Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-06-27
From the New York Mirror.l
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF EUROPE.
by \. p. WILLIS.


( Terni--the ChtumnuS--fhe temple
/ effects of an earthquake at Fohgno--
lake Thrasimene-.journey from Romt
FYorentine scenery
Prince oniatowSki-Jerome Buond.
parte and fanlily--acdnt Of a minisfe,
an Haly.
left Rome by the magnificent "Por-
ia del Popolo," as the flush of pearly
/ and spotless Italian sunrise deepened
over Soracte. They are so splerldid
without clouds--these skies of Italy!
so deep to the eye, so radiantly clearl
Clouds make the glory of an American
sky. The s'Indian summer" sunsets
excepted, our sun goes down, in New.
England, with the extravaganza of o
theatrical scene. The clouds are mass
ed and heavy, like piles of gold and
fire, and day after day, if you observe
them, you are literally aston;shed with
the brilliant phenomena of the west.
Here, for seven months, we have had
no rain. The sun has risen faultless-
ly clear, with the same gray, and sill
yer, and rose tints, succeeding each
other as regularly as the colours in a
turning prism, and it has set as con-
.stantly in orange, gold and purple,
with scarce the variance of a painters
pallet, from one day to another. 1t is
really most delightful TO live under such
heavens as these; TO be depressed ne
yer by a gloomy sky, nor i'll from a
chance exposure to a chill wind, nor
out Of humour because the rain or damp
keeps you prisoner at home. You
feel the delicious climate in a thousand
ways. 1t is positive blessing, and
were worth more than fortune, if it
were bought and sold. | would rather
be poor in Italy, than rich in any 9TH
or country in the world.
We ascendedth mountain that shuts
in the campagna on the north, and
turned, while the horses breathed, to
take a last look at Rome. Ny two
friends, the lieutenants, and myself &C.
cupied the interior Of the vetturino, in
company with young Roman wo-
man, who was making her first jour-
'rey from home. She was going to see
her husband. pointed out of the win
dow to the distant dome of ST. Peters
rising above the thin smoke hung over
the city, and she looked at it with the
tears streaming from her large black
eyes i'll torrents. She might have cri-
ed because she was going to her hus.
band, but could not divest myself OF
the fact that she was Roman, and
leaving home that could be very ro-
mantically wept for. She was fine
specimen of this finest of the races OF
women--amply proportioned without
grossness, and with that certain pre-
sence or dignity that rises above man.
ners and rank, common to them all.
Wesaw beautiful scenery at Narni.
The town stands on the edge of a pre-
cipice, and the valley, hundred feet
or two below, is coursed by a wild
stream, that goes foaming along its
bed in long line of froth for miles
away. We iined here, and drove af.
forwards to Terni, where the voiturier
Istopped for the night, to give us an OPP
portunity to see the Falls.
We drove to the mountain base,
three miles, in an old post barouche,
and made the ascent on foot. A line
Of precipices extends along from the
summit, and from the third or fourth
of these leaps the Velino, clear into
the valley. We saw it in front as We
went on, and then followed the roaC
round, till we reached the bed of the
triver behind. The fountain of Egeria
is not more secludedly beautiful thar
Its current above the fall. Trees over
hang and meet, and flowers spring ii
Wonderful variety on its banks,* ant
the ripple against the roots is hearC
lamidst the roar of the cataract, like ,
'Isweet, clear voice in chorus. 1t is {
Iplace in which you half expect to star
tile a fawn, it looks so unvisited ant
wild. We wound out through tn,
lshrubbery, and gained projecting
lpoint, from which we could see th,
lsheet of the cascade. 1t is shorribly
beautiful, to be sure. Childe Harold
description of it is Us true as drawing
The roar of waters,-from the headlong heigh
Velino cleaves the wave-worn precipice;
The fall of waters, rapid as the light
! The flashing mass foams shaking the abyss;
The hell Of waters, where they howl and hiss
And boil in endless torture, while the sweat
OF their great agony, wrung out from this
Their Phiegethon, curls round the rocks Of jet
That grid the gulf around, in pitiless horror sci
{ And mounts in spray the skies, and thence agai
Returns in an unceasing shower, which round,
With its unemptied cloud Of gentle rain.
Is an eternal April TO the ground,
I Making it all one emerald;--how profound
The gulf and how the giant element
J From rock TO rock leaps with delirious bound,
lCrshing The cliffs, which, DOWN. ard worn & rem