Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-05-20

defaced.'
Tomorrow l shall bid adieu to Italy, and
it is well that Venice which is the last and
sweetest strain of her music, should be the
gate OF exit to more modern, less historic
State. | shall sail across the Adriatic to
Trieste. | entered Italy over the Cornici
road on the north west from Nice to Genoa,
thence sailing along the coast to Leghorn
and Pisa; thence to Naples, Pompeii, Bai;e
and Pozzuoli then to Rome, across the
| Appenines to Florence recrossing thence
again from Florence to Bologna then to
MOdena, Parma and Milan: thence to Como
and Belaggio, and thence to Venice TAX
ing the map you will sec that the route
has been one of great interest and extent.
Every day of my journey has increased my
! interest in the country and in the people
The most disagreeablc things were the first
TO strike the eye. Beautiful scenes, superb
churches, and eloquent ruins were all spoil
ed by the omniprescnt la>-drOni. The whine
OF beggar mingled with the sweet notes
of southern music. 1t was the fly in the
ointment that hurt its aroma. But we have
become used to it and give it no attention
We do not hear it now at all. In fact
northern Italy is far freer from it. Still it
does not arrest and annoy ones senses as at
first. That which is disagreeabe does not
dctain the eve or the ear they are too con-
l have had three delightful Sundays here,
at Naples, Florence and Venice 4 few
years ago the pure Gospel was not preached
in this large realm. Now it is in all the
large towns and cities Under the walls of
Rome herself, the voice of the preacher of
Jesus Christ the only Saviour, and of His
/ Word as the only means of sanctifcation is
heard. few years ago. under Austria,
there was not Christian church in Venice
/ Now there are three. and one composed
/ entirely Of Nenetians Of four hundred
members, and eighty more to Join it in a
/ few days. \ converted Italian is it, pas
tor. and on every Sunday he addresses a
thronged audience. When Italy shall have
a free church, free Bible, and free
school, and shall have the heart to support
them, then she will have a population that
shall compare fayorablv with other nations
But now can sec the traces Of dcspo-
tism, civil and ecclesiastical, in the very
/ faces and manners Of her people. And If
Rome be the true church, the question con
stantly arises, = Why has not Rome. in
such a fair land as this, made nobIer
I population" 1t is land Of priests. Why
is it also Il land of beggars, land of brig
/ ands, Of poverty and Of ruins Why Is it
so far behind all other modern States in eve
rything that makes them great Let the
Roman church answer these questions WHY
with supreme control for fifteen centuries
with n people naturally gifted beyond most
with a climate and soil like those Of Para
disc, with the politics and religion. the
minds and conscienccs Of the people in her
hands. has everything become an obvious
desolation and wreck? a.? Why are the only
green and beautiful things in Italy. nourish-
/ cd by the care Of monarch who Il cXcom-
municated from her pale, monarch who
however immoral. treats the eonscienccs Of
men with respect, nor ever seeks to bind the
dogmas Of religion on their souls? | do not
wonder that tae reactionary party in Italy Is
infde.
The style oflving in this country is not
perfectly suited to a f1stidious American
palate We make ii a rule to refuse every
thing the eyes does not at once recognize
1t is safe t. decline all dishes that You 10
not at once see to be simple. Ingenuity ex-
hausts itself here to invent some curious dish.
Each 1aQitre a. hota vie> with lis rivals in
nefarious compound of garlic mushrooms
and trulie | could almost ayow that | have
seen dressed cats or dogs for sale in Rome
and Naples. " least | know not what they
were, save that they seemed to belong to the
canine or feline race We have no honest
potatoes. no unadulterated maccaroni no pure
meat, no natural sauce. At the tq5ic hote.
have sometimes been unable To define or
discover of what materials one half the courses
were made long for honest beef and gen
uine mutton, nor should | object to a pure
glass of water
In Venice water is sold bv the glass in the
streets, and he must be a brave man who
would dare to take ii Generally the Gus
toner adds to it a few drop, ui some neutral
izing fluid which the vender Of "Gyta' j. ever
ready to furnish. For myself like the wine
less than the water. | am forced to drink it.
yet never touch the abomnable draught with
out thinking Of the pure water of our native
hills. Oh, for drop Of water In some
places wine is cheaper than water. 1t is
used to mix with mortar, and answers the
purpose lust as well. ] never see an int0xi-
Gated person. The unIvers Il use of wine is
an antidotc to the vice of intcmpcrancc. And
| cannot conceive Of the taste that would
drink the common wine of Europe to excess
Coffee is almost invariably good tea is al
most invariably bad. And for one, like my
self, teetoGHler, this is an unhappy region.
Still drink the vile infusion they call tea,
and rejoice that all of mans happiness
docs not reside in what he eats or drinks. |
have learnod to be amply content with two
meals per day, and could easily limit myself
to
We have had no slight amusement in our
trading or buying of the picture and curiosity
dealers of the country. 1t is a safe thing to
offer onc-quarter Of his price He viii
become very angry, rufile his feathers, and
chatter Italian like a magpe, and perhaps
rush out with passionate violence and shut
the door with a siam. But ne generally ends
his fever, il one is firm. with accepting the Of
fer. boy with matches for sale pushes his
wares under your nose, burns there the brim-
stone lucifer, and demands three francs, and
ends the trade by taking two cents. \ street
merchant of shell-work accosts us, holds out
! two bracelets. one ornament for the hair and
collar, and asks for the lot the low sum of
! five francs, and closes a negotiation of an
! half hour by sale of the whole for franc
/ A picture dealer asked us $50 francs for six
/ fine views of Venice and Italian scenery. and
compromised by giving them to us for lS5
! francs. III the purchaser objects to the price,
he is always asked to name what he will give,
and there has been scarcely an instance in
which the offer has not been accepted. Then
we invariably quarrel with our driver or gon-
dolier. Yesterday the gondolicr demanded
two francs for taking me to the church
rously refused. | told him to 20 to the hotel
and get his pay, and walked into the church
When | returned. he most graciously took
what he had before most loudly refused. The
fellows like a scene, and think that stranger
will always yield to their demands rather
than have one. My rule is to study the tarif
and then offer that. If they decline | walk
off without a word. They will watch for you
and take the legal rate very gladly
1t is the testimony of all travellers that the
cost of a trip has greatly increased in two
years. In fact the continent is nsatiate.
There is no end to the demand on the purse
of the stranger. Hackmen, gondoliers. touters
venders of all sorts of wares. photograph and