are of your country." "You are a man "of honour and difcernment," said the Caledonian, feizing him eagerly by the hand; " and I proteft, without prejudice or partiality, that I never knew a man "of that character who was not of your of thinking." way A a 2 LETTER LXX. W Florence. 7 E arrived in this city the third day after leaving Rome, though I have delayed writing till now. I wished to know fomething of the place, and to be a little acquainted with the people. The last is not difficult; because the Florentines are naturally affable, and the hospitality and politeness of the British Minifter afford his countrymen frequent opportunities of forming an acquaintance with the best company in Florence. This gentleman has been here about thirty years, and is greatly esteemed by the Florentines. It is probably owing to this circumftance, and to the magnificent stile in which fome English Noblemen live, who have long refided here, that the English, in general, are favourites with the inhabitants of this place. Lord Cooper's condu& conduct and difpofition confirm them in the opinion they long have had of the good-nature and integrity of the nation to which he belongs. His Lady is of an amiable character, and affords them a very favourable specimen of English beauty. We have had no opportunity of feeing the Grand Duchefs. She is of a domeftic turn, and lives much in the country with her children, of which fhe has a comfortable number; but the Grand Duke having come to town for two days, we had the honour of being prefented to him at the Palazzo Pitti. There is a ftriking refemblance of each other in all the branches of the Auftrian family. Wherever I had met with the Grand Duke, I should immediately have known that he belonged to it. He, as well as his brother who refides at Milan, has, in a remarkable degree, the thick lip; which has long been a distinguishing feature in the Austrian family. He is a handfome man, is rapid in his words and motions, and has more vivacity in his manner than A a 3 than either the Emperor or Archduke; like them he is good-humoured, condefcending, and affable. After the extinction of the Medici family, the Florentines grumbled on account of the disadvantage and inconveniency of having Sovereigns who did not refide among them. They exclaimed that their money was carried away to a diftant country, and the most profitable offices at home filled by foreigners. They have now got a Sovereign who refides and spends his revenue among them, and has provided the State moft plentifully in heirs; yet they ftill grumble. They complain of the taxes-But in what country of Europe is there not the fame complaint? Florence is, unquestionably, a very beautiful city. Independent of the churches and palaces, fome of which are very magnificent, the architecture of the houses in general is in a good tafte, the streets are remarkably clean, and paved with large broad ftones, chifeled fo as to prevent the horfes quays, horfes from fliding. This city is divided into two unequal parts by the river Arno, over which there are no less than four bridges in fight of each other. That called the Ponte della Trinità, is uncommonly elegant. It is built entirely of white marble, and ornamented with four beautiful ftatues, representing the Four Seasons. The the buildings on each fide, and the bridges, render that part of Florence through which the river runs, by far the fineft. it happens fortunately for thofe two cities, that thofe parts are almoft conftantly before the eye, on account of the neceffity people are continually under of paffing and repaffing those bridges; whereas in London, whofe river and bridges are far fuperior to any in France or Italy, people may live whole seasons, attend all the public amusements, and drive every day from one end of the town to the other, without ever feeing the Thames or the bridges, unless they go on purpose. For this reafon, when The fame is the cafe at Paris; and A a 4 |