Florence, Italy, May 2, 1856.
Yesterday, the 1st of May, a gala-day in many countries, happening to be the anniversary of the Ascension, it united the church festival and the annual rejoicings of citizens and peasants; all business being suspended, and the entire populace at liberty, there was an unusual movement of the masses, and from early dawn until night might be seen the working-classes with their baskets of provisions, and flasks of wine, making their way to the shady groves of the Cascina, or royal farm. The wealthy denizens, in carriages, reserved their drive until towards evening, to enjoy the music of the band, which had already assisted at the church exercises and processions of the morning.
Having left the gay throng, I wandered along through the forest upon the banks of the Arno, listening to the changing notes of the nightingale, until I came to the junction of another stream, which arrested my progress. I was startled by the tread of the iron-horse in the distance, on his way to Leghorn. My thoughts, with more than locomotive speed, carried me back to the advantages enjoyed through steam power. One year before I was strolling upon the shores of the Danube, through the shady woods of the Prater, watching the movements of the people, and the gay cortege of the Imperial family of Austria, on a like occasion. The same power had since conveyed me twice across the Atlantic, through our Western States, and to the head waters of the Mississippi, and how much reason I had to be thankful for my almost miraculous preservation from the perils attending that power which I had so recently praised, in the superior qualities of the steamer Pacific, in my last passage to Europe. If she be now unfortunately added to the list of lost, it makes the sixth of the first-class steamers gone to the bottom, from which I have escaped within the past few years.
My reverie was broken by the appearance of a group of ruddy-faced peasant-girls, some with broad-brimmed straw-hats and long ribbons floating in the breeze, and some with pearl necklaces and crossed ear-rings. It was a bridal party. Some of the girls were remarkable for their beauty and freshness of complexion, notwithstanding their exposure to hard labor in the vineyards. The bridal portion of the peasant girl consists in the dress and valuable ornaments presented to her by the groom a few days before the marriage.
As I returned through the broad and solitary avenues, I met at intervals the forest guards, of which there were ten in number, in picturesque hunting dresses, with rifles in their hands, and plumes in their hats. Then I came to the joyful and giddy throng—music, dancing, eating, and drinking.
Winter is past, spring time has come once again, and all strive to be happy. Little country urchins are offering children miniature corn-stalk cages containing crickets, whose singing qualities they proclaim to inquiring nurses.
The annual races were held recently for three days in the same vicinity, which attracted large numbers of the upper classes of the community. The concourse of beauty and fashion in carriages was quite different from what it is with us, and gave strangers, of whom large numbers are now here on their return from Rome and Naples, a fine opportunity of seeing the aristocracy, and witnessing the sports of the turf. Curiosity led me to be present on one occasion, and I found things went off better than I had expected. Considerable interest was manifested by many for the success of a horse mounted by a negro jockey, rather a rare personage in this country, but poor Cuffy was almost distanced. It seemed to me, however, the fellow was not disheartened, for I saw him in the evening sipping his ice with a well-dressed white woman in a respectable café. I cite this as one of many examples seen in England and on the continent, however shocking it may be to the American mind to witness, of the practical amalgamation of the races carried out among the sympathizers of poor Uncle Tom.
Inasmuch as all Europe have had their demonstrations of joy upon the return of peace, so also has this government manifested its satisfaction in a jubilee. I suppose even the Duchy of Parma has done the same, although recently put in a state of siege, growing out of the frequent attempts at assassination of government officers. All fire-arms must be given up, and strangers are closely watched.
The people are looking anxiously for the publication of the articles of peace, hoping that Italy may also have real cause for rejoicing.
Although the carriage horses here are of large size and well-proportioned, there is quite a passion manifested for small ponies of the Shetland stock, for little tiny wagons, well adapted to run over the hills, and glide in and around the city, over the well-paved streets.