non was attributed to the extrication and inflammation of hydrogen gas, similar to that which is kindled in coal mines, under the name of fire-damp.

The muleteer, who was an intelligent fellow, listened with attention to this description, and then asked Dr. Walker if he had observed on his journey, a light on some stones on the banks of the Rioverde, about ten miles to the south of Bologna. Being answered in the negative, he said, he had seen it many times, and he described it thus: “The light appeared to him,” he said, "about two feet above the stones, and not far from the river. It was between eight and nine in the evening when he last saw it; and it being rather dark and cloudy, the flame appeared exceedingly strong and bright, so much so, that he could distinguish by its light, the shape and make of the surrounding stones, the hedges, and the motion of the water. Upon approaching nearer to it, it became a pale red, then a faint yellow, and thus gradually disappeared as he came close to the spot where he had marked it. Surprised at its disappearance, he retreated, and as he drew back it became progressively visible, till at length it assumed its brightest tint, when he arrived at his first spot of observation."

This is one of those unaccountable phenomena which puzzle philosophers much, as it has been always observed in the very same spot and in the very same shape; that of a parallelopidon, somewhere about a Bolognese foot in length, and about half a foot high; its largest side parallel to the horizon. It was once observed coming out of a neighbouring hollow, and then settling itself into the figure already described. That light known in England as Will-o'-the-whisp, and which is very common in various parts of Italy, particularly in the neighbourhood of Bologna, is supposed strongly to resemble that phosphoric light which burns in the dark without injuring any thing; for in its peregrinations over moor and mountain, it would be strange indeed if it should not meet with any combustible matter which it could ignite, if it had the common properties of flame; its not being affected by damp is another reason which supports this conclusion. This however, and the light of the glow-worm, as well as that of the fire-fly, &c. &c. has never been decidedly defined.

SECTION VI.

JOURNEY TO FLORENCE, &c.

As they descended the mountains, and drew near what may be denominated a plain when compared with the mountains they had just traversed, the scenery became more beautiful but less

sublime. The landscape was enlivened by domestic and rurat objects. The picturesque appearance of the Tuscan peasant girls in their round hats, adorned with flowers tastefully placed a little on one side, delighted them much; and after passing the villa which was formerly inhabited by the Medici family when they were merchants only, Florence burst upon them in all its splendour.

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"What a prospect!" exclaimed Edward; "what a lovely scene! I long to enter that magnificent city." He was soon gratified, but a heavy shower of rain falling just as they entered the city; his ideas of its magnificence abated in some degree. The gutters of the roofs project so far into the streets, that the carriage though in the middle of the street, were deluged with the dirty water which had cleansed the tops of the houses. "Magnificence," he observed, was not always attended with comfort, and he marvelled much that the inhabitants of Florence should tolerate so great a nuisance." The next day, however, the weather being fine, his admiration for the numerous splendid edifices this famous city contained, absorbed every other idea, and he forgot the projecting roofs and dirty gutters. The church of the Holy Cross, is the Pantheon of the Florentines, and here our travellers contemplated with respect the tombs of Michael Angelo, Galileo, and Alfieri, the Tacitus of dramatic poetry. Here too rest the bones of Machiavel and Aretus. The burial chapel of the Medici family is one of the most splen did and beautiful structures of its kind; it was begun by Michael Angelo, but it is not yet quite finished. He has adorned it with four exquisite figures of Morning, Day, Twilight, and Night. The arms of the Tuscan cities adorn its walls; they are blazoned in their proper colours with precious stones, admirably arranged. The doors of the church of St. John, are of bronze, and were pronounced by Michael Angelo to be perfect. This is the only church in Florence in which all the children born in and about the city can be baptized.

The palazzo Petti was built by a Florentine merchant, of that name, about the middle of the 15th century, who ruined himself in erecting this superb fabric, which is now the ducal palace.— The court of the palace is formed by three sides of an elegant square, with arcades all round, and the rustic work which constitutes the lower part of the building, gives it an air of strength and magnificence that is very striking. In this court there is a fine fountain, which in this warm climate forms almost a necessary as well as agreeable ornament. The admirable statue of Hercules, supposed to be the work of Lysippus also adorns this

area.

The apartments of this palace are generally small and dark; they contain nevertheless many powerful attractions. But the gallery of Florence which was formerly the private property of the Medici family, and which afterwards was transferred to

the grand Duke Leopold, and by him declared the property of the State, is the most valuable treasure in Florence. Perhaps the complete assemblage of the Roman emperors and their families, gave our travellers as much interest as any part of its rich and celebrated contents.

Many of the statues which Buonaparte sent to Paris, have resumed their former station, and the Venus de Medici again graces the octagon hall, as well as many other rare specimens of sculpture and painting.

Having made a much longer stay at Florence than they supposed they should, it was near the middle of December when they left that city for Sienna. The country between these two places is composed of naked rocks and mountains, with scanty marks of vegetation. Here and there a solitary tree is now and then seen, adding rather to the desolation of the prospect than the heightening of its beauty; for they look so forlorn, and so anconnected with the surrounding scenery, that our travellers compared them to a shipwrecked mariner thrown on a desert

coast.

Of the animals that enlivened the scene, small flocks of sheep, and asses laden with sand, and labouring up the mountain, were all they saw. Here too they were again assailed by a host of beggars, for no sooner was their carriage seen, than the neighbouring shepherds and peasants flocked in crowds demanding alms with the most noisy importunity.

