towers form a right
angle with the straight horizon; thus the whole is magnificent. Nothing
of the sort could be produced in the interior of a country but in a
situation like the present. Who but a man of extraordinary genius would
have thought of rearing in the desert such a structure as this, or
creating such an oasis? The colouring of the building reminded me of
Malta or Sicily, a rich mellow hue prevails; the ornaments of the Tower
are so clean, so distinct, such terseness. The windows, small and few
compared with modern buildings, give it the appearance of those early
Florentine edifices reared when security and defence were as much an
object as beauty. From every part of the ground the pile looks grand,
the lines producing the most beautiful effect. The windows have iron
gratings, which give it an Oriental character. We entered, and
immediately ascended the Tower. A circular staircase was round the wall.
The proportion of the interior is beautiful; you see from the bottom to
the top. From the apparent size of the three or four loopholes seen from
the outside I imagined it would be dark and gloomy from within, but I was
agreeably surprised to find the whole extremely light. The balustrade is
Egyptian in form, and banisters bronze. On reaching the top you find a
square apartment containing twelve windows, each a piece of plate glass,
the floor covered with red cloth and crimson window curtains. The effect
of distance seen through these apertures unobstructed by framework,
contrasted with the bronze balustrade without and crimson curtains
within, is truly enchanting. We were not happy in the weather. The
morning was sunny and promising, but at noon clouds obscured the heavens;
therefore we wanted that glow and splendour sunshine never fails to give
the landscape. The height is so great that everything looks quite
diminutive. The road running in a straight line across the Down reminds
one of a Roman work, and the whole expanse of country surrounding recalls
the Campagna. Two more flights of stairs, most ingeniously contrived and
to all appearance hanging on nothing, lead to two other apartments, the
top one lighted by glass all round, concealed on the outside by the open
ornament that runs round the very top of the cupola.

On descending the staircase, the door opening showed us at the end of a
small vaulted corridor a beautiful statue by Rossi of St. Anthony and the
infant Jesus. At the back, fixed i