Mountains. The Alps lie on the north, and the Apennines extend through the peninsula. Volcanoes. The volcanoes are Mount Etna, in Sicily; Vesuvius, 7 miles E. of Naples, and Stromboli, on one of the Lipari islands. Etna and Vesuvius are two of the most celebrated velcanoes on the globe, and have been subject to tremendous eruptions from the remotest antiquity. Etna is about 11,000 feet high, and its lava is frequently thrown 30 miles. Vesuvius is less than 4,000 feet high, and its lava is sometimes thrown 7 miles. Rivers, The Po is the largest river. The 3 other principal rivers are the Adige, Tiber, and Arno. Lakes. Italy abounds in beautful lakes. The principal Maggiore, Garda, and Como in the north; Perugia, Bolsena, and Celano in the middle. Soil. A large part of the soil is very fertile. Cultivation is very backward in the southern and middle parts; but good in the north. Austrian Italy has a fertile soil, highly cultivated, and has been long styled the garden of Europe. Climate. The climate is esteemed the finest in Europe, but differs in different parts. Productions. The most important productions are grain, wine, olive oil, silk, cattle and cheese, delicious fruits, and fine marble. Universities. There are 18 universities; some of the principal ones are Padua, Pavia, Pisa, Parma, Bologna, and Turin. The 15th century was the brilliant period of Italian literature. Fine arts. The Italians excel chiefly in the fine arts, as painting, sculpture, architecture, and music. Language. The Italian language is derived from the Latin, and is harmonious and highly polished. Inhabitants. The Italians are effeminate and supersti tious. The common people in Naples are the most bigoted; those in the north are more enlightened. Curiosities. Italy abounds in objects of interest, both of nature and art. Savoy presents the most sublime mountain scenery. Here is Mont Blanc, the most elevat◄ ed mountain in Europe. Chamouni, a celebrated vale, lying on the north side of Mont Blanc, is greatly admired for the beauty and gran. deur of the scenery that surrounds it, The small river Arve, which flows through the vale of Chamouni, has a number of cataracts, one of which is very remarkable, called the Nun of Arpena, The river falls from a prodigiously high rock with great noise and violence. The descent is said to exceed 1, 100 feet. At Tivoli, the river Teverone, anciently called Anio, falls over the brink of a rock, nearly 190 feet, in one mass, The water has hollowed grottoes of the most picturesque appearance. Italy contains the most splendid specimens of architecture, sculpture, and painting, at Rome, Milan, Genoa, Florence, Naples, Bologna, Venice, Verona, &c. Remains of ancient monuments, as amphitheatres, triumphal arches, ruins of temples, bridges, &c., are to be seen in vari, ous places, Pompeii and Herculaneum, two cities near Naples, were overwhelmed by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius, A. D. 79, and remained buried under the lava more than 16 centu ries. Whole streets have lately been opened, and various works of art have been found in a surprising state of preservation. Cities in Austrian Italy. The largest are Milan, Venice, Verona, Brescia, and Padua. See Austria. Cities in the king of Sardinia's territories. Turin, the capital of Piedmont and of the Sardinian monarchy, is fine. ly situated on the Po. It is a regular and handsome town, and the country around is fertile and delightful. Popula tion 90,000. Genou, on a gulf of the same name, was once the capi tal of a celebrated republic. It is built on the declivity of a bill, and is a place of great strength, It contains many splendid edifices, and the view of the city at a distance is very magnificent. Its commerce was greater than at present in the 14th and 15th centuries. Popula tion 76,000. The other principal towns are Alexandria, Mondovi, and Asti in Piedmont; Nice, capital of the county of Nice; Chamberry, capital of Savoy; Cagliari and Sassay ri in the island of Sardinia. · Cities in Tuscany. Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is situated in a delightful vale on the Arno, and is one of the finest cities in Europe. It is distinguished for the fine arts, and has the most celebrated academy of painting in the world. Population 75,000. Leghorn, 47 miles WSW. of most commercial towns in Italy. Florence, is one of the Pisa, on the Arno, 13 N. by E. of Leghorn, was once a large commercial city. It is now remarkable for its university, and for a leaning tower. Parma, Modena, and Lucca, capitals of duchies of the same name, are considerable towns. Cities in the States of the Church. Rome, the capital of the States of the Church, is situated on the Tiber, 15 miles from its mouth. It is a city of great renown, once