VILLA PIUMA. 



37 



the slope and inflates the lungs. At 

 every turn of the road th e out- 

 look changes. To which of the 

 man)' scenes shall the prefer- 

 ence be given? As soon as we 

 leave one spot we return to it for 

 surely it was the most beautiful I In 

 the end I decided in favour of a 

 small projection at the south- 

 western side of the inounlain, where 

 the wliole west coast as far as Portofino 

 is seen in a frame of luxuriant 

 \'erdure. Down below through the 

 trees the azure blue sea glitters in the 

 full sunshine, streaked ^^'ith pold like 

 Lapis Lazuli; and be^•ond, misty and silver-\'- 

 white, the snow masses of the Alps 

 seem to hover in the clouds. Here 

 I used often to sit, hither I returned, 

 and from this s]50t 1 found it most 

 difficult to tear m\'self awa\' on m\' 

 departure. 



It is fortunate for those who come 

 in search of health, and to en]0\- 

 nature, that the \'illa Piuma is in the 

 possession of an Italian nobleman 

 whose heart is in his countr\' and who 

 is proud of its beaut\ and \\ ho delights 

 to share it with others. The jNIarchese 

 Piuma is a scholar and Professor of 



1 



Ii.osvmrinus olpcinali: 



