FLORENCE, a celebrated city of Italy, is situated on the banks of the river Arno, in North Lat. 43' 46' 3G", and East Long. a according to sidereal observations.
It is distant 150 miles from Rome, and about 60 from the shores of that part of the Mediterranean called the Mare Inferum, or Tuscan Sea.
Few cities have received from nature more advantagJs than Florence. The Valdarno, or Vale of Arno, is the Arcadia of the Italian poets ; and even Milton himself fre quently alludes to the exquisite beauties of its scenery.
Behind the city rise hills covered with olive and fig trees, and other plants, natives of the warmer climates ; still farther are high mountains, clothed with immense forests of Chesnut trees, and adorned with small towns, sometimes boldly rising on their sides, and at other times half concealed in their woods and recesses ; while beyond them, in the distance, rise the naked and rugged summits of the lofty Apennines. The whole valley is one conti nued grove and garden, where the beauty of the country is enlivened by the animation of the town, and the fertility of the soil, redoubled by the industry of its cultivators. Such indeed is the richness of the plain, that five crops of wheat or maize are taken in the course of three years. The trees in the hedge-rows are covered with sines, which are trained upon their stems; while the white villas that gleam through the orchards, and the populous hamlets that line the roads and banks of the river, present on eve ry side a scene of comfort and prosperity.
The city itself spreads along the side of the river, which forms one of its greatest ornaments. Its streets are well paved, or rather flagged, wider than usual in southern climates ; and its houses in general solid, and rather stately. It has several squares, and many churches and palaces, so that its appearance is airy, clean, and sometimes rising towards grandeur.
The first edifice which arrests the attention of the tra veller is the cathedral, (commonly called in Florence // Duomo,) a building of great extent and magnificence, and in boldness and skill inferior only to St Peter's at Rome. This building is 925 feet in length, and 363 in height. It is completely cased with polished black and white marble, and the interior paved with variegated marble, part of which was arranged by Michael Angelo.
Its most remarkable feature, however, is the dome, which was raised under the directions of Philip lit unel lesco, the most celebrated architect of the 15th century.
The dimensions arc within a few feet of the dome of St Peter's; and as it is prior to it in date by nearly a century, and was always the peculiar object of Michael Angelo's admiration, we may conclude, that the plan of the Roman edifice was at least in part suggested by the Florentine. But, in many respects, the inferiority of the latter is un deniable. The octagonal shape, less simple, has conse quently less grandeur than the circular, and, from being closed at the top, there is a want of light to illuminate the vast vault below. This is indeed the general defect of the church, the windows being small, and the little light they admit diminished by the deep and rich colon's of the painted glass. Such at least is the opinion of Italian critics, though to British eyes, accustomed to associate ideas of sublimity with the gloomy grandeur of our Gothic cathedrals, these very defects will appear to be excel lencies. The statues which adorn the church both within and without, are most of them the works of the most eminent sculptors, and efrr of the pictures are of the first rate of excellence. Among the most remarkable of the former, are the statue of Brunellesco, and those on the altar, the productions of Bandinelli and Michael Angelo. Of the latter, those in the interior of the dome by Zuccheri and Vasari, and the portraits of Dante and Giotto, are most worthy of attention ; the first, for their intrinsic beauty, and the others, on account of the distinguisi,ed characters to whose memory they are consecrated. Detached from the church stands the belfry, a light and elegant tower, in crusted with variegated marble, and, like the church, adorned with statues. The general baptistery of the city, which fronts the principal entry of the church, is also an octangular building of great magnificence. It is chielly remat kable for the basso relievos which adorn its three great bronze portals. They are the work of Andrea Uga lini, of Pisa and Lorenzo Ghiberti, and were so highly admired by Michael Angelo, that he called them the " Gates of Paradise." Before the principal gate of the baptistery are two columns of porphyry, on which are suspended the immense chains with which the Pisans, in 1406. attempted to close up their harbour against the Florentines and Genoese, and which were afterwards brought to Florence as a trophy of victory. See CITIL AnciirrEcTunE, vol. vi. and Plate CLXXIII. where we have given a plan and vertical section of this ch-urch.