LETTER VIII.

FLORENCE.-THE VALLEY OF THE ARNO.-THE OLIVE TREE. THE BRIDGES IN FLORENCE. -THE FOUNTAINS.-THE PALAZZO VECCHIO. -BENVENUTO CELLINI'S PERSEUS.-THE CATHEDRAL.-DANTE.-THE CAMPANILE.-THE BAPTISTRY.-THE UFIZI GALLERY.-THE VENUS DI MEDICIS.-THE HALL OF NIOBE.THE CHIESA DI SANTA CROCE, AND BYRON'S LINES ON IT.-THE CASTELLANI AND BARONCELLI CHAPELS.

To the Editor of the Halifax Express.

Florence, Oct. 19, 1840.

Dear Sir,-My last letter gave you an account of our arrival in this city. Florence is situated in a most lovely valley, through which flows the river Arno. The plains are well cultivated,-abounding with corn-fields, vineyards, and olive-grounds; but the brown soil is so generally ploughed up between the vines and the trees, that the country has, at a distance, the appearance of a want of cultivation.

The olive is not so attractive an object, in the landscape, as the fir and other trees. It is of a lighter and colder colour; and grows something like our willow, in form, except in the trunk, which, in old trees, is divided, close to the ground, into five or six different stems, which unite into one stem, at a height of five or six feet, and then throw out branches like the willow.

Byron, in the fourth canto of Childe Harold, speaks of Florence as the "Etrurian Athens ;" and notices the fertility of its soil.

But Arno wins us to the fair white walls

Where the Etrurian Athens claims, and keeps,

A softer feeling for her fairy halls.

Girt by her theatre of hills, she reaps

Her corn, and wine, and oil; and Plenty leaps
To laughing life, with her redundant horn.

Along the banks where smiling Arno sweeps,
Was modern Luxury of Commerce born,

And buried Learning rose, redeemed to a new morn.

There are four bridges over the river,-the Rubacone, the Vecchio, the Ponti di Trinita, and the Carraria. The Trinita is the most beautiful. It is composed of three arches; and at each end are placed statues of the seasons. The Vecchio is one of those ancient bridges which have buildings upon them; giving a heaviness to the masonry, but, when contrasted with the surrounding scenery, adding variety to the prospect. La Trinita is so slender in its structure, or at least in appearance, that carriages are not allowed to pass over it.

In many of the streets and squares, there are statues and fountains, which add to the splendour of the city. One of the fountains, in the Piazza del Grand Duca, is very fine. It consists of a colossal figure of Neptune, in marble, with sea-horses and tritons; and it is surrounded by bronze statues of nymphs.

The Palazzo Vecchio was built in the thirteenth century, by Arnolfo. It has a lofty tower; and on each side of the entrance are statues, in marble,-on one side, David slaying Goliah, by Michael Angelo; and, on the other, Hercules slaying Cacus, by Baccio Bandinelli. In the hall is an unfinished statue, by Michael Angelo; and the authorities have wisely allowed it to remain unfinished, rather than risk any part of that great man's work.

Here, also, is Benvenuto Cellini's celebrated bronze group of Perseus, in the casting of which that eminent artist had to encounter every kind of opposition that the envy of his cotemporaries could invent, in order to prevent his success. In Roscoe's translation of the Life of Cellini, there is an interesting account of this work,

and of the circumstances attending its production. The basso-relievo on the pedestal is very much admired, -perhaps more so than the group itself. You will recollect that one of Cellini's works-a bas-relief, in silver, of the Martyrdom of St. Ursula and the eleven thousand virgins, was contributed to the Halifax Exhibition, by C. Rawson, Esq. It was a fine work of art, and formed an attractive object in the Hall of Antiquities.

At the entrance to this palace stand two lions, very finely executed, in marble.

The Cathedral is dedicated to Santa Maria del Fiore, and was built after the designs of Arnolfo di Lappo, a pupil of Cimabue; but the dome is the work of Brunelleschi. It is said that Michael Angelo took, from its cupola, his idea for the dome of St. Peter's, at Rome.

