JUNE 369 



Later in the evening we went on to a balcony on the 

 Lung' Arno, to see the fireworks let off from the opposite 

 hill of San Miniato. I had not seen good fireworks for 

 many years. They may be as good at the Crystal Pal- 

 ace, and no doubt are, but never can the whole scene be 

 anything like as lovely as those fireworks on this night 

 of San Giovanni, with the background of the San Mini- 

 ato hill, and the river in front a mirror of reflections. 

 Every street poured its crowd in all directions on to the 

 Lung' Arno. We had excellent places, and my com- 

 panion, in a burst of enthusiasm, seized my arm and 

 said : ' I don't care, it is simply the most beautiful thing 

 in art or nature I have ever seen.' High over all hung 

 the young moon, in the clear lapis lazuli sky. The crowd 

 poured along in a ceaseless stream, but it was impossible 

 to imagine anything more quiet and orderly. From the 

 absence of strangers, the streets were so empty in the 

 daytime one wondered where the people could possibly 

 all come from now. 



June 26th. — I was faithful to my tastes, and though I 

 had little time I went to the Botanical Garden in the 

 town. It had nothing in it very remarkable ; all the 

 greenhouse plants were out in the open, and many of 

 our northern plants were growing somewhat shabbily in 

 pots as botanical curiosities, in the way we grow south- 

 ern things at home. The beautiful Catalpa syringcefolia 

 was in full flower here, and in all other good Florentine 

 gardens. The same with Trachelospermum jastninoides, 

 which hung over all the walls in the greatest profusion, 

 scenting the air for yards round. I am sure this plant 

 is generally too much coddled at home, and would do 

 better if sunk out during the summer and well watered; 

 it is a greenhouse plant well worth growing. Asclepias 

 incarnata and Asclepias tuberosa were very sweet ; both 

 these and Solatium glaucum are quite worthy of a place 



