side lay under a covering of marl, which was grooved and
furrowed by torrents. "Is this Italy?" I asked myself in astonishment.
As the day rose, both weather and scenery improved. Towards mid-day, the
green beauteous mount on which Sienna, with its white buildings and its
cathedral towers, is situated, rose in the far distance; and, after many
hours winding and climbing, we entered its walls.

At Sienna we exchanged the _diligence_ for the railway, the course of
which lay through a series of ravines and valleys of the most
magnificent description, and thoroughly Tuscan in their character. We
had torrents below, crags crowned with castles above, vines, chestnuts,
and noble oaks clothing the steep, and purple shadows, such as Italy
only can show, enrobing all. I reached Pisa late in the evening; and
there a substantial supper, followed by yet more grateful sleep, made
amends for the four previous days' fasting, sleeplessness, and
endurance. I passed the Sabbath at Leghorn; and, starting again on
Monday _via_ Marseilles, and prosecuting my journey day and night
without intermission, save for an hour at a time, came on Saturday
evening to the capital of happy England, where I rested on the morrow,
"according to the commandment."

CHAPTER XXX.

THE ARGUMENT FROM THE WHOLE, OR, ROME HER OWN WITNESS.

When one goes to Rome, it is not unreasonable that he should there look
for some proofs of the vaunted excellence of the Roman faith. Rome is
the seat of Christ's Vicar, and the centre of Christianity, as Romanists
maintain; and there surely, if anywhere, may he expect to find those
personal and social virtues which have ever flourished in the wake of
Christianity. To what region has she gone where barbarism and vice have
not disappeared? and in what age has she flourished in which she has not
moulded the hearts of men and the institutions of society into
conformity with the purity of her own precepts, and the benevolence of
her own spirit? She has been no teacher of villany and cruelty,--no
patron of lust,--no champion of oppression. She has known only
"whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever
things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of
good report." Her great Founder demanded that she should be tried by her
fruits; and why should Rome be unwilling to submit to this test? If the
Pope be Christ's Vicar, his deeds cannot be evil. If Romanism be
Christianity, or ra