to do, he will make you sensible
of a release.

The passage to Ancona was tedious.

We embarked at noon, and had a long passage to Ancona of twelve days. We
landed on the 29th, and soon found ourselves occupying an empty room in
the Lazaretto, without even the accommodation of a shelf or closet. The
term of quarantine is fourteen days, but four days are remitted by the
Pope. The heat is oppressive, and the mosquitoes annoy us much, but we are
preserved in a tolerable degree of health; and in taking a review of our
visit to Greece and the Ionian Islands, we are still sensible of a very
peaceful feeling, under a belief that we have followed the pointings of
the Great Master, and a hope that the day is not far distant when the way
will be more fully opened in those countries to receive the gospel. The
preaching of John in the wilderness has often appeared to us to be
applicable to this people,--Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

7 _mo._ 6.--We left Ancona, and took the route through Foligno and
Arezzo to Florence. That part of the Pope's dominions through which we
have passed is highly picturesque; hill and dale continually, and the
whole country cultivated absolutely like a garden. Most of the towns are
on the hills, and nothing can exceed the beauty of their situation. But as
to vital religion, the spirit of those who desire the promotion of the
Redeemer's kingdom, on the broad and sound basis of common Christianity,
must be clothed with mourning in passing through this superstitious and
illiberal country. What we have seen of Tuscany is not so fine, but the
appearance of the peasants is much superior. The inns are much more
agreeable than we found them on the road from Geneva to Ancona.

We arrived at Florence on the 10th. The persons to whom we had
recommendations were absent, on account of the heat of the season, except
the Abbot Valiani, a spiritually-minded man, who showed us great kindness.
He has refused many advantageous offers of promotion, choosing to be
content with a little, rather than to be hampered with fetters which I
believe he thinks unscriptural, and not for the good of the Church; he is
of the opinion that it would be better for the common people to have the
Bible, and to be more acquainted with its contents. He conducted us to see
the School for Mutual Instruction, founded under the patronage of the
Grand Duke, about twelve years ago. The school-room is very large, airy,
and well