an autobiography-第53部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

uctures。　This　is；　unfortunately；　too　evident　in　most　of　our　public　buildings。　See；　for　instance；　our　new　Law　Courts。

One　thing　I　was　especially　struck　with　at　Nismesthe　ease　with　which　some　thousands　of　people　might　issue；　without　hindrance；　from　the　Amphitheatre。　　The　wedge…shaped　passages　radiate　from　the　centre；　and；　widening　outwards；　would　facilitate　the　egress　of　an　immense　crowd。　　Contrast　this　with　the　difficulty　of　getting　out　of　any　modern　theatre　or　church　in　case　of　alarm　or　fire。　　Another　thing　is　remarkablethe　care　with　which　the　huge　blocks　of　magnesian　limestone*　　＇footnote。。。　I　believe　Dolomite　is　the　proper　geological　term。　This　fine　material　abounds　in　this　part　of　France；　and　has　materially　contributed　to　the　durability　of　the　Roman　mason　work。　　。。。＇　have　been　selected。　　Some　of　the　stone　slabs　are　eighteen　feet　long；　they　roof　over　the　corridors；　yet　they　still　retain　the　marks　of　the　Roman　chisel。　　Every　individual　chip　is　as　crisp　as　on　the　day　on　which　it　was　made；　even　the　delicate　〃scribe〃　marks；　by　which　the　mason　some　1900　years　ago　lined　out　his　work　on　the　blocks　of　stone　he　was　about　to　chip　into　its　required　form；　are　still　perfectly　distinct。

This　wonderfully　durable　stone　is　of　the　same　material　as　that　employed　by　lithographers。　　Though　magnesian；　it　is　of　a　different　quality　from　that　employed　in　building　our　Houses　of　Parliament。　As　this　was　carefully　selected；　the　latter　was　carelessly　unselected。　It　was　quarried　at　random；　in　the　most　ignorant　way；　some　of　it　proved　little　better　than　chalk；　and　though　all　sorts　of　nostrums　have　been　tried；　nothing　will　cure　the　radical　defect。　　This；　however；　is　a　wide　digression　from　my　subject　of　the　admirable　mason　work；　and　the　wonderful　skill　and　forethought　employed　in　erecting　that　superb　arena　and　the　other　Roman　buildings　at　Nismes。

I　proceeded　to　Marseilles；　where　I　had　some　business　to　transact　with　Philip　Taylor　and　Company；　the　engineering　firm。　　They　were　most　kind　and　attentive　to　me　while　there；　and　greatly　added　to　the　enjoyment　of　my　visit　to　that　remarkable　city。　　From　Marseilles　I　proceeded　to　Toulon；　the　last　of　the　marine　dockyards　I　had　to　visit。　　There　was　no　railway　between　the　places　at　that　time；　and　it　was　accordingly　necessary　that　I　should　drive　along　the　usual　road。　　In　the　course　of　my　journey　to　Toulon　I　went　through　the　Pass　of　Col　d'Ollioulles。　It　was　awfully　impressive。　　The　Pass　appeared　to　consist　of　a　mighty　cleft　between　two　mountains；　the　result　of　some　convulsion　of　Nature。　There　was　only　room　for　the　carriage　road　to　pass　between　the　cliffs。　The　ruins　of　a　Saracenic　castle　stood　on　the　heights　to　guard　the　passage。　　It　was　certainly　the　most　romantic　scene　I　had　ever　beheld。

Looking　down　into　the　deep　cleft　below　me；　at　the　bottom　of　which　ran　a　turbulent　stream；　I　saw　the　narrow　road　along　which　our　carriage　was　to　pass。　　And　then　suddenly　I　emerged　in　full　sight　of　the　Mediterranean；　with　the　calm　blue　heavens　resting　over　the　deep　blue　sea。　　There　were　palms；　cactuses；　and　orange　trees；　mixed　with　olive　groves。　　The　fields　were　full　of　tulips　and　narcissuses；　and　the　rocks　by　the　roadside　were　covered　with　boxwood　and　lavender。　　Everything　gave　evidence　of　the　sunny　South。　　I　had　got　a　glimpse　of　the　Mediterranean　a　few　days　before；　but　now　I　saw　it　in　its　glory。

