Botanists -- United States -- Correspondence; Gray, Asa, 1810-1888 -- Correspondence
Saturday, 25th, 1839.--I went early this morning to the Imperial
Cabinet; remained there until two, when the rooms are closed. After
dinner I explored about the city until sunset; saw many of the public
buildings, the gardens, etc. I understand the localities of the town
proper very well. The city itself is not large; the strong walls that
inclose it are still kept up, and immediately outside of this there is a
large open space, planted with trees and laid out into roads and walks.
Beyond this are the faubourgs or suburbs, larger many times than the
city itself; very pleasant, but rather inconvenient to reach. Most of
the public buildings, the shops, etc., are in the city itself. I went to
see the fine old Gothic Cathedral of St. Stephen’s. It is a very old and
exceedingly fine, large building, but the roof is very awkward. The
spire is the finest thing I ever saw in the way of Gothic architecture.
It is four hundred and sixty-five feet high, and is the very poetry of
steeples. I intend to climb to the top presently....
Monday morning, 27th May.--I find we are in a different climate from
Italy. It has been cold ever since my arrival here; the first day was
rainy, and yesterday it rained from morning to night, and was very cold
and unpleasant; so of course I kept my room nearly all day. I had also
to take care of Mr. Philip, whose indisposition has turned into
intermittent fever, such as he has been subject to at Rome. It is a most
distressing thing to be sick in a strange land, and I cannot be too
grateful for the uninterrupted good health I have enjoyed ever since I
left you.
I have deferred telling you anything about the Grotto of Adelsberg, on
account of the great difficulty I find in conveying any idea of it. It
is without doubt the most wonderful thing of its kind in the world.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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