THE NEW ITALY AND THE HOLIDAY MAKER.
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] was greatly interested in your article on Italy, and although belonging to a very different order of society from your own—I am a shop assistant—I should like to endorse all you stated therein. I recently spent a fortnight in- this land of youth's desire, and I must confess that everywhere I went—Milan, Venice, Florence, Genoa—I was treated with the utmost courtesy and kindness. My nationality seemed to be greatly welcomed, and once there was a protestation of friendship because of it. On no occasion was there an attempt. at exploitation, or the taking advantage of my ignorance ; and to say this means much, for I was quite alone, could not speak the language, and travelled by the aid of no agency, purchasing my tickets from the Italian State Railways in London.
My holiday commenced with coffee, new rolls and the creamiest of butter at Vallorbes Station about 5 o'clock in the morning, and ended, some twelve days later, with twilight over the lovely Lake of Bourget. But no, it did not end there, it rather commenced its onward journey like the soul of John Brown. And now, when days are dull -and work dreary, I creep off to walk with bowed head in the vastness of the Duomo at Florence, or linger amid the choir frescoes of Fra Angelico in 'St. Mark's Monastery, or loiter about the Ponte Vecchio ; and, yes, listen to the croaking of the frogs in poor, old, withered Arno. To adapt a line of Keats would express my feelings towards this Italy—" And I will ever love, and she be fair."—I am, Sir, &c., A. J.
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