dom
key VINO was feeding on an artichoke
that grew on the very spot. "Eceo!0
said she, pointing to one of the slightly
sunken spots on the surface. deferred
my belief, and paying an extra paul for
the privilege Of chipping off a fragment
Of the stone collin, followed the cice-
rome.
The tom6s ofhe ScaKgers were more
authentic. They stand in the centre of
the town, with a highly ornamented
railing abont them and are perfect
mockery Of death with their splendor.
Ii the poets and scholars whom these
petty princes drew to their court had
been buried in these airy tombs beside
them, one would look at them with
some interest. NOw, one asks, who
were the Scaligers, that their bodies
should be lifted high in the air in the
mldst OF city, and kept for ages In
marble and precious stones!" With
less ostentation, however, it were pleas
ant TO be so disposed of after death, lift
ed thus into the sun, and in sight of
moving and living creatures.
| enquired for the old palace Of the
Capulets. The cicerone knew nothing
about it, and dismissed her, and went
into cafe. 1.-TWO gentlemen of Ve-
roma Sat on different sides; one reading,
the other asleep, with his chin on his
cane,-an. old, white headed man, of
about seventy. sat down by the old
gentleman, and by the time | had eaten
my ice, he awoke. | addressed him
in Italian, which | spake inditferently;
but stumbling for word, he politely
helped me out in French, and | went
on in that language with my enquiries.
He was the very mana walking
chronicle Of Verona. He took up his
hat and cane, to conduct me to casa
Capaletti, and on the way told me the
true history, as | had heard it before,
which differs but little, as you know
from Shakspeare's version. The whole
story is In the ANIMALS.
After half hours walk among the
hand somer and more modern parts of
the city, we stopped opposite house OF
antique construction, but newly stucco-
ed and painted. A wheelright occupi-
ed the lower story, and by the sign, the
upper part was used as tavern. "lm-
possible!" said /, as Hooked at the fresh
front andstaring sign. The old gentle
man smiled, and kept his cane pointing
at it IN silence. sit is well authentica-
ted, said he, after enjoying my aston
ishment for minute or two, sand the
interior still bears marks of a palace. .
We went in and mounted the dirty
staircase to large hall on the second
floor. The frescoes and cornices had
not been touched, and / invited my kind
old friend to an early dinner on the
spot. He accepted, and we went back
to the cathedral, and sat an hour in the
only cool place in an Italian city. The
best dinner the house could afford was
ready when we returned, and a pleas
anter one it has never been my fortune
to sit down to; though for the meats,