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Sketches of Travels in Sicily, Italy, and France
Sketches of Travels in Sicily Italy and France Author:John James Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: able. Such are all the evils I can now find " to tor- mrnt me withal," even when I sit down determined to complain. LETTER IV. 1$ Collar-Villa Favorite— Th... more »e Olive — Scenery — Stone yuarries -- Aqueducts — La Bagaria — -Palace of Prince Polonia — Queen's palace — Scenery. Dec. 13. — The fine country to the south and west of Palermo, extending to the foot of the mountains, is called II Colla. A ride of eight or ten miles in a circuitous direction, carried us over a country of much beauty of scenery, and variety of cultivation. We passed many palaces and villas, each distinguished by some peculiar elegance. The Villa Favorite, is a summer residence of the Vice Roy of Sicily, and is built in the style of Chinese edifices. The palace is painted in various bright colours, and the whole of its decorations are so unlike any edifice in its neighborhood, that it attracts the attention of all by its singularity. My companions disliked the style of the buildings, and complained of the whimsical effect of avery thing connected with them. The parks and gardens are extensive, and ornamented with 'statues, fountains, and the numerous shrubs and trees peculiar to the climate. The orange and lemon are covered with fruit. The almond is now in bloom ; a few trees are without leaves or blossoms. A- mong these I observed the fig, which in size and shape is not unlike the common pear tree. As we approached the mountains, we observed the olive planted in extensiveorchards, like the apple in America. The.olive is evergreen, and at this season, adds greatly to the rich and verdant appearance of the country. Scattered orchards of this valuable tree are to be seen in all directions upon the plain, but rough and steep places are best adapted to its growth. On the sides of hills and mountains they ...« less