200 FIRST JOURNEY IN EUROPE. [1839, 
Sir Hans Sloane of famous memory, who resides in 
the Bontrouline palace, and not finding him at home 
left a note of introduction written by two ladies, 
Mrs. Boott and Miss Boott, and also a letter intrusted 
to my care by Mirbel. I called also at the Botanic 
Garden, but Mr. Targioni-Tozzetti! was not at home, 
and the garden was of no great consequence. While 
at dinner Mr. Sloane called to welcome me to Flor- 
ence, and to take me out of the city to the Campagna, 
— lawns and beautiful pleasure-grounds and groves 
skirting the Arno for a mile or two, which are thrown 
open to the public, forming the favorite drive or prome- 
nade. Almost the whole city was there, and I never 
saw a more pleasant place. The roads were thronged 
with carriages, from the barouche of the grand duke 
to the peasant’s cart, all on terms of perfect equality. 
The grand duke passed us twice. He mingles much 
with the people, is accessible to all, and is greatly be- 
loved. The government, though despotic, is paternal, 
the people are not burdened with taxes, and are con- 
tented and industrious. The difference between 
Tuscany and the Papal States is manifest enough. 
But I must hasten with my narrative. Early the next 
morning, Friday, I called on Mr. Sloane, looked at his 
garden, where he has many fine things. We then 
crossed the Arno to the other side of the town, called 
on Professor Amici,? who removed here from Modena 
a few years since, and has charge of the grand 
duke’s observatory. He was very obliging, showed 
me his microscopes, which he thinks unrivaled, but I 
don’t, and then the observatory, where I saw all the 
1 Antonio Targioni-Tozzetti, 1785-1856; distinguished Florentine 
botanist. 
2 Giovanni Battista Amici 7 1184-1868 ; an Italian astronomer, espe- 
cially skilled in t tion of optical instruments. 
