File:The country of The ring and the book (1913) (14803637833).jpg

Identifier: countryofringb00trev (find matches)
Title: The country of The ring and the book
Year: 1913 (1910s)
Authors: Treves, Frederick, Sir, 1853-1923
Subjects: Browning, Robert, 1812-1889
Publisher: London : Cassell
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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all sides, and plungingthe while through a country of olives and vines, ofgrowing corn and blossoming acacias and of hedge-rows more brilliant with flowers possibly than any yetencountered on the way. Otricoli is an old walled town, situated on a height,from which extends an amazing prospect across theTiber valley to the hills on the other side, where lieshidden the town of Civita Castellana. From thediaries of travellers of bygone days, it would appearthat Otricoli was a favourite stopping place, a place atwhich to take dinner or to spend the night. This canbe no matter of wonder, for the exquisite little townbelongs wholly to the past, is curious and simple, whilethe look-out from its walls is one not easily to beforgotten. The view shown in Plate 84 is taken fromthe old posting-house of Otricoli, a crumbling, un-steady building on arches, on the wall of which is stillto be seen a notice dealing with posting charges toNarni. Pompilia would reach Otricoli at 9.30 in the morning, 212
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81.—THE POSTING-HOUSE AT STRETTURA. The Journey Across the Hills to Gastelnuovo and, as the posting-inn is quite close to the edgeof the hill, it may be assumed that she walked to thewalls to rest her eyes upon the placid valley throughwhich the Tiber was lazily sweeping on its way toRome. From Otricoli the road descends to the level bankof the river, and here, some five or six miles beyondOtricoli, the carriage would cross the Tiber for thesecond time. The bridge which spans the river at thisspot is the famous Ponte Felice, the Happy Bridge.This bridge is as old1 as the Via Flaminia, but, in itspresent form, dates only from 1589, when it was recon-structed by Sixtus V. It is a handsome bridge, morefitted, perhaps, for such a city as Rome than for analmost uninhabited valley. It is of )rellow brick andtime-worn stone, is somewhat ambitiously ornamented,while in every cranny between the blocks of its masonrysome green weed or bush is growing (Plate 85). Just beyond the Happy Bridge a

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