New Italian sketches By: John Addington Symonds (1840-1893)
First Page: Transcriber's Note: Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document has been preserved. Greek text has been transliterated and marked with 's. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. For a complete list, please see the end of this document. NEW ITALIAN SKETCHES. BY JOHN ADDINGTON SYMONDS, AUTHOR OF "SKETCHES IN ITALY," ETC. COPYRIGHT EDITION. LEIPZIG BERNHARD TAUCHNITZ 1884. The Right of Translation is reserved. PREFATORY NOTE. This volume of New Italian Sketches has been made up from two books published in England and America under the titles of "Sketches and Studies in Italy" and "Italian Byways." It forms in some respects a companion volume to my "Sketches in Italy" already published in the Tauchnitz Collection of British Authors. But it is quite independent of that other book, and is in no sense a continuation of it. In making the selection, I have however followed the same principles of choice. That is to say, I have included only those studies of places, rather than of literature or history, which may suit the needs of travellers in Italy. JOHN ADDINGTON SYMONDS. DAVOS PLATZ, Dec. 1883 . TO CHRISTIAN BUOL AND CHRISTIAN PALMY MY FRIENDS AND FELLOW TRAVELLERS I DEDICATE THIS BOOK. CONTENTS Page AUTUMN WANDERINGS 11 MONTE OLIVETO 34 MONTEPULCIANO 57 SPRING WANDERINGS 84 MAY IN UMBRIA 106 THE PALACE OF URBINO 138 A VENETIAN MEDLEY 169 THE GONDOLIER'S WEDDING 212 FORNOVO 238 BERGAMO AND BARTOLOMMEO COLLEONI 261 LOMBARD VIGNETTES 282 NEW ITALIAN SKETCHES. AUTUMN WANDERINGS. I. ITALIAM PETIMUS. Italiam petimus! We left our upland home before daybreak on a clear October morning. There had been a hard frost, spangling the meadows with rime crystals, which twinkled where the sun's rays touched them. Men and women were mowing the frozen grass with thin short Alpine scythes; and as the swathes fell, they gave a crisp, an almost tinkling sound. Down into the gorge, surnamed of Avalanche, our horses plunged; and there we lost the sunshine till we reached the Bear's Walk, opening upon the vales of Albula, and Julier, and Schyn. But up above, shone morning light upon fresh snow, and steep torrent cloven slopes reddening with a hundred fading plants; now and then it caught the grey green icicles that hung from cliffs where summer streams had dripped. There is no colour lovelier than the blue of an autumn sky in the high Alps, defining ridges powdered with light snow, and melting imperceptibly downward into the warm yellow of the larches and the crimson of the bilberry. Wiesen was radiantly beautiful: those aërial ranges of the hills that separate Albula from Julier soared crystal clear above their forests; and for a foreground, on the green fields starred with lilac crocuses, careered a group of children on their sledges. Then came the row of giant peaks Pitz d'Aela, Tinzenhorn, and Michelhorn, above the deep ravine of Albula all seen across wide undulating golden swards, close shaven and awaiting winter. Carnations hung from cottage windows in full bloom, casting sharp angular black shadows on white walls... Continue reading book >>

New Italian sketches By: John Addington Symonds (1840-1893)

First Page:

Transcriber's Note: Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document has been preserved. Greek text has been transliterated and marked with 's. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. For a complete list, please see the end of this document.

NEW

ITALIAN SKETCHES.

JOHN ADDINGTON SYMONDS,

AUTHOR OF "SKETCHES IN ITALY," ETC.

LEIPZIG

BERNHARD TAUCHNITZ

1884.

The Right of Translation is reserved.

PREFATORY NOTE.

This volume of New Italian Sketches has been made up from two books published in England and America under the titles of "Sketches and Studies in Italy" and "Italian Byways." It forms in some respects a companion volume to my "Sketches in Italy" already published in the Tauchnitz Collection of British Authors. But it is quite independent of that other book, and is in no sense a continuation of it. In making the selection, I have however followed the same principles of choice. That is to say, I have included only those studies of places, rather than of literature or history, which may suit the needs of travellers in Italy.

JOHN ADDINGTON SYMONDS.

DAVOS PLATZ, Dec. 1883 .

CHRISTIAN BUOL AND CHRISTIAN PALMY

MY FRIENDS AND FELLOW TRAVELLERS

I DEDICATE THIS BOOK.

CONTENTS

Page AUTUMN WANDERINGS 11

MONTE OLIVETO 34

MONTEPULCIANO 57

SPRING WANDERINGS 84

MAY IN UMBRIA 106

THE PALACE OF URBINO 138

A VENETIAN MEDLEY 169

THE GONDOLIER'S WEDDING 212

FORNOVO 238

BERGAMO AND BARTOLOMMEO COLLEONI 261

LOMBARD VIGNETTES 282

NEW ITALIAN SKETCHES.

AUTUMN WANDERINGS.

I. ITALIAM PETIMUS.

Italiam petimus! We left our upland home before daybreak on a clear October morning. There had been a hard frost, spangling the meadows with rime crystals, which twinkled where the sun's rays touched them. Men and women were mowing the frozen grass with thin short Alpine scythes; and as the swathes fell, they gave a crisp, an almost tinkling sound. Down into the gorge, surnamed of Avalanche, our horses plunged; and there we lost the sunshine till we reached the Bear's Walk, opening upon the vales of Albula, and Julier, and Schyn. But up above, shone morning light upon fresh snow, and steep torrent cloven slopes reddening with a hundred fading plants; now and then it caught the grey green icicles that hung from cliffs where summer streams had dripped. There is no colour lovelier than the blue of an autumn sky in the high Alps, defining ridges powdered with light snow, and melting imperceptibly downward into the warm yellow of the larches and the crimson of the bilberry. Wiesen was radiantly beautiful: those aërial ranges of the hills that separate Albula from Julier soared crystal clear above their forests; and for a foreground, on the green fields starred with lilac crocuses, careered a group of children on their sledges. Then came the row of giant peaks Pitz d'Aela, Tinzenhorn, and Michelhorn, above the deep ravine of Albula all seen across wide undulating golden swards, close shaven and awaiting winter. Carnations hung from cottage windows in full bloom, casting sharp angular black shadows on white walls... Continue reading book >>

Genres for this book
History
Travel

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