The interior of the church is gloomy; and this is partly owing to the deep colours of the stained glass in the windows; but architects consider that it is also to be attributed, in a great measure, to the windows being too small, in proportion to the other parts of the building. The choir is of the Ionic order, and is lined with the Last Judgment, by Zucchero; but the want of more light prevents the decorations from being seen to advantage. The pavement is from a design by Michael Angelo, and is composed of a variety of coloured marbles, tastefully disposed. In the side aisles are many monuments and busts of celebrated men.

Here is, also, an old portrait of the poet Dante, who was born in this city, in 1261. This Milton of Italian poesy was, like our own Milton, much mixed up with the politics of his day. He fought in two battles, was fourteen times ambassador, and once prior of the republic. Joining one of the factions which then disturbed the Florentine state, his party proved the weakest, and he was banished. He died in exile, in 1321, at Ravenna, and was buried there. "The offence or misfortune of Dante," says Byron, was an attachment to a defeated party, and, as his least favourable biographers allege against him, too great a freedom of speech

and haughtiness of manner. But the next age paid honours almost divine to the exile. The Florentines, having in vain and frequently attempted to recover his body, crowned his image in a church; and his picture is still one of the idols of their cathedral." The picture which Byron here mentions, is that which we saw.

On the altar of this church are three marble statues, by Bandinelli, representing the Eternal Father, before whom is the body of the Saviour, supported by an Angel. Behind the altar is a sketch, by Michael Angelo, of the Virgin weeping over the body of Christ. The subject is finely handled; but, owing to the death of the artist, the work was left in an unfinished state; and no unhallowed hand has been allowed to make any attempt to complete the production of so great a

master.

The Campanile was built after a design by Giotto, and is a fine piece of architecture, rising to the height of three hundred feet. It is built of different coloured marbles, in compartments, which give it a singular appearance; and in its galleries are placed statues by Donatelli, Artino, Pisano, and Roblia. From the top of the building, which is reached by a flight of 406 steps, there is an extensive view of the city and the surrounding country. The Arno is seen winding through the valley; and its banks are strewed with villas belonging to the gentry.

The Baptistry, opposite the entrance to the Cathedral, has the celebrated gates designed by Arnolfo, and executed by Ghiberti. Michael Angelo admired these gates so much, that he used to say they deserved to be the gates of Paradise. The altar is adorned with a statue of John the Baptist, supported by Angels. This fine piece of sculpture is the work of Ticiati. The interior is lighted from above; and a very rich, though singular, effect is produced, by the gilt Corinthian capitals, placed on columns of porphyry. The dome is finished in mosaic; and the floor is of marble. In the interior are many good statues by Donatelli.

The Ufizi Gallery was built by Vasari, and the archi

tecture is of the Doric order. It has two fine porticos, united by an arch, over which is a statue of Cosmo the First, by Giovanni. On the staircase leading to the Gallery, is the statue of a child, in marble; and opposite to it is the antique Bacchus, which was a great favourite with Michael Angelo; it is larger than life. This Gallery, or rather Galleries, was commenced by the Medici family, and consists of two long corridors, nearly five hundred feet in length, and united at the top, by a third corridor, about one hundred and fifty feet long. Opening out of these galleries are saloons, which contain the finest specimens of antique gems and works of art that are to be seen anywhere.

To describe to you the works contained in a collection of such magnitude, and occupying more than forty spacious rooms, is not possible. Every thing we saw delighted us; and it is our intention to spend the next summer, if all be well, in this city. I'shall then have an opportunity of speaking more about these splendid gems; and, at present, I will only mention a few of them.

At the top of the grand staircase are arranged busts of the several Grand Dukes of Tuscany, and other members of the House of Medici; together with bas-reliefs and other sculptures. Amongst these are the Grecian figure of Ganymede, restored by Benvenuto Cellini; Cupid and Psyche; and many busts, celebrated either as works of antiquity, or as being representations of eminent individuals. One of the Saloons is devoted to works of the Tuscan school.

The Saloon called the Tribune contains some of the best pictures and statues in Italy, and consequently in the world. Amongst the statues is the celebrated Venus di Medicis, so called from having been placed in the gardens of the Medici family, at Rome. This famous specimen of the arts of ancient Greece was discovered in the sixteenth century; and, after remaining, for a considerable time, at Rome, was brought to Florence. Many of your readers will recollect that this celebrated statue was one of those which Napoleon seized and sent to Paris, whence it was removed, and restored to its