Dr. Walker and his pupil had, however, become callous to this sort of entreaty, and they pursued their journey to Sienna, without having opened their purse to any one of these vociferous beggars, except once, and that was upon the following occasion.

Amongst a shoal of ragged urchins, half squalling and half laughing, who had accompanied them from the village where they had last stopt, one boy, a lad about fourteen years old, though the rest had in despair given up the pursuit, kept up with them for two miles, when the muleteer, in that spirit of charity which characterizes all tribes and classes of Italians, having ascertained that he was bound to Sienna, the town where they were themselves to pass the night, offered him a place upon the roof of his carriage. Our travellers now fell into conversation with him, and having asked him the motives of his expedition, were told that he was going to beg at Sienna, a place which be imagined, afforded a better field for his operations than his native village, or even the highway. Dr. Walker remonstrated with him on the nature of his project, and asked him why he did not attempt to procure some honest service; but he appeared to have weighed the matter well, and taken his resolution upon the maturest deliberation. He told them that he had left his home on account of the poverty of his parents; that it was his intention to seek service, but, as he could pretend to little yet,

he meant to maintain himself by begging till he was of age and strength to ensure a sufficient salary.

There was no answering such reasoning as this, and Edward mechanically put his hand into his pocket, and gave him a trifle. So much, indeed, were they pleased with his manner, his intelligence, and his lively disposition, that the Doctor was half inclined to take him with them. They had missed Colin very much, and though they always hired a valet de place when they meant to make any stay, as at the capitals for instance; yet they wanted some one about them at all times.

"Try him, Sir," said Edward, "at least while we are in Italy."

The Doctor paused, but at length his feelings got the better of his judgment, and the young Antonio was informed of their good intentions towards him. The poor lad did not at first comprehend them, but when he really was made to understand that they intended taking him with them to Rome, he was almost frantic. When he was a little composed he entreated he might acquaint the muleteer of his future prospects, " to whose kindness," he said, "he was indebted for such unlooked for good fortune," and to whom they afterwards found he had given half the money he had already scraped together by begging.

This act of generous gratitude failed not to increase the favourable impression he had already made upon his new friends: and Antonio became in the sequel, a useful servant and a favourite attendant.

They were not a little pleased when they entered Sienna, and as the road they were about to traverse was by no means celebrated either for its safety or convenience, they lingered two or three days in this town, which contains little worthy of notice. Sienna is about four miles in circumference; its university is in great repute, and the Italian language is taught here with so much purity that a great many foreigners frequent it on that account. Its Gothic church, built of black and white marble, and paved with Mosaic work, is much admired for its architecture. Mulberry trees are numerous in its neighbourhood.

Antonio entreated they would visit the house which St. Catherine of Sienna inhabited. They complied with his request, and were shewn her chamber, the stone which served her as a pillow, her ring of affiance, &c. &c.

"St. Catherine of Sienna," said the Doctor to Edward, "L was born in that city, and at eight years old, she took the Dominican habit, pretending to extraordinary revelations; she was distinguished by her piety and charity, and so powerful was her influence, that she effected a reconciliation between the Florentines and Pope Gregory the Eleventh; she died in the year 1380, at an advanced age, and was canonized in 1461, by Pius II."

SECTION VII.

JOURNEY TO ROME.

FROM Sienna they proceeded by wretched roads to Buonconventa, from whence they ascended with much difficulty, the hill on which the village of Radicofoni stands : here they were lodged in a large, cold, uncomfortable inn, and early the next morning they again started, and having passed Aqua Pendente, an inferior town situated on the top of a rock, from whence there is a romantic cascade, and from which the town derives its name, they arrived, but not till night, without any interruption at Bolsena, notwithstanding the dreadful forebodings of their muleteer, who apprehended, and with some reason, that they should be attacked by banditti.

The country beyond St. Lorenzo is so interspersed with caves and ruins, and is in other respects so desolate, and dreary, and so well calculated for the concealment of robbers, that Dr. Walker was not a little pleased when they did reach Bolsena. Antonio more than once had pointed out these projecting points as well calculated for making a stand; and once with a colourless cheek, he exclaimed Signor! The object of his alarm, was, however, only the stump of an old tree, with a little branch or two just springing from its top, these he mistook for military feathers, for the evening was drawing in before they had quite passed this terrific looking place. For the last thirty miles their road lay along the shores of the beautiful lake of Bolsena.

"Near this place, Edward," observed the Doctor, "stood Volsinium, which was the birth-place of Sejanus, the odious minister of Tiberius's will."

In their way to Viterbo, where they next halted, they passed through Montefiascone, so celebrated for its wine called Est. The mountain of Viterbo is covered with beautiful plantations and villas, belonging to the Roman nobility, who retire here in the summer months when Rome is deserted by that part of its inhabitants who have the power of quitting the Campagna di Roma. They were ill accommodated at their inn or post house at Viterbo, although the town is well built; it also contains many churches and convents, but they remained there but one night, and the following morning, after having passed the mountains of Viterbo, the Clyminus of the ancients, they entered a beautiful country diversified with hills and dales, woods and glades, enlivened by Italian sunshine. After passing some few inconsiderable towns, they at length entered the desert looking country of the Campagna di Roma.

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Where," said Dr. Walker, as they traversed these once