the mistress of the world, and in modern times the residence of the Pope. Though greatly reduced, yet it still retains many of its ancient features, and has a great num. ber of remarkable monuments and splendid edifices. St. Peter's church is the largest and most beautiful church in the world, and the most superb edifice of modern times. It is 720 feet long, 510 broad, and 500 high, to the top of the cross. It was finished in 1620, having been upwards of 100 years in building. The most remarkable palaces are the Vatican and Lateran. Population 131,000. The other principal towns in the Pope's dominions, are Bologna, celebrated for its university, tower, and paintings; Ancona and Civita Vecchia, the principal seaports. Tivoli, remarkable for its fine situation and for the falls of the Teverone. Cities in Naples. Naples, the capital, is the largest city in Italy. It has a most delightful situation, on one of the finest bays in the world. Its approach from the sea is esteemed more beautiful than that of any other city in Europe. Population 330,000. Palermo, the capital of Sicily, is a large and beautful city, and has an extensive commerce. Population 130,000. Messina and Catania are large and handsome cities. Messina has an extensive commerce, and Catania is remarkable for earthquakes. IONIAN REPUBLIC. The Ionian Republic, or Republic of the Seven Islands, comprises the 7 following small islands, lying near the west coast of Greece, viz. Corfu, Cephalonia, Zante, St. Maura, Cerigo, Ithaca, and Paxu. They are under the protection of Great Britain. The town of Corfu is the capital. TURKEY IN EUROPE, Divisions. Turkey in Europe is composed of the fal lowing provinces. Constantinople 500,000 Sophia Albania Livadia Candia, and other European Turkish islands. Pop. Cities. 50,000 Serrae Adrianople 100,000 Joannina 35,000 Belgrade Larissa Pog 30,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 Constantinople, the metropolis of the Turkish empire, is delightfully situated on the west side of the Bosphorus, be, tween the Black sea and the sea of Marmora. It is sur. rounded by walls, and has a capacious and excellent bar. bour. It contains many splendid palaces, other edifices, and about 300 mosques, the most remarkable of which is that of St. Sophia. The Seraglio includes a vast assemblage of palaces inhabited by the sultan, his court, and the officers of government. That part of it occupied by the women, is called the Harem. The streets of the city are generally narrow, gloomy, and badly paved; and most of the private houses are meanly built of earth and wood, and none exceed two stories. Adrianople, pleasantly situated on the Marizza, was ane ciently the capital of the country. Saloniki, the ancient Thessalonica, and the largest town in Macedonia, is situated on a bay to which it gives name, and has always been distinguished for its commerce. Bucharest, the capital of Walachia, contains numerous convents and churches, and several stately edifices of stone, but the houses are for the most part miserable clay huts. Joannina, the capital of Albania, is situated on a lake near the Peneus 40 miles W. of Larissa, and has consid. erable trade. Belgrade, the capital of Servia, is a celebrated city, situated at the conflux of the Save with the Danube. It is strongly fortified, and is a place of extensive commerce. Larissa, in Thessaly, on the Peneus, is a very ancient town, and has considerable commerce. Athens, the capital of Livadia, has some commerce, but is meanly built, and greatly reduced from its ancient gran. deur. Antiquities. Almost every part of Greece presents remains of ancient magnificence and refinement, as the ruins of temples, theatres, aqueducts, columns, arches, walls, &c. The most remarkable monuments are found at Athens. Ruins are also to be seen at the sites of Sparta, Thebes, Argos, Eleusis, Nemea, Mycenæ, Phigaleia, Corinth, and many other places. Government. The government is despotic. The emperor is styled Sultan, or Grand Seignior. The court of the sultan is called the Ottoman Porte. Next to the sultan in power is the Grand Vizier, who presides at the council, which is styled the Divan. Religion. The Turks are Mahometans of the sect of Omar. The Mufti, who is at the head of the religious establishment, is the second subject in the empire. About one third of the inhabitants of Turkey are Mahometans. The other two thirds are mostly christians of the Greek church, at the head of which is the patriarch of Constan. tinople. Education. The state of education among the Turks is very low. The Greeks have some literature. Language. The Turkish language is a mixture of sev eral dialects, but is greatly inferior to the Persian and Arabic in strength and elegance. The Greeks speak Ro |