New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-03-02
GItmpses at Europe.
NUMBER. KILL [BY TRAVELLING NEw-YoRKER
Foreign Correspondence of the New-York Tribune.


vErruR1So TRAVELLING IN LoMBARDY-LoD1-IrAL-
IAN CHURCHEs-PIACENZA.
4 contract with an Italian VETTURISo REQUIRES
rs many preambles, conditions and penalties as
an act of Parliament, or treaty of peace between
two hostile nations. Every point must be fully
and accurately expressed, and nothing is left to be
understoood-except that he will cheat you when
ever he can. He bargains to convey you in his
carriage from place to place IN so many days at
such price, supplying you also with board and
lodging, and thus relieving you of all that trouble
1t is necessary to make a written memorandum
of each station for eating and sleeping, of the inns
TO 90 to. and the hours to start and arrive, and
this must be signed by him before witnesses with
! all legal formaties. In spite Of these precau-
| tons YOU would still be cheated with true italian
ingenuity, if it were not for the farther hold given
YOU by the much abused, but really valuable sys-
tenn of buonomano. According to this, after any
service done for you is paid for according to
agreement, an additional present, or buono-mano,
(literally good-handN is always expected and
given in proportion to the way in which you have
into account in the first demand, and the expec-
tation of this reward stimulates your servant or
tradesman to greater zeal to please. It resembles
the English system of fees, but is superior to it
in leaving the amount more at the will of the
traveller.
All these points were to be taken into account
in contract which we made with Vetturino
for Journey from MILAN to VENICE, by the cir
cuitous, but interesting route of the Duchy of
PARMA. The negotiations developed many traits
| of the Italian character. One man recommended
another as very honest and trustworthy, and
when told that his honest friend asked an extra.
VACANT price, replied very coolly, sob he may
ask any thing you know, but you are not obliged
to giue half of it." Another in his strong Ian.
guage said that his partner had gone to Venice
short time before, but could find no passengers
back, and was obliged to remain there, doing no.
thing So long, that he ate up his carriage and
horses :" AT length the prelmnaries were COM
plekd, the Vetturino thrust into our hands dou-
BILE Louis dor as caparra to bind the bargain,
and at daylight one fine morning we left Milan.
The plains Of Lombordy, which we now ira
verse, are as fiat and uninteresting as they are
fertile. The excellent Macadamized road israiscd
above their meadows on high broad causeway,
with its sides guarded by handsomely cut stone
pillars set at every few feet Beside it run can
ais with locks and gates, which retain the water
above the fields, which it can thus keep con-
stantly moist. All the meadows are intersected
H. ,,J bapoSc,o1 result s
feet system of irrigationis in the exubcrant
fertility of the country which yields three crops
of hay in the year and other things in proportion.
These lands were entirely reclaimed by the skill
and labor of the Cstercian monks, who were far
from deserving the reproach of laziness, so gen.
orally and Unfortunately lavished on the ecce.
sias,ic brotherhoods of the middle ages. Nothing
has been made in vain-not even monks-and
few bodies of laymen have left behind them more
titles to the gratitude Of posteriy than the much
abused wearers OF the monastic robe and cowl
No detached houses are seen on these plains,
but all are huddled together into little villages,
and for miles you may pass through meadows
where every. foot seems most thoroughly cult
waited, and yet not house will be visible till you
come upon cluster of them gathered into little
town. Nowhere are found those pleasant farm
houses, half hidden by trees, which are so charm
ing feature in the landscapes of England New
as well as Old. Here they are all banded toge-
Their for mutual defence, and the habit remains
though the necessity for it may have ceased.
The roads thronged with a gay crowd of peas
and all shou, tho
Italian taste for fnery in thegay decorations with
which they are covered The leading horse car
ries on his head small flag staff, bearing scar
let plume and chime of bells with which he
proudly Frances along, and his four followers all
utter their scarlet trappngs and jingle their bells
The carts are painted with fanciful designs and
pictures Of the Madonna, and beneath them
sort of cradle is suspended on which their drivers
lie in the shade, and enjoy their dolce far niente
or even indulge in comfortable nap, trusting to
the sagacity of their horses to prevent any acct
dent. Their wagons are piled up with grapes,
which are here more common than apples with
us, but the poetic fruit seems to inspire its cult
vators with the elegant tastes with which it har-
monies. Even the oxen are more beautiful than
elsewhere, being universally of a silvery grey or
delicate cream color. with small and graceful
bodies, and dark well arched eyebrows, which
givealmost human expression to their eyes which
are SO truly beautiful that the ancents called
the Queen of the Gods the ox-cyed juno
Their docility and intelligence do not belle their
appearance, and they are treated rather as friends
than as brutes by their Italian masters, who, with
all the faults into which their enthusiastic tenn