The Improvisatore.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1869 Excerpt: ...--Naples. Federigo was enraptured with the picturesque groups which we met. Women, with red cloaks turned over their heads, rode past on asses, a young child at the breast or sleeping with an elder one in the basket at their feet. A whole family rode upon one horse; the wife behind the husband, and rested her arm or head against his shoulder, and seemed to sleep; the man had before him his little boy, who sat and played with the whip. It was such a group as Pignelli has given in his beautiful scenes out of the life of the people. The air was gray; it rained a little; we could neither see Vesuvius nor Capri. The corn stood juicy and green in the field under the tall fruit-trees and poplars, round which the vines enwreathed themselves. "Do you see," said the signora, "our Campagna is a table well spread with bread, fruit, and wine; and you will soon see our gay city and our swelling sea!" Towards evening we approached it. The splendid Toledo Street lay before us; it was really a corso. On every hand were illumined shops; tables which stood in the street, laden with oranges and figs, were lit up by lamps and gayly colored lanterns. The whole street, with its innumerable lights in the open air, looked like a stream sprinkled over with stars. On each side stood lofty houses, with balconies before every window, nay, often quite round the corner, and within these stood ladies and gentlemen, as if it were still a merry carnival. One carriage passed another, and the horses slipped on the smooth slabs of lava with which the street was paved. Now a little cabriolet on two wheels came by; from five to six people sat in the little carriage, ragged lads stood behind it, and beneath, in the shaking net, lay quite snugly a halfnaked lazzarone. One singl...