St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-07-23
Letter from Florence.

Editor of the Caledonian
Your columns have been so richly
filed with letters from Continental Eu-
rope during the past year, that hesi-
tate, in doubt, whether any gleanings
which may send you will be accepta-
BILE or not. Perhaps, however. a few
fragments gathered up here and there
may not be amiss.
Have any of your correspondents
spoken of the surroundings of this city
Beautiful for situation is Florence?
This is not our first visit here, but
recent excursions into the environs of
the city have revealed to US many land
scape charms of which we have hitherto
had no conception. The old town of
Fiesole, three miles distant on the
northeast is always visited, partly on
its own account as decayed Etruscan
seat of former Importance, and partly
for the views to be obtained from its
commanding heights /; but much richer
scenery is found in the opposite direc-
tion, from the heights of Monte Oliveto,
Bellosguardo, and San Miniato al Monte,
from each of which is unrolled a pano-
rama of surprising beauty-the rich
valley of the Arno, the city of Florence,
the villas of the wealthy and the cot
tages of the poor dotted among the en-
circling hills, and bey ond these, villages
and hamlets without number, with the
distant Apprentices in all their grandeur
for background. Recent rains have
brought vegetation and foliage to.the
eliminating point of perfection for
landscape effect, and one may almost
imagine himself in Paradise. If the
traveller can choose this season of the
year for visiting Italy, let him do so by
all means.
As we were strolling through the ca
thedral of Florence the other day, we
were witnesses of bit of mediavalism
which seemed strangely inconsistent
with the supposed intelligence of the
Italy of modern times. The chairs
which occupy the floor of the church
during the ordinary services had been
removed, and space of some forty feet
square barred off by long, high-back
benches, whose seats faced inward. In
the centre of this hollow square was an
improvised altar with lighted candles
and other appurtenances. At the time
we entered the building three priests
were inside the barrier, mounted on
the bench seats, and slowly making the
circuit of the enclosure, while crowds
of people of all ages were rushing ca
gerly towards them. The forward priest
carried lighted candle, the second
bore in his hands life-size bust made
of polished sheet metal, apparently of
silver, and the third priest, like the
first, held lighted candle. As they
moved slowly along, the bust was held
over the barrier, and the fervent deyo
tees were permitted to kiss the lower
edge of it, and those who had watches.
or jewelry, or trinkets of any kind, held
them up and touched them against the
sacred bust. Among the motley crowd
was heIe and there monk or priest.
These were allowed to kiss the forehead
of the bust, after which the bust was
lifted up and placed for an instant on
their heads. The rush toward this pre-
cious object became at last little else
than the scramble of a mob, and one
awkward pumpkin approached with
such Notwithstanding over
child in his way-that his head came
into violent collision with the bust, and
nearly knocked it from the hands of the
venerable holder of it. This untimelv
accident quite upset the gravity of all
the officiating priests, and finding that
their emotions were likely to become
contagious, they prudently withdrew
to the centre of the enclosure, and de-
posted their burden upon the altar.
Turning to an aged priest of rural as
pect who stood near me, l inquired
what all this meant, and was told that
it was the public exposure of st. Zeno-
bius for the alteration of the faithful.
Perhaps your readers know who is, Oh
was, st. Zenobius. If SO they are wiser
than l am.