The-papacy-its-history-dogmas-genius-and-prospects-wylie

482 INFLUENCE OF POPERY ON NATIONS.vine was ripening ; while here and there tall forest-treeswere gathered into clumps, and white villas gleamed outupon the shore. In front were the high Alps, amid whosegleaming summits rose " Sovran Blanc" inunapproachablegrandeur. In approaching the Sardinian frontier, the authortraversed a level fertile country.Trees laden with fruitlined the road, and, stretching their noble arms across,screened him from the warm morning sun. On either sideof the highway were rich meadow lands, on which cattlewere grazing; while noble woods, and villas embowered amidfruit-trees, still farther diversified the prospect. At shortintervalscame a neat cottage, with its vine-trellised porch,with its garden gay with blossoms and fruit, and itsgroup of happy children. The author crossed the torrentwhich divides the republicSardinia ; but ah, what a change ! Thatof Geneva from the kingdom ofmoment the desolation,moral and physical, began. The fields looked asif a blight had blown across them ; they were absolutelyblack. The houses had become hovels ; nor had he gone adozen yards till he met a troop of beggars. By the waysidestood a row of halt and blind, waiting for alms. Someof them were afflicted with the hideous goitre ;others weresmitten with the more dreadful malady of cretinism. Theyformed altogether the most disgusting and miserable-lookinggroup he had ever seen.Their numbers seemed endless.Every other mile, in the day's ride of fifty miles, broughtnew groupes, as filthy, squalid, and diseased as those whichhad been passed. They uttered a piteous whine, or extendedtheir withered arms, as if not to beg an alms somuch as to protest against the tyranny, ecclesiastical andcivil, that was grinding them into the dust. The grandeurof the scenery and the riches of the region, though neglectedby man and devastated in part by the elements, couldnot be surpassed. There were magnificent vines,—treesladen with golden fruit,—patches of the richest grain ;butthe region seemed a kingdom of beggars, not driven out oftheir paradise, as Adam was, but doomed to dwell amid its