"Saturday, 1st September. Milan.--Our object this morning was to ascend to the roof, where I remained alone, not venturing to follow the rest of the party to the top of the giddy, central spire, which is ascended by a narrow staircase twisted round the outside. Even W. was obliged to trust to a hand governed by a steadier head than his own. I wandered about, with space spread around me (on the roof on which I trod), for streets and even squares of no very diminutive Town. The floor on which I trod was all of polished marble, intensely hot, and as dazzling as snow; and instead of moving figures I was surrounded by groups and stationary processions of silent statues--saints, sages, and angels. It is impossible for me to describe the beautiful spectacle, or to give a notion of the delight I felt; therefore I will copy a sketch in verse composed from my Brother's recollections of the view from the central Spire." (From Dorothy Wordsworth's Journal, vol. ii.) Henry Crabb Robinson wrote thus of these memorial stanzas:--"Of the stanzas, I love most--loving all--'The Eclipse of the Sun.'" (_Diary_, etc., vol. ii. p. 224.)--ED. VARIANTS: [Footnote 528: 1827. 1821. 1822. ] [Footnote 529: 1827. Upon Lugano's ample bay; 1822. ] [Footnote 530: 1837. Hath fled ... 1822. ] [Footnote 531: 1827. Far-stretching files ... 1822. ] [Footnote 532: 1827. See! ... 1822. ] [Footnote 533: 1832. ... its ... 1822. ] [Footnote 534: 1837. Enquiring thoughts are turned to you; Does a clear ether meet your eyes? Or have black vapours hid the skies And mountains from your view? 1822. Was such a vision given to you? Or, while we looked with favoured eyes, Did sullen mist hide lake and skies And mountains from your view? 1827. What countenance hath this day put on for you? Do clouds surcharged with irksome rain, Blackening the Eclipse, take hill and plain From your benighted view? 1832. ] [Footnote 535: 1837. Of gay Winandermere? 1832. ] FOOTNOTES: [Footnote II: The following note was added, by Henry Crabb Robinson, to Dorothy Wordsworth's Journal:--"It is perfectly notorious that this picture suffered more from the negligence of the monks than from the scorn of the French. A hole was broken thro' the lower part of the centre of the picture to admit hot dishes from the Kitchen into the Refectory.--H. C. R."--ED.]