Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-01-03

IfrHVR-<~~rlue
the end o. this avenue stand the
lichened and gray old puildipg--
On one side OF tire sunny opening
miles on miles Of frs rise in serried
ranks TO the very top of Prat0magno;
on the other, thousands OF chestnut
trees glow in their golden foliage.
Behind and above, hosts OF sturdy
beeches climb the mountain There
are still s,auding 10000, planted 10y
the busy priors' hands. The mopas-
terry itself il n huge quadrangle
lar structure, with spacious in
ner courts. The ancient church,
completely robbed Of its former
treasures OF paintinge-save an As
sumption by Franceschini, and the
cupoia frescoes, by Fabrini-stands
in the center Of the courts. Its mas
siye square tower rises grim and
lone above the haif-deserted build
ings. Perhaps a score Of folk, pro-
fessors, students, signal bureau
agents AMI government forresters
who act As a sort Of mountain police
about the sequestered property,
abide here, suriy, inhospitable, and
rs II doggedly conscious OF the
sacri!ege in their pretence Of schol-
astic life. The old monastery bell
still srunds the hours, but 1t speaks
only To silence and decay. The
great water basiDs which held the
monks, trout preserves are filled
with dead leaves. The wondrous
old kitchen, a mighty truucated
cone, where swinging from q huge
turnpit the oxen once were roasted,
is cobwebbed, cold and fireless.
The Metata, where a hundred
cows were kept, is untenanted.
Paradisino, the ancient hermitage
on the cliff above the monastery,
with its ceNe, tower and church are
stripped, and transformed into a
baylo:t. The half ruined mill, I'M
derneath which PUSHES the Vicano,
is deserted and still. Marvellous
indeed Is il that the Italy of
today has left one hint of the old life
here. But there is just one. In the
church, there is an deliberately carved
silver reliquary. Ii contains the
relics Of San Giovanni. How the
one brown bone which has miracu-
lously escaped decay must haunt
the grave professors Of the geologic
Forestale,' as Vallambrosa now is
called.
One thousand feet higher than
where ancient Vailombrosa stands
in its nest-like valley 5000 feet above
the sea, rises the fr-crowr ! sum-
init OF Pratomagno. From this
the most rlvishingly beautiful view
in all Italy Is presented. What
wsndrous associations are cOnjured
I'm contemplation Of the fair, far Ca
sentino valley with its boundary
beyond formed by the lofty Appen-
ines. where are born historic Tiber
and enhancing Arm, Tuscany,
home Of the Demonstrating vine
and fairest women, stretches sunnily
Ia the westward. The mljestic
Duomo glItters down there III the
centre Of the purple, vineyard
checkered valley where Florence
stands. And far, faint and magic
ally seen through the passes Of the
uttermOst peaks of Carrara CLEANS
a speck OF sapphire where sweeps
old Mediterranean's sails
As incongruous as are the present
occupancy, USES AMI association OF
Vallombrusa, the spirit OF the olten
time flames IN all one sees and feels
at the deserted monastery. In this
cell which now a STRIPPING student
makes his camara da lettO the good
monS Guido originated the modern
method of notation in music. In
these larger rooms reposed at dill-r-
ent times the noble forms OF En-
peror Conrad H., Empress Gisela,
the Abbess Ita, Countess Ermel-
lima, Of San Pie;ro lgneo after being
Triumphant in his ordeal of flame,
of Popes Victor H., Alexander IL.
aud w., Innocent H., Pascal IL,
and Leo IN, OF Beato Tesoro Bee
caria, the martyr, and that grantest
type OF all Italian culture and CHI
valry, Lorenzo the Magnificent.
ChristophanO Landini, the cele-
brated commentator of Dante, made
Vallombrosa his haunt The fam
Gus botanist, Buono Faggi, Mat
ito Bandello, Boccacio's rival
in letters, and Berni the brilliant
humorist all lived and meiitated al
the hOspitable retreat. Dream
among its cloisters ans groves as
long as YOU may, and then 20 your
way never to return. The most
priceless association that remains t.
you, as TO all men who speak the
English tongue,i Is that Milton knew
and loved this idyllic spot. Fol