Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. II.djvu/60

70 excepting—affliction. It would be interesting to know his biography, and also what it was which prevented the earnest thinker from embracing a doctrine which would have removed the sting from death, and from suffering its suicidal hopelessness.

I must, in conclusion, say a few words about our enjoyment in Florence. I now say our, and that is a pleasure to me.

One day we drove, with many others, in the beautiful park, Il Cascino, in the peninsula formed by the junction of the Arno and Mugnone—a very fine promenade, on which we saw a great part of the elegant world of Florence, both in carriage and on horseback. There were not many pedestrians, on the contrary, and the park, with its beautiful trees, is not to be compared to the Djurgârd of Stockholm, because the wild, wooded mountains are wanting. The flower-girls—celebrated in Florence for their beauty—threw lovely flowers into the carriages, but were themselves less lovely and less agreeable from the pertinacity with which they pressed their flowers upon us. Yet even this was done cheerfully and not without grace.

Another day we drove to Fiesole, the city which formerly held sway over Florence, but which has now only a glorious and magnificent view over that city. Dozens of not ill-clad women, surrounded us here, and persecuted us with their straw-plat, with an unwearied urgency which was distressing, because it resembled the urgency of want. I inquired in the evening at the banker, Mr. Q.'s, if such want really did exist? And I was told;—“Yes, probably; because