File:Italian castles and country seats (1911) (14797463103).jpg

Identifier: italiancastlesco00batcrich (find matches)
Title: Italian castles and country seats
Year: 1911 (1910s)
Authors: Batcheller, Tryphosa Bates, 1878-
Subjects: Castles -- Italy Historic buildings -- Italy Italy -- Description and travel
Publisher: New York, Longmans, Green, and Co.
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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e knowsthat the Orsini have passed that way; where is seenthe viper, there have the Visconti surely been before;but the five crescents of the Piccolomini are not to beconfused with the three of their neighbor, the Tolomeiof Siena; nor is the dragon of the Borghese to be con-founded with the Boncampagni dragon, for each greathouse of nobility, or power, which stood for the samething in those days, had its own device as a banner,followed by the men attached to the household, orthe mercenaries who fought for them. DAnnunzio,fastidious and ever-critical, used to the beauties of hisown country, was profoundly impressed, as I am notsurprised to learn, with the fascination and charm ofthis old palace, and is purposing to come here andwrite the history or story of Pius II. He should find1319) ITALIAN CASTLES the subject, place, and its hostess a most unusual andcharming inspiration. Countess Annina very kindly urged us to stay, butwe felt we must go on. All excuses for a shortletter. T. (320)
Text Appearing After Image:
then by Mrs. Batcheller THEATRE IN PALAZZO PICCOLOMINIPIENZA, TUSCANY AND COUNTRY SEATS Perugia, Umbria, NovemberMy dear M: OUR journey from Pienza to Orvieto wherewe stopped to see the beautiful cathedral,was as if we had stepped out of Italy, formost of the way lay through the volcanicdistrict, which is said to be scarcely inferior to thatof Mount Etna in size, and covers some eight hundredsquare miles of country about here. The surface islike the erupted tufa, and enormous streams of lavamust have flowed over this country. For a short dis-tance the road skirted the Lake of Bolsena, but thelake, which was once considered a crater, is moreprobably the result of the sinking of the earths sur-face. Dante speaks of this lake in the Purgatorio. I had thought I would not write you of our presentdisaster, but cest plus fort que moi, for I am reallydistressed this evening. After seeing the cathedral,and buying numerous photographs of the wonderfulfrescoes in Orvieto, and after a most comfor

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