declare!" which adapts it better to the
spirit of Bulwer's poem, in which the air is begged to tell something,
than to the Orphean or Orphic spell. It may be that the Orphic oracles
were heard in the voice of the wind, apropos of which latter there is a
strange Italian legend and an incantation to be addressed to all such
mystic voices of the night, which almost seems re-echoed in "Lucia":

"Verrano a te sull' aure,
I miei sospiri ardenti,
Udrai nell mar che mormora
L'eco de miei lamenti!"

It is worth observing that this tradition, though derived from the
Romagna, was given to me in Florence, and that one of the sculptures on
the Campanile represents Orpheus playing the pipe to wild beasts. It is
said that in the Middle Ages the walls of churches were the picture-books
of the people, where they learned all they knew of Bible legends, but not
unfrequently gathered many strange tales from other sources. The
sculptors frequently chose of their own will scenes or subjects which
were well known to the multitude, who would naturally be pleased with the
picturing what they liked, and it may be that Orpheus was familiar then
to all. In any case, the finding him in a witch incantation is
singularly in accordance with the bas-relief of the Cathedral of
Florence, which again fits in marvellously well with Byron's verse:

"Florence! whom I will love as well
As ever yet was said or sung,
Since Orpheus sang his spouse from hell,
Whilst thou art fair and I am young.

"Sweet Florence! those were pleasant times,
When worlds were staked for ladies' eyes.
Had bards as many realms as rhymes,
Thy charms might raise new Antonies!"

True it is that _this_ Florence seems to have had dazzling eyes and
ringlets curled; and it is on the other hand not true that Orpheus sang
his spouse from hell--he only tried to do it. And it is worth noting
that one of the commonest halfpenny pamphlets sold in Florence, which is
to be found at every public stand, is a poem called "Orpheus and
Eurydice." This fact alone renders it less singular that such classical
incantations should exist.

The early Christians, notwithstanding their antipathy to heathen symbols,
retained with love that of Orpheus. Orpheus was represented as a gentle
youth, charming-wild beasts with the music of the pipe, or as surrounded
by them and sheep; hence he was, like the Good Shepherd, the favourite
type of Christ. He ha