Eustace, John Cretwode: A classical tour through Italy An. MDCCCII (Vol. 4): 3. ed., rev. and enl (London: J. Mawman, 1815)

86 CLASSICAL TOUR Ch. HL
the life and interest which such scenes derive
from churches, villas, hamlets and towns, placed
as if by the hand of a painter in the most striking’
situations, so as to contrast with and relieve the
horror of the surrounding picture, we describe the
peculiar and characteristic features which distin-
guish the lakes of Italy, and give them an undis-
puted superiority,*
Adde lacus tantos te Lari maxime, teque
Fluctibus et fremitu assurgens Benace marine,
Virgil.
Having taken a slight refreshment at Novara,
as the night was far advanced, we determined to
continue our journey; especially as the district
which we wrere about to traverse was a dead flat,
intersected with canals, and planted with rice,

* I am willing to believe all that is related of the matchless
beauties of the lake of Killarney, but as I have not had the
pleasure of seeing them, I cannot introduce them into the com-
parison. However, they seem to be too often clouded with
mists and drenched in rain, to be capable of disputing the
palm of beauty with scenes lighted up by the constant sun-
shine and the azure skies of Italy. Of the Helvetian lakes we
may perhaps discourse hereafter. At present I shall only
say, that they are on the wrong side of the Alps.