The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-04-05
NEW HAVEN MORNING JOURNAL COURIER FRIDAY

the toughest hewn stone possible. II was built in 1440. It is four hundred and seventy-five feet long and one hun dred and fourteen feet high, At its rear are the beautiful Boboll Gardens which were laid out in 1850; these are unsurpassed in their varied beauty by any other gardens that I know of. There are many marble statues in the gardens, four of which are colossal and were blocked out by M. Angelo, and were originally intended for the mauso- leum of Pope Julius IT. The open am- phitheater is Q charming spot in it's enter is an Egyptian obelisk and two large granite basins which were brought from Rome.
 Above is the great basin of Neptune, and still higher is the colossal statue of Abundance" executed by Giovanni Bologna in 1636, typifiing the abundant plenty which Tuscany alone enjoyed under Ferdinand IT., while the rest of Italy was reduced to direct extremities. The lawns, parks, walks, fountains and miniature lakes render these Boboll Gardens a place of great beauty, and many resort hither to enjoy perfect Qultl anu IGSlLQlIGSps IlAG NlGWe OL Florence and its suburbs from the gar- dens are very beautiful, the palaces and churches stand out grandly and the great dome of the. cathedral, together with the incomparable tower of Giotto (Campanille) are beautiful to behold, while towering higher than all other ob- jects stands the tower. of the Palazza Vecehio, which appears as @ grim sen- tinel guarding the city. 60 where you may about Florence and there right be- fore you is the tower of the Palazzo Vecehio, the most conspicuous object in the lovely city. used to admire it from the hills about Florence and thought how Gallileo, Dante, M. Ange- To, Giotti and others in the olden days used to sit admiring its substantial symmetry. It's massiveness should en- dure as the Pyramids
 The picture galleries of the Pitti palace contain about five hundred works and boasts a larger array of masterpieces than any other collection in Europe.
 A little distance beyond the Boboli Gardens Is the "Viale dei Colli," which is considered to be one of the finest promenades of It's kind in Europe. It winds in and out among the hills for four miles and is sixty feet wide;. 1t leads from the Porta Romano to bridge which crosses the Arno, and 1t is lined with ornamental trees and towering shrubs it's entire length, This promenade passes the "Piazzale Michael Angelo" in the center of which stands the colossal bronze David" which is copy of the original by M. Angelo. The Piazzale is very beautiful of situation, and the views of Florence and the Appenines, of Hiesole, and of the valley of the Arno north and south where the shining waters look like a brides veil fluttering in the air, are too lovely to be described; it Is stamped upon my brain, however, and I shall never forget it.
 Right above this pretty spot, half hid among its dark cypreHses is San Mi niato,' and who has not heard of San Miniato, and who having once seen this spot can ever fofget it's beauty. This is an ancient chiFch built upon hill back of Florences and but fifteen minutes distant on foot, built in 1913, possessing wonderful objects of art and curiosity, and a beautiful crypt in which are certain windows containing transparent slabs of marble in place of glass. Here are grand marbles, splen- did frescoes and fine paintings, and one visit will not suffice to sufficiently ex- anime its wonderful interior To be- hold the Mosaics alone would repay 8 long journey and many hardships of travel. g
 In the precincts, of San Miniato are the remains of extensive Qualifications built by that remarkable man, M. An gelo, poet, architect. painter sculptor, philosopher and everything else enno- bling and grand. In fact I think he was one of the most wonderful men in every way that this world has ever seen, which is a pretty bold statement
 A walk of half an hour brings us to "Bellsguardo," a pretty suburb In one of its charming villas which commands a fine view Hawthorne resided through one winter, and here I think he wrote the Marble Faun, or, as the English in- sist upon calling 1t, the "Transforma- tion." One peculiar charm about Flor ence is that a tourist who is desirous of seeing things outside of churches, palaces and museums can, after sight 1 seeing in the mornings, take his walk ing stick and on the afternoons visit l many interesting localities within thir- ty minutes of the city Thus afternoon after afternoon would I, with my boy of | twelve years walk up and down the | roads which lead to romantic and his toric localities, and I consider my time | spent in this way in the vicinity of |