I　arrived　in　due　time　at　Toulon。　　The　town　is　not　very　striking　in　itself。　　It　is　surrounded　by　an　amphitheatre　of　mountains　of　hard　magnesian　limestone。　　These　are　almost　devoid　of　vegetation。　This　it　is　which　gives　so　arid　an　aspect　to　this　part　of　the　coast。　Facing　the　south；　the　sun's　rays；　reflected　from　the　bare　surface　of　the　rocks；　place　one　at　mid…day　as　if　in　the　focus　of　a　great　burning　mirror；　and　send　every　one　in　quest　of　shade。　　This　intense　temperature　has　its　due　effect　upon　the　workers　in　the　dockyard。　　I　found　the　place　far　inferior　to　the　others　which　I　had　visited。　　The　heat　seemed　to　engender　a　sort　of　listlessness　over　the　entire　place。　The　people　seemed　to　be　falling　asleep。　　Though　we　complain　of　cold　in　our　northern　hemisphere；　it　is　a　great　incentive　to　work。　　Even　our　east　wind　is　an　invigorator；　it　braces　us　up；　and　strengthens　our　nerves　and　muscles。

It　is　quite　possible　that　the　workmen　of　the　Toulon　dockyard　might　fire　up　and　work　with　energy　provided　an　occasion　arose　to　call　forth　their　dormant　energy。　　But　without　the　aid　of　an　almost　universal　introduction　of　self…acting　tools　in　this　sleepy　establishment；　to　break；　with　the　busy　hum　of　active　working　machinery；　the　spell　of　indolence　that　seemed　to　pervade　it；　there　appeared　to　me　no　hope　of　anything　like　continuous　and　effective　industry　or　useful　results。　The　docks　looked　like　one　vast　knacker's　yard　of　broken…down　obsolete　ships　and　wretched　old　paraphernaliaunfortunately　a　characteristic　of　other　establishments　nearer　home　than　Toulon。

After　transacting　my　business　with　the　directing　officers　of　this　vast　dockyard　I　returned　to　Marseilles。　　There　I　found　letters　requiring　me　to　proceed　to　Naples；　in　order　to　complete　some　business　arrangements　in　that　city。　　I　was　exceedingly　rejoiced　to　have　an　opportunity　of　visiting　the　south　of　Italy。　　I　set　out　at　once。　A　fine　new　steamer　of　the　Messageries　Imperiales；　the　Ercolano；　was　ready　to　sail　from　the　harbour。　　I　took　my　place　on　board。　I　found　that　the　engines　had　been　made　by　Maudsley　Sons　and　Field；　they　were　of　their　latest　improved　double…cylinder　construction。　When　I　went　down　into　the　engine…room　I　felt　myself　in　a　sense　at　home；　for　the　style　of　the　engines　brought　to　my　mind　many　a　pleasant　remembrance　of　the　days　gone　by。

We　steamed　out　of　the　harbour；　and　passed　in　succession　the　beautiful　little　islands　which　gem　the　bay　of　Marseilles。　　Amongst　others；　the　isle　of　If；　crowned　by　its　castle；　once　a　State　prison；　and　the　Chateau　d'If；　immortalised　by　Dumas。　　Then　Pomegne；　Ratoneau；　and　other　islands。　　We　were　now　on　the　deep　blue　Mediterranean；　watching　the　graceful　curves　of　the　coast　as　we　steamed　along。　Soon　after；　we　came　in　sight　of　the　snow…capped　maritime　Alps　behind　Nice。　　The　evening　was　calm　and　clear；　and　a　bright　moon　shone　overhead。　　Next　morning　I　awoke　in　the　harbour　of　Genoa；　with　a　splendid　panoramic　view　of　the　city　before　me。　　I　shall　never　forget　the　glorious　sight　of　that　clear　bright　morning　as　long　as　I　live。

