Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-12-03

of this desert plain. 1t contains the RUNS
Of an ancient Gothic castle, and great
many idle priests and importunate beggars
Lazzaroni in red and bare legs, the color
of old mahogany, multitude of priests
in long black gowns and broad brimmed
hats, and women in wells and mantillas,
are what distinguish the population of an
Italian city or large town. The towns,
like the population, are much alike, An
cient looking houses with colonnades IN
front; occasional streets covered with
sheds numerous shops full of sausages,
maccaroni, and garlic; with the streets
mostly narrow, dirty, and crooked, COM
pose the physiognomy Of an Italian town.
But We pass through the towns OF St.
George, St. Ambrose, and several other
saintiy places, and arrive at Rivoli, near
which took place the battle of that name,
famous in the military annals Of France.
On the way down from the mountains, the
traveller discovers the increasing fertility
of the country, "the vine married to the
elm,' and the country covered with null
berry trees, which bring to mind that
Piedmont is famous for the fine quality Of
its silks. The country improves as one
advances, every inch of ground is cultiva-
ted, and none even is occupied for fences.
As in France, they have police for the
fields, which answers for fences, as well as
for "a guard against thieves. Canals for
watering the country, border the road
sides, which are also bordered by shade
trees; hundreds of poor women may be
seen doing all the drudgery of the fields
fat monks pass you now and then on some
pious pilgrimage, or out with their wallets
on begging excursion, and you see look
Ing down upon every town that has hill
near it, convent of Benedictines, of
Franciscans, or Capuchins, Or bloodsuckers
of some other race that live and thrive
upon the ignorance and imbeciiity Of the
people.
But we enter a long straight road in
face of the shining domes and spires Of
Turin, which appear on AN eminence.
The road is in the middle of a fertile plain
which is watered by great number of
canals made to disseminate the waters of
the river Doire. This is the commence
menr OF the rich plain of Lombardy,
which extends across Northern Italy to
the city of Venice, and which is considered
one of the most beautiful plains in the
world. Turin is one of the most conside-
rable cities of Italy. 1t is situated in
vast plain, and at the confluence of two
rivers, the Po and Doirc. According to
Pliny, it was the most ancient city of Ii
guria, but all the monuments and buildings
of his day have disappeared. The princ-
pal streets Of Turin differ from those of
all other cities in the symmetry Of their
building, all houses being of the same
height and looking like long lines of pub
lie buildings. The windows of these houses
have small porticos, and there is 7 court or
hollow square of buildings back, which is
often ornamentcd with a fountain, visible
from the main street through an arehed
entrance. One may walk all about the
city of Turin under arcades, along each
side of the street, which is very agreeable
in rainy or warm weather
To attempt to describe the rnagnifcence
of the churches of these cities of Italy
would be useless. They are never entirely
completed. Repairs or additions in some
way, are constantly made to them, and the
walls of many of them are covered with
the best paintings in the world All the
religious feeling that can be brought out
of the marble and paintings, stained glass
and mellow lights, is there brought out,
and one is compelled to feel in religious
mood while looking at them. But that is
the religion Of these countries, and when
the deyout Italian Catholic is out of sight
of the crosses, pictures, and incense smoke,
his religious feelings are all gone, His
religion speaks only to the eye, tor his
mind is not under his own control. Among
the numerous churches of Turin, the
church called the Consolata is most frt-
ouented on account of an image Of the
Virgin, to which great dea! of devotion
is maid. Near this church is the public
square, called the Consolata, in the centre
Of which is column surmountcd by a stat
nc Of the Virgin, which was erected for
the accomplishment OF vow made at the
time Of the rayages of the cholera in the
city. Another church is called the Church
of the Ffoly Spirit, and is said to be foun-
ded on the spot where once stood temple
of Diana. You are also told that 1t was
in this church that Rousseau abjured Gal
vipism. The Kings palace is nothing re-
m,rkable in its outside appearance. 1t is
s;tuated 90 as to look down the four prin-