Now, how much Florence
can vaunt herself in this respect, whoever may be in any doubt of it may
enlighten himself by regarding her most ornate and highly cultivated
neighbourhood, for, leaving on one side the vast number of most superb
and commodious palaces that may be seen dispersed over its surface, it
is such that Florence, although among the most beautiful cities of which
we have any knowledge she might be said to carry off the palm, yet
remains by a great measure vanquished and surpassed by it, insomuch that
it may rightly claim the title of the garden of Europe; not to speak of
its fertility, as to which, although it is for the most part
mountainous and not very large, nevertheless the diligence that is used
in it is such, that it not only feeds bountifully its own vast
population and the infinite multitude of strangers who flock to it, but
very often gives courteous succour to other lands both near and far. In
the canvas (to return to our subject) which was to be seen in like
fashion beneath her statue, in the same manner and of the same size, the
excellent painter had figured a most beautiful little landscape adorned
with an infinite variety of trees, in the most distant part of which was
seen an ancient and very ornate little temple dedicated to Ceres, in
which, since it was open and raised upon colonnades, could be perceived
many who were offering religious sacrifices. On the other side, in a
part somewhat more solitary, Nymphs of the chase could be seen standing
about a shady and most limpid fount, gazing as it were in marvel and
offering to the new bride of those pleasures and delights that are found
in their pursuits, in which Tuscany is perhaps not inferior to any other
part of Italy. In another part, with many countrymen bringing various
animals both wild and domestic, were seen also many country-girls, young
and beautiful, and adorned in a thousand rustic but graceful manners,
and likewise come--weaving the while garlands of flowers and bearing
various fruits--to see and honour their Lady. And the verses which were
over this scene as with the others, taken from Virgil, to the great
glory of Tuscany, ran thus:

Hanc olim veteres vitam coluere Sabini,
Hanc Remus et frater, sic fortis Etruria crevit,
Scilicet et rerum facta est pulcherrima Flora,
Urbs antiqua, potens armis atque ubere glebae.

Next, opposite to the above-described statue of Ceres, was seen that of
Industry; and I do n