Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-05-13

nISn6. am sure tnaG no description can pe
exaggerated, when one descants upon the
beauties of Como Byron's Childe Harold
cannot equal the theme On either side of
the lake, scarce wide enough to be river,
yet deep enough to be a sea, rise the wrinkled
mountains, whose green terraced sides and
brown submits, thousands of feet high)
have been furrowed for ages like the cheeks
of old man, with the rains and melted
SHOWS which have fallen from the skies.
Villas and villages, churches, contents and
castles skirt the shores of the lake, or
nestle in the lofty crags above, like the eyries
of the eagle. Streams of snow water come
down in the deep cut channels of the noun
tains, leaping over the rocks in creamy cas-
cades, or sliding adown them along their
smooth surfaces in the very ecstacy of mirth
and freedom.
After late dinner, at seven O'Clock, we
climbed the hill back of the town, till we
came to the entrance gate of the Villa Ser
belloni, beautiful palatial residence and
gardens, which is situated in the fork of the
two lakes, Como and Lecco, and commands
perfect view of both. We were admitted
on ringing the bell at the gate, and under
the conduct of an old German woman,
traversed the grounds and gained on each
eminence some new and more delightful view.
In the cleaning Of the evening everything
wore the aspect of enchantment. The gar
den, grottos, summer houses, Conservatives,
fountains, artificial ponds and the old ruins
that crown the summit of the promontory
seemed the creation of oriental genil work
ing at the bidding of magicians. And moth
ing was wanting to complete the spell, when
the distant bells of far-off towns and villages
rang their musical evening chimes and sent
the sweet notes echoing across the lake from
crag to crag. and from hill top to hill top,
till at last they reached our ears in vesper
strain harmOnizing perfectly with all the
beauties Of nature and art, that our eyes had
been drinking in. 1t was hymn fit TO close
the day. We sought our room, and in prayer
to the great and glorious Being who had
made these old mountains and this beautiful
lake, remembered the infinite mercies which
have thus far kept me and crowned those
love, and sought His blessing on you all and
on the parish | have left behind me.
You may not have any interest in the So
cial and political affairs of Italy, yet they
are very interesting at this moment. Of
course | cannot understand them perfectly,
and my ignorance of the language shuts me
out from much Knight know. | think, how
ever, from all | can learn, that the Govern
ment of Italy is very unpopular with the
masses of the people. Aside from the fear
full immortality of the king, there is a strong
1cNuISlOH against HIS hOlldH ilOl4CNa lldlf
wants Rome and looks with distrust and
jealousy on any interference with her wishes.
Then too, large part of Rome wishes to be-
long to Italy. Fifteen thousand Roman
Young men are exiles from Rome because
they are suspected of sympathy with the
Italians. France holds her position at Rome
in face of the malediction of Italian nations.
Still it is generally conceded that Italy can
do nothing against the temporal power OF
the Pope, while Napoleon supports and
maintains it. Thus Italy oscillates between
her Judgment and her wishes and is in rest
less, feverish state At such time as this,
the taNes are increased and fetes are given to
amuse and distract the popular mind. But
the people are angry with the taxation and
angry with the fetes and determined neither
to pay the one nor be pleased with the other.
Meanwhile the emssares of the king of
Naples at Rome and the agents of the priestly
government there, are busy in tomentlng the
popular feeling and stirring up reaction and
sedition, believing that all political dlsqulet
must result TO their advantage. Riots have
broken out in Northern Italy and brigandage
in Southern Italy, and the omnipresent
agents of the Papacy inhame all that they
can the popular discomfort | do not know
to what result these things tend. No one
can tell. Beneath all human causes of strife
and all the complications Of society, the
Providence of God is forever working and be
is more than prophet who can foresee di-
vine plans and issues. Still | cannot help
feeling that Europe is on the verge of a gen
eral war that viii upset all existing political
institutions With ornaments ever increas-
ing with soldiers thick as the leaves of the
trees with popular impulses and passions
chatting and surging against the established
governments, with an ecclesiastical and re
ligious reaction that Is grasping at power,
DO not see how the strife can be delayed
many years. The expedients of governments
are losing their effect, and an unknown
quantity. namely, popular impulse and de
termination, is being introduced into the
calculations of kings and courts. The prob
lem is hard one for them 10 solve. Eng
/ land is solving it slowly by extending
political franchises and privileges. The
continental countries are not SO wise and the
+ explosion may come in a day when the
crowned heads think not Of it.