The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-27

the past two years, and others are rising.
They have the broad openings and ample
height of stories which belong to Italian
construction more than to the build
ings in colder northern countries. The
walls have an almost castellated solidity, fit
to stand until the pick OF the workmen of five
or ten centuries hence shall split them to
pieces. There is good deal yet to be done,
but perhaps in no city have the houses and
shops been more improved than have those of
Florence in the past three years. The old
pavement of the streets, certainly good enough
for any city, has been removed, and the road
ways have the smooth uniformity of sidewalks
of cut stone. Whoever wishes to see the last
trace of the fine old Etruscan pavement must
come soon. The royal road, winding for
three miles over the hills on the south side
of the city, upon which work has been in
progress for three years, will be COM
pleted this season through its whole
length. From this extended terrace,
or shelf, dozen of the finest views of Flor
ence, each varying from the other, may be
had. AT different elevations several rests or
landings are spread ont into broad squares,
name adopted from our language for the new
breathing-places, the most of which happen
ing, by not very unhappy contrariety, to be
round. On the height of San Micciato, with
q great amount of eXcavating and walling,
and the sweeping away of old structures, a
vast balcony, spread out over four or five
acres, has been formed. The hanging gar
dens of Babylon were in our childhood
objects of curiosity to the imagination, prin-
cipally on account of the difficulty of con-
ceiving of any solid object above to which
they could be hung. But like the new ter
race, which is to be such an ornament to
Florence, they were probably sustained
on arches or perpendicular walls. From
4lic nf oil tbo g
this city which made Florence the 'fairest
city of the earth" to the poet, this will be the
finest. The Val dArno for thirty miles is
before the eye, and hundreds of villas and
castles, many of them objects of beauty, and
some of historic renown, fill the broad fertile
plain. The habitations of population of
three or four hundred thousand are within
reach of the eye. Should Florence, with it's
new growth, ever have half the number of
inhabitants of the French metropolis, from
this point will be presented an imposing
show of beauty. of art and nature
combined, which it would be worth
while to travel some distance to see
Whatever concerns these old cities interests
every one of feeling and intelligence who has
already made a visit or expects som time to
come here. These cities belong to history,
and thus to the world. SO much of the
poetry, the romance, and the art of the past,
interviewer with our actual enjoymepts and
the knowledge which we have got from books,
here has found a great theatre for develop
ment, and not in space measured by few
generations of human lives, but many centu-
ries of time. AS long as we are capable of
dwelling with pleasure upon the achievements
OF those who have gone before us, these
monuments will be as much ours, by q senti-
mental attachment, as the property of those
now inhabiting the country, by the genius
and courage Of whose ancestors they were
laised.