Italy from the Alps to Mount Etna . 454 ITALY. The sun of Sicily is different from that of even the warmest parts of the continent: thesoil and the configuration of the land are different: the vegetation far more luxuriant thaneven that of Naples, and often wonderfully varied within quite narrow limits of space. Here is the true bright realm of summer; and his African offspring, the slenderpalm tree, is no alien here, but stands and grows strong and vigorous among the otherplants which unfold their brilliant colours in this pure light. Winter scarcely touches theisland at all. He passes with a
Italy from the Alps to Mount Etna . 454 ITALY. The sun of Sicily is different from that of even the warmest parts of the continent: thesoil and the configuration of the land are different: the vegetation far more luxuriant thaneven that of Naples, and often wonderfully varied within quite narrow limits of space. Here is the true bright realm of summer; and his African offspring, the slenderpalm tree, is no alien here, but stands and grows strong and vigorous among the otherplants which unfold their brilliant colours in this pure light. Winter scarcely touches theisland at all. He passes with a hasty foot over Etna, leaving a trace of his flight in the. perpetual snows on the volcano, whose lava walls and heaps of ashes bring forth splendidchestnuts, oaks and beeches. In the evergreen valleys at its foot the roses bloom all theyear round, and in the hollows of the crumbling volcanic soil wheat grows in gloriousabundance. Near to the corn, the vine is slung from one mulberry tree to another. Fromthese grapes is pressed the golden wine which seems to be compounded of Etnas firesand summer sunshine, and which inspires the peoples popular songs. Olives too arehere, old and hoary as one never sees them on the mainland, and oranges and citrons areat home here, glowing like gold, and full of exquisite juice. Wherever we turn our stepswe find lavish abundance, a luxuriance of plenty poured out with open hands. The carobovershadows the dazzling yellow slopes of the hills, the broad-leaved fig-tree peers abovegarden walls. And everywhere,—in places where more delicate vegetation shrinks fromthe broad blaze of sunshine, the parched lava of th
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Keywords: ., bookauthorcavagnasangiulianidig, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870
