Italy from the Alps to Mount Etna . out Cosenza, Nicastro, Catanzaro, and above all, Reggio, appear somewhat more pleasantseen from without, yet within all present the same picture of misery, decay, and hopelesspoverty. But poetry and poverty almost always go hand in hand ; throughout Italy they aresisters, and in Calabria twin sisters ! Let us take the hand of the more cheerful of thetwo, and descend to the strand at Reggio. We will part from the mainland with somepleasant pictures. LUCANIA, APULIA, AND CALABRIA. 445 It is the time of the vintage ! A joyous, festal time ! In the grey da
Italy from the Alps to Mount Etna . out Cosenza, Nicastro, Catanzaro, and above all, Reggio, appear somewhat more pleasantseen from without, yet within all present the same picture of misery, decay, and hopelesspoverty. But poetry and poverty almost always go hand in hand ; throughout Italy they aresisters, and in Calabria twin sisters ! Let us take the hand of the more cheerful of thetwo, and descend to the strand at Reggio. We will part from the mainland with somepleasant pictures. LUCANIA, APULIA, AND CALABRIA. 445 It is the time of the vintage ! A joyous, festal time ! In the grey dawn they comefrom the mountains, the sun-burned girls with great black eyes, clad in their gay andbecoming costumes, and carrying baskets on their arms, and larger baskets on their appear at different turns of the road, now singly, now in groups. In the neigh-bourhood of the wine-press they sit down on the ground, and breakfast with many amerry jest. But by the time the sun has dried the dew on the grapes the work fishermans cottage. They scatter themselves over the vineyard like a flock of birds. Some gather the fruit,others carry it to the wine-press, supporting the load on their heads with brown strongarms. The gay blues and reds of kerchief and petticoat glimmer through the green, andmerry canzani resound on all sides. Shots are heard; the noise and jollity growlouder ; one vineyard answers and emulates another with song against song. Thencomes a troop of young, men under the pretext of paying their respects to the owner ofthe vineyard, but in reality to fargli occhi dolci (make sweet eyes) to the girls, andindulge in a little flirtation. By the evening the work must be completed, and each girlreceives her scanty pay and a basket of grapes. Singing and chatting they return in thetwilight to their homes, and many a one carries back with her the rose of Love hiddenamongst the berries of Bacchus. Perhaps the olive harvest is still prettier on this olive-grow
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Keywords: ., bookauthorcavagnasangiulianidig, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870
