Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-03-02
DAILY VIRGINIAN.
Florence and its Dnvirons.


We have been kindly permitted to make the
following extracts from n lettcr-not designed
for pnblication-writtcn by n young artist, now
pursuing his studies in Florence, To n lady friend
in this city.
FLORENCE, Italy. Jan. %, 1859
You desire mr. To show you
Florence and its cnvirons." What II task =
Florence and its enyironsn - Did you intend
should write book One would have thought
the undertaking sufficiently nrduons, for one
effort, 10 show Florence without the "envi-
rons." But where is my task to end The
"environs" are almost intcrmnahlc- without bc
ginning end scattered far over hill aud dale
over mountain, top and valley. But since yon
cruel rs to demand it, will detail portion
of the labor 10 yourself. You shall accompany mo
walk, and II 50 weary that little frame of
yours that You will be content not To go 'n-wakng
with me again. Cone, then, we'll siurt from my
studio, Via Lurga, 6o72 The morning is bright
and lovely, mud you will have II chance to SEQ
whit is called 1.-THE bright sun and the blue sky
of Italy"
lIy the way before we start will just say
TINT the grcat Architect that built up dear Young
America, and cast over il its canopy and its lu-
muario4, impaired 10 it's sky blurr tint, aud
gave to its sun n brighter blaze. tbnn any I've
seen above the earth ar sea, of This long troddon
land Surely, il cannot be TINT the sun has grown
"dim with age" or the sky grown grey with
years,"-but there is ever dreamy mclan-
choly hazness-n soft mournful, mellow atnos-
phcre; which, while il is moi bright broathes into
the soul it's own soothing and softening light,
and turns its thoughts to music.
l}nt now for the walk Our way lios to the
South. Here go down Nia Larga, by the
way. it is perfectly lovol,) the brondes aud hand
sornest street in Florence. Non seo palaces on
either side of u.s. We hnvo come about n hun
drcd PAGES, and nre at the beautiful church md
pima ofSt. Marco. There nre som" interesting
pictures and paintings inside there; but can
not give You II peep to day at the inside of Flor
ence. You must put up with n Elnuce outside.
Now fifty PAGES further on-hcre GA our right,
in this handsome, succeed pnlnce, with coruico
like Websters eye brows-livos the famous Ross
sini, the greatest music composer in the world.
| sometimes him walking out ut this hour;
tlO) and he always reminds me of -, but
think it likely he has II little more music in him.
unless il is when giving out the sono,ous sounds
of sleep, wherein III may be his rival.
But go Now, nlas Tor sunny Italy,
hore are its shadows Out with your purse =
know your henrt bceds for the suffering. This
crippled remnant of humanity this poor shnt
tered fragment of Natures machinery says his
hungry "ho fime, Signiorina." You cannot
deny him. But be quick. Hero comes whole
troop of ragged little sufferers. You cannot re-
lieve them all pass on.
Hero we aro nj the graud Ricardo palace tho
prettost in the place; massive symmetrical aud
imposing. Thus at the end of Via Larga,
three quarters of mile from my studio.
But continuing ON, through narrow street.
100 ynrds-wc enter the Piazza del Dnomo, nnd
here before rising higher and higher like
some huge mountain top running into the clouds,
stands the great building of tue world. next To
ST. Peters, the Dnomo. II looks like the grent-
grandmother OF all these buildings about it, and
though they have run up six stories high, and
look MS if they goried in their height over other
houses. they don't come quite upto her knees.
Here she stands i'll her dusky grandeur one third
of mile in circumference, ,ooking like some we'll
satisfied monarch after n day of glory, receiving
the homage of his subnltcrns.
But we are not 10 stop here. an going to
take you Glenn outside the city-on top OF big
hill, on which stands high towcr-and on the
"opmost height" OF that high tower, You We got
to go-if your little feet weHr ull. So, ON, On,
goi Here il the pinzzo Grand Dueo and the
Uf1li pulace, whose galleries cuuinin most of the
fine stntuary OF florcncr-wc see fountains aud
stdtuary wherever the eye turns How heanti.
fll! Now Inss the post oiier. and turn II little
to the rlght-now again 10 the lcft-and here 5
Witars, where come too keep from starving
10 death.
\ litto on,and come to the bridge over the
Ano, with jewellers shops nl the way across.
Here all the fine iewelry and mosncs are sold
but no time to look to-day
Now we are at the celebrated Pitt Pdiace, tho
residence OF the Grand Duke. What an array
nf windows and massive stone walls 1t looks
like some vast battlemcnt. Inside, there is one
of the handsomes picture galleries of the world
and another, not quite so handsome sight that
voa've not sccn-n cro,rncd head. But never
mind--t is only man with huge cake-moud
Oh his head. You've seen handsomer heads un-
dcincath tho plain "Cdp Of Liberty
ON agan-for hnlf 'mile,through this marrow
street-and Mt the "Portd Romdnd'-or
the gate that leads out to Rome.
Now we are outside the city walls-And oh
the country the enchanted country lis before
ms Now look to yonr leftup this long, straight,
lovely nvcnue-'1s steep, bat smooth, regular
and firm as floor. You've got to ascend ii--so
murlnur not. Look how lovingly these atfec-
tionate old trees cling to each other, either
side of us. Through storm and winter, they've
locked their arms and stood guard over this beau
tful way, and passed through their shadows gen
Grafton nfter generation, to their mother dust.
We have arrived at the top of the hill, and 10
what magnificent villa. 'Iis the Grand Dukes
summer residence. What pity that thousands,
almost within the shade of this costly edliice--
reared upon the hard earnings of their own
hands-should cry TO the stranger from every
foreign land, for something to appease their hun
ger But now look down the avenue we've as
cended Isn't it beauty! Oh for one of the
little slcds I've built on my fathers meadow, and
u skim of snow Such amerry ride as we would
have down this hill
Now again we incline to the left-our road