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

142

CLASSICAL TOUR

Dis.

Though rain is not frequent during the spring
and summer months, yet occasional showers fall
abundant enough to refresh the air and to revive
the face of nature. These showers are generally
accompanied by thunder storms, and when un-
timely, that is before or during the harvest, are as
mischievous in their consequences as that which
Virgil describes with such appearances of ap-
prehension*. As I have elsewhere mentioned
the rains of Autumn, and the inundations of
winter torrents, I need not enlarge upon the
same subject again; but it will be sufficient to ob-
serve, that the periodical rains, and the accidental
showers, the local effects of mountains and seas ;
and that even the clouds and storms of winter,
are only transient and temporary interruptions of
the general serenity that constitutes one of the
principal advantages of this delightful climate.
The traveller, when after his return he finds him-
self wrapped up in the impenetrable gloom of a
London fog, or sees the gay months of May and

Saape eg« cum flavis messorem induceret arvis
Agricola, et fragili jam stringeret hordea culmo
Omnia ventorum concurrc-re praelia vidi
Quse gravidam late segetem radicibus imis
Sublime expulsam eruerent

Georg, i.