Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1891 edition. Excerpt: ... III. URPLE and blue the gracious Land is spread Away as o'er the sea. For like the sea The fair, far fields aripple seem to be All green beneath the sky's immensity, Seem waveless, flat 'neath its serenity. Swift as a ruffling wind o'er water's breast The colour comes, and goes, as shadows rest, Or fleet away to the horizon's bound, Where seems to lie the Poet's sacred ground, Where float the blue isles to enraptured sight, Where sleep the level clouds in mellow light. It may be where now far Ferrara lies, Unseen from here beneath more Southern skies, Beyond yon hills coned like volcanic isles, That earlier Venice rose to Fortune's smiles. For twice four hundred years men marked her days, Her name she gave to one of Po's thronged ways, The happy glance is led The Mainland ravaged by Attila. The ancient Lagoons. Mistress she was of Adria's bright sea Ages ere Venice rose for liberty; Long ages ere Altinum's people set Foot on Torcello; ere the Paduans, wet With Adria's spray from the Destroyer flew; Ere Aquileia fell, her men withdrew, Nor stopped their flight till sheltered near the sea They fled to build i' the Isles' security. Less cruel was the wave on Grado's sand Than wilder Huns in the far-flaming land, When all its strongest cities, burning, fell. Of famed Aquileia, tower and bell Still last, and older sign of her proud state In marble rare of vanished wall and gate. From the Asolan hills to the sea's sand Ravaged resistless Attila the land; From the strong Tagliamento's widened bed To the quick Brenta's stream, the people fled. Where the Musone runs, and brightly gleam Clear Sile's noiseless waves smooth as a dream, The green and gracious hills to silence left, The walled towns were empty and bereft, --The rank weed grew in each..
