when a foreigner is afked, which he thinks the finest city, Paris or London? the moment Paris is mentioned, the Louvre, and that ftriking part which is fituated between the Pont Royal and Pont Neuf, presents itself to his imagination. He can recollect no part of London equal in magnificence to this; and, ten to one, if he decides directly, it will be in favour of Paris; but if he takes a little more time, and compares the two capitals, ftreet by ftreet, fquare by fquare, and bridge with bridge, he will probably be of a different opinion. The number of inhabitants in Florence is calculated by fome at eighty thousand. The ftreets, fquares, and fronts of the palaces are adorned with a great number of statues; fome of them by the best modern mafters, Michael Angelo, Bandinelli, Donatello, Giovanni di Bologna, Benvenuto Cellini, and others. A tafte for the arts must be kept alive, independent almost of any other encouragement, in a city where fo many fpecimens are continually before

the

the eyes of the inhabitants. There are towns in Europe where ftatues, expofed night and day within the reach of the common people, would run a greater risque of being disfigured and mutilated; here they are as fafe as if they were fhut up in the Creat Duke's gallery.

Florence has been equally diftinguished by a fpirit for commerce and for the fine arts; two things which are not always united. Some of the Florentine merchants formerly were men of vaft wealth, and lived in a moft magnificent manner. One of them, about the middle of the fifteenth century, built that noble fabric, which, from the name of its founder, is ftill called the Palazzo Pitti. The man was ruined by the prodigious expence of this building, which was immediately purchafed by the Medici family, and has continued, ever fince, to be the refidence of the Sovereigns. The gardens belonging to this palace are on the declivity of an eminence.

On the

fummit

fummit there is a kind of fort called Belvedere. From this, and from fome of the higher walks, you have a complete view of the city of Florence, and the beauteous vale of Arno, in the middle of which it ftands. The profpect is bounded on every fide by an amphitheatre of fertile hills, adorned with country-houfes and gardens. In no part of Italy, that I have feen, are there fo many villas, belonging to private perfons, as in the neighbourhood of this city; the habitations of the peafants, likewife, feem much more neat and commodious. The country all around is divided into small farms, with a neat farm-house on each. Tufcany produces a confiderable quantity of corn, as well as excellent wine, and great quantities of filk. The peasants have ą look of health and contentment: the natural beauty of the Italian countenance not being difgraced by dirt, or deformed by mifery, the women in this country feem handsomer, and and are, in reality, more blooming, than in other parts of Italy.

When

When at work, or when they bring their goods to market, their hair is confined by a filk net, which is alfo much worn at Naples; but on holidays they drefs in a very picturesque manner. They do not wear gowns, but a kind of jacket without fleeves. They have no other covering for the upper part of the arm but their fhift fleeves, which are tied with ribband. Their petticoats are generally of a fcarlet colour. They wear ear-rings and necklaces. Their hair is adjusted in a becoming manner, and adorned with flowers. Above one ear they fix a little ftraw hat; and on the whole have a more gay, smart, coquetish air, than any country-girls I ever faw.

Churches, and palaces, and flatues, are no doubt ornamental to a city; and the Princes are praise-worthy who have taken pains to rear and collect them; but the greatest of all ornaments are cheerful, happy, living countenances. The taste is not general; but, I thank God, I know fome

people

people who, to a perfect knowledge and unaffected love of the fine arts, join a paffion for a collection of this kind, who cannot, without uneafinefs, fee one face in a different ftyle, and whofe lives and fortunes are employed in fmoothing the corrosions of penury and misfortune, and restoring the original air of fatisfaction and cheerfulness to the human countenance. Happy the people whofe Sovereign is inspired with this species of vertù!