150 KAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. 



loom of the skilful weaver, everywhere exhibiting the 

 most fantastic lines and the most brilliant arabesques, 

 the whole combining to produce an effect of incon- 

 ceivable richness, which certainly in some respects 

 merited the judgment passed upon it by the severe 

 and classic taste of our guides. " C'est le delire de 

 I'art," exclaimed the archaeologist Don Antonio 

 Gallo, a sentiment which the Canon Piccolo endorsed 

 by a meaning and contemptuous smile. Perhaps 

 they were right ; be that as it may, we protested 

 against the severity of their criticism. After duly 

 appreciating the imposing character which appertains 

 to the nude simplicity of the high and sombre aisles 

 of our northern cathedrals, one may well be per- 

 mitted to regard with admiration those chiese, in 

 which the glorious light of a southern sun heightens 

 the splendour of the profusely magnificent ornaments, 

 and seems to aid the labour of the artist by clothing 

 the exterior of the edifice in' inimitable tints of red 

 and golden amber. 



Everything around Palermo thoroughly accorded 

 with the character of novelty which had so power- 

 fully impressed us on first examining the exterior of 

 its monuments. In the Conca d'Oro the vegeta- 

 tion, which is entirely southern and almost African 

 in its character, exhibits the most marvellous activity. 

 Rendered fruitful by the heat and by the abundant 

 supply of water, which has been artificially conveyed 

 from inexhaustible sources and distributed throujrh 

 innumerable aqueducts, the land scarcely lies fallow 

 one month in the twelve. Hence those of our 

 northern trees which we saw intermixed amonor the 



