Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-03-29

S.rIlRnAY. MARCH %, Is5e.
Correspondence Of the Spy.
.IouruaI Of n Traveller In Europe.

NO. vi.
FLORENCE, July 18th.
The road irom Rome to Florence, being dry
and dusty, ard our carriage an uncomfortable old
thing, we were fatigued with the journey. The
price Of travelling here, in miserable old coach,
five miles per hour is about fifteen cents per mile!
The roads, aside from the dust, are faultless, be-
ing very smooth, hard, and nearly level. The
county, for the first fifty miles from Rome, is
barren, and unnteresting to the traveller, except
ing the many ruins of old castles, towers, &C.,
with which this region abounds, and are in almost
continued view from the road. The remaining
one hu.idred and fifty miles, is much pleasanter
the land is more fertile and better eultivatedwith
many mountains, and beautiful scenery. Great
quantities Of wheat are raised, and it is almost
the only crop cultivated. Large numbers of peo-
ple are now busy gathering it. and there are quite
as many women at work in the fields as men,
We noticed small patches of Indian corn, scat
tered here and there, but owing to the poor cult-
walton it receives, the product must be very
small.
The people here are a lazy, wretched set of beg
CARS doing nothing, and living as miserably as
can well be imagined, although in lovely climate,
with plenty of fertile land Nature, here, has in
deed been lavish of her gifts, but Man has not
profted by them. These remarks apply more
particularly to the region in the vicinity of Rome,
where the energies of man, and even nature it.
self, seem to be blighted-with Popery, perhaps.
Florence, the counterpart of Rome, is large
and beautiful city, and to my mind excels Rome
itself in the grand and beautiful architecture dis.
played in its numerous magnificent edifiees. In
deed the buildings generally, in all parts of the
city, are very handsome and it is one of the finest
cities have ever seen 1t has not, it is true, the
large and handsome open squares, or places, so
common in Paris and London; but, in the archi-
sectura finish of its buildings, Florence is far be-
You'd eits,er of them.
Among the otner numerous places of interest,
besides the great Cathedral, we visited the Royal
Palace, and the Royal Museum; and passed
through great number of halls and galleries, of
very large size, and most elegant appearance; and
containing an immense collection of paintings,
statuary, &C., the work of the greatest masters of
the world. The furniture (cha.rs, tables, &c) was
all of beautiful and costly fnish-rich, but not
gaudy! Among the curiosities shown us, was the
original Madonna, and the Venus de Medicis, con
sidered the finest pieces of ancient sculpture
executed-and many other wonderful aud rare
works of art. Indeed, Florence, as well as Rome,
and most of the other large places in Italy, is
fllsd with paintings, and sculpture of every kind
and description; more, probably, than in all the
world besides Painters and sculptors abound
everywhere, here, and their profession seems to
be the chief bus mess in many places.
We have sometimes thorg t, that if greater
attention was turned towards eu'tiYating the use.
full arts of life, here, the PEG le might live
comfortably and happily Most OF the houses Of
the poor Gard there are but very few others par
ticuariy in the country, are as dirty and comfort
less as can well be imagined, and fall of 1eas and
bugs. The people, themselves, are exceedingly
filthy and dirty, and go half naked looking about
as disgusting as the Indians of America. 1t is
very rare to see pleasant, neat residence, so
for the whole distance Of more than three hun
dred miles, between Naples and Florence, we did
not see twenty comfortable, tidy looking houses
The Arno passes through the center of Flor.
ence, and our hotel, the Grand Bretagne,"
fronts very pleasantly upon it. The river, which
is here an impetuous stream, about four hundred
feet wide is spanned by four very handsome stone
and iron bridges; one of which has shops on each
of it's Sides like street. The stores, or shops,"
here, are small, but handsomely fitted up and
we find that goods are sold very cheap in them.
The shopmen complain of high rents, and small
profits, which is universal complaint, in all the
cities have ever visited
AS in all the European Cities soldiers (which
here are Austrians) are very plenty in Florence,
dozens of them being always in sight. We often
see companies of several hundreds marching
through the streets. dressed in handsome cream.
colored uniform, accompanied by bands of music,
and yet, SO common is the sight, not man or
boy is to be seen following after them.
We often cake long walks, and accomplish
much in the way, of sightseeing, &C., before
breakfasting. The practice at the European ho-
tells, generally, is to breakfast about nine o'clock,
and dine some time between four and six; and
one readily gets accustomed to it. tits certainly
very convenient for travellers to do So as it gives
them all the day for visiting public places during
the hours they are usually open
The fare at the first class hotels in Italy is pref
ty good, but there is not so great variety on the
tables as is usually seen on those Of our own no.
tells. Peas, string BEANS and sometimes few
potatoes, are the only vegetables offered us. But
one kind Of bread is made and that is rarely eaten
until it is one day old. Soup is always on the
dinner table; and poultry, beef, and lamb are
the common meats-and the whole is usually very
well cooked Puddings and pastry are not very
commonly used on the Continent The prices
will average nearly two dollars per day at the best
hotels, and the fare and accommodations are but
little if any, better than our second class houses
We had an interesting visit in the family of
Hiram Powers, the celebrated American sculptor,
to whom we had letters. In his studio, we saw
numerous pieces of statuary, very beautiful spec
linens of his genius, in the course of completion.
We also have had several pleasant interviews
with r. W. Gale, and wife, of Worcester, tempo
rarily residing in FlOrence-[whose subsequent
melancholy fate in the steamer Arctic. is fresh in
the minds Of our readers1
Florence is surrounded by wall six miles in
circumference, and having eight gates in il. The
environs of the city are very romantic and pictur.
esque, surrounded as it is with beautiful yerdant
hills, dotted win pretty villas, and handsome
gardens and whey ards--the whole scene is sneb
an one as the eye loves 10 dwell upon.
We rode to the +" Casino" beautiful PROV.
near the banks Of the Arno; and to +" Fiesole,n
romantic hill, from which fine view is had. They
are two to three miles from the city, in opposite
directions, and both are much resorted to by the
fashionable gentry, who make great displays here