the country far and near, and
sparkled in the ripples of the river winding its way majestically
through the valley.

Enclosing this valley stood the circling hills, some with softly
modulated lines, some rising boldly, jagged and rugged, with their
stretches of green meadow and dark patches of forest, out from which,
here and there, a pilgrim's shrine shone whitely, or a ruined fortress,
grey with age, reared its crumbling walls. In the far , half
veiled in blue mist, rose the grander mountains, a noble background
bounding the horizon, and over all the azure sky smiled serene and
gracious, and the great sea of ether was filled with a golden haze. It
was one of those days when the earth lies bathed in light, so saturated
with  and brilliant in beauty, that it would seem as though the
world's wide compass held naught else than sunshine, glorious sunshine.

No stronger contrast could have been found than this beaming landscape
without, and the deep cool shade of the Castle-garden, buried in its
sombre quiet. The mighty crests of the limes, with their closely-woven
boughs, shed a sort of mild green twilight on the space below, and from
beneath the tall trees came the monotonous plash of the fountain. In
unvarying alternation the crystal