Italy from the Alps to Mount Etna . rfect are the gardens and vineyards of Naples. But outside the walls, where the hand of man neither helps nor hinders natureswork,—on the dry rocks baked through and through by the omnipotent glow of summerssunshine,—among the ruins of ancient buildings,—on the seashore near the lonely fishershut, the growths look wild and savage, and display the strangest and most fantastic stands the silver-grey cactus keeping watch, the Indian fig whose broad pricklyleaves show a plenteous crop of this favourite fruit of the populace in the hot mi
Italy from the Alps to Mount Etna . rfect are the gardens and vineyards of Naples. But outside the walls, where the hand of man neither helps nor hinders natureswork,—on the dry rocks baked through and through by the omnipotent glow of summerssunshine,—among the ruins of ancient buildings,—on the seashore near the lonely fishershut, the growths look wild and savage, and display the strangest and most fantastic stands the silver-grey cactus keeping watch, the Indian fig whose broad pricklyleaves show a plenteous crop of this favourite fruit of the populace in the hot midsummer,the bold stem of the agave, like a sea-kings lance-bearer, and the tall, flexible reedswaying and whispering in the breeze. Here too we find the stone pine, the wild olive- 360 ITALY. tree, the evergreen oak, the strawberry plant, and the wild myrtle and heath, hummedthrough by innumerable bees ; whilst even in the second month of winter the lavish soilteems with anemones, crocuses, and numerous varieties of the NEAPOLITAN FISHER-GIRL. He who wanders through this rich domain of plants, is constantly surrounded byclouds of aromatic perfumes which arise from leaf and flower; and the vegetation iscontinuous, although it may often change the form of its manifestations. Its life maystagnate for a brief time, not in the winter, but during midsummers fierce and earth-cleaving heat. It does but stagnate, however, it does not die: for no sooner does the firstautumn shower descend, than it recommences freshly to bud and bloom. And when the KNOWST THOU THE LAND? 36 earliest snow has fallen in our northern homes, here the young fresh green is shootingfrom the revived earth. The land here slopes gently downward to the sea as if to batheluxuriously in its tepid waters. The headlands swimming in golden haze seem boundto the mainland by a green riband ; and the islands, although completely separated fromit, crowd near to their common mother like a troop of bathing children
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Keywords: ., bookauthorcavagnasangiulianidig, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870
