JUNE 373 



all the plants well blocked together. In a few more 

 years, when it has lost its 'new' look, it will be very- 

 beautiful, even from a gardener's point of view. The 

 variety of Oleanders — from snow-white to darkest red — 

 were the best I have ever seen. 



The interior of San Miniato is one of the most cu- 

 rious, old, and impressive churches in all Florence; but 

 the strange burial-ground, dug apparently into the rock, 

 is to my mind pathetically ugly. The utter bad taste of 

 it is not on so large a scale as the famous cemetery at 

 Genoa, which, to the very utmost, carries out Mr. Rus- 

 kin's words on modern Italian sculpture : ' Trying to be 

 grand by bigness and pathetic by expense.' 



Who that has ever been there does not share that 

 pining for the beauty and sunshine of the South ? It is 

 common to so many natures, and almost universally ex- 

 pressed by the poets. The return need of the South for 

 the strengthening influence of the North I have rarely 

 read in prose or poetry. Mrs. Browning seems to have 

 realised that there is such a need : 



'Now give us lands where the Olives grow,' 



Cried the North to the South, 

 'Where the sun with a golden mouth can blow 

 Blue bubbles of grapes down a vineyard-row!' 



Cried the North to the South. 



'Now give us men from the sunless plain, ' 



Cried the South to the North, 

 'By need of work in the snow and the rain 

 Made strong, and brave by familiar pain)' 



Cried the South to the North. 



'Give lueider hills and intenser seas,' 



Cried the North to the South, 

 'Since ever by symbols and bright degrees 

 Art, ehild-like, climbs to the dear Lord's knees,' 



Said the North to the South. 



