Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-05-23

ho'c oSCh III Atdig, never saw an
thing like irreverence within the church
walls.
The public promenade, on the edg,
of the hill, upon which the town j.
beautifully situated, commands noble
view of the country about. The pecu
liar landscape of Italy, lay before u:
IN all its loveliness-the far-of hill:
lightly tinted with the divided colours
OF distance, the atmosphere between
absolutely clear and invisible, and vii.
lagos clustered about, each with Its
ancient castle on the hilltop above,
just as II was settled in feudal times, and
just as painters and poets would ina
CINE it.-You never get view in this
/ 'fgarden of the world" that would not
excuse very extravagant description.
Sienna is said to be the best place for
learning the language. Just between
Florence and Rome, it combines the
"lingua Toscano," with the ssbocca
Romana"--the Roman pronunciation
with the Florentine purity of language.
1t looks like dull place, however, and
was very glad after dinner to resume
my passport at the gate and get on.
The next morning after toiling up a
considerable ascent, we suddenly round
ed the shoulder of the mountain, and
found ourselves at the edge of a long
glen, walled up at one extremity by a
precipice, with an old town upon its
brow, and a waterfall pouring off atom
side, and opening away at the other
/ side into broad gently-s loped valley,
cultivated like garden as far as the
eye could distinguish. think have
seen an engraving of it in the Lands
cape Annual. Taken together, it is
positively the most beautiful view |
ever saw; from the road edge, as you
wind up into the town of Acquapen-
denk. The precipice might be a hum
dred feet, and from its immediate edge
were built up the walls of the houses,
so that child at the window might
throw its plaything into the bottom of
the ravine. 1t is scarce pistol-saot
across the glen, and the two hills on
either side lean off from the level of the
town in one long soft declivity to the
vallev--the little river which pours off
the rock at the very base of the church,
fretting and tuning its way between,
to the meado7vs-its stony bed quite
hidden by the thick vegetation of its
banks. The bells were ringing to mass,
and the echoes came back to us at long
distances with every meditation. The
streets, as we entered the town, were
full of people hurrying to the churches;
the women with their red shawls thrown
about their heads, and the men with
their immense dingy cloaks flung ro-
mantically over their shoulders, with
grace, one and all, that in a Partisan
dandy, would be attributed to- con.
summate study of effect. For outline
merely, think there is nothing in CO.'S
tune which can surpass the closely
stockinged leg, heavy cloak and SLOUGH
ed hat Of an Italian peasant. 1t is ad-
ded TO by his indoient, and, consequent
ly, graceful motion and attitudes. John
son. in his book on the climate of Italy,
says their sloth is induced by MALARIA.
You will see a man watching goats or
sheep, with his back against a rock,
quite motionless for hours together.
, His dog feels, apparently, the same IN
fuence, and lies couched in his long
white hair, with his eyes upon the flock.
MS lifeless, and almost as picturesque,
as his master.
| The town of San Lorenzo is hand
> full ofhouses on the top of hill which
hangs over Lake Bolsena. You get
/ the first view of the lake as you 90
out of the gate towards Rome, and de-
scend Immediately to its banks. There
was heavy mist upon the water, and
we could not see across, but it looked
like as quiet and pleasant a shore as
might be found in the world-the woods
wild, and of uncommoniy rich foliage
for Italy, and the slopes of the hills
beautiful. Saving the road, and here
and there a house with no sign of an
inhabitant, there can scarcely be a
lonelier wilderness in America. We
stopped two hours at an mn on its
banks, and whether it was the air, or
the influence of the perfect stiffness a.
bout us, my companions went to sleep,
and + could hardly resist my own
drowsiness.
The mist lifted from the lake little
| after dinner, and we saw the two islands
| said by Pliny to have fioated in his
time. They look like the tops of green
hills rising from the water.
| 1t IS beautiful country again as you
approach Montefascone. The scene.
Try is finely broken up with glens form.
ed hu columns of hasalt. giving Il q