A Journey to Crete, Costantinople, Naples and Florence: Three Months Abroad

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ough rather averse to early rising in England, it cost me no effort here. The thought of going to Florence roused me, besides the warm bright twilight of an Italian May morning lighted up m

idea of Dante, a free and united Italy, has almost become a complete reality, and the hearts of all his people rejoice that from the Alps to Mount Etna, one law now reigns, and hopefully trust that the other great thought of Dante, the deliverance of the Church from the burden of temporal power, will ere long also become a reality. The disappointment and irritation the Italia

plendour and enjoyment of a fête in "blooming Florence!" Had the anniversary happened in December or January, where could the flowers have come from, and the glory of the golden sunshine round Dante's statue. A pelt

birth, was lastly, that it happened at Florence, the very town i

and can therefore be uniformly decorated, changed into a gigantic palace, through whose halls and corridors the inhabitants and visitors, that do not number by millions, gaily move. And such a place Florence appeared on that day. All the houses had red, green, or yellow silk hangings falling down from their windows, and were besides richly decorated with pictures, busts, flags, flowers, and evergreens. The noble architecture of the town, the nice clean streets, which are neither too narrow to look sombre, nor too broad not to be easily spanned by garlands of flowers, all united to produce the happiest effect. On all the

f Galileo, on the Piazza Santa Maria N

Gal

la tu

il gene

il sole ed abita

uman race shall have ceased to see

ous architects Arnolfo and Brunelesco. On the houses where celebrated men were born, lived, or died, tablets were placed recording thei

which still contains his books, furniture, etc., interested me mu

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st a look upon these walls, where in Apri

ated. I remarked also Frescobaldi's, the friend of Dante, which stands in the Via Maggio, and not far from it, on the Piazza Santa Tr

ster, is buried. Under the name was written the following line from the Divina Comedia, which is d

e come l'uom

me how a man be

on which the great man often sat in meditations, as lofty an

gia dei Lanzi, under whose noble arches are placed some of the finest works of art: the Theseus by Benvenuto Cellini, the Rape of the Sabines by Giovanni di Bologna, and others. This gem of architecture is at all tim

ere covered with flowers and rich red silk hangings, and the background was formed by the splendid marble fa?ade of the church of Santa Croce. The piazza had been boarded and carpeted all over, and raised seats were

presented him when, nine years old, he first saw Beatrice, in the house of her father; the last showed his burial in R

of each banner was placed a tablet with some verses from the great poem of Dante; many of which anticipated the great political and religious events

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! to how much

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roce, after having rested a little while at the house of a friend, who had kindly invited us to stay with h

in the centre of the Piazza, on which the King took his seat during the ceremony. I could there

who rode in front of the procession, appeared and cleared the way. Then came a band of music, followed by the representatives of the Italian press, who were succeeded by those of the Italian

me an endless procession of deputations from every town in Italy, occasionally intercepted by bands of music. Ea

glittered in the sunshine, the sight was magnificent beyond description. The beautiful banners were, after the ceremony, prese

leur-de-lis of Florence was loudly cheered, so were the arms of Ravenna, and the same honour was bestowed on the sign of the Wolf suckling twin boys, which was carried by a deputation from Rome. This banner had crape attached to it. The cheers became most enthusiastic when the winged Lion of

uder. And I must not forget to mention two Dominican Friars, who had come with us from Naples, and were sent from some fraternity there. The banner they carried bore the inscription "Roma per Capitale," and

closed, except for a few hours daily when mass was said; and money, which usually opens those doors so readily, was of no avail; so that many who could not s

of the municipal body, dressed in his robes of office, which closely resemble those worn by the magistrates at the time of Dante. The moment he had concluded his speech, the covering dropped, and there stood in the midst of his people, indescribably grand, with an expression both austere and kind, sad and happy, Dante the divine. There was a long pause, then a murmur, then loud

s unselfish, undying love of his country, in his pure and blameless life? A solitary exile, on a bare rock of Caprera sat Giuseppe Garibaldi on that joyful day. Close by the side of the King, as when he entered the Cath

ren will cry, "To him we owe it, that we are Italians." And I missed the presence of another man, of one who, although in another way, laboured as earnestly and successfully for his country. But Camillo Cavour after a life of toil and trouble, rests peacefully at Santena. He saw but the dawn of the bright day that has now arisen over his country.

sublime Poet, his gr

ildings architecturally, we stick some ornament against them, which is perfectly unmeaning and arbitrary. I wonder that any one who is not a child, can care to look at a thing only because it is bright. The Florentines had illuminated their beautiful town, especially its most imposing buildings, with lamps arranged in a way to bring out every outline in a blaze of light. The stones of the walls appeared transparent, as if the light which was merely reflected by them, proceeded from them. The wonderful structures of the Palazzo Vecchio, the Palazzo della Podestà, the Palazzo Pitti, and of the Duomo, served as a scaffolding for the fairy palaces that burned through the night. And if possible the effect they produced was even surpassed by the illumination of the Lung' Arno, where the long rows of innumera

haved with a gentleness and politeness, which astonished me as much as the illumination, moved along through

evening there was a grand concert in the Teatro Pagliano, where a "Dante Symphony," the "Ave Maria" of Dante, and other appropriate pieces were executed, but as

rt of the Divina Comedia, I noticed but one good picture, a modern one by Benvenuto d'Arezzi. It represents Ugolino and his sons; it is however, not so good as the one by Reynolds, at Knole House, and which depicts this terrible story almost as powerfully as the twenty-third Canto of the Inferno. But there were seventy-four pen and ink drawings, illustr

those of Guido Cavalcante and Christo Landini; most curious was an old wooden statue, covered with bronze, of Pope Bon

