town; but here even they cannot be received without some restriction, and a restriction in such opinions owns and confesses their possible exactness, and that they have in reality some foundation. The "glass case" was intended only for the campanile--belfry; than which a more graceful, and, at the same time, more minutely ornamented tower, was never raised. The other rapturous exclamation is, indeed, applicable to the Lung' Arno, to the quays on each side of the river, which, by means of a dam below the town, is here kept full of water. What can be more beautiful than the Ponte alla Trinità? What stream can boast such a bridge, such a piece of arched sculpture? Above it, however, the houses advance, on one side, to the edge of the water; and of two of the other bridges, the one is covered by lines of jewellers' shops, the other supports, on each pier, a shabby house, that intercepts the view of the river. The rest of the town is remarkable only for the pavement of large smooth slabs, and for the strong, stately palaces, which, built as fortresses, have an air of solidity and grandeur not to be found in our gingerbread modern dwellings.

The late Grand Duke is much regretted. He lived quietly, amused himself with building, and with the care of his ménage, and let affairs take their course, the only thing demanded in a state like that he governed, or, indeed, in any state whatever. The parsimonious spirit of the present Grand Duke is complained of; a spirit which will, of course, go off, when he shall be accustomed to the disposal of the revenues of the state, and of the immense private property which he has inherited of his father. The Florentines, in their political situation, are certainly better off than the rest of the Italians: this they all feel and acknowledge. The only thing that would lead me to doubt of the sincerity of their sentiments is the violent assertions of perfect content and happiness which they pour forth, whenever their political existence, or rather non-existence, is made the subject of conversation. The military, indeed, complain of belonging to an army of four thousand Au reste, although at a former period I have passed thirteen months at Florence, I am, for a reason with which you are well acquainted, unable to speak of the Florentines in general.

men.

This halt of three days at Florence has refreshened my recollections of the place, and reposed my fellow travellers. Tomorrow we shall again take possession of our berline, and continue our journey along the new road to Genoa, Adieu.

LETTER XLI.

Genoa, 27th May, 1825

MY DEAR FRIEND,

IN traversing the rich plain that leads to Prato, we mistook our road, and wandered, for some time, through narrow lanes, owing to the obstinacy of Pierre, who had refused to ask his way in Italian. Pistoja would be a handsome town, but for a most uncommon defect-the disproportionate width of its streets!

It was late when we approached Lucca, through a long alley of trees. A soldier at the gate led us to a good hotel, du Pelican. The following day was spent in seeing the town, and in wishing for the next morning, when we should leave it. The palace of the Duke is more like

a royal residence than any I have seen in Italy. The churches of Lucca, Pistoja, and Pisa are curious on account of the sort of architecture which prevails in them all: the façades of all are formed of rows of pillars, which, rising one above the other, gradually diminish in number, and shoot up into a point; figures and flowers are beautifully carved on these short, slender marble pillars, which are often inlaid with mosaic.

Trees are planted on the walls of the town; the which would form a pleasant walk, if the place were not situated in a low, marshy-looking plain.

The word LIBERTAS, which the French removed from above the gates of the town, I found on a coat of arms, painted in one of the coloured windows of the cathedral.

Between Lucca and Massa we again missed the road from the same cause as before; but, after having nearly upset the carriage in broken lanes and woods of olive trees, we rejoined the highway, and drove past the mountains of Carrara marble. The mid-day sun falling on the grey white summits of these rocks, which, from their seeming transparency, mingled with the