Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-09-13
"reminiscences OF TRAVEL,

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 1883.
Nlessrs. EDITORS In the Star of to-day
a paragraph says that Commodore Van
derbilt with his yacht is at Florence.
Persons unacquainted with the locality
would infer from that that Florence was
a seaport, which, you are well aware, is
not the case. With two exceptions
Venice and Naples travellers in the south
of Europe soon find, to their expense and
inconvenience, that all the most interest
ing cities of Italy, kingdom of Sardinia,
and Austria, are not approachahlc by sea
navigation. The traveller bound to Flor
ence from the north, south or west, lands
at Leghorn, and now there is railway,
latel y finished, that takes him to Pisa, Ii
miles, and rom there to Florence, think
near forty miles farther. While there,
during the last year, could not but con-
trast the slow progress of internal im-
provements as they struggle on for devel-
opement year after year with what we see
IN our own country. In Leghorn, your
guide book and your courier informs YOU
there is nothing worth seeing except the
Jewish Synagogue and the English ceme-
terry. The first is neat, but rather "ein
ger-bready," and the latteris really beau
tiful. The tall, deep green cypress keep
their watch over the graves of departed
exiles and travellers, Byron says-I think
in the "Island," e'''
Dark tree. still sal when other, grief is fd
The only constant mourner oer the dead
The Oriental cypress is shaped little
like the Lombardy poplar: though ever
green. In this, it is very different from
our Mississippi cypress, which is a very
deciduons tree. Going through the large
gateway in the city wall-for Leehorn is
walled city-you show your passport
to an 1fuStr7ml soldier, and en- resle YOU
are allowed to pass. Seated in the cars,
which are exactly like those on English
roads-cvery one of them as well as the
locomotives being built in England-vou
run in about thirty minutes to Pisa. The
road is over level plain or marsh, the
snow peaked Apprentices far to the right,
and the old Mediterranean few miles to
the left, with several high, rockv-lookinc
islands, towering far above the water.
Arrived at Pisa, quiet, quaint-looking
old town, you are beset by guides who
'' bother you in every Ian guage known
to modern tourists. They generally give
it to you in French and English all in the
same breath, and both in villainous ac-
cent, - Are geeide, Niapseer; see boo plq."
You pick out lad that speaks YOUR
Language; and say. SO they all hear you,
Isl slgaOre," and then show him the
piece of silver you mean to give him
and it need not be largc-tell him to
show you the Leaning Tower" All the
rest then leave you as one guide they
know is all you will employ, you cross
an arched bridge and are soon beside the
famous tower that has alike puzzled
architects, historians, and antiquarians.
[ have piece OF the beautiful white
marble of which it is built, which the
guide broke off for me before could tell
him to desist. 1t is sound tower some
25 feet il diameter, and | believe 40 feet
high, though its exact height [ could not
learn.
From the top of this, I could see the
entire vale of the winding Arno, near
half way to Florence, back over richly
cultivated plains to the Apprentices, and
far out on to the Mediterranean The
line of the centre of the tower leans near
twenty feet from the perpendicular. On
one side of the town was flying railway
train carrying travellers, goods and nails
into the interior; and directly on the
other was couple of camelS, the property
of the "Grand Duke with bundles of
hay lashed to their backs, and peasant
driving them with a goad. The two
modes of conveyance very fifty cxemplify
" old fogyism" of Grand Dukes and Non
arches, and the progress" of modern
times. On the same green grass plot are
the Leaning Towers, the magnificent
Cathedral, the Baptistry, and the Campo
Santo, a small cemetery. a finer variety
or more unique collection of architectural
piles can scarcely be found in Europe in
the same view. The Cathedral which,
like all the churches of Italy, is at all
times open free to visitors, sparkles with
gliding, paintings, sculpture, and mosaics.
The figures of saints sculptured in the
walls outside, will attract your attention
before entering. The Baptistry is a mere
dome-somewhat like the one on the cap
ital in Washington, only - far different!
1t is much higher in proportion to its