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o honour the triumph of h

and there were also some fragments of manuscripts by the Divine Poet himself, at which I looked with awe and reverence. The exhibition contained also a large collectio

as also exhibited there. On one side of the blade were inscribed the words "Dante to the f

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ournaments. What those things could have to do with Dante, it would be difficult to say; for the love of God, of his country, and poetry, the three great elements of which the soul of the Divine Poet seems to have been composed, are not very intimately connected with these kinds of amusements. I think therefore they w

e hot, and the ladies tired after the excitement of the day. Many seemed to prefer a walk through the open galleries, which were beautifully decorated with flowers, and where they could br

ies of the Uffizi, was a much m

o, Benvenuto Cellini, etc. This vast and splendid place had been converted into an open air ball-room. It had been boarded all over. The walls and columns were covered with splendid Gobelin tapestry of grand designs and rich colouring. Large looking-glasses, encircled by garlands of flowers instead of frames, reflected and multiplied the innumerable lights, which poured their rays like fountains on the assembled multitude. In the middle of the square a fountain played among white, green, and red light, represen

y years of age. The young women, on the arm of their fathers, or in companies together, stood around as spectators and seemed to look on with pleasure. The festival concluded not unworthily with a series of "tableaux vivants" at the Teatro Pagliano, illustrating the life of Dante, and parts of the Divina Commedia. The former were accompanied by words set to music for the occasion; the latter preceded by those verses from the divine poem which they were intended to illustrate. The theatre i

di me, che

nded like

unhappy Francesco da Rimini, was

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mise

ce her detestation of the licentious book tha

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shudder of horror that

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humanity so abominably." Their countrymen however applauded them the more, the more they "overstepped the modesty of nature;" "strutted and bellowed, and sawed the air with their hands." But the cheers w

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. Ca

cheered the King, who was present at the representation, and had be

e without telling a little more about it, for the recollection

which Florence lies, may well be regarded as the garden of the temperate zone. It certainly seems to me the most perfect representation of it. Naples has a touch of the tropics; cacti, aloes, and palm trees, are not

ted with rows of pretty young trees of all kinds, such as poplars, planes, may, mountain ashes, etc., which are not allowed to grow beyond the size of an ornamental garden tree, in order to preven

y webster's] grace of their sisters of Milan and Venice. Their eyes have not the fire that burns in those of the Neapolitan girls, nor is their skin so fair as that of the Geno

false pretence of resting ourselves, but who could

which the brush of Titian has immortalised. But how can I venture to attempt enumerating all that I saw there? Another day was spent in the Palazzo Pitti, where some of Raphael's most charming works are treasured up. The "Madonna del Cardellino," the "Mado

nument of their untold wealth and great power; I could not help contrasting with it the comparative simplicity and modesty of the Mausoleums of the great Sovereigns of our time, and felt that the most powerful and ambitious of them, could not build one for himself like the chapel of the Medici. In the sacristia of the same church, I saw the monuments on the tombs of Lorenzo and Giugliano dei Medici, by Michael Angelo. Of the six figures that compose the two monuments, the one of Lorenzo, made the deepest impression upon me. The whole figure, espe

gelo mingles with that of Galileo, and of many other great men. The allegorical figure of Italy sorrowing over the grave of Alfieri, who al

e the garden-country all around look fresher and lovelier than ever. We travelled in the same carriage with the well known Padre Gavazzi, who

her adventures with a woeful countenance. The expression of her face was at the same time exceedingly comical, and I could not help laughing at her tale, a laugh in which the good natured girl heartily joined, although it was partly at her own expense. According to her account, and her wan cheeks, and dim, lustreless eyes, confirmed what she said, the fatigues and dangers of the excur

steamboat, was always trying to be near that "nice German girl," was close behind her. He jumped from his horse and caught hold of hers, so that she was able to get up, having sustained no great injury beyond the fright. She feelingly remarked, that fortunately her papa was far behind. H

op. Horse and lady fell down together, and turned over and over before either got up again. The fair rider however escaped unhurt. I was sorry that there was no time for Mdlle. S. to tell me of all the accidents that befell these unlucky excursionists, for every one met with some mishap, either in

set down near her, and which contained a small tortoise, which poked its head through a hole in the lid. This and a shell, which she wore as a sign

h those I had so lately visited. Now I was with heart and soul already in England, at home with my children. Oh, how slowly the express train travels! How long is a night in a railway carriag

, the door opens. Yes, there they are all, and all well! My baby climbs up a chair, and clin

feel I am tired. I shut my eyes, out of which tears steal, and my full heart thanks Him, who gave me the joys of th

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