The lower floor of the house is tolerably furnished, and looks cheerful
with its frescos, although the bare pavements in every room give an
impression of discomfort. But carpets are universally taken up in Italy
during summer-time. It must have been an immense family that could have
ever filled such a house with life. We go on voyages of discovery, and
when in quest of any particular point, are likely enough to fetch up at
some other. This morning I had difficulty in finding my way again to the
top of the tower. One of the most peculiar rooms is constructed close to
the tower, under the roof of the main building, but with no external
walls on two sides! It is thus left open to the air, I presume for the
sake of coolness. A parapet runs round the exposed sides for the sake of
security. Some of the palaces in Florence have such open loggias in
their upper stories, and I saw others on our journey hither, after
arriving in Tuscany.
The grounds immediately around the house are laid out in gravel-walks,
and ornamented with shrubbery, and with what ought to be a grassy lawn;
but the Italian sun is quite as little favorable to beauty of that kind
as our own.
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