VOLUME XXX

NUMBER I

TH

HE Italians are essentially a pleasure loving people. Centuries of the highest development of art, literature and music have formed in them love of all that it is bright and beautiful. This is demonstrated by their fondness for brilliant colors and their delight in the sunshine which is so freely bestowed upon their country. In Rome, it is seldom that rain falls more than a few hours at a time, and rarely is one prevented from being out in the air at some hour of the day. All this leads to a life of pleasure and enjoyment, and even the stranger within the gates of the "Eternal City" feels an uncontrollable longing to leave the gloomy palaces, with their vaulted ceilings and bare floors, and hasten out into the numerous gardens and parks with which the city has been from time immemorial SO abundantly supplied.

When one thinks of the glories of Rome two thousand years ago, in the midst of the utmost luxury, when magnificent baths and spa

cious gardens were provided for the. enjoyment of all, even the humblest, one can no longer wonder at the unusual provision in modern Rome for life "Al fresco". Here are small parks, where comfortable benches invite the passerby to rest and breathe in the delicious air, while basking in the warm sunlight; fountains falling into ancient sarcophagi, carved by hands long since laid away in eternal rest, cool the heated air, and gay flowers of scarlet and purple and blue are artistically arranged to charm the eye and delight the senses. Not only are there many of these resting places, but the Villas, surrounded by large grounds, are thrown open to the public, by the laws of the city. When the present Prince of the family of the DoriaPamphili came into possession of the the magnificent property which lies on the Janiculum Hill, outside of the city gates, he positively refused to allow his fellow citizens to make use of his beautifully kept parks and breathe the pine-scented

relian Wall, passing the tablet which records that on this spot Garibaldi's troops met the Papal troops in 1849, until the carriage rolls into the park, under the shade of tall trees and beneath broad reaches of smooth grass, dotted with daisies. The Prince desires that only two-horse carriages be driven through his premises, so the humbler vehicles must be left at the gate-way. Here, under the umbrella pines, one may wander for hours, following winding paths, cunningly devised so as to disguise the fact that the distances are short. Fountains spring up in shady nooks and wild flowers blossom among the old bits of Roman ruins. The Villa itself is not remarkable; but all Romans are thankful to those Princes who many years ago chose this lovely place for their residence. and gave to their fellow men an opportunity to enjoy with them the cool air, the velvet turf and the miniature lakes, bordered by willows.

Another Villa which is open on Thursdays, lies on the old Coelian Hill. above the Church of Gregory the Great, from the steps of which he sent out the Monk Augustine and his little band of brethren to evangelize Britain. Near the entrance to the Villa stands the Church of St. Stephen, ornamented with paintings of the cruel tortures inflicted upon the martyrs of old. Luckily for the peace of mind of tourists, this church is not often. visited, and is only open for service on one or two days in the year. The pictures are too realistic to be pleasant. In the Villa Mattei are walks bordered by tall boxwoods trimmed into elaborate designs, flower beds full of lovely blossoms and old statues and pieces of sar

cophagi, green with the moss of ages. Here, Rome lies spread out before one, its towers and domes rising into the clear air, that air of Italy which seems to cover with glory even the ugly bits of architecture, and tinges with romance every dark corner or ivy-green wall. The river flows like a silver cord far below, the cross upon St. Peter's glistens and sparkles, while the broad Campagna, tinted with rose and dull brown, stretches into the distance, until it touches the surrounding circle of mountains, half hidden by the faint blue haze of late afternoon. It is a scene never to be forgotten, this view of Rome. from the Villa Mattei.

But the park most frequented by Romans is that belonging to the Villa Borghese, outside of the Porto del Popolo, now called Villa Umberto I., in memory of the assassinated monarch. The grounds are

open free. For many years the

Villa was the property of Prince Borghese, but during the past year, the young King, Victor Emmanuel III., has bought it and has presented it to the city. The plan is to join the park to the Pincian Hill. If this is done,--and I believe the estimates for the work are already before the authorities,-Rome will possess one of the most beautiful parks in the world. It will not be so large as those of London, nor as the Bois de Boulogne, but it wili ne so interesting on account of its associations, in fact, so typically Italian in every way, that it wili prove to be one of the most attractive places on the tourist's list. statue of King Humbert is to be placed in the park.

A

On Thursday afternoon, when the school children are out in full force, for Thursday is the holiday