As　the　steamer　was　to　remain　in　the　harbour　until　two　o'clock　next　day；　I　landed　with　the　passengers　and　saw　the　wonders　of　the　city。　I　felt　as　if　I　were　in　a　new　world。　　On　every　side　and　all　around　me　were　objects　of　art　lighted　up　by　glorious　sunshine。　　The　picturesque　narrow　streets；　with　the　blue　sky　overhead　and　the　bright　sunshine　lighting　up　the　beautiful　architecture　of　the　palatial　houses；　relieved　by　masses　of　clear　shade；　together　with　the　picturesque　dresses　of　the　people；　and　the　baskets　of　oranges　and　lemons　with　the　leaves　on　the　boughs　on　which　they　had　been　born　and　reared；　the　brilliant　greenery　of　the　inner　courts　into　which　you　peeped　while　passing　along　the　Strada　Nuova；　literally　a　street　of　palaces；　threw　me　into　a　fervency　of　delight。　　Here；　indeed；　was　architecture　to　be　proud　ofgrand；　imposing；　and　massivechastely　yet　gloriously　ornamented。　There　was　nothing　of　the　gingerbread　order　here！

The　plan　of　these　palaces　is　admirable。　　They　are　open　to　the　street；　so　that　all　the　inner　arrangements　may　be　seen。　　There　is　the　court；　surrounded　by　arcades；　the　arches　of　which　rest　upon　columns；　the　flights　of　marble　steps　on　each　side；　leading　to　the　great　hall　or　the　principal　apartments；　and　inside　the　court；　the　pink　daphnes　and　Tangerine　orange　frees；　surrounded　by　greenery；　with　which　the　splendour　of　the　marble　admirably　contrasts；the　whole　producing　a　magnificent　effect。　　I　remembered　that　Genoa　la　superba　was　one　of　my　father's　pet　subjects　when　talking　of　his　first　visit　to　Italy；　and　now　I　could　confirm　all　that　he　had　said　about　the　splendour　of　its　palaces。

I　do　not　know　of　anything　more　delightful　than　to　grope　one's　way　through　a　foreign　city；　especially　such　a　city　as　Genoa；　and　come　unexpectedly　upon　some　building　that　one　has　heard　ofthat　has　dimly　lived　in　the　mind　like　a　dreamand　now　to　see　it　realised　in　fact。　　It　suddenly　starts　into　life；　as　it　were；　surrounded　by　its　natural　associations。　　I　hate　your　professional　guides　and　their　constant　chatter。　　Much　better　to　come　with　a　mind　prepared　with　some　history　to　fall　back　upon；　and　thus　be　enabled　to　compare　the　present　with　the　past；　the　living　with　the　dead。

I　climbed　up　some　of　the　hills　surrounding　Genoafor　it　is　a　city　of　ups　and　downs。　　I　wandered　about　the　terraced　palaces　surrounded　by　orange　groves　and　surveyed　the　fortified　heights　by　which　the　place　is　surrounded。　　What　exquisite　bits　of　scenery　there　were　to　sketch；　what　a　rich　combination　of　nature　and　art！　　And　what　a　world　of　colour；　with　the　clear　blue　sea　in　the　distance！　　Altogether；　that　one　day　at　Genoathough　but　a　succession　of　glimpses　formed　a　bright　spot　in　my　life；　that　neither　time　nor　distance　can　dim　or　tarnish。

I　returned　to　the　harbour　two　hours　before　the　steamer　was　to　leave。　To　commemorate　my　visit；　I　mounted　the　top　of　the　paddle…box；　took　out　my　sketch　book；　and　made　a　panorami